Tala Coffee Roasters

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Tala Coffee Roasters: 428 Green Bay Road, Highwood, IL 60040

I’ve always been on the lookout for new and interesting coffee houses. How about a former firehouse? A friend mentioned that he was driving one day when he did a double take at a firehouse with coffee signage. Got your attention?

Walking up to the building, I had the impression that this was an ingenious use of space and harmonious repurpose. As I stepped inside, I could see that the high ceiling and open space offered an inviting place to marvel at the experience of relaxing where a fire engine used to stand ready. I was ready to try some fresh-roasted, hand-crafted coffee.

Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Tala Coffee Roasters.

“The Lavender Latte was aromatic and flavorful, but also subtle and smooth.”

While chatting with the Barista I learned that he was also the Roaster. He told me that coffee bean roasting occurs a few times every week in nearby Libertyville to ensure fresh-roasted coffee for sale, whole bean or ground, packaged or hand-crafted. This was a complete consumer coffee experience delivered by an expert.

I wanted to try Tala’s coffee with my eagle-eyed friend, Roy, his wife, Adele, and my girlfriend, Lisa. This was our first Tala visit. We settled on trying 12 oz. lattes—except for Adele who wanted to dive right into a 16 oz. cup.

“The Bourbon Vanilla Latte had a gentle sweetness with a mature, refined finish.”

The Barista / Roaster effortlessly created some beautiful designs in the foam of our lattes. We almost didn’t want to take a sip. Almost. Upon first taste we were carried away by the warm, savory roasted flavor and brought down gently by our choice of milk and syrup. Lisa described her Lavender Latte as “aromatic and flavorful, but also subtle and smooth.” I was intrigued by the Bourbon Vanilla Latte, since I’m such a lightweight, and this way I could feel that I was more part of the St. Patrick’s Day revelry. I discovered that the Bourbon Vanilla Latte had a gentle sweetness with a mature, refined finish. I didn’t walk into Tala a coffee sommelier, and I didn’t walk out as one, but I felt more elevated and educated. I could swear I knew more about coffee after I experienced fine coffee by people who knew fine coffee.

In summary I will definitely revisit Tala Coffee Roasters in Highwood. I would be interested if Tala would offer a tour of their roastery in Libertyville. The more I taste fine coffee, the more I realize that simple luxuries don’t come with high price tags. They are everywhere. We just need to look for them.

You can find Tala Coffee Roasters at 428 Green Bay Road, Highwood, IL 60040. The website for Tala is Tala Coffee Roasters

For another perspective, visit my Adobe Spark photoblog at Adobe Spark – Tala Coffee Roasters