Have been going to Cilantro for coffee, breakfast and lunch for many years. Nearly always had a positive experience. Was here yesterday for lunch and was excited for a sandwich. However, what I received was 90% bread and lettuce with only 10% protein and cheese. Why the ridiculously lean portions??!! Feeling like I was ripped off by Cilantro. It was a carry-out order so impossible for me to address in person. Note: the counter staff that took my order were perfectly pleasant, the sandwich-maker on the other hand appeared visibly distressed by having to work. read more

The store/ cafe was closed at 4 pm although the sign says 7-5. This is not the First time the store was closed at a random time. If there is an emergency then a sign in the window would be nice. But to Lock up just like that is not ok. We never got to order or to talk to the staff but they were in cleaning up. read more

Cilantro Specialty Foods - Opening times, store/cafe front door - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Guilford, Connecticut

I always love cilantro for great coffee and breakfast sandwiches! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Friendly staff and cozy inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Cilantro Specialty Foods - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Guilford, Connecticut

I have a cilantro sticker on my phone that I never peel off because I love this store so much! Every time people ask me about it, I talk about the service and the great bagels from Cohen's. I gifted the coffee beans to an old friend, and they really enjoyed them. read more

Their coffee is perfection - rich, smooth, and clearly made with care (and maybe a little love, too). The baked goods are out of this world - flaky, buttery, and baked fresh daily. My current personal favorite is the iced pumpkin bread, but honestly, you can't go wrong with anything there. Cilantro is a Guilford treasure! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Cute, clean, friendly spot on the "main drag" of Guilford.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] B'fast or lunch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Seats inside @ a table or the "bar" area if you're solo. Outside seating too![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I had the Quiche (many types to choose from) & it was terrific. Lots of other options to choose from too! read more

Going on almost 6 years since my last Cilantro review. Found a parking spot a few steps away and stopped in today with a gift card I recently had been given. Quickly hopped over here to order lunch today around 11am or so prior to any potential lunch rush. I ordered a cranberry chicken salad wrap. My order was placed within moments of the cashier realizing I was ready to be helped. The to-go wrap was ready within 5 minutes and it was delicious. The shop space is small, but they really utilize all of the area they have. The shelved were stocked with everything from grab and go prepared foods, local gifts and even cleaning products. You can also place an order online for fast pick up too. In the past, I had stopped here for more of a breakfast vibe, but I feel like lunch may be really their jam. Happy I gave it another chance. read more

See all

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Very Nice Place with outdoor seating too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As far as the coffee and drinks? The worst coffee I've ever had. The coffee prices themselves are not too bad compared to other coffee shops, but, I did order a small flavored iced tea that cost a crazy $5.00! It was good but very over priced. As far as their coffee, their flavored coffee should be sold as unflavored coffee since i can't taste anything. Worst flavored coffee, just no flavoring. People are Ok. I might go there for a nice quite drink, but never for a drink to go please, the worst!! read more

Cilantro is my #1 choice for morning snacks and lunch. The muffins, croissants, and danish are first rate. As a recovering New Yorker, I'll pass on the bagels. Service is consistent, friendly, and efficient. The clean, well-maintained space is great for coffee, but seating is very limited. I'm a regular! read more

Don't go for the scones. this is not a complete review, but I felt the need to criticize the scones, especially because they're supposedly baked in-house. a scone should be relatively light, flaky and crumbly. Theirs are unpleasantly heavy and doughy. I've tried them on several occasions months apart, and have found them to be consistent in this respect. Even with a healthy appetite, I can't get very far into one of these before I can't think of taking another bite. Then, on a recent occasion there when I was served a not-very-good avocado toast with a flimsy plastic knife and fork that was incapable of cutting through the crust, I witnessed a woman make the same complaint about the scone she had bought and deemed inedible for being so far from what a scone was expected to be, and was refused a refund because "that's the way we make them." [[HIGHLIGHT]]Otherwise, Cilantro is a cute place in a nice location and with a good selection of other things to breakfast or lunch on.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I hope they'll do a little customer survey about their scones, though, because they're seriously just "wrong." read more

Processed eggs on wrap yuk Weak dark roast coffee yuk Nope won't be back Clean, friendly cashier read more

This was an awesome local find while visiting family by the beach. Their Bacon Egg and Cheese on a croissant fueled me for two days in a row and they have some really special coffee as well. There's a ton of variety in their specialty options as well (everything from pasta to postcards) and with the exception of a bit of a wait, this was a great addition to our trip. We'll be back! read more

See all

I do love this place and go at least once a week. Great sandwiches and some great grab and go items along with good coffee options. Many delicious (and huge desserts). Feedback: the scones are over mixed which throws the texture off and making them heavy and chewy. For years I always think the scones look like they will be delicious but one bite into them and you know immediately they were over mixed and are too dense- may also need some more butter to get the texture right- or the butter needs to be colder. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Cute little place![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I got the mozz and cutlet sandwich with a latte and it was very good! A little pricey but worth it read more

