Black Fodder Coffee

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Black Fodder Coffee We roast, brew, cater, and teach uncompromising craft espresso, coffee, and tea.

We are a Chicago-born craft coffee company, offering specialty coffee and tea catering, coffee education, and (soon) our own label of roasted beans and bottled cold brew.

7 AM, just before opening. It feels almost magical! And it’s all thanks to a beautiful autumn morning and our colorful l...
10/14/2026

7 AM, just before opening. It feels almost magical!

And it’s all thanks to a beautiful autumn morning and our colorful little lights.

Getting up early — really early — isn’t always easy, but sometimes the reward is more than worth it. ;)

Come by for a hot cup of coffee and freshly baked muffins — banana with almonds or pumpkin spice with nuts!

Today, I discovered the beautiful taste of Colombia Geisha.Geisha is an extraordinary Arabica variety whose story begins...
10/13/2026

Today, I discovered the beautiful taste of Colombia Geisha.

Geisha is an extraordinary Arabica variety whose story begins in Ethiopia, near the town of Gesha. From there, it traveled to other parts of the world and is now also cultivated in Colombia, where ideal growing conditions bring out its remarkable complexity.

What captivated me most? Its lightness, delicacy, and tea-like character. Subtle floral aromas, elegant fruity notes, and natural sweetness. A coffee that can feel more like a beautifully aromatic tea than a traditional cup of coffee.

That’s what I love about specialty coffee — discovering just how surprisingly different coffee can taste.

Have you ever tried coffee brewed with a V60, Kalita, Chemex, or siphon?

Come visit us :)

Our patio has its own natural—and absolutely beautiful—umbrella: an old American elm. Its wide, graceful canopy gives us...
10/08/2026

Our patio has its own natural—and absolutely beautiful—umbrella: an old American elm.

Its wide, graceful canopy gives us cool shade and shelter from the summer sun. And when fall arrives, it trades its green for gold, filling our patio with warm autumn light and scattering golden leaves around our tables.

American elms can live for generations, quietly watching neighborhoods grow and change around them. We don’t know exactly how old ours is, but its impressive size makes us wonder just how much history it has witnessed.

We love having this beautiful tree as part of our patio—a little bit of history, a lot of shade, and one more reason to slow down and enjoy your coffee outside.

Something new has joined the coffee on our shelves — tea! We have organic green Bancha, caffeine-free Rooibos, white tea...
10/01/2026

Something new has joined the coffee on our shelves — tea!

We have organic green Bancha, caffeine-free Rooibos, white tea with lavender, and black tea with cranberry. And, of course, a few flavors made for this time of year — Pumpkin Spice and Cinnamon.

But I couldn’t leave out my personal favorite, Jasmine, along with Chocolate Mint and many others.

Because as much as we love coffee, sometimes nothing beats a good pot of hot tea — especially now, as the evenings are getting longer and cooler.

Who else, like me, loves brewing a whole pot of tea in the evening?

Stop by, take a look at our tea shelf, and find your favorite — or maybe discover a new one for fall.

Kalita. One of the first brewing methods I discovered when I started drinking specialty coffee — and still one of my fav...
09/25/2026

Kalita. One of the first brewing methods I discovered when I started drinking specialty coffee — and still one of my favorites today. Maybe partly because of the memories, but definitely not only. ☕️

It’s still my morning ritual while my boys are sound asleep. Just me, my Kalita, and a few peaceful minutes before the day begins. 🤍

Haven’t tried it yet? Come give it a try! Discover coffee from a different side.

What’s your favorite alternative brewing method? Have you tried them all yet? If not, we definitely encourage you to exp...
09/18/2026

What’s your favorite alternative brewing method?

Have you tried them all yet? If not, we definitely encourage you to experiment!

The same coffee can reveal completely different flavors depending on how it’s brewed — brighter, sweeter, fuller, more delicate… That’s part of the fun.

Discover coffee from a different side and find your favorite way to brew.

Try a Syphon, V60, Kalita, or AeroPress with us.

Slow down. Experiment. Taste the difference.

Which one is your favorite — or which one would you like to try next?

Lemon + lime + our own recipe. Simple ingredients, lots of freshness, and no sugar.Instead, we sweeten it with allulose ...
09/12/2026

Lemon + lime + our own recipe.

Simple ingredients, lots of freshness, and no sugar.
Instead, we sweeten it with allulose — a natural sweetener.

Tart, refreshing, and perfect for those moments when coffee just isn’t what you’re craving. :)

So, which one are you: Team Lemonade or Team Iced Tea

What’s new on our pour-over menu? ☕️It might be worth slowing down and staying a little longer than just for an espresso...
09/07/2026

What’s new on our pour-over menu? ☕️
It might be worth slowing down and staying a little longer than just for an espresso. :)

From juicy strawberry and tangerine notes to nectarine, cranberry, dried fig, lemongrass and vanilla — each of our current coffees has something completely different to discover.

Brewed to order. Take your time and taste the difference.

On Labor Day, there’s no exception for coffee. ☕️Come see us just like any other day!Coffee doesn’t take a day off! 😎
09/06/2026

On Labor Day, there’s no exception for coffee. ☕️
Come see us just like any other day!
Coffee doesn’t take a day off! 😎

A little behind the scenes — because our café is about more than coffee and something sweet.Our philosophy is actually v...
08/17/2026

A little behind the scenes — because our café is about more than coffee and something sweet.

Our philosophy is actually very simple, but also uncompromising: we want to serve you the way we would want to be served ourselves.

And that applies not only to what lands on your plate, but also to what happens in the kitchen when no one is watching.

We don’t want to fool you with food that only looks good. We don’t want cheap shortcuts, unnecessarily processed ingredients, artificial flavors or ingredients we wouldn’t choose for ourselves and our own families.

There is already far too much highly processed food around us, while more and more people — often at a very young age — struggle with metabolic health and other diet-related problems.

So whenever we can, we choose real ingredients, organic products, grass-fed beef, good olive oil and food prepared simply and honestly. We clean the pan and use fresh olive oil for the next crepe. We read labels. We ask questions. And sometimes we choose the more expensive ingredient simply because we believe it’s the better one.

Are we perfect? No. Is absolutely everything organic? Not yet. But we know what direction we’re going in — and we’re not interested in pretending otherwise.

Real food. Honest ingredients. No unnecessary shortcuts.

That’s what hospitality means to us — even behind the kitchen.

Address

River Forest, IL

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 5pm
Thursday 7:30am - 5pm
Friday 7:30am - 5pm
Saturday 7:30am - 5pm
Sunday 7:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+13122483575

Website

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