By all appearances, Sol Café is a product of gentrification, a prime example of the businesses that arrive in neighborhoods to accommodate newer, wealthier residents. It definitely stands out from its neighbors on Howard Street, which include long-standing family-owned restaurants, payday lending services, a minimart, and a pair of shoe stores. Inside the sunlit storefront, baristas sling specialty lattes amidst dried flowers, plants for sale, and a golden disco ball, which floats just above the register.
Accessibility and community are central to Sol Café’s philosophy, and those tenets are made visible through their community engagement programs. Each month, the café chooses a nearby organization to work with, sponsoring events and matching customer donations to organizations such as the Howard Area Community Center, Gale Community Academy, and the after-school program Family Matters, among others.
Over the months, Freeman and her team have honed the Sol Supper experience to incorporate new concepts, flavors, and experiences that highlight professional and recreational Chicago chefs (who have included Rafael Esparza and Daniel Speer from Finom Coffee, John Hagedorn from Elizabeth, and Jeremy Leven of Sweet Home). The menu and price change each month, but Freeman keeps the four-course meals below $40 to allow as many neighborhood residents to attend as possible.
“If there’s anybody who has an idea to bring the community together in some higher capacity, I fully welcome it,” says Freeman. “I want the neighborhood to know that Sol is really, truly for everybody.” v
Sun 4/28, 7 PM, Sol Café, 1615 Howard, 773-961-8289, solcafechi.com, $40-$47.
