We have been there several times over the years and it is the best breakfast restaurant in the…read morearea. The service is very good and prompt. We always look forward to going back every time we are in Clayton.

My husband I enjoyed a fabulous lunch at The Rusty Bike Cafe. I loved the Summer Salad with all the…read morefruit, veggies, and vinaigrette. It was pure summer happiness on a plate. My husband loved his Philly Cheese Steak and coleslaw. He orders PCS whenever he can, and he said this was one of the best he's ever had. The menu is extensive and everything looks wonderful. Look at the menu ahead of time if it takes you a long time to make decisions. The service was great. We arrived after the lunch rush, so we were seated and served quickly. The place is decorated with biker memorabilia. We enjoyed looking around. The place has a happy vibe. We'll be back!

I came here 45 min before closing (which I normally hate to do) with my wife and son for a late…read morelunch. The ladies who worked here were incredibly kind and let us know the kitchen closed 30 min before closing. We ordered the meatloaf sandwich along with the grilled cheese and got a side of the sweet potato casserole and mac & cheese. Holy cow was it incredible. Two of the best sandwiches we have ever had. I am not the biggest ambience guy, but my wife absolutely loved how adorable the inside of this place was. 10/10 highly recommend

I came here to say with my sister because we grew up with a tea cafe and missed the aesthetic and…read morewow was I SHOCKED in the best possible way. Not only was the decor and aesthetic inviting and so detailed but the food was delicious and the service amazing (Jade). We went all out with cauliflower bisque, two different teas and scones (The Hobbit and The Highlander teas), a blueberry cobbler cheesecake and a limoncello. Every part of the meal was delicious. We absolutely will be back and can't wait to try the other teas. We also were able to take the leftovers for our tea pots and this makes me so excited! So many great bookish references -- it made my nerd heart happy

Great little cafe to get healthy meals. They were out of the cinnamon rolls by the time we rolled…read morein- 11am ish. We had a lovely brunch though. The bagels were very different from any we have had before, had a very home baked bread taste. The sweet potato bowl was very flavorful and hit just the right note for lunch. We did get a couple baked goods to go as well. The coffee was pretty good, they have tons of flavors to choose from and make some signature drinks too. The staff is very friendly and will give excellent recommendation. The decor is rustic cute. Worth a visit!!!

During our Fourth of July trip to Bryson City, we always try to support local coffee shops instead…read moreof the big chains, so we stopped into La Dolce Vita Bakery for breakfast and coffee. The shop itself is adorable, clean, and had a steady flow of customers. The staff was friendly, and the atmosphere was welcoming. I ordered an iced dirty chai latte, which is my go-to whenever I'm trying a new coffee shop because it's a pretty reliable way to compare places. It was good, and exactly what I was hoping for. I also tried the cinnamon roll. It was tasty, but pretty standard. Looking back, I think I'd try one of their other bakery items next time. My friend ordered one of their homemade biscuits. It took quite a while to come out--around 15 to 20 minutes--and several other customers were served before we received it. It honestly felt like the biscuit may have been forgotten, which was a little disappointing. Overall, though, we had a pleasant experience. Nothing was overpriced, the staff was kind, and it's the type of local place I always encourage travelers to support. While there are a couple of other coffee shops in Bryson City I'd probably try before returning, I still think La Dolce Vita Bakery is worth a visit so you can form your own opinion. Every café has busy days, and one experience doesn't define a business. If you're looking for a cozy local spot for coffee and a pastry while exploring downtown Bryson City, it's definitely worth stopping in.

Black Bear has a small diner feel. It's located a little closer to the Main Street/Highlands Road…read moreintersection in a shopping center. We were greeted quickly, and seated immediately. You may consider this if the upper Main Street area is crowded. We ordered the Tacos Tipicos to share, planning to order more if we were still hungry. After enjoying the tacos (they were delicious), we found we just weren't hungry for more. We would definite return when we're looking for Mexican. $24 and change for their Tacos Tipicos and two drinks.

We had a nice breakfast here on a Tuesday morning. It wasn't crowded, prices are reasonable esp for…read morethis area. Service was quick and friendly. Although she didn't bring the check at the end of the meal. This might be the way they do it and have you come to the counter to pay. The place is clean and comfortable. Food was good with generous portions. We'll be back tomorrow morning.

