Cafe La France — Restaurant in Providence

The food and coffee here are good. However it is not wheelchair accessible. The tables and chairs are all high top, except for one extremely uncomfortable (and cold!) metal set they added as an afterthought. Furthermore, they are so packed together that I find it impossible to navigate to the counter whenever they are busy, which is pretty much any time I'm there, because butts in chairs can't be moved out of the way without inconveniencing like 50 people. Any lines make it worse.

The writing for the menus is also pretty cramped, and they are handwritten. Although the writing is tidy, if you have any vision problems or processing impairments, be sure to leave extra time to decipher the menu.

TLDR if you don't have a walking friend to help you order while they are busy, you're out of luck. If you can't climb the tables and chairs and want to sit someplace that is not tiny and metal , you are also...

Cafe La France is a well run coffee shop. This is proven by the morning rush of people who are taking trains and need a quick coffee drink, or bite to eat. Before boarding, you might find a line of people ordering a specialty coffee drink, a sandwich, or a pastry, and each one is quickly served.

The attention put towards allergen issues is good, too. I have asked for gluten-free sandwiches and they do a good job of using barriers to protect it.

Be aware that, because service is so fast, it is hard to fully track how the sandwich is made. This does not mean that the gluten-free sandwiches would be at risk of contamination, but it can be dizzyingly fast there.

Overall, I've never had any issues, and the service has been excellent. Bravo, Cafe La France, bravo!

Edit from 2024. I have to give Cafe La France a thumbs up for their choice of packaging made from...

Absolutely miserable older woman with short white hair will be giving you the worst customer service of your life. prepare for the opposite of hospitality. Get your coffee before arriving at the train station ladies and gentlemen. I asked for a packet of sugar and the woman working said “We’re not open yet. Sugar is for paying customers. We run a business not a charity.” Unreal defensiveness and i professionalism about a packet of sugar. As if the minuscule cost of it is worth losing a customer literally waiting for them to open to buy breakfast. I didn’t even bother staying and waiting to get a pastry & snacks for the train ride. This is the last person I would want to represent a business or handle anything...