My brother and I met my granddaughter there last week. We had a nice visit there but was a bit disappointed that they were unable to warm my sandwich that I wanted to order. Girl at register said they were understaffed and couldn't do that. So I got a cold chicken wrap sandwich instead that was just ok. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They really weren't that busy at 4 pm either.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

The pumpkin spice latte was perfect. Not too sweet and hit all the right flavors. Really enjoyed the curried chicken salad and the overall vibe. The barista was kind and answered all my questions too. Looking forward to coming back next time I'm in Guilford! read more

Cilantro Specialty Foods - Pumpkin spice latte and early morning ambience. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Guilford, Connecticut

I went here for a coffee and to do some work. The latte was pretty standard; nothing stood out about it. The woman who helped me was super nice! They don't have bathrooms, which I'm not about. If you have tables to eat, there should be a bathroom (I live with ulcerative colitis, so I'm bias haha). I'd recommend this place for a quick to-go panini or something, not to hang around. Go eat on the green! read more

Nice location.... Just wish they had more seats. Also service was VERY slow. Food is decent. Glad to have some choices in Guilford. No public WI-FI any more! read more

Agree that this shop offers good latte and a great morning glory muffin. Service was friendly! Recommend!

Great fresh options , the food is delicious and a great place to get a healthy meal and meet a friend for coffee ! Food is delicious always

Horrible service. I always thought Dunkin was the low service standard. But we have a new low. From the cashier not knowing what is on the menu, unable to make .71 change and then my coffee order getting completely forgotten. read more

Coffee isn't great. It's a shame as they have a roaster in house. Need to invest in better beans like single origin or alike. I asked for an americano in a small cup and they gave me a single shot with water ... yuk. Might as well have a coffee at home out of a jar. read more

I haven't tried any of the food but have tried coffee types twice. It's a nice store with good staff. It's a good central location to meet if you would like to spend time on the green read more

Cilantro Specialty Foods - Front sign from window - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Guilford, Connecticut

This place is awesome. Great specialty foods and bakery. If they have the almond-croissant bread pudding-grab it! Staff and service consistently good. read more

Gotta love the freshest coffee you will ever have! They LITERALLY roast the coffee right there! Sandwiches and other snacks are available as well, making this a great place to meet friends or colleagues. The location couldn't be more perfect with a view of the beautiful Guilford green.... Eat, shop, walk.... Great day! read more

Love coming in here on a sat of shopping!!! Just had the best Cappuccino!!!! Great place, awesome staff, our Bistro server was so sweet! Really nice young man!!!!! Kiddos to you guys... see you soon read more

Beautiful location and great coffee , but that's where it stops for me. Stopped in for a local "Bacon egg & Cheese", but was told they were out of bacon, so i opted for ham. I have to say, i am a bit bias as I have worked in the breakfast industry for over 15 years and expect a classic BEC to be the same. First- they scramble the egg, but I think it comes from the "carton" scramble because the way it looked and the way it tasted (only ate 2 bites) definitely didn't taste like real egg. They don't have American cheese (??), only use cheddar as the regular. Make a long story short- i threw the ham and egg away, scraped off the cheese and retoasted my bagel and used my own butter and cream cheese to at least not waste my whole breakfast. I want to love this place, but unfortunately after my 2nd visit I will not be returning. read more

Cilantro Specialty Foods - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Guilford, Connecticut

Nice spot for a cup of coffee. Friendly counter staff. Scones are ok. The banana muffin was excellent. Dark roast coffee was good, better than most. read more

Cilantro is a small town fixture in Guilford. The staff is friendly and clearly dedicated to providing the best possible service. The menu provides a wide variety of choices to suit anyone's taste. The scones, muffins, and other baked treats are always fresh. The coffee and lattes will satisfy even the most sophisticated coffee snob. I strongly support local business and this one is one of the best! read more

natalie whips up the finest sandwich i have ever had in my whole 47 years of life- i say bravo, friend! so friendly, very helpful, and excellent sandwich prep technique.... you will be seeing this face again! read more

I ordered a medium vanilla latte and it is probably one of the worst lattes I've ever had from a coffee shop. It may be just the vanilla flavor shot that ruined it, but I couldn't even taste the coffee--- just the awful vanilla flavor, and it tasted like it was just FULL of artificial sweeteners..... Something I definitely didn't ask for. I'd recommend The Marketplace, just a couple doors down, ANY DAY over Cilantros (for coffee at least) ..... Now I remember why I stopped coming here years ago. read more

The best roast on the green. Always a smooth coffee with no need to add any cream or sugar. The baked goods are wonderful as well. If you are an early riser the muffins are still warm in the center even an hour after opening. The staff is always friendly and efficient. Enjoy some coffee with a muffin or cluster cookie take a walk around the green and tell yourself you had some exercise for the day ;) read more

