The Tala Blog

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Why We Love Cold Brew

Although specialty coffee over the last decade has slowly embraced the merits of cold brew, there was a time when cold brew was a specialty faux pas. That was about the time when we opened Tala, and unashamedly planted our flag on the team cold brew. 

Technical Tala Coffee Roasters Technical Tala Coffee Roasters

Gatuya AA: Muranga, Kenya

Fresh-crop African coffee season is one of our favorite times of year, and we're kicking it off with the return of a coffee we couldn't wait to roast again.

Say hello (again) to Gatuya AA from Muranga, Kenya.

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Marissa Cummings Marissa Cummings

Partner Program Highlight: Pilates + Coffee

“When you get to do what you love, you feel lucky”, shares Ryan, co-founder of Pilates + Coffee, a prominent fixture of the Roscoe village community. Founders Ryan and Jacquelyn fused their talents and passion for their community into a studio and café that has spent nearly a decade bringing people together through movement and coffee.

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Mia Rhee Mia Rhee

Barista Beats: Winnetka Cafe Playlists

A Spotify daylist is like a sock lost to the dryer, once perfectly paired but never to be seen again. Barista shifts at Tala in Winnetka are no different. When they’re not blending bags of Ruca, find out what your Winnetka baristas are blending on Spotify — because you can curate your own coffee-shop-core playlist, too!

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Veronika Pek Veronika Pek

ChanTALA Matcha Highlight

Meet our new favorite drink to sip on: the Chantala Matcha. Going hand in hand with our pivot to unsweetened matcha, the Chantala Matcha combines our decadent, earthy matcha with a balanced vanilla syrup and our homemade blueberry-strawberry whipped cream, garnished with tangy freeze-dried raspberries. Trust me, it tastes and looks as good as it sounds.

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News Rachel Severyns News Rachel Severyns

A Cozy Comeback - Meet The Igloolong

Meet the Igloolong, our newest winter seasonal drink, and a true Tala success story.

What originally started as one of our Winnetka café’s exclusive winter drinks quickly became a fan favorite, ultimately earning it a permanent spot on our Winter Seasonal Menu this year.

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News Mia Rhee News Mia Rhee

BTS: Cafe Exclusive Drink Development

When you walk into Tala Coffee Roasters, there are three notorious features, just like the North Shore Roaster’s three café locations. Whether you’re in the renovated firehouse of Highwood, Libertyville Headquarters, or the revamped Winnetka gas station, Tala boasts a wide variety of drink offerings ranging from traditional coffee house wares to seasonal and specialty drinks.

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Community Michael Michalak Community Michael Michalak

Tala-Ween Party Recap

Last Saturday, we threw our Ice Cream Social and Costume Party and had a great turnout! The cafe was buzzing all day, and our one-day-only affogato special was a huge hit, with espresso poured over Oberweis ice cream

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Community, Behind the Bar Rachel Severyns Community, Behind the Bar Rachel Severyns

Behind The Bar With Alejandro

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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News Tala Coffee Roasters News Tala Coffee Roasters

What does Tala Mean?

This is one of our most common FAQs. If you’ve ever asked someone at Tala this question, they may have answered with “It means sweet, and beautiful,” which is true, but it isn’t the full story. Let’s explore the full meaning and thought behind our name: Tala Coffee Roasters.

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