Zubair Mohajir is a critically acclaimed chef known for his innovative approach to Indian cuisine, particularly through his restaurant The Coach House by Wazwan in Chicago. He is a James Beard Awards semifinalist, a...
Sarima Cafe is a unique culinary destination in Chicago's Wicker Park, offering hand-crafted Filipino and Indian fusion cuisine. It's known for its specialty coffee and bakery items. The cafe is led by acclaimed chefs Zubair Mohajir, a 'Chopped' winner and 'Top Chef' alumnus, and Jacob Dela Cruz. It currently shares a space with SALT.
Customers highly recommend Sarima Cafe, praising its unique Indian and Filipino fusion breakfast and pastry offerings. The cardamom caramel latte, breakfast sando, chai pudding, mango lassi matcha, and dosa are frequently highlighted as delicious and well-balanced. Reviewers consistently commend the friendly and efficient staff, describing the customer service as top-tier. While it can get crowded, the line moves quickly, and the ambiance is generally pleasant. Many appreciate the distinct flavors and the quality of both savory and sweet items.
Additional Details
Sarima Cafe is celebrated for its innovative fusion concept, blending Filipino and Indian culinary traditions into a distinctive menu of breakfast, brunch, and bakery items. It also serves a variety of specialty coffee and chai drinks. The cafe is located in Wicker Park and currently operates within a shared space.
The cafe operates Wednesday-Friday from 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM and Saturday-Sunday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. While it can be very crowded, especially on weekends, the staff is efficient, and the line moves quickly. Visiting during weekday mornings might offer a less crowded experience.
4
Tried this spot for brunch with my wife and had a great experience. We ordered the breakfast sando, choco milk latte, cardamom caramel latte, calamansi cream sandwich, and chai pudding. There was no wait, and the food came out pretty quickly. After ordering, you can grab a table, and they call out your order number when everything’s ready.
The cardamom caramel latte was excellent—really flavorful and well balanced. The choco latte, on the other hand, was mild and tasted similar to a regular latte, so it didn’t stand out as much. The breakfast sando was very well done, and they offer a hot sauce you can grab near the utensils, which was a nice touch. The chai pudding was simple, delicious, and definitely something I’d recommend trying. The calamansi croissant sandwich had a subtle flavor but was nicely made and worth ordering, especially if you’re interested in their unique Indian–Filipino fusion dishes. Service was quick and ambience was pleasant.
Overall, highly recommend! If you want more details, read more below. If you don’t want to read more, then know Sarima is great, and you should just make it a priority to go.
This is one of those unique places that you have to try. It’s an Indian and Filipino fusion breakfast place.
Luckily, it wasn’t crowded when I went yesterday morning. I had the pleasure of meeting the head chef, Paula (I’m not sure if I spelled her name correctly), and she was super delightful. She walked me through their pastries and the entire menu, without ever being annoyed. I appreciated that because I always have questions.
They have two seasonal pastries: a mango one and a guava one. Both were spectacular. And they were still flakey at the end of the day.
I ordered the mango lassi matcha. It comes with ice. Normally, I don’t like ice in my iced drinks because I don’t like how the ice waters down my drink. However, the ice had no effect on the taste and flavor of this drink. I was thoroughly impressed. I think it’s because of how thick the mango lassi is, but I don’t care. I loved it. Paula shared that the mango lassi matcha is their sweetest drink. While it may be their sweetest, I didn’t find it to be overly sweet. All that to say, I recommend non-sweet drinkers to try it because I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Lastly, I ordered the Dosa. I loved it. I loved the potatoes inside.
I’m definitely going back. I’m going to see if I can go again today!
Update: I went back the next day. I ate the blackberry vanilla matcha iced latte, sando, blackberry oatmeal cookie, and their signature and staple ube cheesecake center pastry. All delicious. I will return to Sarima!
Found my new go‑to latte in Chicago! The blackberry vanilla miso latte is delicious! It is a sweeter latte. Super creamy and topped with the most delicious blackberry cold foam. Absolutely worth ordering.
Tried the mango lassi matcha too. It is thick like a real lassi and the matcha doesn’t come through much.
If you want a sandwich that is just as delicious as the Kasama breakfast sandwich without the wait, order the Thicc Sando. The flavors are not identical, but verrrry similar. I paired it with an oat dirty chai and the whole meal was delicious. I hope they can expand into their own space (they share with SALT right now), and with the drink and food menu they have, I’m hopeful they will.
The iced salted maple cardamom latte was a perfect balance of sweet and spice. My friend enjoyed her Ube coconut late but stated it mostly had a vanilla flavor. The roti breakfast wrap was so flavorful and filling. The hashbrown inside the wrap was a bit greasy though. Chai Flan donut was pure bliss! Candy coating on the donut was thick so be careful biting into it. Highly recommend stopping by for a taste of their unique creations!
