Safari Cup Coffee

So sad. This place closed its doors. :(

I have been a regular here for a couple years and I can’t say enough good things about it. I am in there at least once a week and not only is the coffee always fresh, but the beans are roasted by the owners Dave and Sharon. They have a great selection of teas and also have smoothies and other fun drinks.
The food is excellent and very fresh. Sharon does the baking and always has many excellent cakes and muffins. The chocolate chocolate chip muffin is amazing. They also have sandwiches and meals for both breakfast and lunch. When I was pregnant I was obsessed with French Toast and this place has some of the best in the city. Now when we go for breakfast my little one gets the french toast and I’ll have an egg sandwich, which also excellent.
The atmosphere is perfect. The owners are friendly with everyone and you won’t feel uncomfortable chilling on the couch reading by yourself or sitting with your friends or family chatting. It is just the right amount of noise to be comfortable talking without feeling too loud to focus. I have frequently come in to have lunch and sit at a table to work for a couple hours before heading home. There are often people working/​studying, but never has it been too crowded to get a seat.
A couple cautions:
— They open early and close early.
— Their wifi is usually slow so while it’s a great atmosphere to work, it isn’t ideal if you have to be doing anything internet heavy.

I am so glad Safari Cup has become my local work hangout and coffee place. After stumbling upon Safari Cup for the first time this summer (what took me so long!), I’m pleased to have been a customer for over 6 months now. I initially got addicted to their mango green iced tea, which is just incredibly good and refreshing. But they also have amazing hot chocolate and hot tea (I am not a coffee drinker –sorry!).
The food is great. I love their egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches, which are, thankfully, available all day. My boyfriend has declared them his favorite breakfast option in the neighborhood. Their homemade donut holes and cinnamon buns are spectacular as well, when you want a sugar rush. :)
Above all though, I really enjoy the atmosphere here. I love that I can sit comfortably for hours, there are plenty of places for me to plug in my computer, free wi-​fi, and I always trust that my stuff will be safe. The people are friendly — both the staff and the other customers. I just don’t know what more I could ask for.
I will walk 15 minutes in the snow today to Safari for the fourth time in a week.

I decided to finally try this place after reading that a giant Starbucks was going to open next door to them. Shop local etc. I will go back once more to try the coffee since Unilocal reviewers are praising it, but the soup was awful. Nicer atmosphere and bigger than it looks from the outside.

I was sold just based on interactions with the staff… AND THEN they gave me the most delectable cup of coffee ever (free with purchase of b-​fast sandwich). I will come back. I have to come back.

This is an update that is sad to write. After my last review I re-​ordered several times. Good. This last time was a doozy. And I’m now a former customer.
Send my order and was told I would get delivery by 10:11; than 10:34. No problem. Folks get busy, what can you do? Called around 11 to find out what is going on. They state they were busier than they thought, were on their way and it would be there in 5 – 10 minutes. Well, a phone call to say that would have been nice. Call AGAIN around 11:20. Food arrived ONE FULL HOUR after they stated. Coffee came without syrup and was cold (of course it was cold). What should have arrived cold was creepy and lukewarm.
Not including the 3 dollar tip and 3 – 4 bucks for delivery, I paid for bad food and 7 bills for an incorrect, crappy delivery. As of this writing, Safari couldn’t be bothered to respond to my complaints (GurbHub gave me a credit, which was nice; when they tried to call SCC, they stopped picking up their phone!). So, see ya SCC. Will miss your muffins and stuff. But your customer service sucks.

Great coffee and espresso with beans roasted in-​house. They usually have good music playing, so I don’t need to use my own headphones. The staff has always been friendly and welcoming. I also love the environment in this shop; it’s very intimate with mostly 2-​person tables.
It might be a little bit more expensive than Starbucks, but there’s a reason why!

