46 Best Cafes near Lake Forest

“It has been few months since I've been introduce to the most to a relaxing atmosphere. Delicious fresh ingredients and best of all their relaxing lattes/capuchinos. I courage all to check them out and their excellent friendly customer service and clean establishment.
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“Don't miss this wonderful place. Once you try BrioBrio's delicious food, you'll regret you hadn"t discovered It before. Thanks Naoko and Ruichi for feeding our body and soul!!!“

“Nestled in the heart of the city, Jolanda’s offers an unparalleled blend of culinary excellence and warm, inviting ambiance. From the moment you step inside, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and artisanal pastries welcomes you, setting the stage for a delightful experience. Their menu, a testament to creative gastronomy, features an exquisite range of dishes, each crafted with the finest locally-sourced ingredients. Whether you’re indulging in a leisurely brunch or utilizing their impeccable catering services for a special event, [Café Name] consistently delivers beyond expectations. The staff’s genuine hospitality and attention to detail ensure every visit feels like a personalized retreat. For a perfect fusion of comfort and gourmet, Jolanda’s is undoubtedly the city's culinary gem.“

“Very good food with my baby“

“Excellent food. I had the French toast breakfast with a side of hash browns and tea. Everything was fresh and fantastic tasting. The quality and price cannot be found elsewhere.

My partner had the cheese omelette on a croissant plus pancakes and it was mouth watering.

The atmosphere was calm and pleasant and the service was spot on. I am not often in the area but I definitely will come again because I enjoyed everything so much.“

“very yummy and satisfying food. the staff are very friendly and helpful.“

“Clean and open. The coffee and smoothies are spot on. Everyone working there seems to be a bit of a “coffee nerd”. They really know their coffee! I would recommend it to anyone that prefers a higher quality coffee.“

“The award-winning breakfast sandwich had a nice taste but was too greasy for me. The iced mocha had a nice flavor and the Vietnamese iced coffee was very smooth. Tim was very friendly and doing everything, cashier, barista, and cook. Items took 15 mins for drinks and another 5 for the food.“

“Excellent art-inspired bakery treats. Sean (sp?) and his team’s hospitality is top-shelf.“

“Great food/drink. Nice patio.“

“Food and service were great. We are seated at around 2pm. Not a long wait even if we made reservation for 1:45. Inquired about happy hour menu. We were told we can only order from happy hour menu if we are seated in the patio area which is unheard of but other than that all is good.“

“Delicious Dinner. Beautiful presentation and the Carnitas Tacos unbelievable. Chef Michael is a true gem.“

“Delicious 🥰familiale belle vague 🌊 beach 🏝️☀️“

“Amazing coffee and food. Very good ingredients.“

“Welp! As the owner, I have to say it’s a sweet lil spot with great food on the weekends and a perfect spot to pick up anything you need during the week. A great getaway from the madness downtown and a place to reflect and be grateful.“

“The earl gray lavender ice tea was the best along with the melt in your mouth croissant 💕💕“

“Best doughnuts anywhere. Top of the line ingredients, fresh ripe fruit glazes top many of the 40 hr raised sourdough doughnuts. With lots of the favorite flavors available and lot's of seasonal gourmet flavors that are well balanced, not to sweet, just right. Coffee's drinks are on point, perfectly paired for a treat. The matcha is amazing, my favorites are the rose matcha, the Myers lemon donut, and the seasonal fresh peach julep from the local farmers market.“

“The iced chai, churro latte (hot or cold) and their bagels are to die for. I live out of state but cannot wait to go back when I’m in So Cal! Employees are so nice too - seems as though they are very happy working there:)“

“Fresh, tasty, great combination of flavors and options on both salads and sammies. The natural sodas are a nice touch. Gotta try a cookie!💛 Staff has been consistently courteous and responsive. I’ve been three times. I CRAVE their salads.“

“My fiance and I were in the area for my nephew's wedding. On Sunday morning, we looked for a breakfast location. We prefer the small local restaurants as opposed to the chains. Up popped this Laguna Cafe, close by where we were staying. From the time we entered the door, it was obvious we picked the right spot! it was cozy, homey, friendly and downright delicious. The clientele were all laughing, enjoying the morning and the atmosphere. We got served by Monja, the proprietor, who wore a shirt with our favorite scripture, John 3:16. As we bowed our heads to pray, she gently joined us in prayer. What a blessing. Needless to say, we will go back when in the area. Highly recommend the food too! And say Hi to Monja from Mark and Dianne from Arizona!“

