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Aroma Cafe
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 10 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
36 reviews for Aroma Cafe
Review Highlights
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"...here when it finally gets warmer and try out the back patio." In 3 reviews -
"...spring/summer/early fall with an iced latte and a good book." In 5 reviews -
"what i love most about aroma is the outdoor seating." In 2 reviews
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36 reviews in English
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Review from Zoe V.
Champaign, IL
3/25/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This place is awesome. Free Wi-Fi, great array of tables/chairs/couches, fireplace, outdoor space in the back, nice ambiance, and great friendly service.
While they play music on the overhead speakers, it's not intrusive at all.
They make a fabulous latte (hot or iced) and I am liking their updated lunch menu a lot. This is my go-to for coffee and a nice, relaxing place to sit. -
Review from Douglas H.
Champaign, IL
4/1/2012 1 photo
Under new ownership, Aroma is re-inventing herself as a cozy alternative in downtown Champaign. Warm byzantium hues fit perfectly with the charm of the new 'sexy toast' creations with fillings that range from fresh roasted portobellos with charred red capsicum to wonderfully tender beef short-ribs with a delicate horseradish cream sauce. Understated Middle-Eastern sides like hummus and tabouleh further enhance a menu that still includes classic Aroma fair like the Cuban sandwich and quesadillas.
Aroma has come a long way in a short time. I look forward to future encounters. -
Review from Sarah S.
2/28/2012
The custom-made my chai tea latte without any sweetener and it was the best I've ever had. I got to hang out for 2-1/2 hours to do work while traveling and felt welcome the entire time. Good tunes at a good volume and nice place to work and drink chai.
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Review from Sherwin C.
Palatine, IL
8/1/2011 12 photos
This cafe was a very pleasant surprise for breakfast. Every item I tried was surprisingly good.
The organic coffee came in a huge mug, bigger than most soup cups and had a really nice smooth and only slightly bitter taste. If you enjoy Intelligensia I'm sure you'd enjoy this one as well. The Italian soda was pretty normal, using Da Vinci syrup.
Both the roast beef wrap and mango chicken wrap were fresh and light with a good mix of flavors. The cream cheese is from local sources which you can clearly taste from the first bite. The sides of salad and fruit were both fresh and flavorful.
I will definitely return here on my next trip downstate. -
Review from Penelope Y.
Urbana, IL
8/12/2011
I was a bit disappointed by Aroma. My iced mocha tasted like chocolate milk (was there half a shot in there, or what?) and the veggie wrap was only "meh" although it sounded really great on the menu.
My drink tasted alright, despite lacking any kick, but the price is really what made it bad. For a SMALL espresso drink that didn't taste like it had any espresso in it, I paid $3.80. Whaa?
I do like that the sandwiches and such come with a choice of side, and that none of the sides will cost you extra. At Cafe Kopi, you have to pay extra for certain sides, including the side salad. I liked the salad that came with my wrap, although there were a few pieces of wilted/gross lettuce. I was underwhelmed by the wrap but would probably try a full-size salad from here.
However, since Cafe Kopi is right around the corner and serves way better drinks, I don't know if I'll ever bother giving Aroma Cafe a second chance. -
Review from Lesley A.
7/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I think Aroma Cafe has the best hot chocolate in the area. To support this claim, I had a cup of cocoa here, two hours later went to another café to try their cocoa, and immediately returned to have another cup of cocoa here. (I really need to watch my sugar intake.)
Nice place to study, great place for a study date. There's an outdoor area too, but I have not checked it out. -
Review from Marjie T.
6/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
On my quarterly-ish trips up to Champaign to see a friend, we usually find ourselves downtown walking around. This past weekend we had some time to kill before lunch so we stopped in Aroma for a drink. It was a gorgeous Saturday so we were able to take advantage of their backyard patio. It's pretty much your average coffee shop, but a few things stand out.
