A pay‑it‑forward cafe where you can order breakfast or lunch, and your tip helps cover a meal for someone who otherwise couldn't afford one. This place gets five stars just based their mission, and you can see it in action when you visit. My favorite dishes are the Phil's Philly with a side salad, the Philly Omelet, and their Bread Pudding. I had the Phil's Philly weekly for one month the first time I tried it since it was sooooo good. They also have a room next door available to rent for special events. read more

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This place has a great atmosphere, amazingly friendly staff and really good food. What more can I say!!!! read more

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The food was amazing, the best tasting breakfast sandwich I've had, and I wasn't even aware of the local community food that this place does until I got there (offers free meals to those in need locally). Would come for just the food taste alone but the doing good aspect is also commendable! read more

Groundswell Cafe - Breakfast sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Groundswell will be my go-to spot for hosting local events moving forward. The space was beautiful, parking was free, food and drinks catered in house make it so easy. Not to mention affordable and a great mission. 10/10. read more

The people were kind and friendly and the food was delicious. Love the mission! Our hearts and bellies were full.

Great 4 course meal with attentive staff. Will try to come back for baked goods soon. I heard from Baker that the cinnamon rolls and bear claws were very good. read more

great food. delightful service folks. the day we were there someone was late and short staffed. no shortage of smiles and good attitudes. so nice ! read more

Excellent sandwiches, granola and soups. Lovely service. Great community program. I love supporting this place. read more

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I wanted to love Groundswell Cafe because of their mission, but it was not a homerun for me. The food menu is limited and is trying to be locally sourced and seasonal. I tried their cranberry chicken salad sandwich and parsnip parmesan soup. While their prices are similar to a Panera, their portions are definitely on the smaller side. The soup was quite tasty, but the sandwich left a lot to be desired. It was pretty dry and the proportion of chicken salad to bread was off. I love the concept, so I'm inclined to give them another try. Maybe breakfast is the way to go. read more

Love this cafe and the concept. Great way to help out others and enjoy great food and drink while doing so! I enjoyed a loose leaf tea - cranberry orange - on this rainy fall day. Although I did not order food it sure looked tasty! I hope to get lunch here in the near future! P.s. tip, tip, tip as each dollar made through tips helps feed other individuals in our community! read more

Fantastic food! (Albeit the mission is just as good.) But really great salads, soups, sandwiches, breakfasts- EVERYTHING I've had here has been very tasty and well crafted. read more

What a cool addition to the city. The service AND the food and drinks were outstanding. Loved visiting with the staff. read more

Groundswell Cafe - Great ambiance! - Sandwiches Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

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We went for breakfast I had the Omelette and smoothie. It was very good. The menu has a great variety and the prices are reasonable. The staff was super friendly also. read more

Great place to grab a delicious sandwich, soup or salad!! I had the Turkey club with sliced apples and bacon! It was delicious! Also, the staff were very friendly and kind! The atmosphere is new, clean and modern. I especially love their "Pay it Forward" concept! All tips/donations are accepted and returned to people who are unable to pay for their meal!! Win! Win! read more

Service was great. No drama. Just walked straight here after my terrible experience with Dash coffee's service. Wonderfully cooked sunny sided eggs and very reasonable price read more

Love the dark roast coffee and French toast. The omelettes are great too. For lunch I like the fresh salads and chicken salad sandwich.

I love Groundswell Cafe. My favorite combination is the tofu sandwich and pasta salad. Their soups are all good too. It's a nice space to get some work done or get some lunch with a couple coworkers. It's also a pay-it-forward cafe that does some real good for the community. read more

I have visited this location 2 times for work events. Being able to book private rooms and eat at the same location is super helpful vs having to go out for lunch and come back. Conference rooms are nice and they offer coffee/water for groups that reserve. I would definitely recommend booking a private room if you plan on going here for a team event. The kitchen area can be loud and it's hard to concentrate sitting in near that area. Food is also pretty good. The 1 large con is the parking. They only offer 2 hour parking around this location, so you have to park a few blocks away if you plan on staying longer. read more

Love this place. The food is fresh and tasty, high-quality with much of it sourced by local farms. Nice location on the west side of downtown close to other good eating spots. The atmosphere is a good mixture of warm/inviting and also clean/modern. Even though it's newly opened, the service was quick and friendly. But here's the best part: the pay-it-forward mission. Instead of adding tip to your payment, you can tap a button and choose a level to add to their pay-it-forward fund which sponsors free meals for people who might not be able to afford a nice lunch. Anybody who wants to eat there for free just picks up one of the free meal cards and hands it to the cashier. Plus, the whole place is run by Matthew 25, which is a great organization that does a lot of good in the community. read more

The Fall Harvest salad - lettuce, kale, apples, pears, cheddar cheese, basil, candied pecans with balsamic vinaigrette - was delicious! I also really liked the Creamy Potato Leek Soup with Sausage and Kale. I like the pay-it-forward concept. I rounded up my bill to help pay for a meal for someone who can't afford it. read more

The food at Groundswell is fresh, organic and locally bought. It is prepared beautifully. Definitely recommend this little gem in the cool downtown CR area. Its also has a cool concept of pay it forward for those in need of a healthy, rounded meal. So pay for your meal and give a few bucks for someone in need. Though only if your want, no pressure just a super friendly staff and great managers! read more

Went for lunch, was greeted by a friendly staff (I think some were volunteers, too) and had a really good meal. This neighborhood is quickly becoming the next place to be in Cedar Rapids. Not only was the food good, but the place helps people in need with a pay-it-forward mission. Awesome experience. read more

I just discovered this place thanks to my church; I saw some vouchers on a table offering a free meal that someone had paid for in advance. Today, I didn't have anything available to eat for my lunch and I remembered my voucher. Not only is this building, decor, and general atmosphere relaxing and beautiful, but the staff are beyond friendly. I'm very impressed. All of their ingredients are either locally sourced, or are fair-trade sourced from sustainable farmers out of country. They have a pay-it-forward program where you can buy a meal for someone else (which is what my voucher was), or if you're like me and can't afford a meal, they'll give you a voucher so you can eat. Their hours currently are morning until 2 pm, so it's perfect for my lunch break. On top of all that, the food was delicious. I got the grilled chicken pesto sandwich with a side of green salad, and I'm not only delightfully full, but I'm enamored with the taste. They offer a variety of beverages, as well. I decided to be adventurous and try the Blue Sky Beverages brand of soda (orange flavor). Normally, such drinks that are advertised as healthier (such as La Croix, which they also serve), they taste pretty badly. This did not! I'm surprised by how tasty this soda is, and I'll revisit the brand to try other flavors in the future. I definitely plan on coming back here! read more

Wonderful place for lunch. Great homemade sandwiches, soups and salads. Friendly staff and a great mission.