Downtown cafes like Colectivo Coffee, Egg Harbor Cafe and Le Peep are just a few of the establishments looking to add warmth to winter with new menu specials.
Several restaurants in Evanston feature seasonal concoctions, ranging from holiday-themed pancakes to winter-flavored lattes.
Colectivo Coffee, a Milwaukee-based coffee chain on Church Street, revealed its winter menu Jan. 8. It includes winter lattes and pastries, like scones and coffee cake, because of the popularity of seasonal items, Shift Leader Noah Brown said.
Brown said the cafe’s seasonal orange currant scone and banana nut muffins have been in high demand. He added that last year’s winter spice latte inspired its current almond brittle latte, which helps transition into Colectivo’s spring flavors.
“It sort of keeps up the spirit of the winter spice while mellowing the flavors to transition into the spring menu,” he said.
Egg Harbor Cafe on Maple Avenue has also given its menu a wintry twist, featuring specials such as seasonal pot roast and skillets.
“We really wanted to do things that were a little bit more hearty,” General Manager Sydney Canon said.
During the holiday season, Egg Harbor raised roughly $22,000 for Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago by donating a percentage of its sales from holiday drinks.
Just a few blocks away, Church Street restaurant Le Peep offers a selection of seasonal drinks. General Manager Paulette Cocozza said Le Peep’s hot chocolates, mochas and espressos are consistently popular items among students.
This winter, Le Peep is offering a “hat trick” — a combination of potatoes with cheese and sour cream, a strawberry pancake and a country benedict with sausage gravy.
“People really love those different little combinations,” Cocozza said.
Cocozza said in addition to giving customers something new to try, menu specials also give staff something new to promote.
Every month, Le Peep offers a monthly pancake flavor. The restaurant featured lemon ricotta pancakes in January and currently offers red velvet pancakes and strawberry Nutella pancakes for February.
Students are vital in driving Le Peep’s business, Cocozza said. With an evolving seasonal menu, she added that Le Peep strives to maintain a range of dishes for customers to try.
“There’s so many different options — if you’re looking for sweet, savory, more on the healthy side, more indulgence,” Canon said.
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