SoHo Sweets Is The Cutest Little Cafe, Ice Cream Shop and Coffeehouse

Last summer the Village of South Holland opened up a little business. It's quite unconventional for a municipality to open an eatery, but it fits so absolutely well with the village's mission and the downtown and the whole feel of the community. South Holland 's motto is "Family, Faith and Future." It's big on inclusion and connection and friendliness and this little spot just cements that idea of fellowship. It extends it beyond the confines of a church building and encourages gathering and provides a place for friendships to grow and thrive. It really is all that...and a place for neighbors to enjoy coffee and breakfast, for kids to meet and study after school and have a snack, for families to linger on the patio area with an ice cream cone.

SoHo Sweets opened last August after a lengthy renovation to a historic home that's been part of the heart of village for over a century. Located at 16129 South Park Avenue, it's  just off of busy 162nd St. and next to Veterans Park. And whether you're looking for a savory breakfast sandwich and a cup of Joe, a cup of soup or a salad for lunch, a sandwich for a light dinner or some ice cream or baked goods to tame your sweet tooth, they have just what you're craving.

The lower level has the kitchen and ordering counter, a seating counter and some small tables and upstairs you'll find sofa seating near a cozy fireplace and some additional table seating and comfortable lounge chairs. The building's wrap-around porch has small outdoor tables and an inviting brick patio beside the building is a lovely gathering space for warmer months with additional seating and a fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs. 

The menu is not huge, but packs in a lot of appetizing options with good variety - breakfast burrito, yogurt parfait, Cajun house-made biscuits & gravy, egg & cheddar croissant, brown sugar bourbon baked oatmeal, smoked gouda and egg on a house-made biscuit and a vegan burrito are the early-in-the-day menu options. Among the lunch options is triple grilled cheese on brioche, a vegan chickpea wrap and the SoHo Salad (kale, roasted sweet potato, veggies, cranberries, sunflower seeds and vinaigrette). 

Those who love coffee will find a nice variety of caffeinated (or decaffeinated) drinks. The ice cream supplier is Sherman's, which has been producing the frozen treat in Michigan since the 1950s. Other sweets on the menu include the Dutch favorite, stroopwafel, brownies, banana bread and more. There are also specials available and seasonal menu items that will rotate through the menu.

Ice cream might not be the first food to come to mind when we're in the midst of a brutal Chicago winter, but there's never a bad time for ice cream. And if ice cream isn't your thing right now, there's plenty more to try out on a visit. Warm up with a mug of tea, sit back and relax!

For more info, visit sohosweets.co and follow along on Facebook and on Instagram at @sohosweets_southholland.