Pontilly Coffee — Restaurant in New Orleans

Colorful, courteous, and contemporary, this Christian-based American café is one of the best I've ever been. The aura is one of a genuinely welcoming environment - literally, as the staff casually shouts "Welcome to Pontilly Coffee!" every time the door opens (they do it when people are leaving too, maybe as a knee-jerk reflex while they work to maintain courtesy. My head-canon explains that even as one is leaving the café they're always welcoming the Holy Spirit inside).

The food is mostly breakfast/brunch with some choice salads and dessert. The breakfast is outstanding - I've been here at least ten times and anytime I've ordered breakfast, even as this place is packed during rush hour, the quality consistency has yet to drop and is better than most. The price reflects the freshness of ingredients and the labor it takes to make them shine on the plate. In short, the breakfast isn't cheap but it packs more value in the price than you would get anywhere else. As to what to order? Kolaches are good (I've had the crawfish one and the spinach & feta one so far) but anything that involves the staff cooking in the back is gonna be fire coloring the rest of your day warm and fuzzy.

But what about the caffeine options here? They have a respectable menu of the usual coffee items (latte, mocha, cappy, etc.) with a blend of their own coffee creations (the Holy Spirit combining just coffee and espresso lol) and teas ranging just different green, black, and herbal. They all get the job done and I've never had a remote notion of my money being ill spent here.

With the addition of plenty of outdoor seating, no-fuss Wi-Fi access, and relaxing music always playing in the background, this place really shines as a beacon of the community and would easily...

I love Pontilly Coffee and would recommend to anyone wanting a local place to grab a cup of coffee.

Pros:

Friendly staff. This is a Christian ministry and you get to know the baristas by name. Everyone is very open and will to talk to you. That is a market improvement from other coffee shops in the city where the staff barely tolerates your presence. Pretentious hipster sensibilities aren’t welcome here.

Pastry selection: The selection is diverse and all made in-house. They always seem fresh and soft.

Coffee: Unlike other coffee shops in the city, they don’t use a hard French roast. The iced coffee here is smooth and light, something I’m very happy with. The coffee here isn’t bitter or too strong and that’s a definite plus. Espresso is mediocre but worth it all the same.

Community Participation: The place embraces community involvement with local civic meetings, church events et al hosted here. They’ve made themselves a name here and I love that the care about the community.

Patio: They have a patio with covered seating. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Cons:

Atmosphere. I come during the evenings and afternoons, and the music is painfully loud. The music selection is mediocre pop radio hits so it can get intrusive when I’m trying to read or do work or have meetings during low traffic times. I am not the only one who feels this way, as others have expressed their aversion to going for that reason alone.

Parking: Parking is extremely limited and during peak hours you may be forced to park far away...

I love this place. The food is good, and the atmosphere is wonderful, however every time I come, I can't stay as long as I would like to to study because its always FREEZING!!! The few times I was coming, I would sit outside because it was warmer. Now since the weather has changed, I come back and it the same issue. Its 67 outside and when I stepped from outside inside, all you feel is cold. I spoke with the cashier since it was just me and one other young lady who was cold also, and the cashier said "oh, well its on 73 and its 75 back here by us, so I'm sorry"...She was polite, but brought about no resolution for me and seemed more concerned about the staff being uncomfortable instead of the customer. I had already purchased coffee and an additional hot chocolate. While I was asking her about adjusting the ac, a gentleman in line behind me said to the cashier in aggreeance with me ...."yeah, it is cold in here"....I just walked off, went back to my seat and wrapped my jacket around me because I really...