Cafe Aroma

First off, I really want to like this place. Winnetka is desperate for casual restaurants and I hope this place can get better and make it.
However, they recently changed their coffee brand from Julius Meinl to something I’ve never heard of and it doesn’t tast nearly as good. They are still advertising Julius Meinl coffee in their window… the false advertising bothers me. I agree with many of the posters who have commented on the strange vibe between employees. I couldn’t agree more about that but I should say it has seemd less awkward than it did a couple of years ago.
The food… It’s okay. I remember having a surprisingly good sandwich there and the coffee cake is great too. The prices are very high. All I have to say is $ 3.00 for a can of Coke!?!

Very strange vibe with the people working there. The food was very well cooked but the portions were very small. All around, it wasn’t a comfortable dining experience, and the place needed some help with décor and general staff interactions with the clientele. I felt like I was walking into a personal situation where I wasn’t very welcome — it took them forever to notice we were even there. Also, they kept cleaning the tables around us, spraying this awful smelling stuff while we were trying to eat. It made me feel like I was eating in a public bathroom. We won’t go back.

Barely a one star experience. I recently moved to the neighborhood and was excited to have a cute eatery nearby. My first visit there was underwhelming. Lackluster, slow service from a clearly annoyed server. She never checked back after serving our breakfasts. I finally went to the front counter and asked for the check. There was no apology for the poor service. The man at the front counter who took my money didn’t pause his conversation with another worker to say anything to me. The food was average and overpriced based on what I got. But, after reading so many glowing reviews, I decided to give Café Aroma a second visit. Maybe my first visit was on a bad day. But this place deserves a star for consistency as the service on visit two was equally bad and the food was just as bland. Both visits were made when the restaurant had less than 8 customers in it, so the poor service wasn’t due to high volume. I won’t take a chance on a third visit any time soon.

This place has a really bad aroma. I’m going to quote Colleen’s review in full (maybe a Unilocal first!): «Just stopped in for a coffee to go. Coffee good /​prices fine /​place cute if you needed to stay. Odd dynamic between lady making my coffee and guy at register. There was something going down and it was uncomfortable.»
Why quote this review? Because that was my experience exactly. Just stopped in for a coffee to go. By the time I left I was weirded out. I wish I could be more specific, but it’s just like Colleen said – there was an odd dynamic, something going down, and in the end, you, the customer, are made to feel uncomfortable. Not my kind of place.

I really like this place and wish I could get there more. Portions are generous and the food and drink are very good. Great variety to pick from and service is quick! Great place to meet up with someone or just go by yourself, take a book and enjoy!

The food is good and the prices are average. The service, however, is terrible. Was there with a party of five and our water and coffee was never refilled. Additionally, the food took about an hour to get to our table and came out cold. This place needs to refocus their attention on the customer experience and refining their operations.

First, I must give a disclaimer that I am a friend of the owner. Despite that, I am writing this review in the most objective and honest manner I can.
The banana french toast and the Azteca omelette were delicious and beautiful. Also, the chai latte was amazing! It’s not IHOP prices, but the experience is so much better than an IHOP visit. The décor is so cute and this is a place where people of all ages and cultures are welcome and will enjoy themselves. It’s not huge, so if you have a large party, I would highly suggest you call ahead, but they can accommodate some parties.
I can’t speak objectively about the service, but from what I’ve heard, most everyone says that they are treated like family. Aroma Café is a true jewel and I highly recommend it.

I only give it two stars because the waitress was very nice. The croissant was also very good. I ordered an omelette and while it appeared to be fully cooked on the outside the inside was runny. I let them know and the manager took it and recooked it. It was still undercooked and the eggs were literally liquid. I did not eat another bite. The manager, oh and owner, disappeared and of course I still had to pay for a breakfast I didn’t eat. I spoke to the owner and told her I’d bring back many people if it was good. Will never return. Does not come close to Walker brothers or any of the other breakfast spots I frequent. The potatoes are not «hash browns» they are dinner potatoes. Also, this is not a «European breakfast» unless you order just a croissant. Last thing, who do they have working at the tribune these days that would give a good review?

