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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Italian [Edit]
Neighborhood: Wicker ParkDamen (Blue)
Mon-Tue. 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wed-Thu. 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
"I love this coffee shop. You can't go wrong with comfy couches, FREE wifi, tasty coffee and smoothies. Most other places in Chicago have…" read more »
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This place is super cute with cozy Italian quriks-a clothesline hanging across the ceiling, little murals on the walls. It's a great place to just sit and catch up with a friend over a cup of coffee.
Had to wait a bit for our waitress to come around, probably since it was 1pm on a Thursday and she was the only one waiting on tables. No biggie! I went with the Mandoria sandwich (a panin with grilled chicken, provolone, toasted almonds, and honey!) and loved every bite! The saltiness from the cheese and savory chicken was balanced by the sublte sweetness of honey! Very awesome sandwich selections...was dying to go for the BLT on multi-grain bread...definitely next time! My friend opted for breakfast...that's right-this place let's you eat breakfast when you want! The Deluca breakfast came with 2 eggs, a mound of hashbrowns (medium-sized potato cubes-well seasoned), ham, 2 crispy strips of bacon, and a slice of TO-DIE-FOR French toast with a dollop of fluffy creamy whipped cream topped of with slices of fresh strawberries! PHEW! And, yes she was a good friend and shared with me=)
Bonus points for free WiFi but for some odd reason it's only available from Monday-Friday.
We were pointed to Caffe De Luca by a store manager in the area. I'm so happy that happened.
We were seated immediately, even though it looked pretty crowed from outside. I love the interior of this place. The half-standing wall in the middle of the place is such a cool architectural touch. Very nice.
The waitstaff was friendly and prompt. I enjoyed a large chai while waiting for the arrival of my french toast. The french toast was fabulous, served with a little vanilla creme and some very fresh berries. I also had the turkey sausage patties which were quite tasty.
I will definitely be back to Caffe De Luca. If you're in the area and haven't been, absolutely check it out!
Sooo...we've been here several times now and we love this lovely little place! Food is always good and service always comes with a smile! Sunday is 1/2 price bottles of wine, hellll to the yeah! Just a good ol' laid back, cozy restaurant! Pastas are great, simple and flavorful and my husband really likes their pizzas. I'm in love with their amazing Caesar salad...which is odd, I'm typically not a huge fan of Caesar salads. Their bread and crisps are served with an amazing garlicky, white bean puree is incredible.
This is very quickly becoming our standby restaurant in our new neighborhood!
I was going to put five stars, but I think that'd be jumping the gun since I've only had one meal so far. But this place was FANTASTIC! My mother and I stopped by for brunch this past Sunday and the food was SCRUMPTOUS!! I ordered the Banana Walnut French Toast and my mother ordered the Eggs Benedict with Crab. WOW! Both were perfect and way better than we expected, especially for the price.
When the people beside us realized it was our first time there they said we had to come back again because EVERYTHING on the menu is delicious. I am definitely following their advice.
Delicious! Warm and cozy inside and excellent food. One of the best BLT's I've ever had the pleasure of eating. So good I will be back to have another one very soon. The garlic mayo on it was perfect and the roast potatoes that came along with it were so good, I should not have ate them all right away. I could hardly finish my cappuccino, which was a huge mug filled with yummy foamy goodness. The eggs florentine with crab is also very good. Amazing being able to park right in back, it all made for a perfect brunch.
I really really like Cafe De Luca and come here often, mostly for brunch. Today was a mozzarella, basil and tomato omelet. I'd have given it 5 stars but our service was so bad today that I can't.
Here's a tip to our server today that was serving outside with the elastic headband in her dirty blond hair...don't keep walking away from your customer when they are talking to you or asking for something from you (3 times) it cost you a percentage of your tip and it's RUDE!
Checked this place out on Saturday when looking for a light meal in the late afternoon.
Service was descent. Our waitress had a hard time understanding and answering our questions... so that didn't help when we were asking for some recommendations.
We split a salad and a pizza.
Salad was great and served with bread and hummus... fantastic.
Pizza was OK... it didn't seem like it was cooked very long and wasn't very hot.
Price seemed a bit steep but I'll give it another shot.
So on Saturday I was craving a huge salad and some wine. Perfect for a nice end of summer day. I ordered the marche salad (i think it was) it came out and was exactly what i was looking for! Had fresh Chicken that was nicely grilled. (sometimes chicken can be somewhat processed in salads, or so I have found). The side of pesto was something new to me. I really liked it.....it was a new kick. Got a 1/4 caraf of pino gris and it pretty much equaled 2 glasses of wine....not to mention for $8 bucks! score!
