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Joy Cafe

4.3 (336 reviews)
Closed • 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

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Joy Cafe Photos

Business Info

JOY CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating

Recommended Reviews - Joy Cafe

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Reviews With Photos

What a study breakfast looks like
Michelle B.

Always delicious meals, drinks and sweet treats during every visit. Love this plan based spot and the name change to Joy Cafe which is on point with how you feel when you dine or just have a drink here.

Took over 30 minutes for two juices... Juices weren't even filled to the top of the cup and were warm. It was advertised as 16 ounces of cold pressed juice. The staff was moving so incredibly slow and had no sense of urgency. Ginger shots were not fresh ginger - it was ginger powder and water... very disappointing for my first visit at Joy Cafe

Glenn B.

Wonderful restaurant in every detail. From the warm, inviting ambience to the joyful menu names and descriptions to the fantastic huge selection of healthy meals. Plenty to love for my non vegan friends too. Great service from the owner herself. Everything made to order. Unlike some vegan places, they don't rely on unhealthy shortcuts like deep frying and oil and extra sugar and salt. The smoothies are incredible. And the breakfast options are too many to even name. For dinner and lunch you could come here for a week straight and not get a sample all the tasty dishes. I particularly like the Philly cheesesteak which one awards for the city . When the weather warms up the back patio is a pleasant oasis. Gluten free tasty bagels and desserts as well! Whenever I am in town this is the first place I stop!

Laura P.

I think their name is "JOY" Cafe and not "SOY" Cafe but the address seems to be right, I went there for a simple coffee but they had a brunch menu and inside the cafe they seems to have some thrift items as well, there was also a outdoor sitting at the back garden( it wasn't open at the time I went) it might be request only. It's a pretty cool cafe overall!

Ramen-tic ramen with BBQ seitan
Erin M.

I revisit Joy Cafe (which is the newest name/incarnation for Soy Cafe) whenever I'm in NoLibs. It always leaves me feeling incredibly healthy and happy. Soy/Joy Cafe is in my top two vegan restaurants in all of Philly. My favorite dish here is the ramen with BBQ seitan. The seitan is just so very tasty. Everything here, from the seitan, to the vegan cream cheese, is homemade. My husband gets the carrot lox sandwich which includes the housemade cream cheeze along with red onions, carrot lox, and more, on many choices of really excellent bread. Don't leave without getting a smoothie! I tend to get the Green Giant, but the Coco Loco is also really yummy. Eat in the back garden on a nice day!

receipt

My first experience at Joy Cafe was AWESOME. The bagel I ordered (Cutie Tom) was perfectly prepared, as well as the Americano. HOWEVER, when I went back with a friend of mine, it ended up being a HUGE disappointment. First of all, the bagel I ordered (same as last time) came to the table cold and stale. I took it back and asked them to make another one for me. They also forgot to bring my iced coffee with the order. THEN, when I got home and looked at my receipt, I noticed they charged me a (service charge of 15%) which was an extra $3.58. If they're going to charge a service fee, they should at least be transparent about it instead of being dishonest. Oh, and my friend and I also spotted a small roach crawling on the wall as we were leaving our table. My whole experience that day was nothing like the first. Needless to say, I WILL NOT be going back to Joy Cafe. And just a warning to anyone who goes there - CHECK YOUR RECEIPT before leaving the cafe.

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Page 3 of 9

Ask the Community - Joy Cafe

What do you serve that is organic?

We try to use as much organic and local as possible, when possible. Always serving organic coffee & organic soy milk.

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People searched for Coffee & Tea 3,303 times last month within 5 miles of this business.

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Middle Child Clubhouse

Middle Child Clubhouse

4.4
(424 reviews)
0.6 mi
•$$

LIFE IS TOO SERIOUS TO NOT HAVE FUN WHEN YOU GO OUT TO EAT !!!!!…read more You know those really special places, the ones that feel like an extension of your home, the ones that become institutions of date nights? That's this place. My wife and have eaten here well over 75 times over the last few years and my goodness it just keeps getting consistently better and better. The people are all so friendly, welcoming, and know how to make sure you have a great time out - whether it's a low key burger night or your whole ass wedding (yes you should also get married here 10/10 recommend). There's not a bad thing on the menu, either. They keep the staples around but swap in seasonal treats and flavors all the time. Get the chocolate cake to go, you won't regret it.

