The Tala Blog
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Spring Drink Menu 2026
Spring is finally here, and so is our long-awaited seasonal lineup. With a mix of café exclusives and returning favorites like the Ube Latte, Main Squeeze, and Dirty Horchata, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this season.
Bunker Blend
Our new Bunker Blend is the perfect solution for your coffee stockpiling needs. A tasty blend of Guatemala, Honduras and Burundi origins, this coffee provides a smooth cocoa nib body with a stone fruit juiciness. It is approachable but not boring, so it is sure to please any coffee-drinker you’ve found yourself quarantined with.
We're Still Open!
Many of you have been wondering what the recent ban of restaurants and bars in Illinois has meant for Tala. We are making changes to abide by this law, and continuing to be flexible and creative as we approach new ways to serve our customers through this health crisis.
Winter Drink Menu 2020
As much as we all loved our Holiday drinks, it is time for a change! We have three new wintery drinks available at the cafe.
Buzira Washing Station: Kayanza, Burundi
The members of the Tala Team collectively are all big fans of coffees from Burundi, and naturally are very excited about having another one hit the shelves and pour over grinders. We love them for their balance and drinkability, while having unique complexity of flavor thats unique compared to other African coffee favorites like Ethiopia and Kenya. This one from Buzira Washing station expresses these qualities perfectly with a syrupy cola sweetness, notes of stone fruit, and a crisp lime acidity finish. This coffee somehow is both simple and extravagant in the same sip. Don’t sleep on this one.
Birambu Micro Washing Station: Kalungu, DR Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo has emerged on the specialty coffee scene somewhat recently but always seem to lag behind in quality and flavor compared to more established coffee growing areas. Until now, we hadn’t had the privilege of ever drinking any delicious coffees from here, but upon sample roasting, this one looked very promising. And during a recent blind cupping, it clearly stood apart from 19 other coffees because of its big, sugary sweetness. Its coffees like this that show that more big things are to come from the DR Congo. Clear notes of sweetened rooibos tea, juicy melon and honeydew, and caramelized sugar make this one especially sweet, beautiful coffee.
Kiriga Estate AB: Kiambu, Kenya
We’re excited to offer yet another amazing offering from Kenya. This one coming from the Kiriga Estate is the pinnacle of savory and sweet flavors harmoniously signing together. Deep, rich maple and stewed fruit flavors of grapefruit and guava round out this wonderful coffee. We love it and know you will too.
2019 Holiday Gift Guide
It's that time of year again! Everyone is searching for the perfect gift. But look no further for the coffee enthusiasts on your list this year. Check out this years holiday guide.
Holiday Drink Menu 2019
The long-awaited Holiday drinks are now available in the cafe. We have some rock-star drinks returning this year, with some slight improvements. Just the other day I had a customer say, “dude I’ve literally been waiting a year for this.”
Tala Coffee Club
Do you love coffee? Join the club. With our Tala Coffee Club we celebrate all coffee-lovers from the casual coffee consumer to the nerdiest of coffee enthusiasts. We know the importance of your morning cup of coffee and we want to make it easy without compromising quality. Join the club for fresh specialty coffee delivered straight to your door so you can never run out of coffee again. Enjoy member perks like exclusive discounts and insider information.