Geppetto Cafe is a small local French cafe located in the heart of Lawrenceville. I went to Geppetto Cafe on January 21, and I had to wait for about 5 minutes for a table, but patrons were moving in and out quickly. Geppetto Cafe had a Pinocchio theme, as Geppetto is the name of Pinocchio’s father in the fairytale. The cafe had a small and cozy feel, but tables were very close to one another, making standing and sitting challenging. There were books hanging from the ceiling, along with umbrellas, and Pinocchio dolls. The overall feel was very eclectic and charming. I could also see the kitchen where the food was being prepared, but this made the noise level in the cafe above average.

The books hanging from the ceiling added a nice touch. This unique design is something I have never seen before.

The Pinocchio theme was a constant throughout the cafe.

I arrived at Geppetto at around 1:00 and I left around 2:10. Service moved relatively quickly, although I felt like it look a while for our orders to be taken and for the food to come out. Once our food was out, the waitress did not check in on us often (maybe because it was hard to get to our table because tables were right next to one another?). The waitstaff was nice when they were talking to us, but it was very typical for any restaurant.

The chai latte looked pretty but its taste was subpar.

The Cafe Ole was amazing and had a rich, smokey flavor.

The menu at Geppetto Cafe has dishes ranging from crepes, to waffles, to salads, and sandwiches. They have a build your own crepe or waffle, which can accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets; however, I did not notice any crepe or waffle options for gluten free diets. A salad could be an option for a gluten free diet, but they would miss out on getting a crepe or a waffle. To drink, I had a chai latte, which I believe was subpar to many other chias I have tried in the past. It was not very sweet and you could not taste the chai flavors at all; the only standout flavor was cinnamon. There was lots of foam, but the chai latte seemed more like milk with cinnamon added to it. Overall, I would not recommend this to anyone. My mother got the Cafe Ole, which had a smooth, rich flavor, and it had lots of foam. There was a nice balance of milk and coffee, which allowed for the smokey flavor of the coffee to come out. This was probably the best latte I have had since the start of my project. However, there was an issue with the timing if the drinks. The chai latte came out about 5 minutes before the cafe ole, which I consider to be a large difference when it comes to drinks.

The Geppetto Signature Crepe had a sweet flavor and could also be made into a waffle.

The Chicken and Gruyere Crepe had a delicious spicy sauce.

For the main dishes, Geppetto Cafe offered many options; their menu didn’t really consist of any starters, so all of it was geared toward a main dish. Options included sweet and savory crepes, waffles (any sweet crepe can be made into a waffle), build your own crepe or waffle, salads, and paninis. For my main dish, I got the Geppetto Signature Crepe, which had nice flavors to it, but there were some improvements that could have been made. The crepe had caramelized apples, a cream cheese glaze, and caramel sauce; so overall, lots of caramel. The apples tasted nice and they had lots of cinnamon; however, they were sliced, which made the crepe harder to eat. There was a very sweet flavor, but it was the same flavor throughout the crepe, so I got bored of the taste quickly. Overall, it was a nice crepe and it had nice presentation, but it was nothing special. For my mother’s main dish, she got the Chicken and Gruyere crepe, which is offered as a savory crepe.The crepe can with a spicy sauce the enhanced the flavors of the gruyere cheese and the caramelized onion. However, in some bites, the caramelized onion overpowered the other flavors in the crepe and overall, there was not much to the dish. The crepe did come with a side salad and the presentation looked nice. We also got the Turkey and Avocado BT panini, which had turkey, avocado, bacon, and tomato. This panini was nothing special and lacked a standout flavor. The taste was typical, but it really only tasted like a BLT. I could not taste the avocado at all, which was disappointing because the avocado drew me to this panini. After the crepes that we had, the panini was a letdown. I would not recommend it to anyone because it is very typical and there are better options on the menu.

The panini tasted good, but it was very typical. I couldn’t taste the avocado which was disappointing.

Geppetto Cafe is located in Lawrenceville, which is a hotspot for many restaurants and shops. However, I would not recommend this restaurant to visitors who are looking for something unique; the food was good and is good for a quick bite to eat, but it is nothing special. However, I do recommend a trip to Lawrenceville for the shops, restaurants, and coffee shops that are all really great.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Location: 4121 Butler St. Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Telephone: (412) 709-6399

Hours: 9am – 3pm (Mon-Fri), 9am – 4pm (Sat- Sun)

Accepts: Credit, cash

Parking: Street

Pricing: $$

Square Cafe is a popular breakfast destination for those visiting Regent Square. I went to Square Cafe on January 14, and when I arrived there were very few seats available- I actually got the last open seat in the restaurant, and I was seated at the counter. The cafe was very open, but it felt like we were seated on top of other people. There were so many tables that if there was a wait, you had to wait outside because there was no room inside. The cafe was colorful on the inside and had local art on the walls, and overall, it had a very artistic feel. The cafe had a diner vibe in which service was quick and the flow of customers kept moving. They also had T-shirts, mugs, cups, and water bottles available for purchase.

