Lafayette Public House — Restaurant in Lafayette

I felt like a kid in a coffee shop! (4/5 green stars also) There aren’t many places to get good coffee in Lafayette or Walnut Creek, so the two branches of Coffee Shop are very welcome. This Lafayette branch is very attractive with lots of wood and a great outdoor seating area to take advantage of the almost perennial good weather. There are also lots of umbrellas for shade and a good WiFi signal, so it’s a great spot to do some work outdoors. So far, I’ve tried two pour-overs – a small Stumptown (of course!) for $3.50 (10 oz.) and a large Ethiopian natural from Zolo for $4 (16 oz.). The pricing is a bit strange (60% more coffee for just 50 cents extra) but not that unusual I guess – the beans are only part of the economic equation. I’d never heard of Zolo – they are a small local roaster who apparently can be found at the Danville and San Rafael farmers’ markets. Coffee Shop staff members are friendly, by the way, and happy to help with coffee recommendations. Their music selection was very good. Tried three food items – a grilled cheese ($6.50), a waffle, and their homemade Blueberry pop tart. All three were okay – perhaps it was an off-day because I thought they all could have been really good with just a few tweaks. I’ll be back for the coffee.

I’m also giving Coffee Shop 4/5 “green stars” for social and environmental impact, based on these reasons: • There are 8 or 9 different coffee beans available so you can choose one that suits your ethos. Most of them are third wave roasters that have some kind of direct trade relationship with farmers. For example, Stumptown pays up to four times commodity prices for their green coffee, encourages sustainable farming practices (some of their coffee is organic) and uses compostable packaging. • I believe that their milk is from Clover, but not organic. Almond milk is also available. • Eggs are listed as “farm fresh” and also stated to be cage-free and organic. • A large message over their counter says “serving local, farm-fresh and organic foods served all day.” However, on the menu there’s not a lot of clarity on how much of the food that they serve is organic, other than the juices, (which are listed as 100% organic) and the eggs. As mentioned, the milk is not. • On the same note, I’d have liked to know if my grilled cheese sandwich was made with organic bread and cheese. There’s no information on sourcing provided on their menu or website. • Although it doesn’t seem like it (all waste goes into one bin), a server told me that they do compost – I guess they separate their waste after collection. • To-go containers are simple brown boxes. • Their lids, straws, and utensils are not compostable. • They switched to corrugated paper cups that use more material than a regular cup. • They had run out of large ceramic cups so could only offer a large paper cup or small...

We really enjoyed this breakfast nook. Beautiful outdoor seating to enjoy the nice weather and plentiful indoor seating as well. I also noticed a wheelchair- accessible ramp to the entrance, which will be nice if I return with a stroller. Our food was great -- we tried both of the egg sandwiches and loved them both. The hot chocolate was good, but not excellent (more milky than chocolaty flavor) although my toddler liked the artistic milk foam and the option to add more cocoa and cinnamon. The chocolate was very good and just as flaky as the ones we've eaten in France and Switzerland not as buttery though :( my husband didn't like the Boston cream poptart, which I forgot to try. The staff was super friendly and patient. We are...

This place has become increasingly overpriced through the last 3 or 4 times I've been. Prices haven't gone up — quality has tanked drastically. Smoothies used to be thick; on my last visit, (today) the 4 smoothies my friends and I ordered were very watered down. A $9 smoothie should definitely outperform a $5 smoothie at Jamba Juice, but the smoothies even TASTE worse than the ones at Jamba. Very bland ... I'm far better off making them at home. :(

It's a shame Lafayette doesn't have any breakfast spot to compete with Millie's, as it's so crowded on weekend mornings! None of the other locations offered breakfast or brunch are reasonably priced. The Coffee Shop would have to be one of the...