Come for the Coffee, Skip the Muffin
Magnífico roasts Colombian coffee on site and fills its patio on every sunny day, but the pastry case holds it back.
Avondale’s stretch of Milwaukee Avenue packs a lot into a few blocks, and Magnífico is one of its anchors. This Colombian coffee shop has an electricity to it, and on a nice day that energy spills right out onto the patio. Dogs and humans line up in the sun, coffee in hand, talking like they have nowhere else to be.
Magnífico opened in early 2023 as a Colombian family business, started by Angelica Acebedo-Frint, Ricardo Acebedo-Diaz and Marisol Acebedo Fisher. Ricardo runs the roasting. Angelica’s husband, designer Adam Frint, built the shop’s look, and it starts with the family’s grandmother, Viri, an artist with an independent, creative streak. Her owl paintings became the shop’s owl emblem, and they show up on the walls and the coffee bags. The mural adds native Colombian flowers.
About half the storefront is a working roastery. Ricardo roasts the production coffee on site, with the equipment in plain view of the café. The focus is single-origin specialty coffee, mostly Colombian, with some from elsewhere in Latin America, bought through partners that work closely with small, family-owned farms.
The space is a vibe. Dark walls and a dark bar get warmed up by wood on the counters and tables, with a custom espresso machine as the centerpiece. Tall windows run floor to ceiling on the southwest side, so afternoon sun pours in. There’s a dedicated DJ setup, and music is often spinning, especially on weekends. It keeps you moving while you sip.
The staff matches the energy. Everyone we met seemed genuinely excited to be there and to share the place with us, especially the crew behind the bar. That warmth is a big part of why Magnífico feels like a neighborhood hangout instead of a transaction.
The coffee is above average. The espresso is roasted well and tastes good, the drip holds up, and the iced drinks were a highlight. Shots vary a little from visit to visit, so some pull better than others. My one nitpick, as a reformed competition barista: the milk ran too hot. Nothing curdled, no mortal sins committed. Just a few degrees past where it should be.
The baked goods are where Magnífico stumbles. The muffins were overmixed and bland. The savory croissants come stuffed full and are serviceable. The pan de bono, small cheese breads made with cassava or yuca starch, have a chew all their own, but the fillings lacked flavor and seasoning.
That’s what lands Magnífico at Fine. The family story is real, the roaster is right there, the coffee is good, and the people behind the bar are glad you came. But the pastry case is holding back a genuinely interesting coffee shop in the heart of one of Chicago’s best neighborhoods. Come for an iced drink on the patio, say hi to the dogs, and skip the muffin.
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