Coffee Supplier To Arbor, Lula & Others Is Opening a Cafe

The same company that supplies coffee to restaurants like Lula, Cellar Door Provisions, Caffe Streets and Arbor is opening a cafe at their Near West Side roasting plant. Metric Coffee Co. is opening a coffee bar in June where customers can watch the roasting process while drinking their coffee, according to a company spokeswoman.

The plant is inside the incubator at the Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago. Neighbors include Time Machine Juice Co., who will supply cold-pressed organic juice for Metric. The coffee's the focal point, and they'll also serve cold-brew coffee on tap. Metric will also serve a rotating selection of pastries and small-bite pairings. Imagine house-made scones. They're also thinking about making gluten-free and vegan options.

They'll have a take-away coffee bar where customers can lean on, and the space will have large garage door-windows that will roll up to the sidewalk. Norsman Architects, whose work includes Maria's Community Bar/Kimski, Caffe Streets and Piccolo Sogno, is handling the design. They haven't worked out the hours, but expect an early morning opening with coffee served until a mid-afternoon closing.

A former Intelligentsia employee, Xavier Alexander, co-founded Metric in 2013. Expect a June 24 opening at 2021 W. Fulton St.