In our fast-paced, get-it-done-yesterday world, coffee (and/or tea!) can be a person’s best friend. Luckily there’s no shortage of tasty drinks around town. In addition to multiple locations of beloved chains Starbucks and Dunkin’, Kankakee County is overflowing with delicious coffee concoctions.
On the small-biz menu
• Connect Roasters — 141 S. Main St., Bourbonnais
• Recharge Coffee Co. — 415 Main St. NW, Bourbonnais
• Stefari West Avenue — 267 S. West Ave., Kankakee
• Uplifted Bistro — 67 W. First St., Manteno
• Utopia Shakes & Teas — 1230 N. Convent St., Bourbonnais
• The Well — 47 1/2 W. Second St., Manteno
Freshly roasted
Two long-time Kankakee County staples had a big year in 2023 as one moved to a larger location and the other opened a brick-and-mortar shop.
• Stefari West Avenue: Formerly known as Stefari Café when it was located in the Majestic — has opened the doors to its new location on South West Avenue in Kankakee. Now serving cocktails and dinner in addition to its coffee/tea and breakfast/lunch fare, the new location offers more options for diners.
“It’s been good. Our community has been amazing,” Ari Frunze, who owns the restaurant with husband Stefan, said shortly after opening last summer.
The new space has occupancy for 49 customers, with dining options available for table and booth seating as well as seating at the coffee/cocktail bar. Unlike Stefari Café, Stefari West Avenue has a host that seats diners at their tables, and servers come to take orders at the table rather than orders being placed at the counter.
There still is counter service for carryout and pick up orders, as well as for purchases of bags of coffee and tea. Now with offering three meals a day, the new location stops breakfast service at 11 a.m., though coffee and toast options still are available past that time.
Coffee and tea orders often are served in handmade mugs created by Courtney Zimmerman, of Momence, who has been featured in Lifestyles as a Local Artist and a member of Thriving 20 Under 40.
Now at 267 S. West Ave., Kankakee, Stefari serves its breakfast and lunch menu from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. From 2-4 p.m., the spot remains open for drinks and appetizers. Dinner is 4-8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 4-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
• Connect Roasters: A long-time fixture at the Kankakee Farmers’ Market – as well as having an online presence — selling ground coffee for at-home use, Connect Roasters opened its brick-and-mortar store in Bourbonnais in October. Founder and owner Caleb Benoit said in January things have been going well with the cafe and “the feedback from the community has been great.”
He noted that, based on said community feedback, the cafe has added more food items to the menu, including gluten-free and allergen-friendly items. Connect has started carrying products from the local pop-up bakery, Sweet Darren’s, including cinnamon rolls Benoit said “have become customer favorites.”
He said these first several months of store-front operation have “been an exercise in taking feedback from customers to improve.”
The shop is open 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays.
Pop-up spots
The following coffee creators bounce around town through pop-up events, farmers’ market appearances and more.
• Brew Head Espresso — facebook.com/BrewHeadEspresso
• Llama Bean Coffee Co — facebook.com/llamabeancoffee
• LoveALatte — facebook.com/LoveALatte.Coffee
Coming soon
The MILL Co./ Elizabeth & Grace: Soon in St. Anne, people will be able to browse clothing while sipping on coffee and nibbling on freshly-made sourdough bread.
Sisters-in-law Tiffany DeRocco and Jordyn Dietrich are turning their dreams of opening a brick-and-mortar coffee shop and boutique, respectively, into reality by merging the two businesses under one roof.
Coming soon to 101 Dixie Highway in St. Anne will be The MILL Co. — specializing in coffee and sourdough bread — and Elizabeth & Grace — a clothing boutique that currently has an online presence.
For updates on the shops’ progress and opening date, search “The MILL Co.” and “Elizabeth & Grace” on Facebook.
Inside hospitals
Kankakee’s two area hospitals both feature their own coffee shop inside the main hospital centers for visitors and patients.
• Uncommon Grounds (Riverside Medical Center)
• Gathering Grounds Coffee Shop (Ascension Saint Mary)
Additionally, there is a bevy of sit-down spots, from Blue’s Cafe to Yolks & Berries to Berry and Butter, that offer coffee with dine-in meals.
This article first appeared in Lifestyles of Kankakee County. The article has been updated here to reflect changes in hours at Stefari West Avenue. For the full issue, go to daily-journal.com/lifestyles.
