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News of another coffee house opening in Logan Square isn’t exactly shocking, but when Passion House Coffee Roasters starts serving customers on Friday, it’ll have a great equalizer. The cafe will be the first to serve pastries from The Bakery at Fat Rice.
Passion House has taken over the former Bow Truss coffee space, 2631 N. Kedzie Ave., and owner Joshua Millman said they’ve given the space a new paint job, added furniture, and slightly redid the bar to match their aesthetic. This is their first coffee shop since the company started six years ago. They have a roasting plant on Fulton Market, relying on a German Probat coffee roaster made in 1957. The cast-iron drum roaster produces a more balanced coffee, Millman said. He has more than 20 years in the coffee industry.
“My goal is just to do what I love, and I know the rest will follow,” Millman said.
Retailers, including Local Foods in Lincoln Park, stock Passion House. They’ve been scouting locations for about a year and a half, and when the Bow Truss location became available, they pounced.
The coffee shop will also be The Bakery At Fat Rice’s first wholesale customers, the first place where customers can enjoy Fat Rice’s pastries outside of the ever-popular Logan Square Macanese restaurant. Not all of the bakery’s pastries will be available (no, they won’t have the Chicago-style hot dog buns). Collaborating with Passion House provided a great opportunity, said Fat Rice’s Adrienne Lo.
“It’s near the train, it’s in a different part of our neighborhood—we’re excited,” Lo said. “We will be sharing a few of our favorites including the guava and cheese buns, the vegetable curry bun and some gluten-free options, but if you want to the egg tarts, you still have to come to us."
Fat Rice’s Asian influences at Passion House will be complemented by French-inspired goods from Beans & Bagels from Lincoln Square. Grab-and-go items for a light lunch will also be available.
But back to the drinks. Passion House staff will also mix up coffee-based mocktails. Look for three seasonal booze-free drinks: One based on a mojito, another on a Manhattan, and a shakerato. Coffee snow cones are also planned.
Friday’s opening will offer a limited menu, as Millman said they’re prepping for a May 1 grand opening when they’ll have all of their items available. “We take our coffee seriously so our customers don’t have to,” he said. “But along with that seriousness we want to showcase our playfulness as well.”