One - they have sugar free almond syrup. Yum! It's one of my favorite flavors, but rarely do I find it in the sugar free variety. Two - they have a fireplace. I'm assuming it works, although I've never actually been in Aroma when it's on. Third - they have a nice patio. Although I really wish they would upgrade their patio chairs. They have the flimsy plastic kind that suck. Spend a few more bucks and get something similar to your neighbor, Pekara.
Their bakery case never looks too appealing. I'd skip on over to Pekara if you're looking for a nosh, but Aroma is a-ok for a coffee or tea. -
Review from Ben C.
Champaign, IL
1/10/2011
Another great downtown coffee shop. They have a nice outdoor patio and a cozy section in the back with couches and armchairs. They also have local musicians play some nights which can be quite enjoyable. The coffee and atmosphere are pretty good. Seating can be a little sparse and when it's crowded, it can be a bit hard to move around.
I don't have any complaints really, but Aroma doesn't quite have the draw for me that other downtown coffee shops have. -
Review from Nilda R.
Chicago, IL
5/18/2010
A fantastic iced Americano at a reasonable price, served by a friendly person, and sipped in a clean and well-lit room where outlets were available in the early morning guaranteed that I could re-write that paper before presenting it.
Even the bathroom is lovely.
May we meet again, Aroma. -
Review from Bailey B.
Champaign, IL
9/13/2008
update 5/8/09
Yuck to their pastries. Every time I go here (not too often, but if Kopi is crowded or has rudely turned off their internet) their hours have changed. Now the sign says "For Now Hours" so who knows what it will be next time? They didn't have anything that looked that tempting, but I had a huge sweet tooth, and tried a brownie. It was hard as a rock. I should have taken it back, but I didn't because I would have had to sit their and drink my coffee anyway since I was given one of their tiny "here" cups (which probably wouldn't have taken me too long in reality).
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update 11/15/2008:
I have dropped Aroma just an "eh" rating...
Cafe Kopi was horribly crowded, so I trudged back out into the cold and headed to Aroma. There was a nice size table free, and it's much brighter in there (which I found jarring at first, but got used to it). I ordered my standard "Grande House Coffee" and when asked "for here or to go" I said "for here" because I had planned to stay to do some homework. Well she gave me my coffee in this tiny little mug. I asked her, "Is this a grande?" and she looked at me, said yes, and showed me an even tinier mug for their smalls. There was not 16 oz of hot coffee in that tea cup. Barely 12 oz would be my guess. They TOTALLY short change you on the "for here" cups, so I would recommend getting a "to go" cup even if you plan on staying. Which is unfortunate when "going green" is the thing to do...
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On an early Sunday right after moving to Champaign, I was wandering around the downtown area to see what was around, and stopped in here for a coffee and a muffin. It's cute, there's lots of tables, free WiFi (although I didn't have my computer, I saw a couple of people with laptops out), and the people behind the counter were nice. There's a comfy spot in the back with couches and chairs and a fireplace! (not sure if it works though) And they have an outdoor area as well. The coffee was good, and if you buy one of their travel mugs, you get a discount every time you bring it in to get your coffee. The hours are great for studying. Overall: it's cute, and I can see myself heading back there in the future. -
Review from Tim J.
1/13/2010 17 Check-ins Here
Best coffee in Downtown Champaign. Better than Kopi, Expresso Royale and MUCH better than Pekara and Merry Anns. Coffees change daily, and they always have a pot ready regardless of the crowd. I always get a regular ol' coffee, but people who get the froofy drinks also think that Aroma is on top of their game.
The staff is always friendly and helpful to me, though some have told me they have experienced worse, but then again, I know a lot of assholes.
The food is good, but their portions are a little small. A lunch with a large coffee is always $8-9. For $5.95 pretax, you get one of their sandwiches and moderately generous side of fruit salad, salad, or chips. They are cheaper than Pekara and Kopi. Make sure you check out their soup of the day, as they are always good and a soup and an Aroma sandwich combo is guaranteed to satisfy.
