Café Integral at Freehand Chicago

Café Integral at Freehand Chicago

Nicaraguan coffee & artisanal light fare are served in chill environs at the hip Freehand Hotel. The coffee shop in the cool new Freehand Hotel is the second outpost of Cafe Integral. The first is in New York, and like the original, the Chicago spot specializes in Nicaraguan beans. The coffee menu is pretty simple, with drip, pour-over and espresso drinks, like an excellent latte.

There’s a tiny bar with uncomfortable stools, or a large table to spread out at, though your other option is to meander into the larger lobby and relax on the couches there. It’s dark, but a more comfortable spot if you’re eating quickly, and you should—there’s a small but thoughtful food menu, with mostly breakfast items, salads and toast, including an avocado smash, toast piled with shaved radishes, sprouts and pickled shallots.

Freehand Chicago Hostel

Possibly the best Hostel in Chicago. Welcome to Freehand Our second Freehand outpost is housed in a classic 1927 building in Chicago’s vibrant River North neighbourhood – home to some of the city’s best art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants.

Freehand Chicago squeezes itself into a relatively slim space in the heart of River North, and, as with every other property in this brand’s collection, transforms it into an utterly gorgeous hotel that’ll leave you with enough interior design inspiration to last a lifetime. The rooms here feature plenty of mid-century furniture, jazzy wall hangings and lush, green-tiled bathrooms, creating a comfortable, chic vibe that’s echoed elsewhere in the building, including the hotel’s bar, The Broken Shaker, which is known for serving some of the city’s most creative cocktails (order their quirky old fashioned for an inventive spin on a classic). Guests looking to fix a fuzzy head rather than create one can grab a quick caffeine fix from Café Integral, which uses beans sourced exclusively from Nicaragua.

Freehand Chicago’s location in River North, just outside of the Loop, is a short stroll from some of the city’s most popular tourist spots, such as the Magnificent Mile and Navy Pier, where you can jump on the Centennial Wheel and get a bird’s eye view of the city. It’s also home to some of the best places to eat in the city, making it a great area for foodies, and is a cultural hotspot too, with a number of excellent museums and theaters located nearby.

Chicago Multi-Entry Multi-Directional Visitors Guide © Simon Newbound

Chicago Multi-Entry Multi-Directional Visitors Guide © Simon Monika Newbound