
Oak Park
4.67228 Madison St, Forest Park, IL 60130
A bright, airy suburban cafe in Oak Park with a focus on direct-trade coffee and community gathering.
“Groundswell is what every suburb deserves — a thoughtful, quality-focused cafe that also functions as a community hub. Their direct-trade sourcing is legit, the space is beautiful, and the staff remembers your name after two visits.”
Best coffee in the western suburbs, hands down. The cold brew concentrate is addictive.
Love that they have real parking. The space is gorgeous — tons of natural light.
304 reviews on Google
Love their cold brew but would have enjoyed it more if they filled up the cup! I asked for no ice and this is the only business in the west loop where staff are trained to only pour the same amount as if it were to have ice. I mean I would even pay $1 more just to fill it up. I’ve been coming everyday almost paying $6.89 and apparently the lack of cold brew just lost a customer. Also, they just arbitrarily fill up the cup sans ice - so one employee may give you more or less. Just a weird business model but to each their own!
Groundswell is hands down my alltime favorite coffee shop. It’s the one and only place I keep going back to I’ve visited almost every morning! The coffee is consistently great, the green tea matcha is spot on, and the green chili burritos are seriously delicious. Cozy vibes, friendly service, and always a good start to my day.
Great small cafe in the area! Visited around closing time so I didn’t get to see pastries they serve but seemed like some donuts and light sandwiches. Many coffee bean option and great espresso flavor. ☕️🥛✨Cappuccino was creamy and smooth. The flavor was balanced. First sip was strong but the depth came out after.
Around 1 pm on Wednesday, the coffee shop was empty, and it prompted me to come in and stay for a bit. First of all, the barista working there yesterday was friendly and welcoming. I've noticed that he made sure to inquire everyone coming in how they were or have a small talk with them. The cup of cappuccino prepared by him was tasty, drinkable temperature, and with lovely art on top. The vanilla bean glazed donut was moderately sweet and paired nicely with the coffee. I was also extremely glad they offer coffee in regular porcelain cups for dining in. Lots of wood in design and large green plants make the place look cozy.
Solid coffee place open early, not very often I've run into a place that does kolache. Interior is pretty tight with space for maybe 16 to 20 max, but it's pretty cozy. Staff were friendly and service was quick.