48 Best Cafes near Lake Forest

“Great donuts and excellent service“

“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!!!“

“Nothing is better than fresh croissant! Great family owned place. Very friendly prices. Signature Butter Croissants baked daily. The taste is balances, very mild sweet as I like, texture is between the super fluffy croissant and the bun, I really liked it. The chocolate croissant was a totally different story, check the picture. The taste was like it was baked sometime this week :) and the texture was like it is a bun with chocolate. So do not expect the same excitement from their chocolate croissant as from their signature plain croissants, which are super awesome and could be used for French toast and sandwiches as well and any filling. Next time I will take fresh plain croissant and fill it with chocolates home :) Next time we will try their breakfast / lunch menu. It looks awesome and the customers I met were happy. Update: amazing place with unique home character, loving breakfast here“

“Very good food with my baby“

“fresh coffee and ham&cheese. and delicious egg omelet. highly recommend“

“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.“

“Went in there to chill and do some homework this morning while the person I care for was at their day program. First time here. Didn’t get to try the coffee since I was already one large coffee in by the time I showed up but I did try the breakfast sandwich. It was bomb! Saw lots of regulars go in as well out of-the-country folks. It’s nice to see that. I’ll be back whenever I’m around to kill some more time. Thanks for the chill vibes Tim!“

“Great food/drink. Nice patio.“

“Love our first time here this morning. Better croissants than we had in France and we thought they were good! Outstanding quality and you can tell everything is made with 100% pride, care, compassion and love. Will definitely go back more than once! Goodbye diet!😆❤️❤️👌🏼🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟“

“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.“

“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!“

“Delicious 🥰familiale belle vague 🌊 beach 🏝️☀️“

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

“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:)“

“The is was our second trip to NEP and was as good as the first! Both the shrimp salad app and the squid and mango salad were so well balanced and tasty. The garlic noodles and shaking beef were sooo good. Nothing was too spicy but really flavorful. The shaking beef was so good we ordered another one! The cocktail that night was a raspberry sour and too was perfectly prepared. For a casual restaurant, these guys really put out the effort. Oh, and the sticky rice/mango desert was the topper. Not too sweet and the mango was perfect! Will be back sooner than later. Well done NEP.“

“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.“

“Anastasia is an easy yes when you want something clean, balanced, and genuinely satisfying. I ordered the Greek salad with grilled chicken and a side of vegetables, plus two poached eggs and extra egg whites. Everything tasted fresh and well-seasoned, not greasy, lots of crunch, and the kind of meal that leaves you energized instead of weighed down. You can tell the ingredients are treated simply and with care.

The ambience is relaxed and bright, very Laguna, and the service is quick without feeling rushed. It’s an ideal spot for a casual breakfast or lunch, especially if you’re coming from the beach or running errands nearby. Super convenient location, consistent food, and a menu that makes eating well feel effortless.

More on social media: @ratedbymaryam“

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

“Amazing coffee and food. Very good ingredients.“

“Stopped in on a lark after arriving at Orange County Airport and having some time to kill. Great vibes, eclectic music 🎶 in the background, really kind and engaging service and a breakfast bowl that delivered a tasty vegetable and protein packed punch. Locals and regulars greeted warmly by the staff and us non-locals soon made to feel like we belonged as well. Hung out over coffee and played a board game with my wife —not rushed out. Really good experience.“

“Amazing food and service!“

“Great food! great appetizers!“

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

“Excellent location, service, treats, and drinks. An absolute dream and lovely time spent with my mother and daughter. We all dressed up cute and spend three generation time together. I was genuinely impressed with how tasty and adorable everything was!“

“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.“

“Hands down BEST donuts ever! Great family story, best ingredients, homemade syrups, homemade glazes, made fresh to order. We will be back when visiting again from Pennsylvania!“

“🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰“

“This is my favorite sandwich shop! Out of all the amazing menu options, my current favorite has to be the turkey pesto sandwich it’s so good! I’ve seen a lot of people ordering it too, so I guess it’s pretty popular. Everything else on the menu is delicious as well. They also have plenty of drinks, chips, and even cookies and smoothies, so it’s a great spot to visit with kids. Plus, they always play classical music, which makes the place feel super cozy and relaxing!“

“11/10 experience! I visited Vivot with my best friend - a nurse who works across the street after hearing her rave about the quality of the matcha and thoroughness of the drinks made. Unfortunately I ordered via OLO to the wrong location but nevertheless the store team quickly made our new drinks. I ordered a Einspanner Matcha Latte with Oat Milk and a Lavender Cloud. After visiting Japan, it has been extremely hard to find authentic matcha. Vivot was extremely authentic and delicious. A special thanks to Brandon for his help processing the refund for my error ordering at the wrong location. I can’t wait to visit again when I am back in town!“

