La Colombe Coffee Roasters

Draft Latte first, then the beans

The Draft Latte is the order that separates La Colombe from a standard espresso bar: milk coffee served cold and textured, the drink that carried the brand's name well beyond Philadelphia. Cold Brew is the simpler alternative, described by the company as bold, cold and completely crushable, and Cold Brew on Tap puts the same everyday brew on tap. The Chicago cafés serve an assortment of coffees plus seasonal beverages, so there is usually something on the board that is not on the year-round list.

A Philadelphia roaster with Chicago roots

La Colombe started roasting in Philadelphia in 1994 and opened its first Chicago café in 2011; the city now has several, which makes it a recurring neighborhood stop rather than a single destination. The retail range shows the roasting side plainly: blends, decaf, organic and single-origin coffees across dark, medium and light roasts. Named coffees include Corsica and All Dark at the darker end, Waymaker and Heat Wave for everyday drinking, and Brazil Nossa Mesa on the single-origin side. The Infatuation listed the brand in its 2026 coffee guide.

How to order

Order a Draft Latte first, then a Cold Brew if you want the plainer version of the same idea. For a flavored chilled drink, the Raspberry Mocha sits in the same packaged family. If you are buying beans rather than drinks, choose by roast level: Corsica or All Dark for something dark and heavy, Waymaker or Heat Wave for a middle road, Brazil Nossa Mesa if the origin matters more than the blend. Pair any of them with whatever seasonal drink the counter is running, since that is the part of the menu that changes.