Best cafe to ever exist at the University at Buffalo This cafe is at the atrium and offers ice cream and has a fully functional Starbucks. If you live in Wilkeson, other buildings in Ellicot or even to visit the Ellicot complex in the University at Buffalo. Take a stop at this
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Google user
I would simply say it's a sister branch for Starbucks.
Phaneesha Chilaveni
I would simply say it's a sister branch for Starbucks.
Mark Fleetwood
Serve Starbucks coffee's, some baked goods and ice cream.
Eric D.
Perks is a great local coffee shop in the Elmwood village with lots of tasty snacks, drinks, and sandwiches to try. Admittedly this is one of my more favorite places to take a date as it's location is prime for a nice walk afterwards lol. Their location in the somewhat less busy section of Elmwood allows for slightly more street parking but keep in mind there is also the nearby parking ramp. They have great prices and lots of variety and the staff are always friendly. Their drink menu is fairly extensive as well so there's always something to try! I came for breakfast during my most recent visit and got a super tasty southwest style wrap and a phenomenal peanut butter chocolate chip cookie! Come visit and enjoy the "Perks" of this great café.
Amber K.
My review is late, but... Love this place! We've never got a chance to try this place pre-Covid 19, but we've been a couple times for takeout coffee and breakfast, and it was good! The iced coffees (especially the iced latte with oat milk) was super delicious and the mocha was really good too. The only downside is the baked goods. The pistachio muffin was very pistachio-y, but a tid bit dry and the chocolate croissant was a bit shallow inside. Still, overall a very nice place for coffee!
Rachel B.
Wow okay I have no new photos to add bc I ate my lunch way to quick but the food I got was POPPIN! Holy cow apparently I didn't get the right food last time bc the southwest burrito and breakfast blt were amazing!!! Burrito: loaded with warm gooey pepper jack cheese, healthy amount of fresh eggs, and spicy potatoes with sour cream and a hit of sriracha in a wheat wrap. This is the SOUTHWEST breakfast you need YEEHAW Breakfast BLT: comes on toast or a bagel but I HIGHLY recommend the everything bagel and is absolutely loaded with fresh eggs, chive cream cheese, tomato, greens, and glorious apple smoked bacon. Still not a huge fan of their coffee (I think they sell overwinter) which is a great local company but just not for me. Definitely recommend these items, make sure to place order ahead online or over phone rn for COVID-19 procedures, pay in advance too
Katie P.
Perks helping me celebrate today with these awesome Star Wars cookies. May the 4th be with you!
Sarah D.
I came here Saturday afternoon while going for a lengthy (socially distant) walk downtown with a friend. I didn't realize that they were only allowing one person in the restaurant at a time. I thought more than one would be okay, as long as we would be more than six feet apart, since everyone waiting had masks on. I went back outside and my friend was waved in after a brief wait. A homeless person had asked me to get him a large iced coffee, when I was waiting to be allowed to re-enter the establishment. I got that for him, a large dark roast for myself (with three cream and two sugars), and a bacon apple cheddar grilled cheese for myself. The dark roast coffee was great. The sandwich was really good. It came with chips or a salad. I chose chips. They were basic wavy plain chips. I had a far walk to get back to my car and the takeout container was kind of shoddy. I wasn't walking too quickly and the container cracked in a couple places. It also didn't stay closed well. Although it is one of those nice ones that are great for the environment, maybe they could get a different kind of container. Some restaurants use containers that look like Chinese takeout containers. For two coffees and a sandwich, it was $17.93. The sandwich was really good, as was the coffee, but I think if I return, I might get something a bit cheaper. The staff were really nice and pleasant. They were understanding of the fact that we didn't know their current policy and that we both came in at the same time. The people that were waiting outside were either waiting for a Door Dash order, had called their own order in, or had ordered online for themselves. If I decide to return during the pandemic, I'll make sure to order online first, so my wait isn't as lengthy. My wait was 17 minutes. Their current hours are 8am-3pm for takeout and door dash only!!! That is only for their Elmwood Avenue location only!!! Their west side location at Horsefeathers on Connecticut Street and their location at the Expo Market on Main Street are currently closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dana L.
I love that perks offers a lot of vegan options (even when they have seasonal specials) and is a friendly and all inclusive space. I saw that they had some March specials and decided to stop in for a vegan shamrock shake, something I miss getting every year! The shake was great and the size was pretty decent, not just some small dinky thing, so that was great. however the price was a little steep for me. I noticed perks doesn't really put their special drink prices on the specials menu board so I had no idea how much it would cost me until it was rung up. Had I known this shake was $10 I probably would not have stopped in in the first place, but hey maybe that's their strategy anyways. Either way, I like supporting local places that makes a good effort to include vegan options and are Lgbtq friendly so I'd rather spend my money here than a corporation at the end of the day. I would still come back, but probably just as a treat myself kinda thing.