This was the protein pancake I ordered. The taste was great, but the plate was too small to hold the pancake.

I arrived at Square Cafe at 9:10 and left around 10, as service was quick. I got all of my food at 9:30, which was impressive considering the number of patrons at the restaurant when I was there. The waitstaff was quick to get our order and bring out the food; however, once we got our food, they only checked in on us once to see how everything was, so it felt as though they gave us our food and dropped us to move on to other people. I would definitely make sure that if you plan on going to Square Cafe that you get there early, and if you arrive later, anticipate a wait.

This was the crepe my mother ordered. The presentation looks nice, but the overall taste was lacking.

The food was nothing special compared to other breakfast places I have been to in the past, but overall, it was good. The menu was large and diverse, which was a little overwhelming. They also had gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan options for different dietary needs. To drink, I had a chai latte, which was very sweet and creamy. It had a good taste to it but was nothing particularly special in my opinion. However, it did come out quickly after I placed my order. My mother got a skim latte, which was nothing special. It was a typical latte and is comparable to a Starbucks latte. Although it tasted good, there was nothing that set it apart from other lattes that I have had in the past. For my starter, I had a single protein pancake. The pancake had a good taste and flavor. It had cinnamon in the batter, which was easy to taste. The chocolate chips added a nice sweet touch to the pancake. However, I thought the the plate it was served on was too small, which made the pancake hard to eat at the beginning. The presentation was clean but typical. The overall taste of the pancake was very good. My mother got the nutella crepe with banana as her starter, which had a good taste but could have been better. The crepe only had the banana inside, so the nutella did not get the chance to melt at all. The crepe was also cold when it came out because the nutella was not keeping it warm because it was on the outside. The presentation was nice, but it was very typical to how crepes are often served. Overall, both of our starters were nothing special and there was room for improvement.

This was the Vegster Bene that I ordered. It looks nice, but there was very little flavor, and I could not taste the hollandaise sauce.

For the main dishes, I got the Vegster Bene, which was a vegetarian eggs benedict, and my mother got the crab and portobello bene, which was eggs benedict on a portobello mushroom with crab. The Vegster Bene had lots of vegetables with a small side salad on the plate. It started with an eggs benedict base with mushrooms, zucchini, tomato, and leafy greens added. It was all placed on toast; however, the problem with this was that as I continued to eat the dish, the toast got soggier and soggier until it reached the point where I could no longer pick up the toast cleanly. I also could not taste the traditional hollandaise sauce on the benedict, which was disappointing because it is a fundamental part of the dish. It did have a clean presentation, though, and the portion was quite large, so the dish was very filling. Overall, this dish could have been greatly improved. My mother’s benedict could have also been improved but for different reasons. The dish had a good flavor and the combination of crab, tomato, eggs, and portobello was unique but good.  The dish also had roasted red peppers throughout, which overpowered all of the other flavors in the dish. It wasn’t until my mother removed the red peppers that she could taste the other flavors, like the tomato. Again, the same issue was faced where the hollandaise sauce could not be tasted. The concept of the dish was good, but the proportion of flavors could have been improved. Overall, this would not be my first choice for breakfast in the Pittsburgh region.

This was the crab and portobello bene that my mother ordered. She faced the same issue of not being able to taste the hollandaise sauce.

Square Cafe is located in Regent Square, which is a quiet neighborhood located east of Pittsburgh. There are multiple restaurants near Square Cafe that are great to stop in and support. Regent Square is an example of a neighborhood that needs some love, and supporting local businesses is a great way to do this.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Location: 1137 South Braddock Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Telephone: (412) 244-8002

Hours: 7am to 3 pm (Mon – Sat) 8am to 3pm (Sun)

Accepts: Cash and credit

Parking: Street

Pricing: $

Coca Cafe is a small, local breakfast and lunch eatery in Lawrenceville. I went to Coca Cafe on January 7, and although I anticipated it opening at 8, as the website I used to research said, it actually opened at 9 (warning if you do research before visiting places- sometimes there are fake websites!). Coca Cafe has a cozy, eclectic feel to it, with two rooms for seating and dining. Both rooms are open and inviting, and they can accommodate larger parties in the main room.  The restaurant is very kid friendly, with community coloring sheets and a small game on each table to keep guests entertained while waiting for the food. Overall, Coca Cafe has a strong community vibe.

