I'm a coffee snob from Houston and this is the best coffee shop in Ithaca, period. (Followed by a…read morereal period.) The aesthetic feels like an escape into a quiet city coffee shop with plants and natural light everywhere. Staff was friendly. Iced and hot lattes are both great. I'd never had a Tasty pistachio latte...until I came here. Ithaca is an incredible place, truly. But if you ever want a little escape or find comfort in city-level coffee shops, check out Botanist.

Lots of coffee choices - my latte was great. Just a few pastry choices for food but my cinnamon…read moreroll was really good! One in our group had a scone which she loved too. Large enough place to have tables, window stool seating & a comfy couch. Nice atmosphere with plants everywhere. Early on a Saturday morning during college break it was very quiet so we took our time. Would recommend & return if in the area again.

This is a great stop for a good cuppa. Reasonably friendly staff (busy but quick) often a 5 minute…read morewait in the morning due to a line. Does have a nice buzz of activity while you wait. I love all of the clever 20 or so live plants in the decor ( as a plant guy). Location is great with plenty of parking to be found. Only negative is that the place isn't bigger with some sit down seating. My hope is that they will bust down the wall to the right and get the laundry mat out of there so that there is more room for seating or the line.

Gimme! Coffee is a coffee roaster local to Ithaca, New York that ships nationwide, but has a few…read morephysical locations in town. I visited their location just off the north end of the Cornell University campus. It can easily be missed due to the small signage outside the shop, but if you keep a look out for the exclamation point logo on the side of the building, it's easier to locate. They sell a variety of their coffee blends and quite a few pastries. It's such a small place that they do not have any tables to enjoy your food or drink purchase, so grab and go is pretty much your only choice. Service was quick and friendly. We got an Americano, a mocha, and a piece of their coffee cake. While none of them may win any awards, they were a solid substitute for Starbucks which doesn't have much of a presence in town (plus you're sporting a local business). While I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to visit Gimme! Coffee, it's worth a stop if you're in the area and in need of a caffeine fix.

Cute shop, friendly barista who was great to offer suggestions. The latte was good and it's always…read morea good sign when you have a line at all times.

The barista was very friendly. I do think the coffee took a long time to come out, which wasn't…read moreideal. My cortado was rich and tasty and my friend loved her Latte. The space itself is kind of cramped, but the local goods and overall decoration is great. I would definitely go back.

Loved this spot!! Good for small groups or getting brunch to go. I got a NY Maple Iced Latte in a…read moreLarge and it was delicious!!! It was the perfect amount of sweet. I also ordered a bacon egg and cheese on an everything bagel, which was a lot better than I was expecting. My friend got the avocado toast. Service was quick too. Hope to be back!

Hound and Mare is a cute little breakfast spot that serves breakfast sandwiches, salads, pastries,…read moreand coffee. They have a couple of breakfast sandwich options, but the Melrose stood out to me right away. It has bacon, over easy egg, a slice of crispy cheddar, garlic aioli, and caramelized onions on a toasted sesame bagel. Usually, I'm not a over easy or sunny side up person because I don't like egg yolk, but this whole sandwich with everything made it work for me. It was so tasty and satisfying. I've never had a crispy slice of cheese like this. I enjoyed the sandwich so much that I got it again the next day. I made the mistake of squeezing the sandwich and the egg yolk squirted on my sleeves. It seems like a popular spot. There was a line of people both days I went. The sandwich took about 5 minute wait.

Great coffee spot and got myself 2 bags of coffee beans…read more They mainly have medium roast but they still taste very bold

Gimme! Coffee has become the coffee spot I visit the most when I'm in Ithaca. It's walking distance…read morefrom the Commons area, so it's the usual place for me to get coffee if I'm downtown. The cafe has a cozy vibe with a good amount of indoor seating. I recently tried their rosemary latte, and I loved that it was not too sweet and had a nice rosemary flavor that did not overshadow the coffee's taste. They also offer coffee beans to purchase, and I appreciated one of the employees giving recommendations on the various flavor profiles.

Cute coffee shop in Ithaca!…read more The Kyoto cold brew was too acidic for my taste, I would not get this again. Strangely sour... and I love most black coffees. The matcha lemon cookie had a nice chew. The flavors individually were both good. However, the lemon overpowered the matcha- I would prefer these as separate cookies. Overall, I would maybe return. Nothing particularly stood out.

Amazing cafe and specialty food store. Delicious coffee, scrumptious pastries, and an expansive…read moresnack collection - what more could you ask for! I ordered an avocado toast and oat milk latte. The toast could have used a bit more avocado and seasoning, but overall solid. The coffee was extremely delicious. Robust yet balanced. Will definitely come back again! Prices are reasonable $7-15 per person. Parking is easy. Service is always friendly and helpful! Staff will even recommend coffee bean choices and gift ideas. The interior is bustling with a few tables inside and a specialty grocery store. They have a tavern in the back that serves beer and alcohol (there is also a liquor store right next to it run by the same owners!) FYI breakfast closes at 2pm so get your coffee and pastries before then!

