We looked at the broken windows, the piles of rubble, the broken-up concrete, and aged panels and saw what it could be. As we approach our finished product, I have to say that I think we were right. It looks pretty awesome.

This iconic corner building at the intersection of Winnetka Avenue and Green Bay Road will soon be a Tala cafe, and we couldn’t be more excited. Although a very prominent and noticeable plot in the Indian Hills district, this building has been an out-of-place eyesore for many years, as the Village of Winnetka searched for the perfect addition to this neighborhood. We are excited to be breathing new life into this old building and opening our doors to become a hub for connection, community, and, of course, great coffee!

The heat waves are behind us, school is in session and the flannels and beanies are coming out from wherever they’ve been kept all summer long. It’s the season of changing leaves, bonfires, corn mazes, and, of course, fall drinks at Tala! We have some of your favorite drinks returning and one new addition to the lineup, so make sure you stop in and give each a try!

After a long time of dreaming and planning and several months of build-out, we are excited to bring you a cafe in Libertyville! You can find our new cafe in the industrial district tucked behind Liberty Lake. We have quietly roasted in this building for over six years, and are so excited to finally be able to serve our coffee under the same roof as we’ve been operating since the beginning. For us, opening this cafe is like a homecoming.

The twists and turns of this project have significantly impacted the design, so much so that our original plan differs hugely from our final product. As frustrating as limitations can be, I find that sometimes the best creativity comes not from what can be done, but what cannot be. It was precisely the limitations we were met with along the way that brought us to our final design.

It’s always interesting to me how much curiosity people display, how much they want to know and how much they seem to truly care what the future holds for our little company. It is in that spirit of curiosity and care that I was persuaded by inquiring people to give something of a “behind the scenes” look at what this process has been like for us in the form of answering some commonly posed questioned.

The rumors are true—we’re expanding! In fact, we’re working on opening two different cafes soon: one in Winnetka and one in Libertyville.

With the change of each season comes the change in our seasonal drink menu. Designing genuinely delicious seasonal drinks has become a big part of what makes Tala what it is, which is why we’re so excited to share our new lineup each season.

Spring cleaning helps us to reset and creates a fresh new surrounding. This transition runs from our wardrobes, to our home decor, to the appliances we use all winter long. Your coffee equipment is no exception. The more use a coffee mug, maker or grinder gets, the more it will show. The good news is there are steps you can take to make your gear to look all shiny and clean if you know how!

Everyday that we get to use clean, filtered water to make coffee is a day to celebrate! It just so happens that today is the day celebrate because it is World Water Day! . . . World Water Day provides intentionality to advocate for better water management practices across the board, from big corporations to your own household.

The days are warming up and sunshine is filling up the forecast for the week! It’s beginning to look a lot like spring and we are very ready for it! From walks through the forest preserves, to sitting on the rocks down by the lake, to roller blading on the bike path, there are (almost) endless possibilities. The only thing that will make all these activities just that much better is stopping by Tala and grabbing your new spring drink before you get going!

“We kind of changed the town a little bit. I think we were the first place to do craft cocktails, especially the original Milwalky Trace. Which is just a normal cocktail nowadays but at the time we were doing stuff that nobody was doing. All our cocktails have way more booze than most places. We go hard with our drinks. We’re known for that. . . We’re known for our service and our food and all those things we concentrate on. Those are the things we care about and it shows and pays off.”