LooseLeaf Lounge, Chicago

LooseLeaf Lounge’s earthy and artistic atmosphere complements its 50 varieties of artisan black, green, and herbal loose teas. The lounge began as a website to publicize local art, bands, and events, and now hosts new art shows every first Friday of the month, along with open-mic evenings, acoustic ensemble performances, and poetry cage matches. Sandwiches, pastries, and vegan items perch on colorful tables painted by local artists while guests sip Metropolis coffee and surf complimentary WiFi. Weather permitting, conversations of diners fill up the bistro patio and harmonize with an urban soundtrack of softly rumbling engines and the gentle purr of skyscrapers.