Cafe Arcola — Restaurant in Baltimore

Pros; Good food, good coffee, pretty decent atmosphere Cons; very long wait time, poor service

The young man behind the counter didn't greet us when we entered and didn't seem seemed sort of aloof. I and a friend ordered a sandwich and coffees. We waited for about 15 minutes with no coffee or food and the guy disappeared in the back the entire time (the coffee machine is visible in front, so it was clear that he hadn't even started the coffee drinks even after 15 minutes. Also there were only 2 other people in the cafe who were eating so it's not like they were slammed). We went up to the counter and asked politely if the coffee was on it's way. He told us he was the only one there, and someone working in the kitchen had only just arrived (I think we were there around 2pm). I got a cappuccino and it was very good, as was the pesto mozzarella focaccia. While we were there, though, one of the 2 other people there went up to the counter and asked if her tea was ready (she must have waited 25 minutes at least for the tea), and he kind of absently said that it was ready, and pointed to it sitting on the counter (it must have been cold at that point). He just seemed uncomfortable talking to customers.

I would come to the cafe again, since the food and drink is good and the atmosphere is nice. But the service is really lacking. The fellow behind the counter was not UNfriendly, but he wasn't really friendly, and we waited quite a long time for a few easy coffee drinks and even longer for the food, even while the place was basically empty. I think this place would do exceptionally well if they just worked on getting orders done more efficiently, communicating with customers better, and was just a little more welcoming...

My husband and I were in the area for an appointment (coming from PA) and decided to get breakfast at the nearest cafe. Arcola Cafe came up on the search, so we tried them out. First impressions: I absolutely love the vibe and welcoming feeling of this cafe. I'm a plant person, so seeing all the different plants just put a smile on my face. And the music; who doesn't want to mellow out to Marvin Gaye at 8:30 am while waiting for your breakfast to be freshly prepared? I ordered an Americano, my husband got a macchiato, and we both ordered the Eggs n Ends. Everything was on point, and that bagel sandwich was one of the tastiest combinations of flavors I've ever had at a cafe. Next time we're in town, we'll definitely stop...

Love love love this cozy cafe. Its calming atmosphere provides a wonderful respite for me after a busy workday. The service is consistently exceptional, and I so appreciate their willingness to accommodate my allergy and dietary restrictions.

The focaccia melts with caramelized onion jam are amazing! My only disappointments were the chai I tried last week, which tasted like sweetened milk and very little like chai. My raspberry Danish was also rather dry and not super fresh. I just ordered the strawberry matcha smoothie and am disappointed too. It tastes very little like a smoothie being simultaneously watery, bitter, and lukewarm.

Despite these issues, I appreciate Arcola's variety of sandwich options and...