Hello all, Preface,…read moreSaturday morning and busy. All the staff were communicative and friendly. My only complaint is, I ordered specifically the pancake, scrambled eggs w/cheese (no cheese) and apple chicken sausage, as sides. The sides came out approximately 20 min before the pancake. As you can see, my GF practically finished her food and drink by the time the pancake came out. I can tell by the way the restaurant is ran, (self seating, order, pay then seat yourself. Grab your own water, cups, drinks and utensils, etc) they focus on effectiveness and efficiency. But sometimes efficiency I.e, putting in orders immediately, bringing them out whenever cooked, prioritizing specific items to save time and move tables... this clearly can throw off the eating experience and minimize the... feeling of connectivity and comfort. Again, the food and staff are great. The experience, paired with the relatively loud and visually chaotic ambiance, the incoherence seating orientation, not so much. All in all, I'd go back, but certainly wouldn't be a top pick. It's a okay to have several options. But if you're looking for a place you can submerge yourself into, do minimal work and simply enjoy the experience with guest... I wouldn't recommend this place

Photos
Order at the counter
Order at the counter
Urban Roots BLT
Urban Roots BLT
London fog

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London fog
Laser Wolf

Laser Wolf

4.5
(582 reviews)
0.7 mi
•$$$

Incredible service and amazing food! My brother brought us here to celebrate his graduation and it…read morewas definitely a winner. Our server was very attentive and checked in often to see if we needed refills or anything during our meal. We really loved the salatim, which is included when you go. I was seriously impressed by the hummus too...so delicious! We also really enjoyed the shawarma-spiced cauliflower (very flavorful), their branzino with tomato and ginger (really fresh), and ribeye (so freaking juicy!). They also have soft serve included for dessert and we really enjoyed the vanilla soft serve. I also love that they have a vegan soft serve option for those who do not eat dairy.

We went to Laser Wolf for dinner over the weekend; we had reservations but were running late due to…read moretraffic; texted them and they were very nice to extend the reservation. Once we got there, we were seated immediately; the restaurant was pretty full at the time. They have kind of semi fixed menu with Hummus w/Fresh Pita and desert included; you just pick the entry from the grill. For the pita/hummus, you get a plate of fresh pita and a large varieties of small plates for dipping, all of them unique and delicious. For the grill items, we picked chicken, Whole Dorade and Shawarma-spiced Cauliflower. The chicken is grilled well and tasty; the fish is very fresh and the cauliflower well spiced. For desert, we all had Brown Sugar-Vanilla Soft Serve | Strawberry Apricot Sauce, Pistachios, and Rice Pearls; another great entry. Over all, we liked all the entries; the service is also very nice. There is a 20% service charge in lieu of tips and it's well deserved.

Photos
Photo taken on November 26, 2023
Photo taken on November 26, 2023
Tuna Poke
Tuna Poke
Salatim