They have pastries for sale, but I don't know why. The pastries at Pekara (next door) are way better. They also have a morning Bagel and Coffee deal for $3.50 that is pretty good: they have a bunch of different bagel and cream cheese varieties.
They also offer a discount if your work in Downtown Champaign, but they do not advertise this.Listed in: Best of Chambanavoy
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Review from Eric P.
Champaign, IL
5/23/2008
Aroma is my cappuccino stop on a sunny Sunday afternoon walk. Which makes me neither a laptop-toting regular, nor a complete one-timer. The caps are usually good -- until last Sunday. The tired guy behind the counter was in a big hurry to get on with his life, apparently, because instead of a cappuccino, he made a latte. The other guy behind the counter practically argued with me when I explained the drink was "wrong" simply by the sheer weight of the cup. Finally, they redid it, but it was still the worst cappuccino I have ever had there.
The atmosphere is nice, and food is not bad. However, the snack selection is practically non-existent. For that, you gotta hit Pekara next door.
Odd Aroma Cafe story: one Sunday, I ask for a San Pellegrino. The tall kid behind the counter says he can't serve it to me. "Why?" I ask. "Because I'm under-age" comes the answer. Wooot! You gotta be kidding, kid. After picking myself up off the floor, I explain it's fizzy water, he asks someone for help, I get the bottle (no brown paper bag) and we get outta there. And with this story, I just realized I am one step closer to the yuppies I'd always mocked. Well, I will suck it up. -
Review from Morgan M.
Bement, IL
5/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good coffee, better than Espresso and Starbucks. Seemed like nice atmosphere with possibility of tasty food, but was just there for a caffeine fix. Will definitely go back again to try out some more stuff.
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Review from glory o.
5/24/2011
*disclaimer* im writing this review on my memories from literally living in this place 5+ years ago. with that said......
i finished my college career at this place! in a year, i think i spent more time here than my own room!
their coffee is amazing... and the price is right for college students and those on a budget. their carb selection along with special menu items were always fresh. :)
i do recall them having awesome salsas! i think i was about 3 americanos deep and needed to cleanse the coffee scum out of my mouth.. (eww, gross, sorry). they had a mango salsa special on the board and i have been making my mango salsa as they did ever since (or try to.. hehe).
i miss this place. it's small, cozy, the staff there were always friendly and their music selection was always on point! -
Review from Evelyne T.
Champaign, IL
7/27/2011
This cafe is wonderful! The atmosphere is bright and cheery, the coffee is wonderful (especially the iced soy mocha), and the staff is always super courteous. There is a nice patio in back to enjoy outside seating and there is always great art on the walls:)
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Review from Deanna C.
Chicago, IL
9/24/2009
I quite like Aroma. It's your typical cafe, but they have a fairly wide variety of menu items and you get a good deal with their daily specials.
They have lots of seating indoors (including some cushy chairs by a fireplace in the back), and something I especially appreciated was the abundance of outlets! There's nothing more frustrating than getting to a cafe that either a) has wireless, but you gotta pay for it, or b) has free wireless, but only two outlets for the patrons to fight over.
After ordering my hummus plate, I grabbed a table by the wall, plugged myself in, connected to the free internet, and spent a nice evening relaxing.... at least that's what I would've liked to have said. I was actually scrambling to finish an assignment before they closed up for the day, haha. The warm pita bread and fresh, crisp cucumbers that came with the hummus was very tasty though =)
They have a bunch of outdoor seating out back as well for when the weather is nice. -
Review from Haley L.
Chicago, IL
3/29/2009
Aroma is a welcome respite in inclement weather after walking around all day. There is nothing pretentious about this place, lots of seating in chairs or couches, WIFI, and great staff. No one ever rushes you to leave. I can't wait to go here when it finally gets warmer and try out the back patio.
The food offered is pretty simple fare but also cheaper than most places. -
Review from David A.
Champaign, IL
4/13/2011
It's not bad. They make a decent cup of coffee. More positives: pastries are affordable; ample seating; nice back patio area; baristas are pretty cool.