Just stopped in for a coffee to go. Coffee good /​prices fine /​place cute if you needed to stay. Odd dynamic between lady making my coffee and guy at register. There was something going down and it was uncomfortable.

My favorite thing on their menu is the Power smoothie. I get it every time I come here and it never disappoints. Their sandwiches are solid and just the right portion size. I did get to try a traditional lunch dish the last time I was here, and it wasn’t bad! This café is a nice and quiet place for a simple lunch. I experienced friendly service each time I was here, so no complaints about that. If you’re ever in this area, make sure to stop by!

This place was great. We are doing a photoshoot in a house nearby and have ordered out lunch here and breakfast two days in a row. Food is really fresh and all 15 people on our photoshoot have been really pleased with everything they have eaten. They didn’t deliver (at least when we asked) when it says they do on Unilocal but I am glad we ordered from them anyway. Will absolutely come back when I can come sit down and eat.

I have been disappointed by the service here time and again. I live near by, so it is convenient, but on two separate occasions the service has been bad. My mom and I visited once and it took them ten minutes to bring us water. When I got coffee, it was a tepid temperature, and the cream I had asked for was actually milk (which if you’re like me, you know there’s a big difference between 2% milk and half and half). I also had ordered a smoothie which was $ 5 – 6, but was very unsatisfying because it had very little flavor and was full of giant chunks of ice. The food has been okay, I like the potatoes they serve with the breakfast meals, but it didn’t make up for the lack of service. Little things like a positive attitude by the server, or refilling the water glass without having to ask are very important to me, (especially when the water glasses are so small!!). Café Aroma just doesn’t cut it for me.

Café Aroma is a small and pleasantly surprising restaurant that opened last June, but we had not heard of it. We saw it on Open Table, looked at the menu, and thought we would give it a try. It is located near the Winnetka train station at the corner of Elm and Lincoln, a half block east of Green Bay Road. With high ceilings and dark wood tables, the atmosphere is not pretentious and is light and open. Our waiter was knowledgeable and friendly. The menu is not extensive but there are enough variety to please. What makes everything work here is that all the items on the menu are well conceived and executed.
I started with the crab cake, a large round of crab bound together with shrimp mousse and no other fillers. It was topped with arugula and fennel, and plated on an orange vinaigrette emulsion that was a perfect counterpoint to the lovely crabmeat. Though it was one cake, it was big enough to be easily shared. J*** had the goat cheese salad, a ball of almond covered chèvre served with baby spinach and strawberries with a honey truffle vinaigrette dressing.
J*** had the sausage and pepper appetizer for her entrée, served with roasted potatoes and marinated red peppers. She finished every bite. I had the scallops. Served on a bed of leeks and fennel confit with mushrooms and a citrus emulsion with flecks of black truffles, 4 large sea scallops dusted in sambucca and spices were perfectly cooked in a lovely presentation. These scallops were not cut in half horizontally as some restaurants do to save money. These were the real deal!
The value for your restaurant bucks is here as well. Portions are generous, appealing to the eye, and to your taste buds. The chef has the right stuff, a mastery of balance that is unfortunately rare to find these days.
We will definitely come back and try more of the menu.

We dined here recently for the first time when I realized they took reservations. We enjoyed the quaint café ambiance that had a nice touch of sophistication. The service was very friendly if a bit uneven. However, the food was truly outstanding! The asparagus salad I had was fresh and inventive. While my husband’s pasta dish was to die for! The wine selection is somewhat limited, but nice. Overall, it was an excellent experience and we would highly recommend.

Had a quick brunch here when in town. The experience was pleasant enough, nothing that stood out as great or terrible. We were quickly seated, our drink order was taken at the same time as our food.
I had the vegetable omelet which tasted good, could have been hotter but that was my only complaint. The bread was delicious as was the jam that they serve it with. I thought that their coffee was great, my friend had a soy cappuccino and the foam was delicious. The chicken sandwich also was good, and quite a large portion. Love that it was on good bread and had avocado.
If I was in town again I’d be curious to try out some more items on the menu.

