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.
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.
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: $$
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