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Salatim
Pizzeria Beddia

Pizzeria Beddia

4.2
(868 reviews)
0.7 mi
•$$

Pizzeria Beddia is my top recommendation for a pizza dine-in experience in Philadelphia, and my…read morego-to spot for a memorable night out in Fishtown. While I might choose another place for takeout, when the goal is a night of pizza, wine, great atmosphere, and authentic neighborhood vibes, this is usually where we end up. The space is bright, industrial, airy, and thoughtfully designed but unforced. White walls, warm wood, considered lighting, and a floor plan with real breathing room. The vibe recalls Bucktown, Wicker Park, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint: design-forward but genuinely local. There's a great bar, and booths near the kitchen with glass windows that let you watch the staff. Our three-year-old was mesmerized, and the staff was warm and playful, smiling and waving while they cooked. A small detail, but memorable. The crowd feels local. Good music, friendly people, hip but never pretentious. It's just a fun place to be with great service, too. The food is outstanding. We usually order the chicories caesar with grana padano and breadcrumbs, and the lettuce salad with shaved vegetables and creamy oregano dressing. For pizza, we love the arrabbiata (the Angry pie) and tomato pie with sausage and pickled chilies. My wife enjoys the ice cream. A note on bringing kids: I don't think this is a family restaurant, but if your kids are curious and well-behaved, it's absolutely worth bringing them earlier in the evening. We've gone around 4:30 or 5:00 on weekends and always felt comfortable. One time, our daughter had a full meltdown, and we were mortified, but the staff couldn't have been cooler. They packed everything to go, kindly and without any judgment. That kind of grace is hard to fake, and it genuinely stuck with us. Pricing is fair for the quality of the food and the experience. Places like this can seem overrated or overpriced, but this one doesn't. It offers real value for a memorable night out. The whole restaurant feels like a microcosm of Philadelphia's progressive, creative side. There's real ambition behind it, but it still feels human and grounded, nothing sterile, nothing corporate, nothing over-engineered. Just smart people building a cool neighborhood place that others actually want to spend time in. Oh, and make a reservation. Great spot, Joe. We'll be back soon. Thank you!

It has been quite a while since I've been to Beddia, but they never disappoint. We walked in…read morewithout a reservation on a Tuesday night with hopes of being seated (Philly is still covered in snow, so our hopes were high) and got a nice little table in the corner right away. The hostess took our coats (a nice touch!) and then a rotation of two servers explained the specials and we ordered. I love that the menu is on the shorter side and they rotate the pizza offerings, so even if you're visiting on a regular basis, you'll always be able to try something new. Additionally, when a menu is only about 2 pages, you know everything on those two pages is top notch, as was the case at Pizzeria Beddia. This evening we got the meatballs (didn't take a photo, was too excited, but they were HUGE and excellent) and the beef, pork and veal balls with a rich red sauce was outstanding. Came in an order of 2 but one was plenty for each of us. The Pizza we got had potatoes on it, and we added sausage per the servers recommendation, and it was cooked perfectly and all of the flavors blended so well together. We are so lucky to have an amazing (and nationally recognized!) pizza spot in the neighborhood and it's always nice when you can walk in without a reservation from time to time.

Photos
Interior
Interior
No. 1 w/ Cremini and Roasted Onion
No. 1 w/ Cremini and Roasted Onion
Old fashion + beer

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Old fashion + beer
Kalaya

Kalaya

4.4
(617 reviews)
1.1 mi

Back again for another perfect Thai meal! Everything was FANTASTIC! Some of the dishes were spicy,…read morebut nothing as crazy hot as that yellow curry I had the first time. Not to mention, many of the cooling dishes did their jobs in mitigating the heat. The super-friendly and informative wait staff was careful to make sure that members of our party with food allergies were safe from shellfish. And Chef Nok stopped by our table to say hello!

Came to here to meet up with friends who are parents of a 4 month old. The manager noticed we were…read morebeing seated in a smaller booth which would have left the parents cramped with the carseat so she immediately had the staff relocate us. The bigger booth was so much more comfortable; it definitely enhanced our experience. The waiters were also wonderful with checking in on us throughout the meal but not trying to rush us out the door. We got 3 entrees + 1 side: - pla nung manao (branzino) - tumis pla (fish curry) - gai yang naa por (half chicken) - yum makhua yao (eggplant) My favorite was the tumis pla and I was sad we didn't have leftovers to take home. The eggplant (I'm not always the biggest fan) was delicious - great texture and complexity of flavor. The food is a bit pricey (portions are quite small) but it all tastes delicious. We shared this among 4 adults and I left satisfied.

Photos
Bar Area
Bar Area
Kanom jeeb nok (bird-shaped dumplings)
Kanom jeeb nok (bird-shaped dumplings)
Goong Ob Woonsen (Shrimp & Glass Noodles w/Bacon & Chinese Celery)

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Goong Ob Woonsen (Shrimp & Glass Noodles w/Bacon & Chinese Celery)

Joy Cafe - coffee - Updated June 2026

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