Gerry's Café

Arlington Heights

4.8

1802 N Arlington Heights Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 60004

WiFiOutletsParkingCommunal TablesLaptop FriendlyFull MenuModerateEarly BirdWeekend BrunchBrightLivelyCozy

A mission-driven Arlington Heights coffee shop staffed by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Excellent coffee with real social impact.

Curator's Note

“Gerry's is special. The staff is built around employing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and it shows in every interaction — the place runs on genuine care. The coffee program is no afterthought either: real espresso drinks, real attention to detail.”

Google Reviews

4.8

Community Notes

The mission alone would bring me back. The coffee is genuinely great too.

TheoApr 29

One of the warmest cafes I've been in. Bring friends.

AnonymousApr 29

Leave a Note

Jemmy the Vlogztera year ago

Let me start by saying congrats on opening their cafe in Arlington Heights! It's a great addition to the neighborhood! When I walked in, I was impressed by how clean the atmosphere was. Garrett, the cashier was quite descent with my order. It took about 10 minutes for my order to be seved, but it was worth the wait. The Arlington breakfast sandwich had an interesting bread that I've never seen, but it was soft and delicious! The blended caramel was a little sweet, but still good! It was an awkward moment, but I'm glad that it worked well at the end without any issue. Overall, this place is nice and all to try at least once in a while for me! Other than that, I wish they the best with their business and keep up the great work 👍

Meghan Gillies4 months ago

Today I had the best time at Gerry's Cafe! Not only did I get to see my awesome friend and Gerry's employee, Sara, I had THE BEST grilled cheese and the tastiest espresso milkshake! My Mom had their tasty Mediterranean Salad. I can't wait to go again next week!!

C Ra year ago

Review written 07/06/2025. They hire people with disabilities. As someone with SSDI and multiple health factors myself, I want to say thank you! People deserve a chance to be able to work and bring in an income. 💯 Very clean restaurant and very clean restroom. Bread tasted extremely fresh on sandwich. Sandwiches overpriced but tasty. Also my sandwich said it had avocado on it but it didn’t really, just a tiny touch of green spread on it. I enjoyed the aesthetically pleasing bright color scheme in restaurant (blues and grays).

Rachel Carrell8 months ago

I cannot say enough good things about Gerry’s. THIS is what every neighborhood needs. This place is so much more than the coffee and food items…it is an anchor for the disabled community. It is a safe space for people to come and be themselves. It is a warm environment where everyone is truly welcome. As a sibling to an adult with Down syndrome, I am so grateful there is a place we can go and eat and spend time where I don’t have to worry about other people’s reactions to my brother and his behaviors. This is a place where I can relax and we can truly enjoy our time without anxiety. I wish this place was bigger so more people could be accommodated. I would love to throw a birthday party here! Thank you to all of Gerry’s hardworking staff! Thank you for creating beautiful change in the northwest suburbs. I would love to see more Gerry’s cafes open across the Chicagoland area! (I would selfishly love some vegan food options. That way I could spend even more time and money here!)

Mary Ziegenhorn5 months ago

Very casual and cute little cafe run and worked by the nicest people. Garrett greeted us and patiently took our order as we slowly examined the menu since it was our first time. He is so friendly and polite. The tomato soup was amazing, as was the Moo shake! I like that the Avenues to Independence clients have such a nice place to work.