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A coffee shop in the River North neighborhood delivers the warmth and substantiality of Kazakh culture as soon as the doors open.
Enter Tary Coffee House and you’ll see elegant dishware, like wooden bowls and trays, and cozy rugs, all from Kazakhstan, as well as a special green cabinet that was used for generations as a refrigerator but now is symbolic decor.
Tary Coffee House not only brings some of the sights but also the traditional smells of Kazakhstan with a selection of coffee, tea, baked goods, filling meals and more. Symbat Zharkynkyzy, 26, is the franchise owner of the local Tary and said it’s the first location of the chain to open in the U.S. Tary was the first of its kind in Kazakhstan even, Zharkynkyzy said.
“We never had traditional or ethnic coffeehouses before that show our traditions, like what we eat in our homes,” she said. “Tary Coffee House was the first to represent Kazakh culture, even in Kazakhstan, as a coffee shop.”
Tary first opened in Kazakhstan in 2020, and Zharkynkyzy said it went “viral” and gained popularity quickly. Now, there are 10 locations in Kazakhstan.
Zharkynkyzy also moved to Chicago from Kazakhstan in 2020. After getting a master’s degree in digital marketing from the University of Illinois at Chicago, she said she was looking for a project to start in 2022. She also found that Kazakh culture was not as widespread in Chicago and had heard about Tary back home once the brand gained some traction, so she thought opening a Tary coffee shop in the city would be a “perfect fit.”
When she started to look for the perfect location for the shop, Zharkynkyzy said she knew she wanted it to be somewhere downtown to get more traffic and “people from all around the world.”
The coffee shop at 111 W. Illinois St. had a soft opening on Oct. 24 and Zharkynkyzy said business has been “going very, very well” since.
“We had about 50 kilograms of tary, or millet in English, that we brought from Kazakhstan,” she said. “It went in not even three weeks. People started to order bylamyk porridge, which is made with ground-up tary. People liked it. We are out of tary right now and are waiting to get more from Kazakhistan.”
She said the coffee is popular because of its “very unique and fruity taste.” A signature drink of theirs is the tary cappuccino made with millet. There is also a latte served with irimchik, a traditional soft and sweet cheese, and Zharkynkyzy said some people decide to either add it to the latte or have it on the side.
Tary is used a lot in Kazakh culture for its nutritional benefits, Zharkynkyzy said. It’s nutrient-dense and good for keeping anyone full, which is why it’s a common breakfast base. The specific type of millet used is exclusively grown in the western part of the Kazakh Steppe, she said.
“Tary holds a special place in Kazakh history,” she said.
The tary porridge and bylamyk porridge are bestsellers, Zharkynkyzy said. Some more familiar breakfast options on Tary’s menu include scrambled eggs on brioche bread and eggs served sunny side up with toast.
The coffee shop also has soups, salads and main dishes, including balgyn kuyrdak, a plate of tender beef with potatoes. There’s also a braised beef dish and cauliflower with cheese and herbs. Zharkynkyzy added that all the meat at Tary is halal.
Tary also offers herbal teas that are served with honey and lemon, each with its own flavor and health benefit.
The coffeehouse’s aim is to be 99% organically sourced. Almost everything is made in-house, from the freshly baked bread to the specialty cheeses, jams, desserts and bakery items.
Some of the desserts and baked goods are the tary cheesecake, which has millet added in, tary ice cream made in-house, baursak, or fried dough bites, and homemade waffles.
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Zharkynkyzy said her current favorite items are the “very delicious and satisfying” chicken noodle soup, which was recently added to the menu, and the brownie with tary ice cream.
Preferring tea over coffee, she said she enjoys the black tea with milk because it reminds her of her childhood.
“It’s like family time, when I’m with my parents drinking tea and talking about all the things,” she said.
Tary Coffee House is open Mondays 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tary Coffee House, 111 W. Illinois St., 773-322-7315, tarycoffee.com
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