“My wife & I have been eating at The Broken Yolk Cafe in Irvine for several years now and we absolutely love the delicious food and the wonderful service, particularly via our regular server Alicia. She has such a positive attitude and shares our love of dogs. She always makes sure to bring our dog Maizie a bowl of water and a pup cup whenever we go there. I cannot recommend this Broken Yolk location and Alicia enough.“

“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“

“My go-to location since it's close by. They're pretty consistent and prepare our drinks fast whenever we stop by. Even got the new year scratch offs for spending a certain amount (and won 777 leaves, oh my lord) hahah staff are friendly and chill. Plenty of parking since it shares the lot with other shops“

“Delicious food🤤 Must give it a try.“

“I always go for hibiscus or passion fruit tea with boba whenever I visit. Today, I saw a new hibiscus menu came out so I gave it a try. First, I noticed the cream on top was coconut. Coconut cream went along really well with the hibiscus. Hibiscus was great as always.“

“Amazing food and service!“

“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.“

“just love this hole in the wall. Its the best“

“A popular Vietnamese‑inspired tea and coffee cafe with refreshing drinks like Thai tea, jasmine milk tea, and signature Vietnamese coffee — many fans highlight the flavorful beverages and friendly service. It’s a casual, mostly takeout spot ideal for a quick pick‑me‑up or late‑night drink, though sweetness levels can be a bit high for some.“

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

“The food is above average for a hospital cafeteria. The best value is the soup station, $2.70 for one serving. Optional rotate daily but I've seen chicken noodle, lobster bisque, clam chowder, red pepper Gouda, French onion, Italian wedding, broccoli cheese, vegetarian chili.There's also a small salad bar, hot food bar, grill, pizza, yogurt bar, baked goods, and some chilled grab-n-go items. Tuesdays are Taco Tuesdays (carnitas or quinoa, plus 2 sides of black beans/roasted corn/Spanish rice)

Vegetarian options: Taco Tuesday had pork and quinoa as options. There's also a self serve salad bar. Today also had vegetarian chili.

Dietary restrictions: Lots of options for different dietary needs.“

“Bluberry Social is my new go-to brunch spot in Irvine! Everything we tried — avocado toast, crece brulee pancakes, chicken and waffles, Cali chopped salad, and french onion soup — was amazing.

The blueberry and strawberry matcha lattes were delicious, and the cozy pink interior gives such warm, welcoming vibes. Service was super friendly and attentive as well!

Perfect place for a mommy date or brunch with friends — can’t wait to come back!“

“Ts place is so tuff🔥 Mustard dripping of the walls how demure🔥 I ordered a lunchly with drippy cheese and I can say it was very drippy🔥 and guess what Adrian was there🔥 he just got back from the barber shop and it only cost a quarter 🔥 so we had our food he ordered mangoes 🥭 🔥 so yea a very rizzy experience would recommend coming here about 6 or 7 times every full moon before ur inner wolf breaks loose🐺🔥 one last thing Diddy might be there so chat ur cooked💀😭🙏🔥“

“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.“

“Le Cafe Du Parc is a charming little café tucked into a residential/park area near the Irvine Spectrum. We tried the Strawberry Banana Sushi Crepes, which were fun, light, and decadent with the chocolate sauce. The Chicken Pesto Flatbread was warm and savory with a nice balance of pesto and toppings. We finished with an Affogato, which was simple but delicious, with rich espresso poured over creamy ice cream.

Ambiance:
It’s a small, cozy café that feels like a hidden neighborhood spot. It's right next to a little dog park and another walking park open grass area which is relaxing to work at.

Customer Service:
Service was friendly and welcoming, and everything came out quickly.

Overall:
A great little hidden gem if you're in the Irvine area and looking for crepes, coffee, or a relaxed café stop. Definitely worth checking out.“

“Reduce decision fatigue by going to Oslo every day knowing that you’re getting the best in the area. It’s confident enough to let their flavors shine rather than overcompensating with sugar and syrup.

Get the Viking Tonic when it’s warm out and you need something refreshing, or the Oslo Fog (iced) or Folklore Flat White (iced or hot). If you’re lucky enough to catch a seasonal menu, they’re well tested and delicious. Baked goods are also pretty solid.

If you’re coming in peak hours, order online to skip the wait. Although waiting isn’t bad because the aesthetic and vibes are quite nice. Staff are friendly, awesome, and consistent - a marker for good management and reliable quality.“

“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.“