A solid spot for brunch in Ithaca! 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! read more

See all

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

Cute brunch spot with friendly staff but not the greatest quality of food in my honest opinion. Their El Cubano is decent but overly salty, dripping in oil, and had cold ham. It lacked the freshness and acidity of pickles to balance out the heaviness of the poke. I've also tried their Pulled pork sandwich, but it was cold and somewhat dry. The BBQ Chicken sandwich was also dry, and the bread was so soggy that it was falling apart. The sandwich had bbq sauce but did not complement the acidity of the coleslaw. I had asked for fruit but was given chips and they were either burnt or not crispy. Overall, I have given this place a couple of tries but was left disappointed, so unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend. read more

Coal Yard Cafe - El Cubano with side of fruit - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

See all

Overall great drinks! I got an iced matcha latte and it was really good. Cashiers always nice. The ambiance is a little packed in which is the only reason it's 4 stars! I'll be back! read more

Amazing food. Quick service. Great coffee. Inside and outside seats. What more could you want? Shakshuka was flavorful and the added artichoke hearts were great. The BLAST sandwich was awesome. Bacon, lettuce, avocado, smoked salmon and tomato on marble rye!!! Could eat that everyday. Cuban sandwich also scrummy and the jailhouse wrap was surprisingly filling with Korean seasoned pork. Iced ginger peach tea is super refreshing and the decaf latte was perfect. Super menu. So many choices. Come Back often. read more

Coal Yard Cafe - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

See all

The food was fresh and delicious on both days that we ate breakfast here. We had egg and cheese croissant sandwiches! The hash browns- Yum!

Most unusual (breakfast) menu in awhile. There were 6 of us and we all enjoyed our picks which ran from a Falafel and egg dish to a Duck confit with duck egg to Grits & Bacon You have to check out the menu - I'm sure you'll find something you've never tried before. Well worth a visit read more

See all

A good local cafe nearby to Cornell. The place was popping on a Sunday morning around 11 when I went but the turn over was pretty fast so that was good. The location itself is pretty small so seating is limited and I wouldn't suggest big groups. There is a small covered area in the back that offers more seating for nice weather days. The menu options were pretty standard and I would say that this location has a better breakfast menu than lunch. The coffee/latte list was vast and everyone that came out with a coffee drink looked fabulous. I personally got a sandwich and it was a little lacking in my book, just your standard sandwich with fruit, which was a nice change from fries. read more

Coal Yard Cafe - a woman serving food to a customer - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

See all

It's a small building set right off the street with parking in the rear, today parking was at a premium. As we approached you could smell the mouth watering food inside. Menus are set on an old stove for perusing as you wait to order at the counter. Inside there are seven small tables with most two seaters, there is a table out front and several in the back. Friendly and fast service! We ordered the croissant breakfast sandwich with cheese and the ranch eggs (beans, salsa, fried egg and potatoes). $23 with tip. We only waited about seven minutes before our name was called and we retrieved our food from the counter. Everything was piping hot!! The sandwich was stuffed with a large egg and was seasoned perfectly. My daughter gobbled it up! The ranch eggs hit the spot, the beans were seasoned well and all the flavors melded well together. Would highly recommend for a fast delicious meal! read more

Coal Yard Cafe - Croissant sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

See all

Great atmosphere, service was super fast despite being slammed and I had some great crepes and coffee.

I wanted to take my son who I hadn't seen in a few months(he lives and works in NYC) to what I thought to be a delightful place. We arrived about 9 AM Friday and our food was served immediately and was great. However after 25 minutes one of the staff came over and asked us to leave saying: he "needed the table". I couldn't believe it! I had not even finished. We still had coffee to drink. My son didn't want to make a fuss so we left. I still don't understand . The place was not overly crowded; there may have been 2 to 4 people waiting but who doesn't expect to wait a bit in a popular restaurant. Neither my son nor I have ever encountered anything like this. I will never go again and I intend to advise others of the rude treatment! read more

It's only half a mile from Collegetown though it's uphill so 15 minute walk max. Very cute Setting historic building. I thought the food was excellent. I had ranch eggs, one of the best breakfast I've ever had. read more

Always good food. And very cute setting. Enjoy reading about the history of the cafe. Can get crowded. Small inside but if weather nice there is also some outdoor seating. Folks working there have always been friendly. read more