I was on Southport, had a Starbucks gift card and some time to kill. Starbucks had a line that was almost out the door, so I headed across the street to this place. I got a regular coffee and an enourmous chocolate croissant. Both were delicious. Went back the next day for an iced mocha and a slightly smaller croissant.
So much better than Starbucks.

I am a huge Paul Simon fan (and no, that stalking rumor is not true.) When we came here the fabulous atmosphere had me hearing his beautiful lyrics in my head.
«This is the story of how we begin to remember
This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein
After the dream of falling and calling your name out
These are the roots of rhythm
And the roots of rhythm remain»
Love the song and the coffee house and that it was our grand finale to our Adventure Fridays. We created them to get my daughter through a sad period when she was in between jobs. Now all is right with her world and we could toast her happiness with some of the finest coffee you will find in the city of Chicago. The African décor, the South African accent of the owner and the amazing African coffee will bring you to an exotic inner place.
I think you will love it here and when you come you will hopefully imagine listening to this most beautiful song.
«And he walked the length of his days
Under African skies»

Well, it was unfortunate.
I can’t speak for their coffee, but I definitely thought the mango green iced tea was good.
As for my reason for giving two stars… it was very overpriced. 2 Sandwiches and 2 iced teas = $ 24.00. Okay whatever, this sandwich better be great.
I ordered their veggie sandwich that has avacado tomato red pepper cheese pesto and shredded carrots. I ordered w/​o cheese and tomato.
It came on top of a bed of undressed lettuce and had a strawberry on top of it? Huh? You could tell the bread was stale and toasted over and the red pepper was minced rather than in slices. The shredded carrots gave it an odd texture and overall it was not good. My friend ordered the chicken salad sandwich and got big chunks of chicken in her sandwich rather than chicken salad.
Although the staff was very friendly and the tea was good I probably wouldn’t come back for a sandwich.

You know how when you are at a football game and they play Sweet Caroline and you suddenly find yourself shouting, «So Good! So Good! So Good!»? No? Just me? Anywho that is no longer just for football games; it was also running through my head while at Safari.
Last Friday I had dreams of sitting on patios and eating ice cream. Mother nature, on the other hand, had different plans and I ended up looking for places for soup and coffee. At first I was disappointed but I immediately calmed down when I tasted my first sip of Mocha perfection. It was the exact right amount of chocolate, milk and espresso. Additionally I loved that it was super smooth and without a bitter aftertaste.
The shop itself was also very cozy with plenty of seating, music and friendly baristas. It was so inviting and comfortable that it *almost* made me wish I had some homework or paperwork to complete while slaving over a laptop. Almost. Instead we enjoyed chatting over beverages.

Everyone who works here is very nice. I love the opportunity to support the smaller, locally owned places when I can and it’s even better when the service and food is as hot and fresh as it is here. Everything is prepared with love and you can see that the second you get your plate of food.
The music is great, the owner seems to be in there frequently, the seating and design is perfect and it couldn’t be easier to get here on the Brown Line Southport stop. It’s cozy, warm and has free wi-​fi.
The only thing I would change would be to put a silencer on the coffee bean machine that peeps at a very high pitch about every 10 minutes. If you have sensitive ears this will start to eat away at you. If they could silence that beep I’d give Safari Cup Coffee 5 stars!

GREAT COFFEE SHOP
Opens at 5:30am despite what it says here on Unilocal.
They roast the coffee beans in-​house.
Very cozy atmosphere… leather couches, tables, good music.
Cute/​friendly British couple runs the place and is there in the mornings.
Good food/​pastries.
Currently in the top 5 of my coffee shops in Chicago.

