Clifford's Coffee Canal — Restaurant in Benton Harbor

Couldn't be more pretentious if they tried. Fairly expensive for a mediocre quality, small - medium portion size. I ordered a large cold brew coffee and the prosciutto open faced sandwich. The woman taking my order at the counter was barely paying attention to me as I told her what I wanted which ended up in me getting the wrong order. My time talking to her felt very short and rushed even though they were not busy. Upon finding a table on their patio, I realized that the entire section was overcrowded with potted plants (as they sell them upon request). With the very limited space between tables even the serving staff had difficulties navigating around parties of 3 or more, very poor design choice. Once the food came out and our server had managed to get to the table, I realized that I received the wrong sandwich. I mentioned something to the server and she proceeded with a line of dialogue that made it seem like it was my fault and that she wasn't going to do anything about it. Since I work in the service industry I accepted the incorrect sandwich and didn't cause a problem, even though I had already paid and tipped prior to sitting down. For $12 I got one English muffin (I believe) cut in half and topped with avocado, tomato and chorizo. Not awful but for a sit-down restaurant I expected a bigger portion than what I received. I washed it down with my cold brew, which was weak and almost bland. I drink it black so I was expecting a robust flavor, especially from a self proclaimed coffee house; Biggby has better cold brew than Clifford's Coffee Canal. Overall the vibe I got from the staff was apathetic and borderline elitist, as if my experience at their establishment was meaningless. I don't live in St. Joe but if I ever retuen I won't be going back to Clifford's Coffee Canal and I would discourage others from going. You'll get a better experience at an inner-city...

This place is absolutely beautiful inside - magical, even. It's like a visit to The Secret Garden. On the minus, it's a bit difficult to get around because it's so stuffed full of plants. We sat near an open window and had a lovely time watching a little group of sparrows hopping around and playing. We got our food and lattes surprisingly quickly given how busy they were when we visited.

So why only 3 stars? You are paying for the ambiance more than the quality or quantity of food. It's not that anything we ordered was bad, but it was only OK - and very pricey for what you got. Shown in my photos are two 16oz lattes ($5.75 + .75c for oatmilk + .75c for flavor); Brisket Tostada ($14.50); Barbacoa Tacos ($14.50); & Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuit aka Canal Classic ($8.75) (biscuits only available on weekends). Everything was good, but like I said, the food itself was not good enough to justify the prices.

If you are an out-of-towner (or even an in-towner who's never been), I absolutely recommend visiting, the ambiance is magical and you will remember your visit. If you're looking more for different / good food or coffee from local non-chain places, there are other places I'd go first (e.g. Mason Jar, Broadstreet Cafe, Tosi's Cafe, Dino's, Sophia's, Hub Central 185, Six Chicks Scratch Kitchen).

Oh, and another tip.... don't even try the parking lot. It's very claustrophobic, with only about 3 spots and not a lot of room to turn around. Finding a parking spot down the...

Finally convince the husband to venture over to Cliffard's Coffee Canal on Wednesday March 27th.  My husband ordered a vanilla latte and the canal classic sandwich ($6.75).  I ordered a raspberry muffin ($4) and the gobbler sandwich minus tomatoes ($12).

I will admit some of the prices are a bit steep while others seem more spot on but it doesn't stop me from treating myself to something amazing every once and awhile.  This eclectic spot gives off an artsy and hipster vibe.  While I tend to not be fond of hipsters, I can appreciate a business who knows what people to cater too.

The drinks are marvelous, my favorite being the chai tea.  I love their fresh fruit and all their homeade treats.  My husband is a picky eater yet he was willing to eat here which was an exciting moment for me.  That muffin was life giving.  I felt my winter depression shed and soul thawed out from the 0° wind chill because of their fantasic raspberry muffin.  My first visit I made the mistake of ordering the waffle because while tasty was no where near as magnificent as their muffins.  Next time I come I will most likely contnue to change up my entree order to see what my favorite item on the menu is but I will never skip a muffin again.

Biggest downside is there isn't a whole lot of parking.  It is difficult to find a spot and it's even more difficult getting out of the parking lot.  That really is the biggest downside of the entire place.  Everything else is fantastic and will bring me back for...