Cafe Clash: Rivers and Roads or Metropolis?

Rivers and Roads:

It’s wilderness within the city — an oasis of coffee and hardwood paneling — just a hop, skip and a jump down West Devon Avenue.

Styled after the U.S. National Parks System and featuring a rotating menu of monthly specials, Rivers and Roads Cafe is the best Loyola-adjacent cafe this side of North DuSable Lake Shore Drive.

With a hearty breakfast menu, Rivers and Roads excels beyond the typical cafe’s bakery — much to the delight of savory breakfast-lovers like myself. From the ever-classic bacon, egg and cheese sandwich to the refreshingly cool Garden Bagel, Rivers and Roads easily complements a cafe’s modest ambiance with a restaurant’s flavorful palate. 

Rest assured it’ll be a cold day in hell before my roommate or I turn down an invitation for a Rivers and Roads breakfast. We even like to discuss our orders on the walk over, salivating as we do so. 

The cafe also includes dog-friendly outdoor seating, granting patrons the space to soak up the sun’s warm rays — when Chicago’s temperamental weather allows — while chatting over cups of signature and seasonal drinks.

Patrons’ loyalty doesn’t go unnoticed, as Rivers and Roads offer punch cards to customers — after nine drinks, the 10th is free.

I hope to collect so many punch cards I can fill a Rolodex. I’ve got a year to go at Loyola, and considering Rivers and Roads makes it easy to want to visit every weekend, I’m confident my goal will be achieved.

Metropolis:

You want to go where everyone knows your name, right?

That’s what my dad said this summer when I told him I go to Metropolis Coffee Company’s Edgewater Cafe so much there were baristas who knew me by name — or at least by order and face.

It’s for that exact reason I’ll probably keep going to Metropolis until I geographically can’t anymore — the staff, environment and vibe all make you feel wanted.

There’s ample seating across the two spaces the cafe occupies, with just enough tables to accommodate a mild morning rush without feeling like a cafeteria. The tables are small and intimate, perfect for visits ranging from a quick break with a friend to four hours spent in the trenches with an essay that just won’t work itself out.

Crucially though, the coffee is really, really good.

Metropolis Coffee Company is principally a roaster, with the Edgewater Cafe being its only standalone location. The attention to detail in the different roasts is evident, from the light roast to the espresso blend.

I’m partial to the house blend — it’s a well-rounded, marked experience. The notes of vanilla, dark chocolate and pecan mesh together to make something truly special. 

I’m from the Bay Area, home to many second-wave coffee places and plenty of heavy hitters like Peet’s Coffee and Tea, Philz Coffee and Blue Bottle Coffee, among others. I’ve tried everything under the sun, it seems, and there’s a lot of really great coffee out there.

But since moving to Chicago and being exposed to the cafe, nothing compares to my beloved Metropolis. The ambiance and the care with which the coffee is crafted make it truly one of a kind, and worth a visit for any Loyola student.