The Breakfast B.L.T. was amazing. They put a cream cheese chive spread on it, and it really makes the sandwich! Eggs and bacon were cooked perfectly. I ordered a Lavender London Fog as well, it is one of my favorite drinks they make. It is bursting with lavender flavor! The baristas and other workers are all very friendly and are always consistent with the quality of food and drink they make! This is my go to cafe on Elmwood!
Jess B.
I've been to Perks maybe five times and it's consistently good. I usually get the chicken salad wrap which is packed with greens and fruit as well as the chicken and comes with a little green salad on the side. I had the blueberry lavender lemonade last spring which was lovely. As someone who cannot consume dairy, I LOVE all their vegan options. They have about six or eight flavors of vegan ice cream - today I got a scoop of the pear gingersnap and my friend had the apple bourbon and both were amazing.
Mehrul Singh R.
Came down here for studying, got the cranberry apple chicken salad wrap and cookie butter latte with almond milk. Loved the wrap came in a big quantity with a side salad which was fresh and so delicious. The latte was so good love the cookie butter in the latte
Jen S.
Ehhh, I've been here several times and I've never been totally wowed. I'm typically a year round cold brew drinker, so when I'm ordering a hot coffee, I'd assume it'd be *hot*. I've ordered two hot coffees, one with espresso, in the last week from this location and both times they were too easy to be drank and didn't warm me up for the purpose of drinking them while walking outside. The most recent visit there was coffee all over the cup and I just thought that was a bit tacky. It happens, I get it, not a huge deal... but wouldn't better customer service be to put the drink in a new cup or perhaps just double cup to cover the stickiness? I do enjoy visiting because I like the ambience, I like the seasonal options when I'm feeling something besides a basic black, and I really dig the non dairy options (huge thank you for the oat and walnut options).
KerryR1264
I can't believe I just went to Perks for the first time. Lingered with friends for a couple of hours. The Mediterranean avocado toast was so good. I had hot chai latte with oat milk, and it was perfect. I am a chai fan, but often, it is too sweet. Not the case at Perks. Staff was friendly, ambiance lovely and warm on a cold, gray Buffalo morning. I will be back. Oh and serious efforts to be eco-friendly.
Best cafe to ever exist at the University at Buffalo This cafe is at the atrium and offers ice cream and has a fully functional Starbucks. If you live in Wilkeson, other buildings in Ellicot or even to visit the Ellicot complex in the University at Buffalo. Take a stop at this
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I would simply say it's a sister branch for Starbucks.
I would simply say it's a sister branch for Starbucks.
Serve Starbucks coffee's, some baked goods and ice cream.
Perks is a great local coffee shop in the Elmwood village with lots of tasty snacks, drinks, and sandwiches to try. Admittedly this is one of my more favorite places to take a date as it's location is prime for a nice walk afterwards lol. Their location in the somewhat less busy section of Elmwood allows for slightly more street parking but keep in mind there is also the nearby parking ramp. They have great prices and lots of variety and the staff are always friendly. Their drink menu is fairly extensive as well so there's always something to try! I came for breakfast during my most recent visit and got a super tasty southwest style wrap and a phenomenal peanut butter chocolate chip cookie! Come visit and enjoy the "Perks" of this great café.
My review is late, but... Love this place! We've never got a chance to try this place pre-Covid 19, but we've been a couple times for takeout coffee and breakfast, and it was good! The iced coffees (especially the iced latte with oat milk) was super delicious and the mocha was really good too. The only downside is the baked goods. The pistachio muffin was very pistachio-y, but a tid bit dry and the chocolate croissant was a bit shallow inside. Still, overall a very nice place for coffee!
Wow okay I have no new photos to add bc I ate my lunch way to quick but the food I got was POPPIN! Holy cow apparently I didn't get the right food last time bc the southwest burrito and breakfast blt were amazing!!! Burrito: loaded with warm gooey pepper jack cheese, healthy amount of fresh eggs, and spicy potatoes with sour cream and a hit of sriracha in a wheat wrap. This is the SOUTHWEST breakfast you need YEEHAW Breakfast BLT: comes on toast or a bagel but I HIGHLY recommend the everything bagel and is absolutely loaded with fresh eggs, chive cream cheese, tomato, greens, and glorious apple smoked bacon. Still not a huge fan of their coffee (I think they sell overwinter) which is a great local company but just not for me. Definitely recommend these items, make sure to place order ahead online or over phone rn for COVID-19 procedures, pay in advance too
Perks helping me celebrate today with these awesome Star Wars cookies. May the 4th be with you!
