A lot of coffee shops strive to be cool. I don’t just mean that coffee shops might be trendy or flashy or feature the best equipment. I mean that coffee shops, in the right hands, can be hubs for artistry and creativity. That ethos extends not just to the coffee itself, though it absolutely should. It extends to decor, events, and the community that the shop brings into the space. If there is one coffee shop that lives up to that ideal, at least in the city of Chicago, it’s Drip Collective.
The Interior
Once you pass through the automatic door, you enter a large industrial room filled with the widest variety of seating you are likely to find in a coffee shop. The café has a bar with typical bar seating, but it also has a high table with stools, two wooden benches, a sofa, a large craft table in the back, stacked bleachers along the left wall, two very short chairs next to the merch shelf, and even two hand-shaped chairs surrounding a modern coffee table. Depending on when you visit, you may not have much of a choice of seating, but if you happen to come in on when it’s slow, there is a lot of variety waiting for you.
In addition to the motley crew of seating, books, records, and knick-knacks line the shelves. There’s a bookshelf in the back where folks can read from the stacks. A smattering of figurines and keepsakes, including a Frida Kahlo candle and a tennis ball with a face on it, sit behind the bar. A local artist’s portraits hang above the bleachers. And then there’s the record corner. Drip Collective is equipped with a full DJ booth and record shelf. I clocked albums by Thelonious Monk, Future, Kaytranada, and Beyoncé, among others, but there are also more knick-knacks lining the shelves as well.
An Artistic Hub
Drip Collective’s interior design fills an otherwise dull industrial space with creativity and personality. And in a way that’s indicative of the neighborhood it calls home. The West Loop is the kind of neighborhood where popular restaurants and name-brand retail stores are situated inside swathes of large, dull, brick and grey buildings. From the outside, it’s very unassuming. And then you walk inside, and something really cool and exciting, even quirky, is happening. The shop has Adventure Time playing on the wall from a projector, for goodness’ sake.
And the DJ corner isn’t just for show. On the weekends, Drip Collective invites DJ’s to come and spin records during midday hours. There’s a different DJ each day, and the music ranges from underground hip-hop to Afrobeat to R&B. On a previous visit to the café, there was a DJ playing, and he brought an upbeat energy to a space that was already abuzz with activity.
Co-owner Ty Banks told Block Club Chicago that “It could just be a coffee shop. … But we just incorporated a lot of things that we’re passionate about, like supporting the creative community, bringing in different artists.” That decision to make all parts of the business a creative space for artists is evident when you arrive, especially during the Hot Drip Sessions, the shop’s name for their DJ spots.
The Espresso
Drip Collective always has two espressos on offer. Today’s menu had a choice between and a relatively new batch of Filipino coffee from New Math. Realizing that I had never once tried a Filipino coffee before, I opted for the second. The espresso was delicious. I detected subtle notes of sweet bread and allspice in the initial sip, but these quickly gave way to strong fruity notes. Peach and tangerine, as advertised, were present, and so was a sort of lemon-lime soda feel. I really enjoyed this espresso. And for anyone who’s ever wanted to try coffee grown in the Philippines, the ___ offered by New Math is a great choice.
The Specialty Drink
For my second beverage, I chose of the shop’s specialty drinks: the Ube Buttercake. Many of the shop’s signature and specialty drinks feature a choice between espresso, matcha, or hojicha for the base. But this one was espresso by default. It was a rich, warm, buttery latte, and I loved it. The ube was not so present as to turn the drink purple, but its earthy and vegetal flavor was a perfect complement to the miso-butterscotch syrup. I found that it balanced very well between sweet and umami flavors. And it was perfect for the winter season.
Conclusion
Drip Collective feels distinctly of a new era for cafés. It is severely modern, and for some it may even be inaccessible. Weekend peak hours and collaborations get long waiting lines out the door. When DJs play, the music is very loud. The business website is only a prompt to enter a phone number. (I have never gotten a text from DC despite trying half a dozen times.) The shop’s Instagram page appears to basically function as its website. And its location in West Loop can mean expensive parking. These all mean that, for some folks, Drip Collective can be a hard sell.
And yet, once you get there and take it in, you find that the shop slouches on nothing. Every beverage is made with precision and care. The decor is composed so there is always something cool and colorful to look at. The seating is unique. The DJ sessions are fun. The menu is creative. Drip Collective delivers on all these fronts, and that is why I think it is absolutely worth a visit for coffee enthusiasts in Chicago.
If you’re interested in more café guides, check out our latest piece on Milli by Metric.
Plan Your Visit to Drip Collective
Address: 172 N Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60607
Website: https://dripcollective.coffee/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drip.collectivechi/?hl=en