Espression by Lavazza

In a market dominated by paper to-go cups, Espression by Lavazza aims to bring a little Italian sophistication to American coffee drinkers. You can still get your jolt of caffeine on the run, but for the full cafe experience order at the counter and then settle into one of the designer Italian chairs and admire the coffee-inspired photographs on the walls while you wait for your drink to be delivered. The menu is a mix of traditional and cutting-edge, with novel creations such as espessone, espresso topped with hazelnut mousse and the espresso macchiato, a solid mix of milk and espresso eaten with a spoon. Food offerings go well beyond typical coffee shop fare. Sit at the bar and watch the baristas work while snacking on a made-to-order plate of fresh asparagus wrapped in smoked salmon and cream cheese or a sandwich of imported Italian prosciutto, brie and fig spread. Just try to save some room for the gelato Melba, a sundae-like mix of vanilla gelato, peaches and melted chocolate topped with whipped cream and amaretto.

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Gold Coast restaurants, Chicago restaurants, Chicago restaurants, European restaurants, Gelato restaurants