That being said, the best coffee in town (and some of the best pastries) is at Das Cafe in Urbana, which has theirs custom blended by Colombia in Champaign. So I guess Colombia really gets the credit on that one. -
Review from Jamie N.
Champaign, IL
7/18/2010 24 Check-ins Here
I practically live at this coffee shop. The atmosphere is usually quieter than Kopi, and there is plenty of seating on most days; the staff is friendly and polite and know their way around a kitchen. There are outlets all along the walls, and free wifi, if that's what you're looking for.
*See edit*
I'm addicted to the vanilla chai, but I really go there for the raspberry white chocolate scones. I challenge you to find a better scone in the world! Okay, well, maybe not the world, but they trump any pastry in every coffee shop I've ever visited. When I've been on the road, this is the first place I come back to. Aroma is home!
Also, the salsa here is amazing. It is house-made and there are two kinds: try the one with the peaches. I get it as a side with my cheese quesadilla, which is also tasty and totally worth spending my lunch money on!
Edit: 5/20/2012
Since I last reviewed Aroma, it has gone through a lot of changes, including new ownership. What's bad about this is they took away almost every single thing I loved. Those unparalleled raspberry white chocolate scones? Gone. Now they serve bloated English scones from Sweet Indulgences that are as dry and tasteless as the Sahara. Massive, extraordinary fail. I mean, there used to be epic Scone Wars over Aroma's scones--I used to try to beat these elderly ladies who worked downtown to the cafe to get my share. For real. Now the new scones just sit on a plate, untouched and unwanted, fat blobs of loathing. Anybody who likes them never had the original, heavenly scones of old. They're not even in the same category of pastry, I tell you. They offer other pastries from Sweet Indulgences, too, but they're all really expensive and not what I would eat for breakfast. (Old habits die hard.) They still sell apple fritters, I guess.
They tried to get rid of my beloved chai, as well, but then the new baristas were too mentally challenged to make bagged chai tea and they had to revert back to the mix. I guess leaving a tea bag in a cup of steamed milk requires too much comprehension. I'm glad for it, anyway, because if natural bagged chai is your thing, nobody in town is better than Kopi, which is just around the block. Competing against them is just a waste of time, so they're safer to keep the chai mix and go with what their customers already know and love.
Also, that amazing peach salsa? Yup, it's gone now, too. Forever. The whole menu has been revamped to have fancier, slightly healthier offering. I haven't been desperate enough to try any of their new food items except for the fruit salad, which is basically a bowl of chopped fruit with a yummy syrup over it, and that was good, but it was just for breakfast.
At least they didn't insert that proposed "kid corner" they threatened us with earlier during the revamp. That would've sent me running for the hills instantly. As someone who comes in here regularly to find quiet and write, I can tell you the very last thing I want is to share space with a corner of screaming, running toddlers.
I deducted Aroma a star for all of this, but find it hard to give it less than 4 stars. I've been coming to Aroma for seven years, so I think of it as my home away from home, even if it currently is a shell of what it once was. Even the wifi is password protected now. I guess all of this will make it easier for when I move from Champaign, because now it's just depressing. -
Review from Teej T.
Urbana, IL
Updated - 9/1/2008
I have changed my mind. Aroma, you are my new favourite coffee shop in CU, and not just because you kept me full of coffee and happiness this weekend while I toiled over everything from Marx to historiography. Your workers were ridiculously friendly, your huge ass coffee mugs were on point, and the Beef and Cheddar sandwich was sabroso. You win.
Listed in: Caffeine Rush II
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/27/2008
Aroma, I like you. You're not the best coffee shop I've been to, and not the greatest in C-U, but… Read more »
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Review from David S.
