Perla Coffee Co & Eatery — Restaurant in Woodbridge Township

During my visit to this new coffee spot in town, I noticed several aspects that could be improved upon to enhance the overall customer experience. Upon entering, my party and I were met with a rather minimal greeting—just a question about how many people were in our group, rather than a warm welcome. The takeout order process was similarly lacking in friendliness; the staff member at the register was efficient but not engaging, and we were not informed about the limited milk options available—only whole milk, oat milk, and almond milk were offered, without any skim, 2%, or 1% options.

Additionally, the owner, who I believe was present, did not make eye contact with us or acknowledge our presence, which contributed to a less welcoming atmosphere. Unfortunately, even the barista making our coffee did not seem to exhibit much enthusiasm or warmth.

The pricing for the coffee is on the pricier side, with an iced latte featuring oat milk and hazelnut costing $9.20. This price increases with added flavor shots, making it a significant expense for a coffee. While the atmosphere of the café is appealing, there is a need for a more inviting demeanor from the staff and a reconsideration of pricing to better align with the expectations of the local community. In comparison, nearby establishments like Dorsi's provide a similar quality of coffee at lower prices, alongside excellent customer service. I wish the best for this new venture in Woodbridge, as a few adjustments could greatly enhance their success.

UPDATE: You did NOT properly address my concerns, as I specifically did a take-out and, as you can see, I didn’t mention anything about the food. Your response seems more about saving face than being genuine. You didn’t greet me or take the time to engage with my feedback. If you’re going to respond, I expect honesty! Due to this experience, I’m giving you 1 star for misrepresenting my comment and misleading...

After seeing this establishment on IG, I decided to check it out today and bring my teenager along.

First impression— the place is gorgeous! It’s very aesthetic, cozy, and an amazing place to have brunch with friends!

Food was delicious! Our French toast was perfection! It came with bananas and blueberries (which I will address in a bit). My daughter who is a matcha lover loved her drink and gave it 10/10. I ordered the tiramisu latte and it was amazing!

Their customer service is lacking and really needs some work. There were 3 people working the front when we arrived and was quickly seated. Order was taken promptly — we ordered French toast to share + our two drinks. While waiting, I overheard the cooks talking to the manager/owner that they were out of strawberries for our French toast. (Menu’s description is French toast with strawberries and blueberries). Said manager didn’t bother to tell me though he passed by our table and relayed this message to the waiter. Waiter didn’t say anything either. When we received our food, it came with blueberries and bananas which wasn’t a problem since we liked both fruits but it would have been nice to get a heads up that we would receive something different, considering the price point of this dish. I also noticed our drinks have been sitting ready and waiting for 5 minutes and it wasn’t until I asked that it was brought to us.

During our meal, the waiter didn’t check up on us. No one did. I waited 20 minutes after finishing our French toast and finally got up to speak with the barista about our check. She was friendly and kind and I’m thankful she was able to help us.

Overall, their customer service needs a lot work. As someone with experience in the food service industry, I was disappointed with our experience.

We will visit again but will be...

My first experience at this cafe was very disappointing due to the horrible service. After a few minutes of looking over the menu, the waitress came over to take our order. We expressed that we needed one more minute to decide. She came back about 5 minutes later, which was not the issue because that’s usually what happens. The problem arose when the waitress interrupted my boyfriend mid-sentence while he was ordering. She noticed that a customer was ready to pay, and so she cut my boyfriend off and said “one second I’ll be right back” to go and settle the other customer’s check. I thought that was pretty rude and didn’t make sense, as it would have taken 30 seconds to finish taking our order first. It gets worse. After helping the customer with their payment, the waitress then started cleaning tables. Afterwards, she helped another group find their table and handed them menus. Then, she helped another customer transfer their drink into a to-go cup. Finally, she started cleaning dishes behind the counter - and at that point I was done. I could not believe the waitress decided to prioritize all of these tasks and never came back to finish taking our order. After about 15 minutes of waiting, we got up and left. Safe to say I will not...