“This coffee is amazing. I live in Kentucky and the coffee i received was well packaged and very very fresh and packaged air tight. way better than the big store chain. I was on a search to find a very low caffeine coffee that tastes o.k. and I found it! It tastes wonderful.“

“🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰“

“Great food and awesome service! Perfect place for brunch 😋“

“I recently had the pleasure of discovering Mustard Cafe & Grill in Foothill Ranch, and what a delightful little gem it is! From the moment I stepped in, the atmosphere was incredibly inviting—peaceful and soothing, making for a truly relaxing dining experience.

The service was outstanding; our server, Maria, was simply wonderful. Her genuine smile and professional yet kind demeanor truly lit up the place, ensuring we felt well cared for throughout our visit. Everything came out perfectly, and it’s clear the staff takes immense pride in their work.

I opted for a custom three-egg omelet filled with spinach, tomato, avocado, and Swiss cheese, served alongside perfectly cooked potatoes and delicious sourdough toast. It was absolutely fantastic, clearly prepared with care. I also tried their avocado toast, which was a definite highlight, and the coffee was excellent—a perfect complement to the meal.

It’s easy to see why this spot is highly recommended. With plenty of parking available, a fantastic menu offering great breakfast and lunch choices, and an owner with a wonderfully positive attitude, Mustard Cafe & Grill is now firmly on my list of favorite places. I initially came for breakfast but am already planning my return for lunch. This cafe truly excels in every aspect – food, service, and ambiance.“

“A nice small café with a boutique attached. It felt to me like an original breakfast place with unique menu items.

Your order at the counter where you can also see the daily specials, and then you sit where you want.

The food actually came pretty fast.
The hot chocolate was nice - it wasn’t too thick and didn’t seem over sweet. The foam was actually nice to have!
There is an effort in presentation as you can see from the pictures.
We all liked it. I tried a bit of the swedish pancakes, it is very sweet and heavy as you can expect, but enjoyable!
The Eggs Anna were definitely original with that sauce. It was very interesting. I’m not gonna say it’s the best thing I ever had, but it was good.

It was farmers’ market, but we didn’t struggle to find a place to sit.
For parking, you need to find in the city - but, the place is not far from the main areas, so convenient. You just walk a few blocks.

Overall, a cool spot - we were not sure where to go and wanted a more local place. So, I guess we found it!“

“Amazing food and service!“

“Great food! great appetizers!“

“Super cute cafe and a must if you're a Sanrio/Hello Kitty fan! We only ordered at the counter and we did not visit the Tea room. I had a iced strawberry pink latte which was good (but a bit too sweet for my liking, but I usually have unsweetened coffees) and served in a themed cup and with a cute Hello Kitty bow coffee art. We also had the donuts with cookie crumbles. They were made fresh and really good! There was a bit of a wait time to order and get our order. They have a few tables outside, but it was quite busy - and we were lucky to grab one. It's a cute concept and it is fun to try it out, but the seating options could have been better cause you want to enjoy the food and not just have it on the go!“

“Red straw is actually great. High quality ingredients and most importantly, MANY decaf options, which is what I am always looking for. Not just for myself, but my young son as well who will not be getting a caffeinated drink. The only thing I really wish most tea places had were kids sizes! Instead my son and I have to share a drink because I am not buying a 4 year old his own full size boba drink. So technically I would spend more money there if I could buy myself a full size and him a kids size. Oh well, hope to see more kids sizes in the future. Otherwise the drinks are delicious“

“Such a cute little space, very pink. SUPER dog friendly! Brought my dog (they were very welcoming of him, gave him a pup cup) and took loads of pictures. I got a mazapan latte and I really enjoyed it. They allowed me to sample all the ice creams and I found every single flavor delicious. Loved hanging out here with my friends. I hope to come back with more friends and try more of the menu. I will definitely consider hosting events here :) XOXO“