Champaign, IL
11/2/2008 1 photo
I can't believe it took me so long to come to Aroma Cafe... Cafe Kopi was just way too crowded today so I decided to give it a try. This is definitely a nice place, and I'll be back. Plenty of seating (including, I believe, a patio in the back), free wireless, nice decor and lighting, friendly staff: everything you need from a good coffee shop. They have food too (mostly sandwiches, salads etc): I tried their raspberry chipotle chicken salad, and it was pretty good.
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Review from Merry M.
Vicksburg, MS
3/26/2011
Try the a-latta bananas. Delicious!! I asked to hold back on the banana syrup, so it wouldn't be so overpowering. The staff is very friendly!! And if you purchase one of their travel mugs you get a drink free then get 20% any time you come back in with the cup!
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Review from Forrest I.
Berkeley, CA
6/25/2009
Aroma has delicious coffee and comfortable seating. There are big, overstuffed chairs inside. In back, there is a pretty patio with tables in chairs. Aroma's patio is adjacent to Pekara Bistro's patio. So, you can get a latte from Aroma, a crepe from Pekara, and have an excellent Sunday afternoon lunch.
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Review from Heather M.
Urbana, IL
8/24/2010
My rating's based on Champaign-Urbana coffee houses, not other cities. I mean of course Chicago or New York has MUCH better coffee houses than Aroma Cafe, but if you're in Champaign-Urbana Aroma Cafe is as good as it gets, at least coffee wise.
Enviornment: 3.5/5, Drinks: 5/5
Their prices are insanely reasonable and they give out a generous discount for bringing your own cup. The quality of the beans is also very good, which rocks. While Cafe Kopi (the coffee house just a street away from Aroma Cafe) roasts very well too, they can't make drinks worth shit. They don't even know how to steam milk! I got a latte their once and the milk wasn't steamed, just warmed up with the steam wand.
I also rate Aroma Cafe highly because their prep, the way they make the drinks, is very good. Aroma Cafe actually uses a manual grinder for their espresso drinks! It's amazing! :D Most places just put the group head into an automatic.
Their back bar might need a tid bit of work but I mean I'm getting really picky. I just feel bad for the usual lone barista doing all of the work.
In any case, if you're in Champaign-Urbana and want a quality cup of coffee this is the place to go. Cafe' Paradiso's just too expensive and every other coffe house has no idea what their doing. -
Review from Kevin M.
3/20/2005
This cafe is usually crowded, and for good reason. It's got a great ambiance, it's comfortable, the food and drinks are good, the baristas know what they're doing, and it's in a great location in downtown Champaign. The menu has more "real" food than most coffeeshops, including hummus and cheese plates, as well as a very tempting selection of sweets. The Chai is delicious, but vegans beware, Big Train brand chai contains milk powder (as I learned from a helpful barista here). Of course, there is free Wifi. In a city of comfy coffee shops, this one is a great recent addition.
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Review from Elizabeth B.
Chicago, IL
7/23/2007
I worked at Aroma Cafe, on Neil between Park and University, for 2 1/2 years, so I can safely say that I've eaten just about anything that could come out of their kitchen. It's not amazing, but it's all good stuff. The kids quesadilla is the best deal on the menu. There's front and back patio seating, which can be important as seating indoors fills up quickly when school is in session. They have music Thursday nights which can be very hit or miss.
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Review from Karla G.
Thomasboro, IL
11/12/2010
OMG!!! I am drinking a sugar free carmel cider and it is AMAZING!!! It's like a carmel apple in a cup!!!! GET IT NOW!!
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Review from Adam S.
Chicago, IL
3/1/2009
Admittedly tried to go to Kopi first and was immediately turned away by the sign on the door that said NO WIFI ON WEEKENDS. Fine, fine...So off to Aroma we went and glad we landed here. It's not quite the cozy place Kopi seemed to be but the coffee is good and I like the fireplace area in the back near where we sat. Staff was also quite friendly even though it was pretty early on a Sunday morning. And oh yeah, they have wifi on the weekends. One thing they could cut back on is the muzak going in the background. Maybe the rest of the clientele like the slow jazz, dunno.