We went for dinner and the burger was phenomenal. Staff was attentive. I would definitely recommend.read more

My husband and I have been going to Cupboard Cafe for many years. It used to be a treat but the…read morefood and service have gone downhill drastically! I ordered a side of okra and rice and gravy. The bowl of okra was half full and appeared to be the bottom of the skillet. The gravy was minimal and the rice was dry. The cheddar biscuits, which used to be great, now taste leftover and dry. Our waitress is always in a hurry and we have to flag her down for multiple omissions from our order. It's a shame things have deteriorated at was once our favorite restaurant.

Cherokee/Bryson City area has been my little vacation spot for the last decade of my life (I grew…read moreup coming to this area in the summers to tube). I've been coming to Qualla Java Cafe since probably 2016. I can honestly say after 10 years, I've never had a bad drink here. They have a bunch of drinks - all with pretty fun names. Again, I've never had a bad drink here so it's fun to just randomly pick one. The service is always really fast and I'm never really in their long. Sorry if my review isn't better - coffee shops are kind of hard for me to review because coffee doesn't really look good in picture form. Just drink it!

Stopped here after going through the Smokey Mountains. This place is super cute! They have a large…read moredrink menu from teas, coffees, to lemonades and smoothies. I've had their chai tea before and they were really good but I opted for an orange hibiscus lemonade. It wasn't too sweet and was very refreshing. They offer a variety of non-dairy milk alternatives too. There are some bakery items but I didn't see anything labeled gluten-free. They have restrooms available for customers in the back and many different seating areas. There is also a patio outside that overlooks a creek where you can sit as well.

We decided to give City Lights Cafe a try today after an eye appointment. We ordered the crapes and…read morethey were fantastic. I had the Nutella with banana and strawberry with a side of bacon. My wife had the chocolate chip. Everything was delicious. This is a spot to return to, dining area was quiet and spacious. Everything was clean. The staff was friendly and welcoming.

City lights cafe is a very cozy and fun place to hang out. The servers are all friendly people that…read moreare good to converse with and they are great at preparing the food and beverages. Today was my first time coming here. I tried the iced lovestruck latte, a special valentine's themed drink that was created by a barista. It was pretty good. Upstairs there is a book store with a wide variety of choices. They have a system where you can ask them if they have a specific book in stock and they will tell you. You are also able to have books ordered if they are not in stock as well! Inside the bookstore there is a sweet cat that enjoys napping and pets. Very neat place.

We made a trip to one of my favorite stops when visiting my family's cabin in Ellijay…read more The place is huge with a vast selection of fresh fruits, bakery items, wines for tasting, and plenty of cute souvenirs to browse. The wine slushies was honestly one of the highlights for us. It was so good, we each had 2 before we left lol ! They have u pick seasons with a variety fruit so make sure you check out their website ! Beautiful place, friendly atmosphere, and definitely worth visiting if you're in Blue Ridge

Mercier Orchards was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Blue Ridge and is absolutely worth…read morevisiting. The U-pick apple experience was a blast, and the orchard is beautiful, well organized, and family-friendly. We spent hours here between picking apples, browsing the market, and sampling drinks. There is an incredible selection of local products, baked goods, jams, cider, wine, fresh produce, gifts, and souvenirs. Everything looked fresh and high quality, although many of the items are definitely on the pricey side. We also tried both the hard cider and wine flights, which were reasonably priced and a fun way to sample several of their offerings before deciding what to take home. Most of the staff we encountered were friendly and welcoming, and despite the crowds, the overall operation ran smoothly. Unfortunately, what should have been a five-star experience was overshadowed by one concerning incident. After returning from the U-pick orchard on the tractor, we noticed a family parked a couple of spaces away from us. The adults removed a younger child from the vehicle, and it appeared there may have been another child, approximately four years old, still inside the parked vehicle. We fully recognize the seriousness of making that assumption and cannot say with certainty what the circumstances were. However, with temperatures well above 90 degrees, we felt it was far better to report what we observed than ignore a situation that could potentially put a child at risk. What disappointed us most was the response. We informed staff of our concern, yet there seemed to be little to no sense of urgency. Even if it ultimately turned out to be a misunderstanding, I would have expected someone to immediately check on the situation or at least acknowledge the concern and verify that the child was safe. When it comes to a potential child safety issue, I'd much rather see staff respond quickly to a false alarm than risk overlooking a genuine emergency. Despite that experience, Mercier Orchards is still a wonderful destination. The U-pick experience, shopping, cider and wine tastings, and overall atmosphere make it a place I'd recommend to anyone visiting the Blue Ridge area. My hope is simply that management reinforces the importance of treating potential safety concerns with the urgency they deserve. Had it not been for that interaction, this easily would have been a five-star review.

