Evanston's coffee landscape is shifting as the holiday season approaches, with new locations on the way and the city's own lakefront café posting its best year yet.

Backlot Coffee, the local roaster co-owned by John Kim and Isaac Bloom, plans to open a fourth location at 1424 Lake St. in early 2027. The shop would be Backlot's second in Evanston, joining its Central Street location at 2006 Central St. Founded in 2016, the company also has shops in Chicago's Lincoln Square and Old Irving Park neighborhoods.

Kim told the Evanston RoundTable the Lake Street spot, which is smaller than the Central Street shop, will carry a smaller menu. He expects foot traffic from nearby high school students.

"It's a pretty big walking thoroughfare for the high school kids," Kim said. "There'll be an afternoon pop in that area."

Backlot also plans to launch mobile coffee carts on bikes from the new shop in spring 2027.

Fall rush hits local baristas

The expansion comes as Evanston coffee shops have been managing heavy fall traffic. Colectivo Coffee barista Eric Infanger told The Daily Northwestern that seasonal menu items bring a surge in customers. The shop's most popular fall drinks were the Pumpkin Spice Fluff Latte and the Spiced Apple Cider, Infanger said.

"Before last week, our store was at capacity," Infanger said. "We physically could not make more."

Starbucks barista Juliana Estuita described a similar crunch, saying the store keeps the same staff levels through summer and fall even as volume rises with the school year and new menu items.

Starbucks locations are expected to transition to winter menus by early November. The chain's fall lineup included the Chaider, a drink combining Strawberry Acai with a chai base, along with mini pies in pumpkin, apple crumble and pecan varieties.

Central Street's annual Holiday Stroll and Tree Lighting is set for Saturday, Nov. 14, with activities beginning at 2:30 p.m. and a tree lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. in Independence Park, according to the Central Street Evanston website. The event features trolley rides, live entertainment and local shopping along the corridor where Backlot's flagship Evanston shop sits.

Café au Lake closed for the season after Oct. 31 but will reopen on weekends when ice skating is available at Arrington Lagoon. Regular operations resume in April 2027.