Caffe Umbria Brings Boutique European Coffee to River North Next Week

River North will get a new artisan coffee shop and cafe courtesy of the Northwest on October 27. Caffe Umbria, a boutique coffee company known as much for its wholesale operations as its two existing cafes in Seattle and Portland, Oregon, is opening its first Midwestern location at 346 N. Clark St. That space once housed a Crumbs Bake Shop and was briefly slated to be the home of Piccoletto, Tony Priolo's scrapped small cafe.

Caffe Umbria specializes in Italian coffee and espresso blends that it supplies to many of the country's top restaurants. The cafe will serve these in traditional brews as well as Moka Pot, pour-over and cold brew methods. It will also source and sell pastries and other small food items from local providers.

The cafe should provide a welcome coffee option for River North coffee drinkers, where current options include a Bow Truss, Cafe Integral, doughnut shops, and some chains.