Cilantro is a coffee shop that I *want* to like a lot, but the owners could put a lot more effort into several key areas to make it a truly good experience that will keep me (and others) coming back. For now, every time I want a coffee on the go, I have to think twice when I'm in Guilford. First, the music being played here just does not fit the vibe at all, to a sometimes hilarious degree. You can expect a constant stream of *acoustic* renditions of modern dance and pop tracks despite the scene here being baby boomers and office folk on lunch break eating alone. Come on, Cilantro, just because it's called "The Coffee House" on SiriusXM doesn't mean it fits your clientele, not to mention it comes across as pandering, in a way? In my opinion, coffee shop music should ideally just fade into the background. Unfortunately for us all, *acoustic* pop music is so attention-grabbing, so lyric- and beat-heavy at times with its highs and lows, it just pierces your soul, and leaves you in a constant state of bewilderment, asking yourself questions like "why does an acoustic version of Meghan Trainor's 'Lips are Movin' even EXIST, and who is responsible?" as you're sipping your latte and eating chicken salad out of a single-use plastic container. Moving on to what you are probably coming here to get: the coffee tastes like they burned the beans. That might be your thing, but I found that all the cream in the world could not balance out this flavor. Coffee, like music, is extremely subjective and lots of people love their coffee, so I can let this one slide (though I don't know a single soul that enjoys the music here). It must be mentioned that their scones are extremely chewy and tough, and it's brought up so much in these reviews it's sort of becoming a meme. I don't know what they're using to make these, but the batter is being overmixed and does not contain enough butter. Maybe they're vegan? My dad eats them regardless, so maybe he's the reason for their scone-making complacency. As for me, they're not worth the calories and I've had better baked goods at hospitals. I guess there are some positives... ? The chicken salad is good, but if you buy a container it's about $1 per bite, so it's pretty pricey. Most sandwiches are good, too. They have tons of options for bread, which is nice, and you can customize pretty much everything. So, in conclusion, come to Cilantro for chicken salad sandwiches and to hate-listen to acoustic Shawn Mendes tracks alongside Guilford boomers. read more

THE worst music on the planet, unless you like a steady diet of earnest lyrics coupled with acoustic guitars and ukuleles being strummed in the same chord over and over again. The food is very good. Coffee is awful but the food makes it worth it. Just bring your earplugs. read more

Food is good and I appreciate the vegetarian options. Not so impressed with staff. They are often slow to wait on you. I have stood in front of deli counter on several occasions while 2-5 wait staff milled around chatting. Someone pops out of kitchen and sees me and takes my order. What?? On another occasion I asked a staff member if any of the 3 different sliced up quiches were vegetarian and she said all of them were. I pointed to one that obviously had bacon or ham on it and asked about that one. She insisted ALL were vegetarian! I decided to get something else. They need experienced wait staff. read more

I had just begun to think it impossible for a worker, at any type of restaurant, to have the gumption to be professional, courteous, thoughtful, fun, and warm and engaging all at once; all at once, I saw that I was wrong. Helen, a worker (long time, I'm told), was all that and more. Any astute observer could see that even though this beautiful young woman was tired from the many hours she works each day, she was more than pleasant. Helen was devoted to her work, to representing her place of business in a most respectable way. I am going back there today! Not sure if I'll even tell her of this note because she seems so very humble. But any person with that sort of character, deserves to be recognized for her hard work, and serious dedication to making each patron feel special. The owner(s) of Cilantro ought to feel proud for selecting Helen! I have already told many friends, most of whom love a fine bistro, to accompany me and others there. Hats off to a most special worker, who made this old(er) gal's day. I was there in January of this year. Submitted by Judy Kaplowe, West Haven, CT February 26, 2022. read more

They roast their own coffee here. It's a little noisy when they do (I come here sometimes to do a little work in the window seats), but it smells great, and I take a pound or two home with me. (They have a coffee club card that gives you every 10th pound of beans free.) Sandwiches are good, not great. Standard fancy coffee drinks. Mostly young staff. They're cute and chatty, and frequently flirt with one another the way insecure high school kids do. It's so adorable I want to smack them. read more

Buying coffee beans by the pound and always get offered a sample first. Always makes me loyal. :) Great coffee and teas. Needed in this town. Glad they can fill this roll and keep Starbucks off the green. :) read more

Friendly helpful people when you need to order and pay. One time a girl took the time to explain ALL the teas and what she likes, out of what's for sale (to take home). I really want to give them five stars but if they serve food that typically requires a fork/spoon, and they don't give it to me with the food, I would go look for it where the coffee creamers and sugars are- there's nothing. Then I go back to the counter to politely wait for attention... staff seems too busy to get me a spoon. I hate to be the person to say "EXCUSE ME" while they can clearly see me standing at the counter While they are brewing/cleaning/Etc. Plus if staff knows I'm here with kid(s) in tow, I hope they understand I need to be tending to kid(s) not waiting at the counter for something they sound have given me with my order. read more

The best Blueberry scone on the East Coast. Great spot they are always there to greet you with a smile and cater to any special request. They grind all their coffee fresh there one of the better cups of coffee on the shoreline. Highly recommend. read more