I found the space to be nice and airy. Our waitress was incredibly sweet and helpful. Perfect little lunch spot!
Caffe De Luca is on my way to the train, so I've popped in a couple times for a coffee. The coffee is just fine, and the folks that work at the counter have always been very polite to me. At the counter and on the floor, to be truthful.
I've been to dine in once and it was pretty grand. The interior is charming with dressed clotheslines strewn about, boasting the playful and familiar promise of a family-run place. The crab benedict was alright - I think the french toast my friend got was stupid good, with the whipped mascarpone and strawberries. It, the toast itself, was pretty much cooked the way it, said toast, should be: a slight crunch at first touch-to-the-teeth, followed by a slow sinking-in to a warm center of smooth, moist, bread-y goodness. I just...man, I wanted some hollandaise that day. Holl-uhn-DAYZ. Their's is ok.
Just took away a yummy bagel sandwich the other day (it was *nearly - exactly* what I wanted: everything bagel with egg/cheddar/sausage - I just like a patty, and a spicy one at that, not a milder, small, chopped style that was mixed into the egg). I was surprised at how expensive the OJ was to take away, actually - cost about the same as my bagel-wich (just under $4).
Will I come back? Of course. Caffe De Luca is A-Ok by me. Maybe the next visit will swing my vote?
Caffe de Luca is one of the main reasons why I come to hang out in Bucktown. It's a great spot to kick off a long day of window shopping or to take relief on a hot (or cold) Chicago day. As others have mentioned, the interior is just darling. The narrow walls, high ceilings, and yes even the clothesline and laundry hanging from it, are reminiscent of the narrow paths of Italian sea-side villages.
I love the bam bam coffee which is espresso and honey topped with coffee. It's pretty sweet so after half the glass I ask them to top it off with more coffee which they are always happy to do. Their menu consists of fairly standard cafe offerings with a twist - salads, soups, sandwiches, and pizzas. I love the moshe and pear and gorganzola salad. They're very large and fresh. The sandwiches are also large and they fill the rest of your plat with terra chips. I really like the caprese and the pollo picante - you should order a glass of reisling with that because it's pretty spicy!
Their breakfast/brunch menu is pretty solid. Although the prices seem steep, they really pack your plates thick. My friends and I usually end up sharing entrees. Breakfast is more of a family affair at Caffe de Luca so be ready for baby strollers in the isles. I like coming mid-morning during the weekdays - I can get a lot of work done on my laptop (free wifi until 4pm) and endless refills on my bam bam.
Great spot for breakfast! Reservations for our party of 6 - yes! Hate waiting for breakfast!!
Cute and charming (love the hanging laundry!). Really nice service. Coffee is strong and good. Everyone in my party was pretty much happy with the food. I will be back for paninis. A little expensive for breakfast but this is Bucktown after all.
Tasty granola w/ yogurt and solid shots of espresso. The staff can be a little snobby tho, but maybe they're just tired. I'm usually in a bad mood before I have my Sunday morning, pre-50 mile ride coffee too.
Tries to be Euro but it just looks a bit painted on. The breakfast crowd can be a bit surly as well, with lots of screaming kids.
Little known secret: this place has a stellar martini menu, and the service is a bit more friendly during cocktail hours.
I met my friend and her mom for brunch here on Sunday and we were all so happy. The price, portion size and taste were all very good.
I ate their quiche & salad, my friend ate their eggs benedict (she said it was very good). Their coffee is strong and the ambiance is just adorable - great space to come for a low key brunch or lunch!
This is a wonderful little spot to grab lunch (or dinner) at. It has a cozy old world Italian feel too it. The paninis are wonderful and the espresso isn't bad either-I like it really strong and theirs was almost near perfect. Sometimes they have free tarot card readings to add a little entertainment and pizazz. Love it!
Cute, charming, with delicious food and tasty cocktails. We started with the bruschetta of the day, which had roasted red pepper and artichoke hearts - fantastic. For my main course I went with the chopped salad, which had avocado, feta, grilled chicken and crispy bits of prosciutto. This salad was large enough to have fed 3 people and only cost $11. Unbelievable! One of my friends ordered the Torino pizza (red pepper, artichoke, portobello) and really enjoyed it. My other friend was not impressed with his gnocchi, which had a sort of "sweet" tomato-cream sauce. I tried a bite and didn't have a problem with it, so I think it was just a matter of preference. Martinis were on special, so I went with the Cuban - great on a warm day!
