Two of my favorite places in Oak Park for sipping coffee or tea, having conversations with friends, reading, and relaxing are located within one block of each other: Kribi Coffee at the Albion Apartments, 149 Forest Ave., and Wise Cup, 1018 Lake St. (next to the Lake Theatre).
Both coffee shops were started by immigrants — from India and Cameroon.
Wise Cup owners Shivangi Sandal Khetarpal and Naveen Khetarpal picked Oak Park as their location to open Wise Cup “because it feels like home — creative, diverse, and full of heart. We wanted to create a space that felt welcoming and familiar, where people could slow down, connect, and enjoy something thoughtfully made. Oak Park just fit.”
In addition to coffee and tea drinks, including seasonal lattes, there are Indian influences to be found at Wise Cup, including homemade chutney jars, authentic masala chai blend made in-house, and samosas, a flaky Indian pastry
Wise Cup recently expanded to the empty storefront next door. It was an opportunity to grow and make room for events, collaborations, and creativity.
As a tea drinker, I love sipping Wise Cup’s turmeric ginger tea in their flower ceramic cup. This transports me to another country or to the Russian Tea Time Restaurant in the Loop.
Since this column is called Favorite Things, I asked Shivangi about her favorite things at Wise Cup. “The people, hands down — especially our regulars. There’s something really special about seeing the same faces every week, watching friendships form across tables. Some of our regulars have been with us since day one, and it truly feels like a little community. Also, the morning ritual of opening the shop, the smell of fresh espresso and samosas, and the first sip of a warm latte — it never gets old.”
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According to their website, Kribi Coffee is a “local, sustainable, and Black-owned coffee company.” It was founded by Jacques Shalo, who was born on a coffee farm in Cameroon, Africa. Shalo established an 11-acre farm for Kribi Shalo Coffee in Cameroon and has also formed partnerships with over 600 coffee farmers worldwide. Kribi pays coffee farmers a living wage and pioneered the “air roasting coffee technology,” which is better for the environment and roasts coffee fresher, without the burnt coffee bitter taste of traditional roasting. One of my five-cup-a-day coffee companions agrees that the taste is much better than traditional drum-roasting coffee.
Customers of Kribi at the Albion Apartments are allowed to bring their beverages into the Albion lobby. It is a great place for people-watching, including the residents’ dogs and babies. This lobby reminds me of the children’s book Madeline or a fancy hotel in an international location. The large space has many windows giving lots of light and creating an airy feeling. There are couches and chairs placed in “conversation rooms” that accommodate many groupings.
I’ve been there many times for small meetings and catch-ups with friends. I’m not a big coffee fan — I prefer tea or water — but many of my companions rave about the cappuccinos, lattes, and mochas. I took two of my granddaughters there in the winter and they drank hot chocolate. Sitting in the lobby, they both said, “I feel like we’re in a faraway city.”
Joy Aaronson is an Oak Park resident who writes stories for Wednesday Journal about her favorite things in the village. Previously, she contributed to Chicago Parent and wrote the Kids’ World column for the former Logan Square Free Press.