The Dalai Java — Restaurant in City of Canandaigua

I don’t think the DJ is capable of giving any customer less than stellar food and service.

My husband and I have bought their bagged coffee for years, ever since the original owner set up shop by old Byrne Dairy. It was a nice little nook back then, but today it has become a first-rate cafe.

The atmosphere is warm and inviting, not too busy although I’ve never seen the place deserted. It’s always well-staffed by friendly folks with contagious smiles. And, as a bonus, you can bet there will always be good music playing at a not-obnoxious volume.

Best of all, the food and coffee are absolutely perfect. None of the national brand competitors in town come anywhere close to what you’ll eat and drink at the DJ. I usually just get coffee, but after a hectic morning I stopped in and grabbed a breakfast sandwich, a croissant donut (cronut), and a muffin with my usual dirty chai latte. Me and my toddler (who was also warmly welcomed in the cafe in spite of being an anarchobaby) proceeded to devour it all and I was stunned at how good it was. Like, I’d fight my grandma for the last bite of that sandwich.

They also sell lots of locally-made items like breads (amazing) and artwork (also amazing but not edible).

I can’t think of a single negative thing to say about this place. Deal with finding a parking space (which is only difficult during farmers market days) and get over there already....

TLDR; The food is fantastic, the coffee okay, and the kitchen closes at 2pm every day, which isn't said on Google. Make sure to highlight need for decaf if ordering it.

My fiancée and I frequented Dalai Java when we lived closer, specifically for their breakfasts. The Breakfast Sandwich is probably my favorite in the area, and their wraps and pastries are high quality and have vegan options as well. I forgot the kitchen closed at 2pm last time I was in the area, so I was disappointed I didn't see it on Google and had my hopes up.

Their coffee and lattes are okay, not my favorite, though I can't say I'm a coffee expert by any means. The flavored latte espresso:syrup ratios are inconsistent, with some I've had being way too sweet and some being just espresso.

The biggest note, and why I knocked a star off, is my fiancée has received caffeinated lattes when ordering decaf on two different occasions. Fortunately for her it only means jitters/shaking and a poor night of sleep if she drinks it too quickly, but it's something that can be more impactful to those that are even more caffeine sensitive. It's also pretty disappointing for my fiancée to not be able to drink her coffee, as we usually get our food/drink to go and she can't tell it's caffeinated for 15mins, when we're already halfway home and don't want to have to...

I was so excited when Dalai Java made the move to a bigger, more welcoming location. I was not only excited for the company to grow, but I was also excited for Canandaigua. Canandaigua was lacking a cozy, local coffee shop with space for people to hang out, read, meet up, study, and just loiter in general haha and now it has one, and a great one at that! (yes, there is a Starbucks... but I'd rather support local, hometown joints anytime any day).

To speak to the shop - it's comfortable, it has a great selection of seating options, there's friendly & welcoming staff, speedy WiFi, decent music, great hygge lighting, and thankfully, delicious coffee.

There are only two things I'd like to see change - longer hours (they're closed before I get out of work almost every day! Bummer), and a super minor suggestion/request is that they clear a space for people to collect drinks that are ready. The current set-up is a little awkward when it gets busy.

Besides that 5 stars, 2 thumbs up, and wishing every success for this...