Fawkes Café & Bakery — Restaurant in Central Core

I'd give it a three and a half stars!

Good - vibes are great and the place is decorated beautifully & eclectically, staff are super friendly, the cafe is plenty spacious, good coffee & the doughnut I tried was great! I was there in the day time, but I'm looking forward to coming once again during the night - I am very very thankful for them being open until 10!

Not so good : prices are steep. I had a drink, doughnut and sandwich (that came with salad) and it came to 30 dollars with tip. So it's great for a once in awhile treat, but probably not the most affordable option for students or those on a tight budget (unless there's a student discount I'm unaware of!).

Menu is hard to read in line, and the descriptive writing under the menu is quite a small font and was hard to read. They do have a menu posted at the till, however, which helps!

You can't get the sandwich without the salad (or that's not advertised elsewhere), and I was disappointed with it overall... The salad was coated with a vinegary dressing + a lot of black pepper, and only consisted of lettuce, pickled red onion (?) and some other greens. I was thinking it was going to be a garden salad of some sort; I only ended up having a bite of it. The sandwich was big but very salty, and for the price I was expecting cut chicken as opposed to deli meat... the focaccia was really good & crunchy and the pesto tasted great, too. If I come here for lunch again I'll probably try a scone or maybe the focaccia plate.

My biggest letdown was that there are not a lot of outlets around the cafe. This is discouraging for those who work hybrid or want a change of pace in their study spaces. I managed to find one at the bar, and I only saw one other one in the whole cafe! So maybe it's not one of the best places for a studier or worker, but great for date night. If outlets can't be installed anywhere, I'd suggest maybe having a power bank rental (I've seen this at other cafes - give your id/card, get it back when you bring back the power bank).

Since it's opening week I'm sure there are some kinks to be ironed out. I was happy to see the place so packed and a constant stream of people coming in and out - cafes like this are so desperately needed downtown. I'm looking forward to trying the space again sometime soon. Congrats on...

A Cozy Spot with Room for Growth

I’ve been to this coffee shop several times since it opened, and I plan to continue visiting to see how it evolves. The interior design is absolutely stunning—cozy, comfortable, and inviting. While some chairs appear less comfortable, I’ve always been fortunate enough to snag a super comfy spot, which makes it easy to relax and enjoy a 1-2 hour chat with friends.

Pros: • Interior: The ambiance is top-notch—perfect for unwinding or catching up with friends. • Staff: Friendly and non-intrusive, which I appreciate as someone who isn’t into small talk. • Patience Pays Off: Even when there’s a wait, it’s a chance to admire the decor or check out their offerings.

Cons & Suggestions: Coffee: I like their coffee, and I love that they sometimes add cute latte art designs like hearts or smiley faces. However, it would be even better if they made this a consistent practice—it adds excitement to the experience. Matcha & Hot Chocolate: The matcha lacks flavor. These drinks are always served lukewarm at best and cool down too quickly. I hope they can serve them hotter in the future to enhance their flavor and enjoyment. Donuts: Unfortunately, they’re overly sweet—just sugar on sugar. As a sweets lover, this was a letdown, and I won’t be ordering them again. Food: • Sandwiches: The focaccia bread is great, but the sandwiches lack variety in their fillings. They only include deli chicken slices and mayonnaise/pesto. Adding lettuce, veggies, or other fresh ingredients would make them more appealing and worth the price. • Accompaniments: The first time I got soup (decent but lacked salt), which felt balanced for $16. Another time, I received a “salad” that was just spinach leaves and dressing—not worth $15.

Overall: I’d rate it a 3/5 for now. The cozy atmosphere and extended hours (open until 10 PM!) are major pluses, but there’s room for improvement in the drinks and food quality. I’ll keep coming back to see if they live up to their potential because the place has a lot of charm...

Coffee and Doughnuts. A classic pair, just like peanut butter and jelly or mac and cheese. I've seen the Fawkes coffee shop on my instagram a couple of times and I am a bit of sucker for new doughnuts so I knew I had to give Fawkes a try.

Fawkes is located on 104st, next to the Seoul Fried Chicken on 104 and Jasper. The shop is still quite small (but in a bit space) but does have a couple of tables inside. There is a counter/cashier area with boxes of doughnuts straight ahead when you enter. Coffee beans and other like products to your right and the tables to your left. Fawkes is only open Wednesday to Sunday so keep that in mind.

I picked up a couple of bottles of their Vanilla Bean Cold Brew and London Fog. I, initially, hadn't planned on getting doughnuts but I was quite easily persuaded and got a box. The doughnuts are sold as a box set of 4 and are not sold individually. The day I went (Wednesday) they had just gotten their new flavors - Fawkes seems to have rotating flavors so you'll have to make sure to check them out regularly. The gentleman working was super helpful and friendly and I appreciated his help.

The doughnuts were more cakey than deep fried doughnuts and are vegan. They're a little bit dense which meant they could hve been a tad bit more moist but they were still delicious. They were smaller than some of the doughnuts other places have but were still packed full of flavor and not too sweet. My personal favorite was the salted caramel but the chocolate velvet was a super close second. The cold drink were also delicious. The Vanilla Bean Cold Brew was sweet (but not too sweet) and perfect for a hot day. The cold brew is dairy free as well. I would absolutely chose a Fawkes vanilla bean cold brew latte over many other iced coffee brands. I haven't drank the london fog yet but I am fairly confident it will also be delicious.

I would recommend Fawkes and say you should put it on your list of places to try, especially if you need a treat and a cold latte...