Great place to sit on the couches and have a cappuccino and a treat. I tried the tart with spinach and cheese and it was delicious. My only complaint is that the chairs are a little uncomfy but just sit on the couch.
Definitely will be back for another treat

My favorite coffee house in Chicago! Right off the Southport stop on the Brown line and free wifi, this place makes it worth even a train ride to get to. The variety of beans is fantastic and they have several ways of preparing your coffee or espresso drink. The staff is very knowledgeable about their coffees and they are never crabby about having to grind some beans to make you a pour over.
Speaking of, I highly recommend the Moto (their espresso bean) as a pour over coffee! Not too bitter, but will definitely give you the extra kick you might be needing. Pour overs take a little longer to get, so don’t be in a rush, but you can really taste the extra $ 1 worth.
The food here has also been very good. If you get one dish, try the meat pie! It comes with a small «side salad» that is different than what most restaurants serve and the meat in the pie has always been warm and tender enough.
Also keep an eye out for their Groupon Now deals. You can usually get a $ 10 credit for $ 6!
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

A cup of latte (large) and a sandwich set me back $ 14.50.
Damn!!! I thought I was saving money by going to coffee shops instead of sit down restaurants.
So I sat, and bitterly looked at my sandwich for about 20 minutes! It was a veggie sandwich out of everything. Who ever thought 2 slides of bread, some lettuce, tomatoes and avocado would cost you that much?
Then I debated whether or not to eat it. I was too angry at myself!
Then I took a bite!
DAMN that thing was good!!! And I bitterly ate the whole thing!
Safari Cup, asides from the unexpected $ 15, was wonderful. Their coffee was delicious, and so was their food (but I think you already knew it by now). They weren’t super busy, but people were coming in and out of the shop. And it seems to me, that many of the people who come here are regular. Super friendly staffs.
Their décor is charming. I have a thing for all things African, so of course I eventually got over myself and appreciated everything there. Definitely will be a place I’ll stop by often to study and next time I’ll just go with a muffin with a drip cup of coffee to fit my grad student’s budget!

Met up a friend here for a weekday lunch. I looked it up on the way and it said the cuisine was African. I was expecting Ethiopian or something similar but was pleasantly surprised. What a great lil coffee shop!
This is a great place for tasty, quick salads with interesting flavors. The curry dressing on this chicken salad was pretty phenomenal. The sandwiches are great with the fresh strawberries and bananas.
Deliciously strong coffee. Love the dirty hippie… chai soy latte with a shot of espresso. Might be my new favorite drink.
Lots of seating both indoors (couches, tables, etc.) and outdoors before Chicago winter sets in.
Incredibly friendly staff. Maybe I’ve been away from the midwest for too long, but they were super welcoming and explained the menu in great detail.
A little noisy if you are looking for somewhere quiet with the constant grinding and loud roasting machine sounds. Nice place to grab a coffee or a quick lunch.

I’ve been to Safari Cup twice; once for breakfast and the other time for coffee on the go. I ordered a chai latte with an egg and tomato sandwich on whole wheat bread. Their chai is probably the BEST I’ve ever had. It’s the perfect blend between «real» chai tea and starbuck’s tazo, sugary mixture. The sandwich was great too and came with a fruit salad! The interior is conducive to studying, reading, chilling and the music is very relaxing.
When I came to get coffee the second time I remember it being decent, but it didn’t particularly stand out as being great. I will have to give the regular coffee a second shot, but for now I shall grant Safari Cup 4 stars!

I think the coffee is bitter, and I’ve tried it a few times to make sure it wasn’t my imagination.
The people who work here are delightful, as are the environs.
The yodeling music before 9 a.m. was a bit much.

This is my new favorite coffee place. As a grad student, I’m always looking for someplace cheap and cozy with free wi-​fi, and this place fits the bill. I’ve only been a couple of times so far, but the owners are super friendly and I feel like they know most of the regulars. They roast the coffee and make all of the baked good in-​house, so it always smells delicious, and the sunrise muffin I had the other day was hands-​down the best muffin I’ve ever had. My only complaint is the cork coffee cup sleeves they use, because I’m not crazy about the smell, but that’s not a big deal especially with the selection of real mugs you can use if you’re eating in.
The very best part, though, is they make coffee exactly the way I like it– not super dark like Starbucks, but a more interesting than Dunkin’ Donuts. Perfect!