Guest House Coffee and Pastries — Restaurant in Lincoln

Be our guest and stay awhile…

What once used to be By the Bean is now and has been for awhile Guest House Coffee and Pastries. This has been on my list for awhile now and with Emily and I heading to St. Louis to catch a flight to Colorado, it was the perfect time to get some caffeine before we embarked on a long day of traveling.

We popped in a bit before lunch and were greeted by a friendly barista. He took our order fairly quickly and then we took a seat while we waited… and waited… and waited. There was 2 people ahead of us and it took about 10 minutes for our drinks to come out and a few minutes after that to get our baked goods. I got a peanut butter cookie and Emily got a lemon blueberry thingy. Sorry, I’m not great at knowing which is which when it comes to baked goodies.

Once we got our goods, we made a beeline for the interstate. This is when I decided to their cold brew and wow… it was the punch of bitterness that I love. Sometimes places pull back on the bitter but not at Guest House. After a few sips, I tried my peanut butter cookie and found it sorely lacking. I thought it was going to be soft but it was hard, crumbly and dry. I’m not sure if they can warm them up before serving them to you but if I could’ve had that, it may have helped a lot. I eventually ate most of it but really wish I had some milk to dip it in.

I don’t remember what Emily got but she seemed to really enjoy it. As for her lemon blueberry item, she said it was dry but that’s normal for what it is. I tried a nibble and the flavor was definitely on point. It’s not something I would’ve enjoyed but she seemed to really like it.

As for the Guest House overall, I liked that they kept a lot of the decor from By the Bean. I was happy to see the doors that were previously there still there. If we weren’t trying to get our stuff and get out ASAP, the wait time wouldn’t have been a problem and with that in mind, I don’t factor it into my score. We did leave wondering why there was one guy up front and what seemed like 2 employees in the back. But that’s neither here nor there at this point.

I would definitely come back to Guest House and maybe try to see if they would warm up their cookies before...

While walking around the Logan County Courthouse square in Lincoln earlier this week I spotted Guest House Coffee and Pastries. While I don’t avoid coffee from the major chains, I love to seek out the local, boutique shops. So, I decided to give Guest House a try.

My “go to” preferred brew methods are pour over, immersion, or a good drip preparation. To really appreciate the uniqueness of different bean origins, processing methods, roast profiles and preparation methods I always drink my coffee without cream or sweetener – just the coffee please. The point is, I can tell the difference between good and bad coffee. Guest House serves REALLY GOOD coffee.

This store is an absolute gem. Beans of differing origins are roasted right on-site using Guest House’s own roast profile, matching the bean and its processing method. My cup of light roast Costa Rican coffee was delicious – bright, the right amount of acidity, with all the taste sensations I’d expect in a perfectly roasted and brewed coffee from Costa Rica.

The ambiance and vibe of the place was attractive. The store is clean, bright and neatly organized. Service was friendly. I was greeted quickly upon entering. Extremely knowledgeable staff were eager to explain the offerings, from coffee to pastries. By the way, the locally made pastries are delicious (yes, I ate more than one).

One of the master roasters happened to be onsite; he was happy to share a little education about their roasting equipment, roasting technique, the history of Guest House Coffee, and even some background about Lincoln, Illinois. Thank you.

Treat your taste buds and give this place a try. If I lived nearby, I’d be a frequent patron....

I love Guesthouse so much! I have been going here for the past 8 years and have so many positive memories and experiences. They have the best cinnamon rolls I have ever had. I usually order an iced latte (this time I got the honey lavender latte - highly recommend) and a pastry. Their coffee is high-quality and very flavorful. They have many menu options for anyone’s taste. All of their baked goods are homemade in-house and are amazing. I’ve tried the cinnamon roll, cupcakes, caramel chocolate bar, and cookies. Some of their drinks and food are seasonal and change throughout the year. The staff are very welcoming, friendly, and personal. There is plenty of seating in a few areas of the building, including the main area near the counter, a smaller back room, and a bigger side room. You can also rent the side room for any type of event. I had my bridal shower here and had such a good experience! They were helpful and communicative throughout the process. The price of renting the room also comes with a number of pastries to serve party guests. I will continue to stop by when I am...