Stopped in for a cup of coffee and a toasted bagel with cream cheese. A man walked passed me several times until I approached him on how I can get a cup of coffee and if I can view their menu. He looked at me from down to up, from my feet to my head, as if I didn’t belong there. I was wearing converse allstars, blue jeans, and a hoodie. Still no greeting, so I asked if I can get a medium coffee and if I can see the menu. He rudely placed the menu on the counter in front of me and to this point he still haven’t said a word. I ordered the bagel with cream cheese and my total was $ 5.69. So my expectations were moderately high for the coffee and bagel despite the bad service. I got the cup of coffee as soon as I paid however I waited more than 20 min for the bagel and after asking the man behind the counter if my bagel was ready, he ignored me and walked away from the counter to go and seat 2 ladies who had just walked in. When he came back to the counter he walked passed me again and to the kitchen. At this point, I assumed he was deaf and I turned sympathetic toward him because I thought he wasn’t paying me any attention. After a total of 25 minutes he handed me the bag and as I turned around to leave, he says «your welcome!!» so loud people who were eating turned around. I just left.
Coffee: Taste like a good cup of maxwell house for $ 2.25. There are better cups for that price.
Bagel & Cream Cheese: I thought it was going to be a nice gourmet bagel toasted to perfection with a fluffy textured cream cheese. Instead I got a microwaved Lenders bagel that was previously frozen, because you can definitely taste the freezer. And the cream cheese was tart for some reason. Definitely not what I expected and for that price point there’s better options. Horrendous customer service experience.

Bland, overpriced, pretentious and RUDE!

Café Aroma has a brand new chef and dinner menu and it is fantastic. The staff (Ramon and Stefano) are really friendly and fun to be around. The Vegetable Terrine is great, as is the shrimp. My wife and I have tried most of the entrees — pork, flat iron steak and the fish — all are inventive, great portion sizes and tasty.
Definitely give this place a try!

Aromatic but not so flavorful describes my experience at Café Aroma. In a great shopping area and so cute it made me want to go in, but I have to say I was surprisingly not so satisfied.
A simple and classic menu with crepes, eggs, light sandwiches and soups, I figured this would be a great place to meet up with someone for coffee and a nosh. Regular brew, vanilla latte and a slice of pumpkin bread for $ 10.02 — a bit pricey to leave unsatisfied — and that didn’t even include the tip!
Friendly service, the café was also clean and European adorable. However, it was a little too clean for my liking when they started sweeping the floors directly next to our table while we were clearly still dining — not my favorite.
Latte was weak, and I’m a huge fan of Julius Meinl brand coffee so I don’t know what happened. Pumpkin bread was moist but bland and could have used a touch of ginger. Honestly I could have purchased a light lunch for two at that price, and if I were to ever come back here I might try one of their $ 9 omelets and split. I feel like I wasted my money here. Just two stars for me!

I love this place. It doesn’t matter if I am sipping a latte with a girlfriend, or bringing one of my kids in for breakfast, the experience is always great. I have been here on multiple occasions, and have never been disappointed, with ANYTHING. Service, beverages, food, sweets, cleanliness and fair pricing. Wow. What a package.
This place is very much like a café you would find in Europe. It is small, with limited seating, both indoors and out. It is cozy. The owner is friendly, and will chat you up, but never to the point of intrusion. Crepes are good, coffee is good, nice selection of pastries and great lunch items as well. Personally, I am a sucker for the Thai salad. They also have a small selection of gelato and several smoothies if you happen to bike by on a hot summer day, and they never make you feel guilty if you choose to linger.
Lots of folks walk or bike here since the location is in downtown Winnetka, but parking is fairly easy on the street and if you don’t mind a short walk, to one of the parking lots within a 2 block radius. Very near to the Metra station, although the train isn’t currently stopping here due to renovations. If you are a Metra rider, be sure to check on the station status first.