I'll definitely be back - lots of yummy-sounding things on the menu that need to be tasted!
One of my favorite places in Chicago. When I first moved to Chicago for college, my friend took me here and I fell in love with it.
The paninis are to die for, and the brunch menu is fantastic. As for paninis, I'd get it hot and my favorite is the Mandoria. They used to have amazing crepes on the brunch menu, but I think they got rid of them. The french toast is pretty awesome, and their juices are so yummy. Their pizza is also surprisingly delicious if you're in the mood for that.
This place also has really good coffee. The Bam Bam is a must!
The wait staff is also pretty attractive... If, you know, you care about that sort of thing. :)
In the middle of shopping and walking around in 80 degree Chicago heat, it's nice to get a cold drink. I came in here and ordered a Cafe de Luna drink which I believed to be a non-fat latte. Really it came out to be a sweet blended drink. I have denied myself these blended coffee drinks for years and felt tons of guilt drinking something so sweet. I think I drank about 1/3 and tossed it. It was still pretty tasty and refreshing. Mmmmm
I have been going to Caffe Deluca since it opened and always enjoyed their coffees and especially the atmosphere. However, I always hated that I left smelling like food! I had to go straight home and change afterwards!
That said, I LOVE their new terrace in the back. A terrace in the parking lot, you say...? Sounds weird right? Well, it is lovely and peaceful and non-smelly. Like many other Yelpers, my husband dreams about their french toast w mascarpone and I love the breakfast burrito. One of my favourites after Jane's... Service is always prompt and friendly.
Not sure what I'm going to do this winter tho...
I have been to Caffe de Luca for consultations. The staff is always wonderful. The staff is always very prompt with their service. The prices are reasonable too.
I haven't had a chance to come here for a meal... but I look forward to trying it out this summer!
I just ate here on Monday with my mom and sister. Great service. Decent food. My mom got a panini. My sis got the huevos rancheros. Both were VERY happy with their selections. I got a pizza. The toppings (cheese, sausage, caramelized onions) were abundant and tasty. The only issue was the crust. I love a good pizza crust.... and this one was just not to my liking. It tasted sweet - very sweet, like rolled in sugar sweet. In reading this, please remember that I have only had pizza once from Caffe De Luna. Maybe my sugar-crust was a fluke? But maybe not......
Pizza crust aside - Caffe De Luca has a lot going for it. Great coffee, great wine, great service - and reasonably priced.
Cafe de Luca has creative food, good ambiance, nice service and a good location. It's not cheap, but it's quality. It's also a good place to drink wine. I would recommend it as an alternative to a bar for people that want to have a drink and mostly talk.
It's in a fun part of town, which means parking can be a little hectic.
Recently, they stopped offering Wifi, which is unfortunate. I understand that it's a business decision, but at least make it available during off peak times. I could be wrong.
If you need wifi, the Chicago public library is about 3 blocks away on Milwaukee and Wabansia.
I thought this was interesting, one of the Yelp questions is "Good for groups?" 11 said yes versus 6 no's. A group is more than 2 people, but realistically, it should start at 6, in my opinion. I think a table of 6 people would be in the way here, so I'm saying "no". 4 is just fine.
Very good chai tea, and the food was decent, but pricey for what it was. I would come back just for tea.
****3.5 Stars****
I usually go here for coffee and previously pastries (don't see scones and such anymore), and small snacks like soup and salad. While I have not had more than this I like it enough that it's on my list to have dinner!
+Staff is friendly
+Great coffee/desert spot
+Food smells and look incredible!
-Parking not so great here
-A little cold in the winter, but what are you gonna do with those tall ceilings...just wear a warm sweater.
-What happened to the pastry bar, I miss that! Not sure how I feel about the remodel...
Looking forward to trying the pasta and pizza!
I have since taken advantage of the $5 Martinis on Friday and Saturdays. That alone garners an extra star. And Also the dinner menu is delicious. You get this awesome white bean spread with bread when you order, and its so good I have dreams about it. Really.
I've become fanatical about the dressing they put on the salads, and also try the Veggie Lasagna and the Pizzas. They are both awesome!
I went in to visit a friend who just started working here. It was really delicious and cute inside.… Read more »
The interior was really fun, and the food was delicious - we had the carpaccio and I had a fritatta. However, we were both having some serious bathroom issues shortly afterwards. Won't be coming back.
Gave it two shots for brunch, we'll never go again.