This is the back room at Coca Cafe. The cafe had a diner feel and was very colorful. There is also a larger main room with bigger tables to accompany larger parties.

I arrived at Coca Cafe at 9:10 and did not leave until 10:10. At the beginning, service was relatively slow, even though there were not as many patrons there as when I left.  However, once I placed my order, the food came out quickly. However, there were issues with our starters, which did not come out at the same time as the other person. The restaurant become crowded around 9:50, and when we left at 10:10, there was only one table left open- so get there early!

To drink, I had a latte, which I think tasted better than a Starbucks latte. However, Coca Cafe only offers whole, almond, and soy milk.

The food was amazing! Their menu was very adaptable to many different diets, such as gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian. There were multiple options for each diet, so the menu was not limiting (There were at least 15 items that were either vegetarian or vegan or could be altered to fit those diets). To drink, I had a latte, which I believe tasted better than a Starbucks latte, which I tend to drink a lot. However, they only offer whole milk, almond milk, and soy milk, which can be a problem for those who tend to drink skim milk. For my starter, I had the avocado toast, which I would highly recommend. The toast had a nice, clean presentation, the flavors of the bread, avocado, and local honey mixed well together. However, my only concern was that the toast was soft and rivaled bread more than it did toast. This may have been because they were running behind on my starter, which came later than my mother’s starter. My mother got a basic, but great tasting quinoa bowl. The unique flavors of the goji berries and dark chocolate added a new twist to an otherwise bland grain. The quinoa was cooked perfectly and the overall appearance was clean, but it lacked presentation and style.

This is the avocado toast. The presentation is unique (the long slate plate did get in the way, though), and toast was amazing.

This is the quinoa bowl. Although the presentation is plain, the flavors of the goji berries and the dark chocolate made it an amazing dish.

For the main dishes, Coca Cafe offered a wide variety of options, ranging from classic pancake-style breakfasts to savory, Asian-inspired dishes. For my main dish, I got the breakfast bowl, which had Asian-inspired tastes, with soy sauce and sesame seeds. There were good flavor and texture combinations, with a mix of quinoa, lentils, greens, and sweet potato  topped with two poached eggs. This bowl was extremely filling and the portion was generous. However, my only concerns with the dish was the overall lack of presentation and style when presented. There was nothing unique about the way it was served. The dish also consisted of the same flavor in each bite- there was no way to add a new combination, so the dish got old, quick. This became an issue because the portion was so generous and its filling nature and flavor caused me to get bored of it easily. My mother got the challah french toast, which was a twist on a classic favorite. The toast had a fig jam with a chunk of brie in the corner of each slice; this unique flavor combination made every bite different, and I myself have never seen this done before. Coca Cafe used fresh berries on top of the toast, which added changes in texture to the bread and over strengthened its appeal. My mother and I both agreed that it did not need the maple syrup offered because it was already so sweet. The presentation of this dish was typical, but clean.

This is the breakfast bowl with sweet potato, eggs, quinoa, and vegetables. The overall taste was good, but it was the same flavor throughout the entire dish.

This is the challah french toast, and it was amazing. Probably the best dish we ordered that day.

The wait staff at Coca Cafe was extremely kind to us. They checked on how our dishes were about every five minutes to ensure that we were enjoying what we were eating. They apologized when my starter came out late, and when we wanted soup to-go at 10 in the morning, they kindly got it for us (the soup was very good, by the way). Although the service was slow at the beginning from the time were sat down to the time we got our first starter, it picked up after that, and I seemed to be drowning in all of the food at our table. The serving times were a bit off, but overall, they were extremely kind and treated us well while we were there. Even when we showed up at 8:45, expecting it to be open (which was what the fake website said- again, another warning when researching places), they were nice in telling us that they were opening at 9.

Coca Cafe has a large menu, with many options for different dietary needs.

Coca Cafe is located in Lawrenceville, which is an up-and-coming neighborhood outside of Pittsburgh. There was a coffee shop down the street from Coca Cafe where my mother and I spent our time while we waited for Coca Cafe to open. There are many shops surrounding the restaurant, and Lawrenceville is a great way to spend your day, with many great places to go to, including Coca Cafe. I would highly recommend Coca Cafe to anyone who is looking for a nice, cozy place to grab a bite to eat during breakfast or lunch.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Location: 3811 Butler St Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Telephone: (412) 621-3171

Hours: 8am to 3pm (Tues-Fri), 9am to 4pm (Sat), 9am to 2pm (Sun)

Accepts: Credit cards, cash

Parking: Street

Pricing: $$