“It’s really interesting how the best sandwich places in Irvine are out of the way in office buildings. Is it because they get to concentrate on their craft over making fancy decorations? Maybe it’s the constant practice they have with great customer service and making something simple into something delicious. Could be the great prices reflecting great food. Whatever it is Cafe O’deli is probably the best sandwich place in Irvine!“

“Love this place! Food is always great. Made fresh. Staff are always nice and give great service. My favorite thing to get here is the TUNA MELT! I am not a fan of tuna at all until I had theirs. There are times where they will run out because they make a certain amount of tuna salad for the day. Not complaining about that, I just know that it was made fresh that day, so I definitely love it! So order ahead by calling in. If you're not a fan of it at all, give any of their sandwiches a try and ask them to add that chipotle sauce, changes everything, you will thank you me later. If you are in the Irvine area, give them a try!

Kid-friendliness: They have baby seat chairs for dine-in and kid friendly items as well.

Parking: Since this is a small cafe surrounded by business establishments it will be difficult to park but it is fortunate that you do not have to pay for any parking. Usually people come to just pick up and go so parking isn't usually a problem.“

“I stopped by this 7 Leaves Cafe today to pick up my cousin to go order. She got 2 jugs of the Thai tea and Jasmin Milk tea. I found parking easily when I came today around the afternoon. When we walked inside we were greeted and ask if we could give them a couple of minutes because they were making drinks. I first put in a order of a large summer mint and a Jasmin Milk tea for my wife. I paid with my American Express credit card because they told me they accept it now. After I paid for my order, I told them I was picking up my cousin order as well. I just give them her name and they give me her order. It didn't take long for them to make the 2 drinks. The inside of this place isn't that big but I think it's more of a pick up or to go order here. They have outdoor seating as well. My wife loved her Jasmin Milk Tea, my cousin husband enjoyed his Summer Mint and everyone else like their teas we got in the jug so it was a big hit.

Parking: There a lot of parking places in this plaza.

Kid-friendliness: This place is kid friendly

Wheelchair accessibility: This place is wheelchair accessible but it is tight inside.“

“Amazing food and service!“

“This girl name named Haley is a real one, she is talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before. She was so nice when we came in and she had this charismatic personality, she was patient and truly I had nothing bad to say. This Girl deserves a raise ngl. 10/10 would come again.“

“The baked goods here are so delicious and the woman behind the treats was so lovely herself! I found this place after an appointment in the area, got four different macarons and one of the honey cakes. Wow. Insane, everything. The strawberry raspberry and the Dubai flavor macarons were far and away my favorite, but everything was insane. The honey cake was amazing too, very different from anything I’ve had yet but loved it. Will be back again.“

“Great NY STYLE BAGELS!!! Great service too“

“A charming coffee shop with a warm, welcoming ambience that’s perfect for relaxing or catching up with friends. The mocha coffee is rich and satisfying, and their selection of Middle Eastern sweets is a delightful treat. They also offer tasty snacks and a good variety of drinks. Just wish service was a bit quicker. ⭐⭐⭐⭐“

“Today my friend took me to this new café, and even though I work at one, this café was designed with love and the service and food quality matched. Collin and Josh made our experience personable by tailoring our experience from beginning to end, even using my friend’s jewelry with her name on it to guess our name and ethnicity. Would recommend,“

“If you’re in Orange, don’t miss this place! Their new Banana Brûlée Latte is amazing—creamy, caramelized, and perfectly balanced. The vibe is just as great as the coffee. The dark, sleek décor feels modern and cozy, making it a perfect spot to relax or catch up with friends. Highly recommend checking it out!“

“Delicious food🤤 Must give it a try.“

“There bagels are better than the ones in New York. They are always fresh big and super delicious. They even have lox in cream cheese. The staff are always super friendly and helpful.“

“exelentes cheesecake todo rico😍“

“My man’s addicted to their truffle burgers, he gets 2 every time and they will allow you to add avocado and he generally gets the soup of the day every day I’m a big fan of their various white creamy pastas, including the gnocchi, I always add their chicken if it’s not included already. I also love their curry Ramen, and a few of their paninis. Alfalfa sprout sandwich & Panini Frittata. I also love their Caesar salad with added chicken.I haven’t been there for brunch yet, but maybe that will change soon. Started eating here October 2023 I believe“

“I have the broccoli cheese soup for the first time. It was delicious. 😋“