The Tala Blog

Featured Article

What Is Ube?

Have you seen customers walking out of one of our cafes with a vibrant purple drink? You are likely looking at the Ube Latte! With its recognizable purple color and its sweet, nutty flavor, the ube latte has gained a loyal fanbase over the years. But what exactly is ube?

Marissa Cummings Marissa Cummings

Behind The Scenes With Bethany

Our “Behind The Scenes'“ series highlights one of our production team members, celebrating their unique contribution to the Tala experience. We believe the connection behind and across the bar can be meaningful and impactful. Our production team is the glue that holds Tala together, and we wouln’t be who we are without them. Learn more about what makes each person on the Tala Team unique with this personal interview.

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Joanna Tong Joanna Tong

Campus Coffee Isn’t Good

While we can’t fix the terrible cafeteria coffee that’s likely served at your university, we can make sure you’re stocked with great coffee and the right gear for the job.

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Joanna Tong Joanna Tong

Kopi & Kaya

We recently launched our summer drinks at our cafes, and this year, we decided to bring back one of our all-time favorites: The Kopi & Kaya. It’s been a few years since we’ve had it on the menu, and we’ve gotten a lot of questions about it—mostly, what is kopi and what is kaya?

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Mike Michalak Mike Michalak

Birthday Coloring Contest Gallery

As part of our 8th birthday celebration at our Libertyville Roastery, we hosted a coloring contest, and let’s just say, our community showed up with some serious creativity! We were blown away by the range of entries — from playful to impressively detailed — and had a tough time narrowing down our favorites. Check out our gallery of all of the amazing entries below!

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Rachel Severyns Rachel Severyns

Behind The Bar With Alo

Our “Behind The Bar'“ series highlights one of our team members, celebrating their unique contribution to the Tala experience. We believe the connection across the bar can be meaningful and impactful. Our team puts a smile on the faces of so many each day by simply serving delicious beverages and being an authentic presence in each person’s day. Learn more about what makes each person on the Tala Team unique with this personal interview.

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Rachel . Rachel .

Behind the Bar with Mike

Our “Behind The Bar'“ series highlights one of our team members, celebrating their unique contribution to the Tala experience. We believe the connection across the bar can be meaningful and impactful. Our team puts a smile on the faces of so many each day by simply serving delicious beverages and being an authentic presence in each person’s day. Learn more about what makes each person on the Tala Team unique with this personal interview.

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Rachel Severyns Rachel Severyns

Barista Beats: Highwood Cafe Playlists

When you walk into Tala, the first thing you notice is the atmosphere: the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the soft hum of conversations, and the comforting hiss of the espresso machine. But there’s another key ingredient to our cafe’s vibe—the music. The playlists you hear are handpicked by our baristas, adding a personal touch to your Tala experience. Ever wonder what they’re queuing up while they’re behind the bar? Let’s dive into our Highwood baristas’ favorite tracks and discover the sounds that fuel their shifts.

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Behind the Bar, Community Alo Ochoa Behind the Bar, Community Alo Ochoa

Behind the Bar with Marissa

Our “Behind The Bar'“ series highlights one of our team members, celebrating their unique contribution to the Tala experience. We believe the connection across the bar can be meaningful and impactful. Our team puts a smile on the faces of so many each day by simply serving delicious beverages and being an authentic presence in each person’s day. Learn more about what makes each person on the Tala Team unique with this personal interview.

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