First time the entire experience was less than mediocre; the second time was worse. When we arrived we stood in the doorway and no one even looked up. Finally, a manager made us feel welcome by barking, "two?!" and pointing toward a table. We sat then sat there for at least 10 minutes before being acknowledged again (no water, drink orders, etc).
Luckily, our server was friendly, but otherwise we would have left.
Food was a C-, totally satisfactory (i.e. fruit cup with two grapes). But the coffee was literally undrinkable, and I love coffee. I've had great gas station coffee, but De Luca's was bitter, burnt, thick, haven't-cleaned-the maker-in-way-too-long, gross.
Try Cafe De Loser.
Caffe De Luca is listed as having Wi-Fi. This is incorrect. If you're coming to Caffe De Luca for Wi-Fi, I suggest you look elsewhere.
My experience here was less than memorable. Aesthetically, the place has decent layout, but not great. The service wasn't too slow. Then again, it certainly wasn't lightning fast. I suppose I could award extra points for having a greater than average variety of tea. Caffe De Luca, you make me struggle to think of high and low points regarding my experience. Congratulations! You epitomize three stars.
My friends and I decided on this place for a very belated birthday dinner on a Sunday. I had called that afternoon to make a reservation for 8, because I had figured the place was small and this may be a bigger group. Anyway, I was not thrilled to hear that our names weren't written down when we got there, but it ended up working out- the place wasn't that busy and the staff were very accommodating.
The drinks were good and the service was appropriate. The carrot soup was warm and hearty, and our pasta was fabulous. The desserts were great as well!
I wanted to try their coffee but we all ran out of time. The ambiance was cute and was definitely someplace I'd love to spend a weekday morning!
We were lucky enough to find a meter just outside the entrance, but I can imagine that sunday brunch parking would be quite difficult!
Caffe De Luca is quickly becoming my favorite place in Wicker Park!! The inside decor is based on caffe in the small town of Cindente, Italy. I love the design and detail that was been put into the place. It's warm rich colors all over, relaxing, very entertaining (they have stuff all over to look at), and you feel (at least a little bit) like you're in Italy. They even have a little bar area (almost fully stocked) with stools just in case you want to drop in for a quick drink and snack.
They must treat their staff well, I've had nothing but excellent service every time. Happy, helpful, and just plain fun servers.
Their food...crazy enough, is fantastic!! Ohhhh the sandwiches are sooo goood. Pizza, pasta, smoked Mozzarella, shrimp risotto, you name it they have it. Big menu for every time of the day. The dessert is........ooooooo aaaaaaahhh f**king good...you know what I'm saying. I highly reccommend the Brownie De Luca worth every penny and really for only $6 that's amazing. Actually the prices are great all around, very cheap.
I am going to have to try their breakfast one of these days.
Caffe De Luca has good lattes, good sandwiches in ample portions, and fast and friendly service. The inside is roomy and you can sit out on the patio. The reason I give it only three stars is because of the giant bug I found on the wall in the bathroom. Gross!
Great place to stop on a Sunday afternoon. Food was good. I had the broccoli cheese quiche and my boyfriend had the napoli pizza. Not overly amazing, but a great meal at a good price if you're in the wicker park area.
Coffee was very good, and the atmosphere was quaint and full of weekend studiers and those out for a late brunch.
Service was good, would definitely come back
Wonderful Italian restaurant in the heart of Wicker Park. I would recommend their Farfalle in Pesto Cream Sauce With Grilled Chicken and also their Artichoke Ravioli. Their signature dish is the Chicken DeLuca with Artichokes, Tomatoes, Capers, & Lemon. Served Over a bed of Linguini. It is a wonderful place and has a sister restaurant in Forest Park at 7427 West Madison St..
For the most part, people seem to be raving about Caffe De Luca. I don't quite understand why. Overall, I would say Caffe De Luca is average. Not terrible, not fantastic.
The decor and atmosphere are probably my favorite thing about the place. Very cute and quaint, I imagine it would be a nice spot to sit and have a cup of coffee and bite to eat while you work on your laptop or read a book.
The food itself is kinda mediocre:
A) For the most part, I like the mosche salad (sp?). It's loaded up with tasty stuff and topped with a chicken breast, which has the taste and texture of a processed chicken breast that was cut out of a plastic pouch, heated and tossed on the salad. (Gross.) For $11-ish I expect a real, fresh, grilled chicken breast.
B) The first time I went here, I tried the savory crepe with chicken and mushroom, I believe. It was not good. I don't recommend it. Again, the processed chicken and, if I remember correctly, canned mushrooms?