I regret finding this place so late in my Cornell experience! With some outdoor seating right near a walking path, Coal Yard is ideal for a small brunch with friends on the weekends. read more

See all

This place gets super crowded on weekends - the line to order is always 10 deep - you order and they deliver it your table. There is covered outdoor seating but food gets cold quickly outside in the fall/winter!! The shakshuka was solid. The sweet potato hash tasted delicious at first but it just got tooo greasy so I didn't finish The falafel breakfast was weird - not for me... didn't work. Coffee is solid and service is quick (after you order) Better than most other brunch options in downtown Ithaca. read more

Coal yard cafe is great! The food portions left us satisfied. And it's also delicious! The interior is cozy and the noise level is low when I went. The staff are friendly. We ordered right at the cashier and sat ourselves down until the food was ready. I would come back and recommend everyone to enjoy Coal Yard Cafe! read more

See all

A truly unique, friendly spot in Ithaca, featuring excellent-quality ingredients and delicious pastries, food and drinks, all made-to-order by a family-run crew of caring people. At first you'll have a hard time choosing, and then you'll want to try everything. Nice ambiance, too! read more

Cute little spot for breakfast with great reviews I found through Yelp while I was in town. There is no table service except when they bring you your food, you have to go to the counter to order and get your own coffee and pay before your meal. The special of Johnny Cakes with Duck and Egg sounded fantastic although the $14 price was steep but I figured I'd go for it. When it arrived, I thought they had forgotten the duck but the minuscule portion was buried under the egg. There was maybe enough for 2 forkfuls. It was good but not great. While there's nothing better than fresh, local products they need to make the price comparable to portions and taste on top of the fact that this is not a full-service joint. read more

Coal Yard Cafe - Johnny cakes and duck special - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

While the building is cute, the menu is all over the place. I appreciate attempting to include food from other cultures, but they are not executed well. The falafel, for example, was brown and mushy, yet undercooked, with large chunks of chickpeas- very unappetizing. If you make a stop here, stick to the breakfast sandwiches which are decent. read more

Food was very fresh and delicious. Oat latte was delicious. Hubby has the bbq chicken sandwich, with coleslaw.. very good. My daughter has crapes, also delicious. Nice atmosphere, super fast service. read more

Coal Yard Cafe - Falafel egg - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

We needed a quick lunch in Ithaca and we were going to an event on Cornell's campus and this popped up. What a great little gem we found. We ordered a wrap and a sandwich with some sweet potato fries and it was perfect. Food was great! We will definitely be back. read more

We ate at the Coalyard café Which is in an area that does not have much traffic and is in a tiny building. Inside has artifacts from a bygone era when they used coal to heat the campus. We had the falafel egg dish and poached eggs, And the sweet potato hash. The coffee was fantastic, and the dishes were well thought out and prepared. There are not a lot of tables inside, but that didn't matter for us as we quickly found a table. This was a great experience. read more

Coal Yard Cafe - This is the outside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

See all

Great little boutique restaurant in a totally random residential street. We accidentally spotted it during our first Ithaca trip and made it a point to come back every single trip thereafter. This is likely our last Ithaca visit, our kid just graduated Cornell, and we stopped at the Coal Yard to enjoy their yummy crapes one last time... bittersweet read more

Coal Yard Cafe is a small establishment with a few tables both inside and outside. For a four person team, they worked very efficiently and I was thoroughly impressed. When another patron made off with my food, they were quick to remake the correct dish for me. Would recommend! read more

Coal Yard Cafe - Ranch Eggs - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Dirty, grass not cut. Food is strange & bizarre. Staff young kids without a care in the world . We will find somewhere better, maybe in Trumansburg ? read more

We were looking for a breakfast place in the area and saw this had good reviews. I had a bagel sandwich with egg and cheese and avocado which was tasty. There is no table service really- you order and pay at the counter and then they bring out your food to you. Cute setting with a few small tables inside and a few out back in the parking lot. Limited parking with only a few designated spots and other folks parked along the side of the driveway. I'd go back here but I wasn't completely blown away. Fine for a casual bite but nothing super remarkable. read more

On our second day of our BabyMoon we decided that we wanted to try a hiking trail. Well, you can't go hiking without a good breakfast! With 4.5 stars and a ton of reviews, there was no contest where we were going to go. The café is smaller but super cute. Parking sucked but it seems like this place was more of a walk to place than drive to. The menu was full of options. The place is a seat yourself with indoor and outdoor seating. The coffee was so hot I barely could drink it until after our hike. I got a breakfast burrito and my husband got a breakfast sandwich. Both were very well prepared and delicious! I can see why so many locals like the place. read more