The Clayton Café in Clayton GA is an unexpected jewel in North Georgia…read more Located on Main Street, the Café has been completely renovated in the last year, the decor is lovely. The wait staff is excellent. They are open seven days a week for breakfast and for lunch until 3:30p. My bride had the western omelet and pronounced it excellent (a pretty rare rating from her). I'm a big fan of chicken livers and these are good - and more than one person can eat in a single sitting. The onion rings are "real" onion rings and the batter delicious. The place holds about 20-30 patrons so get there early. Net: Food very good, service excellent, ambiance very good, prices reasonable. Here's a link to their website: https://claytoncafe.com/

Well, it's down a couple of stars. I'm not from Clayton, but…read morewe love this little town and visit it often, last trip in January 2026. I noticed the window sign said "Angie's Clayton Cafe" and whilst being seated at 11:45AM on Tuesday June 2, 2026, noted the wall art had changed, no more local memorabilia, and the menu is now a well worn, two sheet pieces of copy paper. No problem, the place was nearing capacity per usual and we did get a window seated table. But, then I noticed, no collard greens on the menu. So, if you read my earlier reviews, you will note that I have eaten at quite a few "meat and three" style country diners and that I also know how to cook this food at home. That's a big qualifier, because Clayton Cafe had become a part of our destination trip to Clayton from Greenville, SC. It was just that good, a notch above the crowd. I didn't find this experience to be the same. The decor, service, ambiance was the same. Even the same crowd starting a 15 minute table wait shortly after noon. Business has not suffered, but the food is not the same. Overall, everything was less flavorful, more bland. The highlight, the white sawmill gravy was piping hot and flowed well, not a gloopy mess and I like that it was served on the side. The country fried steak was tender, but it had less crunch on the crust and was significantly bland - pepper and salt please. The green beans had a small chunk of meat involved, but they too were very bland and lacked a depth of flavor expected from the hamhock, the biscuit was good, but not the buttery crusty biscuit if yore. The okra was straight up flour breading with no cornmeal in the mixture and that's a game changer on this dish. Fried chicken was good. Squash, or squash casserole was a bland mess and left uneaten. Don't get me wrong. This three star rating means "OK". It's still a good meat and three. It's just not an exceptional meat and three as experiences my multiple prior visits. So that's when I asked the server if the restaurant had changed owners and yes, in April 2026. Well, there ya go, but Bon Chance to the new owners and Godspeed towards the hard work and keeping it going. Obviously, a full house lunch crowd on a Tuesday in June shows positive momentum. I'm just saying, pay attention to flavor, both in depth and complexity, to make these Southern standards stand out from the meat and three crowd.

Fabulous Peaches and Cream board. Perfection for these hot summer days. Great service from Rhea…read more(sp). Excellent cocktails. Had a cosmo made with tequila. Love this place.

This is an interesting little restaurant, created from an old gas station. The personal were…read morefriendly and informative about the wines that are produced at their own winery. We were not real hungry so ordered from the appetizer menu. Tomato bisque, smoked trout dip with crackers, Roasted beet salad and a glass of sangria. The tomato basil bisque was absolute "must try" good. The smoked trout was much to salty, maybe just my taste buds. The roasted beet salad was also good with fresh greens and an interesting assortment of almonds. But the beets were not roasted. Fresh beets are full of sugar and when halved or quartered then roasted, the sugar caramelizes and gives a unique flavor to the beets. These beets had no special flavor, they were from a can and quartered. Now the really bad, especially as they are a winery. I like sangria, it's a refreshing cool summer drink, composed of fresh fruit (apples, pears, plums, grapes and a healthy portion of citrus) and wine that is left to marinate. I watched the bartender add some 1/4inch pieces of green apples to a glass, fill with ice cubes and add wine. That is not sangria, that is watered down wine with an apple garnish. I will say that the food at other tables really looked good.