Locals trek from all over North Shore to eat, drink at Hometown Coffee and Juice in Glencoe

Sunday, February 9, 2020
Locals trek from all over North Shore to eat, drink at Hometown Coffee and Juice in Glencoe
A year-old coffee shop in downtown Glencoe has been packing in the regulars for its mix of creative dishes with a side of local personality.

GLENCOE, Ill. (WLS) -- You can easily find national chain stores on the North Shore, but what's harder to find is a true neighborhood coffee shop where they make food from morning until night, including lattes, espressos and a full bar.

A year-old coffee shop in downtown Glencoe has been packing in the regulars for its mix of creative dishes with a side of local personality.

The locals come from all over the North Shore, pretty much all day long. Don't expect a late-morning lull, because at Hometown Coffee and Juice, the day is filled with donuts, smoothie bowls, sandwiches and coffee. Lots of coffee.

EXTRA COURSE: Cookies and a pair of donuts at Hometown Coffee and Juice

In Steve's Extra Course Video, he takes a closer look at some locally-made cookies and a pair of donuts, just in case you're looking for something a little sweet.

Owner Lou Rubin and his wife opened just over a year ago, with the plan being to offer something for everyone, at all hours.

"You come in the morning for coffee, in the afternoon get a smoothie bowl or a salad, and at the end of the day get a pastry or, there's always something for anytime of the day," said Rubin.

The insulated, heated igloos out front are perfect for a meal or maybe fondue after dark.

The menu is designed with a slightly healthier approach. In the morning, a smoothie bowl is a good bet. A banana is blended with frozen blueberries and strawberries, plus almond milk and almond butter. Once that's blended, it serves as a base for fresh slices of banana, strawberry and a cup of granola, all of which gets drizzled with honey.

About a half-dozen salads are offered, including the Harvest Kale - containing plenty of quinoa, sweet potato and pumpkin seeds, but also open-faced toasts like almond butter and green apples drizzled with honey-cinnamon, scattered with pecans.

The Garden Caprese contains fresh mozzarella, avocado, tomato and basil, while the Avo & Lox has a base of smashed avocado topped with cukes, tomato and smoked salmon. There are plenty of sandwiches, plus a few bagel melts, like Rubin's Reuben with turkey, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing slaw.

Rubin said he's not completely surprised at the response, considering how few locally-owned neighborhood gathering places there are.

"People want a local experience. We live in the community, we wanted to focus deeply on the customer experience and community - those are the two things we really focus on a lot - and you can see the result; it's really been incredible," he said.

With a full breakfast menu in the morning, lunch in the afternoon and then a bar at night, plus a special menu in the igloos out front Hometown really is an all-day dining destination on the North Shore.

Hometown Coffee & Juice
700 Vernon Ave., Glencoe
847-242-0220

http://www.hometownglencoe.com/

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