Writers’ Spaces is a series that reviews — you guessed it — spaces for writers. Whether writing is your lifeblood or you got stuck in Intro to Fiction, check out the best (and worst) places to practice your craft.

Photos by Sam Allard / North by Northwestern.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret that many know, but few acknowledge: Café Ambrosia is the best place for people-watching on or off campus.

Don’t believe me? Try it out. I would suggest the late afternoon. Sure, you may run into one of your friends, a colleague, or maybe you even know one of the baristas. Do not let this hinder your experiment. Invite them to join you in the fun! The front window counter is a prime location for spying out pedestrian subjects. Or, if you are like me, you can grab a seat near the rear of the café and enjoy both the view of the street and the customers in front of you.

If anyone dares to ask you why you seem to be staring, simply tell the person that you are researching for your next creative piece and cannot be disturbed further. And believe me, Café Ambrosia is a fountain of literary and artistic material. Need a character for a short story? Use the obsequious businesswoman holding interviews in the corner. Or how about the old gentleman reading the Chicago Tribune on the couch. And a man just walked by outside holding his face in his hands to shield himself from the rain. I could write a whole novel about that last one.

Once you have gathered your ideas together, just sit back and let the ambience of Café Ambrosia work its magic. The indie rock playing inconspicuously from behind the counter, the local art hanging from the walls, and the smell of chai lattes all seem created to inspire. Even the stale muffins and weak tea, like the cracks in your favorite coffee mug, add to the character of the café.

And don’t be scared away by those stairs leading to the dark abyss of the basement. Café Ambrosia boasts one of the best off-campus venues in Evanston. If you find yourself in need of a break, check out the performance schedule. If you are lucky, you might be able to catch a local band playing a set, a poetry reading, a comedy act, or performance studies piece. Of course, if you find that you enjoy working in dim lighting and isolation (you might be suprised by how many do), you can always head downstairs when nothing at all is scheduled.

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and join in on this staple of the college experience. Who knows? Perhaps your visit will be the seed of your next great artistic achievement.

Details
1620 Orrington Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201
Monday – Friday: 7:00 a.m. – Midnight
Saturday – Sunday: 8:00am – Midnight

Grades

• Menu: B+
• Coffee: A -
• Ambience: B+
• Accessibility: A
• Overall: A -