I came here Saturday afternoon while going for a lengthy (socially distant) walk downtown with a friend. I didn't realize that they were only allowing one person in the restaurant at a time. I thought more than one would be okay, as long as we would be more than six feet apart, since everyone waiting had masks on. I went back outside and my friend was waved in after a brief wait. A homeless person had asked me to get him a large iced coffee, when I was waiting to be allowed to re-enter the establishment. I got that for him, a large dark roast for myself (with three cream and two sugars), and a bacon apple cheddar grilled cheese for myself. The dark roast coffee was great. The sandwich was really good. It came with chips or a salad. I chose chips. They were basic wavy plain chips. I had a far walk to get back to my car and the takeout container was kind of shoddy. I wasn't walking too quickly and the container cracked in a couple places. It also didn't stay closed well. Although it is one of those nice ones that are great for the environment, maybe they could get a different kind of container. Some restaurants use containers that look like Chinese takeout containers. For two coffees and a sandwich, it was $17.93. The sandwich was really good, as was the coffee, but I think if I return, I might get something a bit cheaper. The staff were really nice and pleasant. They were understanding of the fact that we didn't know their current policy and that we both came in at the same time. The people that were waiting outside were either waiting for a Door Dash order, had called their own order in, or had ordered online for themselves. If I decide to return during the pandemic, I'll make sure to order online first, so my wait isn't as lengthy. My wait was 17 minutes. Their current hours are 8am-3pm for takeout and door dash only!!! That is only for their Elmwood Avenue location only!!! Their west side location at Horsefeathers on Connecticut Street and their location at the Expo Market on Main Street are currently closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I love that perks offers a lot of vegan options (even when they have seasonal specials) and is a friendly and all inclusive space. I saw that they had some March specials and decided to stop in for a vegan shamrock shake, something I miss getting every year! The shake was great and the size was pretty decent, not just some small dinky thing, so that was great. however the price was a little steep for me. I noticed perks doesn't really put their special drink prices on the specials menu board so I had no idea how much it would cost me until it was rung up. Had I known this shake was $10 I probably would not have stopped in in the first place, but hey maybe that's their strategy anyways. Either way, I like supporting local places that makes a good effort to include vegan options and are Lgbtq friendly so I'd rather spend my money here than a corporation at the end of the day. I would still come back, but probably just as a treat myself kinda thing.
Restaurantji Recommends
The Breakfast B.L.T. was amazing. They put a cream cheese chive spread on it, and it really makes the sandwich! Eggs and bacon were cooked perfectly. I ordered a Lavender London Fog as well, it is one of my favorite drinks they make. It is bursting with lavender flavor! The baristas and other workers are all very friendly and are always consistent with the quality of food and drink they make! This is my go to cafe on Elmwood!
I've been to Perks maybe five times and it's consistently good. I usually get the chicken salad wrap which is packed with greens and fruit as well as the chicken and comes with a little green salad on the side. I had the blueberry lavender lemonade last spring which was lovely. As someone who cannot consume dairy, I LOVE all their vegan options. They have about six or eight flavors of vegan ice cream - today I got a scoop of the pear gingersnap and my friend had the apple bourbon and both were amazing.
Came down here for studying, got the cranberry apple chicken salad wrap and cookie butter latte with almond milk. Loved the wrap came in a big quantity with a side salad which was fresh and so delicious. The latte was so good love the cookie butter in the latte
Ehhh, I've been here several times and I've never been totally wowed. I'm typically a year round cold brew drinker, so when I'm ordering a hot coffee, I'd assume it'd be *hot*. I've ordered two hot coffees, one with espresso, in the last week from this location and both times they were too easy to be drank and didn't warm me up for the purpose of drinking them while walking outside. The most recent visit there was coffee all over the cup and I just thought that was a bit tacky. It happens, I get it, not a huge deal... but wouldn't better customer service be to put the drink in a new cup or perhaps just double cup to cover the stickiness? I do enjoy visiting because I like the ambience, I like the seasonal options when I'm feeling something besides a basic black, and I really dig the non dairy options (huge thank you for the oat and walnut options).
I can't believe I just went to Perks for the first time. Lingered with friends for a couple of hours. The Mediterranean avocado toast was so good. I had hot chai latte with oat milk, and it was perfect. I am a chai fan, but often, it is too sweet. Not the case at Perks. Staff was friendly, ambiance lovely and warm on a cold, gray Buffalo morning. I will be back. Oh and serious efforts to be eco-friendly.