Farooq’s Coffee Adventures: Ground Up Café

Ground Up Café is a close walk from campus for students looking to get their caffeine fix.

A three-minute walk across the recently built CTA bridge near University Hall brings you to the doorsteps of Ground Up Café: a new neighborhood coffee shop that sits in the space that was once a location for Bow Truss Coffee Roasters.

Don’t let the fact that Bow Truss is a familiar name in the Chicago coffee scene fool you into thinking that Ground Up is a step down. On the contrary, Ground Up’s imported Italian coffee is good enough to compete with anyone in the area. The blend features chocolaty and nutty flavor notes, giving it a smooth taste that could be described as a blend for everybody due to its familiar flavor notes. Better yet, they’re also in the process of developing their own blend — a medium light roast that will balance out their darker blends.

If coffee isn’t your thing, Ground Up serves a variety of high quality Rishi Teas. Ground Up also emphasizes cultural foods, like Greek specialty pies. They offer a range of pies and small bites, with many vegetarian options, too. They also give students a discount on orders of $5 or more with a valid student ID.

Being within walking distance from the east side of campus, Ground Up is convenient for students. The coffee shop has Wi-Fi and plenty of outlets. The environment provides students with a peaceful, calming getaway from campus.

Large windows bring natural light into the industrial-style space. Thick wooden tables, benches and bar seating provide ample choices to grab a seat, whether you want to catch up with someone, get some work done, or just sit alone against the window and unwind with a fresh cup of coffee or tea.

Follow along with the adventures on Instagram: @farooqscoffeestories