Coal Yard Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

We really enjoyed our brunch here today! We appreciated that they offered brunch late into the day (brunch all day), as we had a late start to our day. They had an extensive menu and outdoor patios. We ordered several breakfast sandwiches, salad, crepes, side of home fries. It was all very good! It was prepared quickly and the staff were very kind. Sorry, we were so hungry, I didn't take pics before we started eating. The peach iced tea was nice! I would like to see more sweet options added to the menu. The crepes were very good! They made our home fries very crispy, per our request and we all enjoyed them! read more

Coal Yard Cafe - Cesar salad was good! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

See all

Went here for weekend breakfast before the colleges opened and it wasn't too crowded. You order at the counter and they bring your food to you. Coffee was great and self serve. To be honest, this is a near identical menu to Milkstand without the pretentious trappings, ex. I ordered the fruit crepes-here they arrived hot with two small plastic containers, one with the fruit, the other with whipped cream/butter, at MS they arrive with the fruit in the crepe but the butter is also in a small plastic container now! For half the price I'll take Coal Yard...We also ordered the grits to share and the lox bagel. Also hot and fast and delicious! Such great food and at a winning price, I'd rather wait in line here than MS, my student even remarked he would def go back here with his girlfriend. read more

Food is good. Service is fine. But don't order the side of fruit. This is what you get for 5 dollars. What a joke. read more

Coal Yard Cafe - 5 dollar fruit cup. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

The staff are incredibly friendly; I was in town for a conference and they offered to provide suggestions for cool gorges to check out. I checked out two of them and had very warm feelings about the whole situation. I ordered breakfast burritos both times I went and coffee. They ran out while I was there and instead of leaving me out to dry, made me a pour over. I wasn't sure what to expect of Ithaca when I came to Cornell for a week, but they provided an incredibly good impression of the town :). read more

Let's say you're visiting prestigious Cornell University and have a hankering for some sensational eggs at breakfast, or the perfect sandwich at lunch. Incredibly specific, I know. But if this appeals to you, then Coal Yard is the place for you! The Ranch Eggs are truly a masterpiece, a bowl of perfectly cooked over easy eggs (I swapped the beans for an extra egg), running into a gooey goodness once you break the surface, loaded with fabulous accoutrements and a little kick from a spicy aioli. The green peppers, onions, and tomatoes are unbelievably fresh, but the potatoes were pretty much the best I've ever had, cooked to a perfect crispness on the outside while remaining tender inside. The chicken sandwich was also sensational, incredibly fresh pulled chicken served on a piece of French bread that truly vaulted the sandwich to perfection! read more

Walkable from Collegetown, probably the most decent brunch joint in close proximity. Ordered the crepes for a satisfying meal. read more

Coal Yard Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Came back to Coalyard for a nice lunch and ordered the exact same thing (tuna melt). Was extremely disappointed to see that they cut the sandwich in half for the exact same price. I did not come at a peak time so there is no reason why the exact same item should be in a smaller portion. I noticed that other food items have also decreased in size (ex. the burrito). read more

Coal Yard Cafe - Tuna melt - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Popular place for lunch. Hearty and well sourced food. I'm looking forward to going back. Be prepared to wait for a seat at prime lunch time. read more

Soup Nazi vibes. Decent food although sous chef was incredibly rude and the 'help' seems like they haven't interacted with humans before. Make sure to order your food and THEN drinks, otherwise you'll get chastised by Napoleon behind the counter. read more

We had such a great experience here! The grits and tomato soup are so tasty. The cheddar grit bowl was small but delicious. The burger is fantastic and the fries amazing. Highly recommend! read more

This is a small cafe with a menu that fits the space. Breakfast was delicious, with a straightforward coffee menu. Peep the specials to the right of the register! We didn't see them until after we had ordered. read more

Not a bad place, I was in the mood for crepes and this was the only place in Ithaca that seems to make them. They were good, as was the tofu Asian salad and London fog drink. Price was fair but it did take a while for food to be made. Only available for takeout and eating out back, there's no current indoor dining. read more

Coal Yard Cafe - Front entrance - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Creative, delicious breakfast bowls and coffee. Ambience perfect Artists at work at their best! read more