Afro Joes Coffee & Tea

Lavender latte, cold brew and a South Side counter

The lavender latte is the drink that defines this counter: floral, sweet enough to notice, and the thing regulars order without looking at the board. Afro Joe's is a Black-owned, family-run specialty coffee and tea shop on Chicago's South Side, and the tea half of the name is real, with specialty teas sitting beside the espresso menu rather than behind it. Cold brew is the other anchor, and pastries fill the case for anyone who wants something with the cup. Eater included the shop in its 2026 coffee guide.

From Auburn Gresham to Beverly

The shop opened in Auburn Gresham in 2020 on a simple premise, that every community deserves a coffee shop within walking distance, and it built a following on how people were treated at the counter. In May 2022 it moved to Beverly, taking over a former garden center and turning the space into a modern neighborhood café. The move gave it more room without changing the character: counter service, familiar faces, and a role in the neighborhood that goes past selling coffee. The shop turns up in community work as often as in coffee writing, including projects encouraging young readers in Beverly.

What to order, and what to eat

Start with the lavender latte, then take cold brew on a warm day or a specialty tea if coffee is not the point of the visit. The food is more substantial than a pastry case suggests: the short rib grilled cheese is the standout, a sandwich that turns a coffee stop into lunch, and the kitchen also runs savory breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Pastries cover the quicker, sweeter end. A practical order is a lavender latte and the short rib grilled cheese, which is the fullest version of what this counter does, or a cold brew and a pastry if the stop is a short one.