Wm. Van's Coffee House

Love the atmosphere of this downtown cafe and the staff is so friendly. Reasonable prices and the menu offered so many good options, it was hard to choose! We had the Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad, Cubano, and Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit. I also tried the sausage gravy. Everything was delicious!

I’ve been here several times since they reopened, and the food, coffee and service is fantastic. It’s my go-to spot for coffee in the morning.

I’ve tried both breakfast and lunch items and they’ve all been great. Love the Avocado BLT, the French toast, omelets, and the breakfast biscuit is HUGE. The space is beautiful, the food is tasty and the staff are all lovely, sweet and helpful. I will definitely be back again and again!

Wm. Van’s has officially re-opened. I must say, I like their new location at the Vinegar Hills Mall. I tried their Cinnamon Bun Iced Latte and it was quite delicious.

Why work from home when you can work from a cafe? More importantly, why work from any cafe other than Wm. Van's Cafe??

I've been here a few times now since their re-opening. Its been quite the buzz of the town and is certainly THE SPOT to be. Amazing quality in the food has been my biggest pull. I'm a big americano drinker so I tend to reserve my opinions there. However, the espresso used in their americanos has me coming back as well!

Their service has astounded me as well. I've worked in a couple of resturants and I can see the teamwork from the front. I can see the kinks being worked out every time I visit. This is now my 4th time eating here, and my 2nd lunch. My sandwich came out of the kitchen in less than 10 mins during a lunch rush! My old jobs would never. Could never!

The new manager has carefully cultivated and aggregated local (217 area) ingredients. We are talking vine ripened tomatoes, freshly ground coffee from Peoria, produce from local community gardens. Not only that, but the compost is going back into the community as well!

Coffee, like most things in america, has become monopolized with bigger corporations. There is an extreme lack of care in the product to the end user. But not here! Not round here partna'!

Absolutely love this place!! The drinks are fantastic and reasonably priced, the staff is very friendly, helpful and clearly knows what they're doing, and the facility is absolutely top-notch (which is to say, extremely aesthetic with exactly the relaxing vibe you want in a coffee shop). I highly recommend making this your new go-to coffee spot it town!

great service! the manager is hardworking and good at getting the new staff up to speed.
the coffee's good!!! the cinnamon bun americano's excellent and the actual coffee stands up without all the sweet stuff.
atmosphere is great, I really hope this location stays.

I have been here 4 times so far and love the wide variety of food and coffee, the friendly staff, and the comfortable atmosphere. The wait on a weekday is minimal to none (Saturday can be a bit of a wait due to Wm. Van’s popularity). I fully intend to work my way through the entire menu! I’ll definitely be a regular here!!!

LOVE the new WM Vans's Location! The staff are friendly, the decor reminds me of some of my favorite spots in Chicago, the drinks and food are tasty and came out quick. Vibes are immaculate- definitely worth a visit.

Nice addition to the Capitol area. Got a hot latte -- terrific. It was very busy and we waited a couple of minutes, but it was worth it.

What a charming gem! The architectural blend of open modern rooms and minimalist industrial furnishings was steam punk meets European cafe. Great service and drinks.

Love this place! The absolute best coffee in the city! I love the new location with free parking.

Review Date: May 12th, 2015

Since 2015, one thing has been haunting me since visiting. What does the ‘Wm’ stand for? Is it William? Wilma? Wild Mongrel? Wild Mocha?

Wm Van’s Coffee House is a quaint coffee house located in the heart of Illinois. Springfield oozes not only Illinois history but also national history. This coffee house is located near the Lincoln Home National Historical Site, which adds to the historic feel of the area. According to their website, it was reported that our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, loaned money to a gentleman named Isaac Lindsey to build the house that is now home to Wm Van’s. The city has a lot of history to it. Will Wm Van’s leave you with a memory that will last a lifetime?

In my humble opinion, it will. If my memory serves me well, this is the first time I visited a coffee house that was located in an actual house. This impressed upon me the joy of visiting future places that are in houses converted to businesses. They tend to be cozy, authentic, unique, and fun to visit. Wm Van’s is no exception.

Enough of the history lesson; how about my review? A friend and I stumbled in one afternoon while exploring Springfield. Parking is along the road, so finding a spot can be a bit of a hassle. It was a Tuesday, so parking was fairly simple thankfully. Access to the house was convenient from the sidewalk. Upon entering, the coziness sets in and you feel… at home.

My friend and I ordered our usual iced caramel lattes and they were delicious. Just the right balance of sweet and caffeine. (Why can’t these places offer free refills?!) They offer baked goods and my friend pointed out this massive brownie that looked tantalizing. We ended up forgetting to order it as we walked around the house, looking at the unique Abraham Lincoln photos hanging on the walls and marveling at the house converted to a coffee shop.

Speaking of baked goods, they also have a small food menu of breakfast and lunch items to choose from. Not only did we forget to order the succulent brownie, but we were mostly full from eating at Freddie’s for lunch. I can’t speak for how good the food is, but if it is anything like their coffee, you will be in for a treat.

If you visit on a perfect weather day, you can take your coffee and food and eat outside. There is an outdoor area in which you can enjoy filling your belly and soul with some history-defining coffee (and I am assuming food).

While the mystery of what ‘Wm’ means after all these years still eludes me, the memory of sipping coffee in a house that Abraham Lincoln funded will not. If you find yourself brushing up on your 16th President of the United States knowledge in Springfield, swing by and grab something to add to your own history book.

Great coffee and cozy atmosphere! Was looking for a good coffee place during my visit to Lincoln home and found this. Love that it was a house turned cafe. Even on the weekend this was one of the few places in town that buzzed with positive energy and crowd.

Great place for coffee. If you are visiting Lincoln's historic home, it's just across the street from the visitor center. Great service and ambience.

Amazing coffee, friendly staff, tasty food options. Expertly prepared espresso drinks and large selection of teas really set this place apart from the other cafes I have been to in the area. Baristas are knowledgeable and accommodating (and offer several non-dairy options!). Definitely worth checking out!

Good stuff! I’d recommend because the espresso is smooth and the ambience is really good. Also, being right across the street from the Lincoln historic area makes it super convenient for tourists like myself.

Amazing. Best cinnamon roll, outstanding bfast sandwich and coffees were on point. 3 different sections of seating, power for laptops and right next to a brewery! This is my new jam for coffee when I'm in the area. If you are like me and avoid chains (Starbucks cough cough) when you can, try this place, not a disappointment!

I loved this place so much! Very welcoming staff and atmosphere! Cools design, very unique! Great coffee of course

this one of my favorite places in the universe.
I love sharing the places I love with people the people I love so I bring them here often. I love the atmosphere since it has so many good vibes- whether it’s for catching up with an old friend, meeting up with someone new, or sitting there for hours drawing and still not getting kicked out for it ever -it’s a great place. the coffee is actually really good and won’t make you feel like you’ve blown a hole in your bank account. I highly recommend to all ages, young, old, and maybe even somewhere in between. much love to you all💓

How's the quality of the food? We only had lattes. How's the customer service? Friendly. How's the place look from the inside and outside? Nice and cozy. Great wall decorations. How was your overall experience? Impressed. Were expectations met? Exceeded! Will you come back again? Most definitely. Any advice for future customers? Try their oatmilk latte.