chic caffeine : IPSENTO, wicker park

I want to love this Ipsento — truly. Mostly because I did love the original one on Western Ave. That spot was small, warm, and genuinely about the coffee and the culture around it. You could feel the intention the moment you walked in.

This current Wicker Park location looks like it should carry that same spirit forward: velvet seating, exposed brick, and a moody palette that hints at cozy afternoons. But only the front area catches any real light, and the deeper you go, the dimmer (and louder) it gets.

The decor tries for curated, but the quality misses the mark. The pastries don’t help either — forgettable, which feels like a tiny heartbreak in a café. And the vibe leans more performative than welcoming: slow greetings, loud conversations, and a kind of “we’re-a-cool-coffee-shop” energy that doesn’t match the soul of the original.

The coffee is still solid — it always has been. But the magic they used to have? It’s harder to find in this space.

resale mens Goodfellows stripe button up, Rachel Comey blazer, AGolde distressed denim, N.D.C leather mocs, Caddis Hooper readers, Dusty Roads handmade beaded earrings, watch ring via LAMC, David Yurman thumb ring

FIT CHK » Fri morning, 70 degrees, Ipsento coffee shop Wicker Park

WHAT WAS I THINKING » I was fully inspired by JW Anderson for Dior Homme 💙 full stop. so happy to pull out these old NDC mocs from many many moons ago & TBH makes the fit. I was deciding between these and another pair of mocs, but the red color is what made me go with these ❤️

Still — I was feeling my fit, and the light up front was kind. Maybe Ipsento works best as a backdrop, not a destination.