This colorful cafe really caught my eye after a long cold day shopping. I was planning to just get a basic oat milk latte but quickly changed my mind when I saw that they had an horchata latte! Although I'm not a big fan of sweet drinks, this one was just so good and I would definitely order again. Will have to come back to try some of their food items.

Very small and cute shop! You basically just walk in and you're right at the register ready to order. The guava and cheese empanada is my absolute favorite! We have also tried a few other types of empanadas in the past and all have been great! I always get an iced horchata latte as well. Horchata latte and a nice fresh empanada is the perfect combination!

Our friends reintroduced us to Cafe Tola, and since then, we've had their empanadas twice. Compared to a few other empanada places we've tried this year, Cafe Tola makes my favorite empanadas. Satisfying and fun variety. Well-sized and not mini. Their red salsa is too spicy for me, but I like their green salsa. Looking forward to eating there again next time we're in the area :)

Whenever I'm in town, this is my go to empanada spot. I drive in to get my hair done and then swing by for the perfect road trip snack. The traffic is so bad in Chicago that I can finish THREE empanadas before I get on the highway. I probably could eat four or five, honestly. My favorite empanada is probably the lechon. I do love them all, but my go to's are meat-filled. Service is relatively fast. If there is only one person working, you might have to wait a bit and stare longingly at the case of empanadas. (Not that I have ever done that!) This place is tiny, so sitting outside is only an option during nice weather. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in town. Thinking that I need to order ahead to make sure they have more than one of my faves available! Until next time...

Empanadas are always amazing. The drinks are so interesting and yummy too. Limited seating outside but the interior is so fun. Perfect stop if you're doing an empanada crawl down Southport.

Fast service, amazing fresh empanadas, strong coffee! Went on Labor Day weekend Monday and had a bit of a line, but waited less than 5 minutes! The chorizo empanada was amazing , same with the guava queso and ham and cheese. Spots to sit outside

06/07/24 - it's been awhile since I've been here but these are too good to not return. I found out they have 7 locations in Chicago. Excellent empanadas w/a nice variety of different empanadas like beef, spicy green pork, spicy red pork, chicken tinga, banana Nutella.... The line is long on this beautiful spring day 77 degrees & sunny. The last time we was here they were very hot right out of the fryer. This time because of the line they weren't piping hot but they were still delicious. This time I deducted a star cause they weren't super hot SORRY

Hey Yelpers! This is the place to go for empanadas! Our daughter brought us here for the first time back in October. While flying out this month (December), this was the first place we wanted to eat. My fave is the chicken tinga. They are all good though. They have meat options and some without. I hesitate to call them vegetarian or vegan because I don't know what exactly they put in the dough or the oil. You could ask, though. The service here is great. I will tel you that they only have outdoor seating, so wintertime eating can be chilly. Maybe eat them in the car or take them home. Either way, we'll be back, maybe even on this trip! Enjoy!!!

Love that they have vegan empanadas! They're so delicious and indulgent. The chorizo egg empanada and red spicy pork empanada are my favorites. The service is always quick (regardless of how large the line looks outside) and the staff is so friendly! The overall vibe is super cute. The outside has all this art and some seating. The actual place itself is meant for grab and go.

Still absolutely love Cafe Tola! I was back in the neighborhood this weekend running errands and decided to stop by for an afternoon pick me up. The staff member working greeted me with a smile and was quick to take my order. I went with a tried and true - the iced horchata latte. If you prefer your coffee creamy and slightly sweet, this is the perfect drink for you. The cinnamon perfectly compliments the espresso and rounds out the drink. Iced on a hot summer day is truly perfectly. Not only is this drink delicious...it's only $5!! Custom lattes like this at most coffee shops in the city are closer to $7, so I was super thrilled to see this, and it made me even more inclined to give a nice tip! Thanks for staying consistently delicious, Cafe Tola!!!