50 Best Cafes near Lake Forest

“Great donuts and excellent service“

“It was a great spot for a quiet chat with friends. I wasn't sure if the person serving us was an employee or the owner, but they were incredibly friendly—and the food was delicious, too! It’s the kind of place I’d almost rather keep all to myself.“

“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“

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

“Very good food with my baby“

“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.“

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

“The definition of a local hole in the wall, one-man show. Tim is cranking out orders and still has the sweetness to chat with his customers. Breakfast sandwich is delicious and just the right portion. Coffee is rich, strong, and not bitter. This is what coffee shops should be—local, intimate, quaint, and friendly. Props to Tim for supporting local law enforcement.

Heads up: they stop serving food at 12.“

“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!😆❤️❤️👌🏼🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟“

“Great food/drink. Nice patio.“

“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.“

“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 place is great for friends to gather and chat. The service is excellent and the food is quite good. The garlic noodle with shrimp is slightly spicy and quite delicious. Crab toast is also a good choice. recommend to friends and come back again.“

“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.“

“I had such a great experience at Wall Strawberry Cafe! The food was absolutely delicious and tasted fresh and homemade. The matcha was amazing and definitely one of my favorites!
Our server was incredibly sweet, attentive, and made us feel so welcome. We add a cookie for dessert which tasted so good, it was moist, and had these double layers of rich chocolate filling that made it so tasty!
The atmosphere was warm and inviting, the service was excellent, and overall we had such a nice time. I would definitely recommend this cafe and I can’t wait to come back!“

“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:)“

“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.“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“Oatmeal wax delicious as well as decaf cappuccino 😁👍“

“Apparently my skincare routine comes on toast now. 😂

This is Toastique in Ladera Ranch, and this place basically looks like a wellness mood board you can eat.

First, the Avocado Smash Toast.
Avocado, watermelon radish, marinated tomatoes and chili — almost too pretty to eat.
Almost.
Then the Mango Tango Smoothie Bowl with mango, pineapple, lime and coconut water. This one just tastes like summer.
For something refreshing, I tried the Radiance Over Ice — grapefruit, orange, blood orange, pineapple and basil.
And of course, a Matcha Latte because apparently I’m in my wellness era now. 😂
Coffee, fresh juices, smoothie bowls, and these ridiculously Instagrammable toasts.“

“Amazing coffee and food. Very good ingredients.“

“Amazing food and service!“

“🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰“

“🎀HK🩷LUV🎀 unplanned pit stop while driving home from San Diego to Sacramento. As a lifelong hk lover this has been on my bucket list for yrs. I remembered the cafe was in irvine so of course we had to stop. Cutest cafe ever. Got a peek at the bow room. Ordered mini donuts, ice cream, cookies, & drinks. Picked out a keychain for a souvenir & Took lots of pics. I was in hk heaven💕🎀🩷“

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

“Best Matcha and Hochija in town!! if you’re a millennial, you might feel old walking into this place because it’s a bunch of college students. There might not be much room to sit either… But I don’t care because the Matcha flights and Hochija are unmatched!! I always try different Matcha spots, and I feel fortunate to have one of the legit best tea options in my town. 🤗“

“Great food! great appetizers!“

“What an amazing spot for a meal. I decided to try this establishment for the first time and wow! Yes, a grand slam. The place is quite popular and I did not even know it was here as I drive this area often. I ordered the California Omelet with fresh fruit and a cup of bold coffee and chose to eat outside in the patio. Isabella brought out my food and was kind, professional and efficient. I told her I was going to leave a review and she laughed and said if it's bad the name is Donnie. So worth a chuckle. All of the staff are friendly, kind and professional. I was even offered a free pastry for my first time visit but declined simply due to my diet and watching my intake. Lol A wonderfully positive ambiance.
Highly recommended“

“I had such an amazing experience here! From the moment I walked in, I was welcomed with incredible warmth and kindness. The Persian hospitality is truly on another level, they genuinely make you feel like family.

The staff were all so friendly, attentive, and caring, but I want to give a special thank you to Anita. She went above and beyond to make sure I had a wonderful experience, and her kindness and positive attitude made my visit even more memorable.

The food was delicious, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was exceptional from start to finish.

I will definitely be coming back, and I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for authentic Persian food and unforgettable hospitality. Thank you for such a wonderful experience! ❤“

“My new favorite study spot
I walked in not expecting much but holy cow the coffee was incredible. The Vietnamese iced coffee had that perfect balance of sweet and strong and it didnt taste watered down like some places. I got the matcha latte on a whim and it was actually creamy and real tasting not artificial. The place was pretty busy but the line moved faster than I thought it would. I kicked myself for not trying their almond croissant because the person next to me had one and it looked amazing. The music was chill and not too loud which is rare for a coffee shop. Ill be back for sure hopefully that croissant is still there“

“We are so glad we found this gem of a bakery! Our experience was lovely, the owners are very sweet, the atmosphere is inviting, and the food and pastries were amazing!!! We ordered several different pastries and each one was so fresh and sooo delicious! We also ordered a breakfast meal that was *chefs kiss*. We have nothing but good things to say, we're already spreading the word so others can enjoy too. Thank you Vanilla Street Bakery for the quality you’re providing, we can’t wait to come back for more!“

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

“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!“

“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💀😭🙏🔥“

“Amazing food and service!“

“Great experience at 7 Leaves Cafe in Tustin! The drinks were delicious and fresh, the staff was friendly, and the cafe was clean and relaxing. Service was quick and welcoming. Definitely a great place to stop for a refreshing drink. I’ll be coming back!“

“Delicious food🤤 Must give it a try.“

“Yummy breakfast spot with good lunch options.“

“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.“

“Got the matcha mojito with boba. It's very refreshing and was a handmade matcha mocktail. Boba is chewy and fresh. I got it half sweet and it was still very sweet.

Clean millenial plant vibes in the store. Definitely worth stopping by!“

“delicious food & great service 😋 💁‍♀️“

“My sister ordered a matcha latte and the gradient was well made! There is still a noticeable difference in the quality and flavor of the matcha latte with Okayama Kobo Bakery and Cafe. However, my sister and I really appreciated the indoor seating that the combined matcha station and poke restaurant offered. There’s a good amount of seating inside in addition to outlets. And in favorable weather, the outside seating that the stores share is another good option. Service was kind and immediate. Bathroom was clean and well kept which made stopping by even better. God bless you all+“

“Love the pastries and bought a cake“

“OSLO is my go-to for the most perfect Scandinavian hygge-vibes paired with the most delectable cup of coffee and handmade pastries. My happiness meter is maxed out everytime I visit. Be sure to order the Scandinavian Latte with a Kanelbulle (an authentic Swedish Cinnamon Roll) for the best intro experience. You'll be hooked.“

“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.“