C) Went on a Monday/Tuesday about a year ago for the pizza/beer specials they used to have. The pizza was about what you'd expect if you went to Dominick's and picked up the cheapest frozen cheese pizza you could find. Not my fave, but if that's what you're into, knock yourself out. And, for $5 or so, I wasn't complaining.
D) The fruit smoothy I had was runny and bland. A general disappointment.
What bugs me about Caffe de Luca is the discrepancy between the prices you pay and the quality of the food you receive. Perhaps in the four or five times I've been there over the past couple years, I've ordered the wrong items? Somehow, I kinda doubt it though. :o( I want to like this place more, but I just can't, considering that each time I walk out, I feel as though I've overpaid.
For the record, though, the service is good!
Overall this is the best place for breakfast in the city. Excellent food (best omelet I've ever had), great ambiance, amazing coffee, superior service. Here's a secret: there's a parking lot in back!
Meh.
I wasn't really impressed at all with the cafe or its selections.
I used to come here on Wednesday evenings to participate in a French Meetup, so that was really fun. It was a nice place that let a bunch of crazy French-speakers gather together. The coffee is not that great, I never enjoyed their selection of specialty drinks and the staff is less than friendly. The only redeeming quality is their food - it's actually pretty good.
The shop itself doesn't have enough cozy places to sit like other coffee houses and there's no Wifi - boo.
This place is good for a brunch-lunch type place.
They had Mimosas and Bloodys on special. I didn't indulge but I am moving rating from 3.5 to 4. Good and cheap options for day drinking deserves extra points...
The paninis were great, there is a decent selection and it is a comfortable atmosphere.
I will come back, I liked it there...
My boyfriend and I still come here on a whim even though we moved out of the area. To anyone that is not aware - there is a private lot in the back for parking just for De Luca patrons. The flat bread and hummus-type dip they give you to start is so addictive, we have been trying to copy it at home! Their pizza is phenominal, and the salads are huge and overstuffed with toppings! The triple-espresso drink is great to split with someone as desert as well - and believe me, you'll need to split it with someone!
The only reason it deserves a 4 out of 5, is for the excuses we always get from the servers. There is always a reason our food is delayed - and we're always offered a free beverage. Yay for giving away free beverages - but I once had to wait an extra 30 mins on top of the 30 minutes we already waited for our pizza... and we even ASKED them if we could order it right away as we sat down. The man that seated us looked at my boyfriend and said "Why? It only takes 15 minutes." We figured they got their act together and were pumping out pizzas faster. 60 minutes later, and a stomach full of salad and flat bread... we took our pizza to go.
Great food, great service, great coffee - but can do without the "kitchen" excuses.
WONDROUS. Caffe De Luca is the BEST option for saturday/sunday morning breakfast. Its still fairly undiscovered so there is rarely a wait. They are able to shuffle people in and out of there in a decent amount of time and the food is MIND-BLOWING. Eggs benedict, quiche, you name it, I would argue they are known for their breakfast, but people also rave about their lunch! Great coffee/lattes/capps, just overall, AWESOME place to go. Love the neighborhood... as the people watching is never-ending... just a PERFECT place for a table for two or a great option for a larger group of people! MUST DO.
Folks, go to Caffe De Luca for their BRUNCH on sat/sun. What's good? Their coffee is excellent, the paninis are great and everytime I go there, i will have the Eggs Florentine. It is AWESOME. It come with real lumps of crab and yummy spinach. It is GOODNESS.
I am personally NOT a fan of carrot cake, - as in, i NEVER eat carrot cake, not even when my mum bakes it, but we ordered it anyway because of the strong recommendation from the waitress and it was REALLY AWESOME. I love it and always take one to go. Its moist, its creamy, the cream cheese frosting is just yummy and the cake has so much flavor. It's feels healthy too...its CARROT cake after all! :)
I love the atmosphere for brunch. The waitresses are friendly and the EGGS FLORENTINE WITH CRAB, is really REALLY awesome. TRY IT.
In the past year, Cafe de Luca has totally dropped off my radar, which to me means there is absolutely nothing special about it. It's not bad really, but despite the fact that I walk down damen several days a week, I forget that Cafe de Luca even exists.
A couple months ago I went in there for dinner and I was told that they no longer serve dinner, but rumors from friends have told me that they now do... wait, what? I'm confused, do you or don't you serve dinner Cafe de Luca?
Food: meh, average
Service, meh, average
Price: meh, too high for what you're getting
No wonder it's totally forgettable.
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