Ramen Gets Coffee Twist in Chicago
Logan Square's Pedestrian Coffee is hosting a coffee-infused ramen pop-up that blends two of Chicago's biggest obsessions into one creative culinary event. The unique fusion represents the kind of innovative street food experimentation that's defining the city's casual dining scene.
This isn't the first time coffee and ramen have been combined in Chicago's culinary scene. In the summer of 2025, Milwaukee's experimental coffee company, Discourse Coffee, held a residency at Chef Bill Kim's Urbanbelly in Wicker Park, where they served a "Ramen Latte." The unique drink was part of a larger trend of pop-up restaurants and bars in Chicago that allow chefs to experiment with creative and unexpected flavor combinations. The Urbanbelly pop-up, which was extended due to its popularity, featured a menu of other inventive drinks, but the Ramen Latte, made with Urbanbelly's shoyu ramen broth, garnered significant attention. This previous success of a coffee-and-ramen fusion in the city sets a precedent for the pop-up at Pedestrian Coffee, indicating a public appetite for such unconventional culinary creations. Pedestrian Coffee, which opened its Logan Square location in the summer of 2023, is known for its focus on ethically sourced, high-quality, and approachable coffee. The owner, Tim Taylor, has a history in the Chicago coffee scene, having previously owned Ipsento Coffee. The Logan Square spot is the company's third location and features unique offerings like house-made ice cream and a station for customers to learn how to make their own espresso drinks. The pop-up at Pedestrian Coffee is part of a broader movement in Chicago's neighborhoods, especially in areas like Logan Square and Wicker Park, where food and beverage entrepreneurs are constantly pushing boundaries. These temporary dining experiences, often hosted within established bars and restaurants, have become a defining characteristic of the city's food scene, offering a platform for chefs to test new ideas and for diners to experience something new and exciting.
