Bachelor Farmer Cafe adds cocktails

The Augustus at Bachelor Farmer Cafe // Photo by Kevin Kramer, The Growler

North Loopers pining for The Bachelor Farmer’s erstwhile brunch service were happy to see the open-faced sandwiches and pastries make the transition to Bachelor Farmer Cafe, which opened in January of this year.

Well, glory be. Now the cocktails have returned as well.

“It’s a cool opportunity to bring back the things people loved,” says Casey Underkofler, who manages the beverage program at the cafe. “Like the Breakfast Whiskey was one of our most popular cocktails at brunch service.” We’re going to pair that daytime old fashioned—a mix of bourbon, maple syrup, and a trio of bitters—with the cafe’s Fried Eggplant and Camembert sandwich.

Casey Underkofler runs the beverage program at the Bachelor Farmer Cafe // Photo by Kevin Kramer, The Growler

Another great choice would be the Augustus. A creation of Underkofler’s, it combines Contratto Bitter liqueur and a house blend of brandies (a TBF signature, it seems), which includes Laird’s Apple Brandy and Raynal XO.

“You get a really nice raspberry sweetness, without having that sharp bitter finish that a Negroni does,” says Underkofler, an alumnus of Marvel Bar and Kopplin’s Coffee. “The raspberry and apple play together really nicely.” Pair this bittersweet red lowball with the Smoked Salmon sandwich.

A mimosa, gin and tonic, Negroni, and Penicillin (Scotch-lemon-ginger-honey) round out the cocktail menu. The cafe has also been serving beer, cider, and wine since it opened.

The Breakfast Whiskey is back at the Bachelor Farmer Cafe // Photo by Kevin Kramer, The Growler

On the non-alcoholic side, TBF Cafe will begin rolling into a winter menu, with heartier soups and sandwiches on the way. Their coffee program will return to sourcing from Heart Roasters at the end of November.

“It’s a little more developed of a roast,” Underkofler explains. “You get some nice sweet notes to it without being super sharp and acidic.” And check out their seasonal coffee special, the Skadi—a short, breve latte with cardamom syrup, served with clove-cinnamon-molasses cookies.