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Review from Christine Y.
Orange, CA
7/26/2009
Before there was Aroma, I thought iced vanilla lattes were supposed to taste bitter and burnt (thank you Espresso Royale...). Now I know they are supposed to be sweet, creamy, fragrant, and oh so good. Aroma has some of the best coffee I've ever had (but it's definitely not cheap), as well as a variety of delicious real food. Store is cute, with a nice patio out back, but it's not the biggest place and if you're looking for a place to study and it's after lunch, you'll probably be out of luck here. Otherwise, it's one of my favorite places to camp out (provided I woke up early enough on a Saturday morning).
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Review from Sunshine M.
San Francisco, CA
3/28/2009
Best coffeehouse in town. The barristas are cool, especially Nicole. Their food is also great, especially the black-bean and corn quesadilla. The salads and wraps are way better than Pekara and way cheaper too. I wish they had more tables and more outlets and they've always got their A/C running on high, but other than that, this place rocks!
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Review from Patrick B.
Champaign, IL
12/4/2006
Great drinks and a wonderful atmosphere. A very chic look combined with comfy seating. Their food is so-so, but reasonably priced nonetheless. Aroma is definitely my favorite Champaign cafe.
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Review from Safiya N.
Champaign, IL
9/13/2007
I moved here from the Bay Area, the second largest coffeehouse metropolis outside of possibly Seattle. My first week in town consisted primarily of the hunt for "the right" coffee shop where the words "extra foamy" meant the wet foam, not dry, to provide a perfect foundation for latte art. If you know latte, then you must know Cafe Aroma. The consistency from barista to barista is not the same, so I send a word of caution. I have my favorite latte rainmaker, and I ask him for his schedule so I can come when he's there. I'm serious. The owner also is there often, and he absolutely knows what he is doing when it comes to making the perfect latte. Things like this are too important to play with. Go straight to Cafe Aroma and save yourself $30 of bad experimentation at the other coffee shops in town.
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Review from Kate F.
1/19/2010
what i love most about aroma is the outdoor seating. perfect in the spring/summer/early fall with an iced latte and a good book.
what i love the least about aroma is the chai tea latte. for some reason, i don't know if it was the chai or the soy milk, it just wasn't good! however, i have been pleased by their other lattes (regular and vanilla), yet haven't tried any other coffee drinks thus far.
i've also had their veggie wrap and grownup grilled cheese sandwich, which were both pretty good and worth getting again. the best i've had here is the mango salsa that comes with the sandwiches. don't know what it is, but i just love this stuff (i think because of it's simplicity).
the space of aroma is ok...i've definitely had trouble getting seating inside because of the limited space, but usually it is okay.
also love that they occasionally have live music. i have only been once when there was, and it was a pretty good experience....
and overall, i've had okay experiences with the staff....nothing really to report about because there hasn't been anyone overly rude or overly friendly...just about what you'd expect from a place like this.... -
Review from Betty R.
Urbana, IL
8/9/2010
Aroma does have the best coffee in downtown Champaign and the space is nice.
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Review from Amanda W.
Champaign, IL
12/29/2006
Wonderful, comfortably cheery atmosphere. It's so warm and cozy to sit here on a winter night with a hot beverage and a book, or a cheese plate and Scrabble with my husband. The drinks are wonderful; I haven't really had anything here I didn't like. In addition to the usual coffee/tea concoctions, they have juices and a few alcoholic beverages. The food is also quite good, unlike a lot of other coffee shops I've tried. Try the quesadilla or the Aroma Salad. Good music, too! My only beef with them is that they close super-early in the evenings during semester break, meaning that those of us who actually LIVE here don't get to partake while the students are gone. I would understand if Aroma were located closer to campus and got the vast majority of their business from college students, but every time I'm there, I see quite a few non-students, so I see no reason for them to close early.
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Review from Robert T.
Champaign, IL
6/3/2010
i hit Aroma at least once a day. great coffee. great staff. what else could i want?