Food was delicious and very fairly priced. Service was friendly and professional…read more Ambiance was cozy with a little funky mix with a nod to its roots

A solid spot for brunch in Ithaca!…read more I wish it was located a tad closer to c-town, but when the weather is warm it is actually quite a nice walk (still definitely walkable even in the winter)! We tried the breakfast croissant, the breakfast burrito, and crepes. We also ordered a hot Razz Mocha and an iced matcha (both with oat milk). I wish they had more milk varieties (only had whole and oat). Everything except the matcha was super tasty! I really loved the razz mocha- I will definitely be ordering this again. The crepes were my favorite entree- slightly thicker than your typical crepe, more of a chew. Nonetheless, very yummy. I like the berry compote and whipped cream. I enjoyed the croissant sandwich- ours had lox and egg. Too much egg, but perhaps the right amount of egg if you just want an egg sandwich without meat... Burrito was fine, though a tad watery. There was a bit of a line when we came- Saturday around noon and not much seating. We took our food to-go. Better to come when the weather is warmer- there is more seating under the tend in the back. Have heard mixed things about their other dishes, but I will definitely be returning!

I live on the west side of town and so was thrilled when I saw that FP was coming. The reason for…read morethe two stars? The majority of their tables are two or four tops or larger, and on weekends they're dominated by lone customers on laptops, sipping their drinks at a snail's pace (or obviously done consuming) avoiding eye contact and staying in their seat as they gaze intensely at their laptops. ‍ As a result, I've never been able to sit and enjoy this new contribution to the West End. Once I got a cup to go, and it was really good. Would like to try the food and sit but, sadly, my schedule only allows weekend café going. I cannot compete with the laptop lingerers. Owners of FP, if you're reading this, here is something I'm seeing when I travel around to cafés lately. Maybe something to try on weekends?? Unless you're fine with people lurking with one drink for hours on end and, taking away large tables from new customers?

Had a nice breakfast here on my last day in Ithaca! The inside is super spacious with plenty of…read moreseating, and I like the plants on the shelves. There are also two single restrooms. You order at the counter, and the menu is pretty extensive. The employees were super friendly. I got a protein bowl (eggs, spinach, avocado) for breakfast as well as a cup of lemon chamomile tea (came in a huge mug which I liked). The food came out pretty quickly.

Went in out of the rain. I didnt love my choice but my husband enjoyed his. I would not go back, he…read morewould. I got an iced coffee with cream and sugar free vanilla syrup. They have no other lite or sugar-free options, which is annoying. The coffee itself was lackluster and the flavor was off. I didnt finish mine. My husband got the seasonal cherry pistachio latte. He said it is creamy, flavorful amd delicious. We were gonna get a bakery treat but they all looked old. We were there in the early afternoon. Service was good. Ambiance is loud as it's a small space. Tables were full, we sat at a bar. Overall, meh for me.

An espresso specialty store this is not. They use a commercial-grade superautomatic machine to pull…read morethe shots. But unlike most of the Commons, it is open at 7a, so I went in on both a Saturday and a Sunday morning during a weekend in Ithaca. I was the only one in that early. The lattes I got were fine. Decent flavor, not bitter, but also not fresh beans. They did not have any pastries while I was there. They must bake them somewhere else.

We're always on the look out for a good coffee place and this place delivered! I think the best…read moretaste of coffee is drinking it black with no add ins to truly taste whether the bean was roasted properly. Staff were friendly, interior was spacious, and their pastries were yummy. We bought a couple bags to take home because we loved it so much. One drawback, their interior is too nice that people don't want to leave. Lots of customers on their laptops and devices just hanging out. If you want to just sit and relax with a good cup of coffee, sit by the window or grab a cup to go.

Awesome coffee shop that's perfect for coworking, catching up, checking emails or just coming in…read morebecause, you can, duh! Love their branding - I instantly wanted to buy the mugs, tote bags and travel mugs. So stinkin cute! I of course am already overloaded with tote bags so I decided to hang tight. Ordered a macchiato, since they do make it the classic way. Espresso with a dash of steamed milk. From oat milk, to almond milk to regular milk, the choice is yours. Coffee wise, I'm a purist, I like regular espresso. Call me crazy, but just plain arabica non complicated beans are IT for me. I'm a lavazza and kimbo drinker so anytime there's modified beans or over worked or under roasted or whatever it is kind of beans, 90% of the time, my espresso will not come out as I'd normally prefer it. We're in America, so I get it, a lot of people do prefer it like this or perhaps order their coffee with loads of milk and impossible to drink. Either way, I loved this coffee shop for the vibes. Extremely nice cashier, staff and barista. Cute little baked good section and simple espresso based drinks, including chai and matcha. Besides the coffee beans not being to my liking (this is just me) I do love this place and I'm so happy we popped in.