Just visited The Union Exchange and what a great little spot. We came on a Sunday around noon and…read moreit was pretty quiet, probably because of the time of day. I heard later in the afternoon they have live music and a lot more of a vibe, but honestly it was perfect for my friends and me. They have fishing, a park for kids, games, animals, food, picnic tables, and lots of open space to run around. Very family-oriented and such a nice outdoor experience. We really don't have many places like this in Miami, so I genuinely enjoyed myself. I didn't try the lemonade this time, but I did get an iced coffee and it was delicious. Next time I'm trying the lemonade, it comes in these mini buckets and looked super refreshing with a bunch of flavor options. If I'm not mistaken, parking was free (maybe because it was Sunday), and if you plan to fish, you do need to get a wristband and pay. Don't try to sneak around it because they will come find you pay your dues ;)

So this place has plenty of parking. I feel like you will never not find a spot. It was easy to…read morefind. They offer kids activity like the farm animals, hayride and the playground. Their shop I feel like is a little small so when it's busy, can be hard and crowded inside. I do like that they offer different things like bakery items, coffee, ice cream and wine. It was a cute neat spot to go to to hang out with friends and family. Do like that they have real bathroom versus some other places have porter potty.

This is my number one choice for coffee in Monroe! It definitely beats Alice Jules and La Vida…read moreMocha, and the people are super friendly! They aren't your traditional coffee shop since they have the consignment store, but it's pretty decent!

Fantastic local coffee spot! This is a thrift shop with a coffee bar up front. I was told the…read moreproceeds are given to a local children's home. Public service employees and military can stop in for a free coffee beverage. Location is clean, quiet, and is staffed by super sweet ladies. They sell a wide variety of items. Great little local secret!

The theme of High Octane is so cute! The dinosaurs and the vintage gas station/car repair vibe is…read moretruly one of a kind. I didn't try any of the food this time around but my friend and I ordered their chocolate strawberry iced lattes and they were delicious! We are the kind of people who love a sweet and flavorful latte so this was perfect for us. It wasn't watery or dull in flavor in the slightest and it tasted exactly as described on the menu.

This coffee shop was quite the surprise. It is located near downtown Monroe in a restored antique…read morestore but converted into what looks like an old gat station. Genius! The menu offers quite a bit of options of coffee drinks, teas, food and even ice cream. MY wife and I went just for coffee, and it was delicious. By the way, it's imported Colombian coffee, and it was great! Staff was friendly and helpful. We were helped by the owners themselves, and they always had a smile, repeated our order back to us, got our order quickly, and checked on us if things were OK. The common areas and restroom were clean and comfortable, and the y did a terrific job with the looks of it. It has its own free parking lot but with limited spots. Overall, 100% recommended and can't wait to return to ty the food menu.

Another hidden gem in Monroe! I am not a coffee drinker so I am always struggling to find a coffee…read moreshop that actually has good tea options. Alice Jules has the absolute best chai tea!! They have some many good options to make their chai even more fun and tasty just like people do with coffee. They also have tons of coffee options of course, including beans as well as locally made pastries and snacks. Everything has been delicious! They also have events and those are fun to attend too.

Great food great service and great place I really recommend the cheese danish. Also the decoration…read morein the place is great

We have dined here several times over the past few years. Each visit their service and quality…read morecontinues to improve, as well as the wait lines as they continue to grow. Come early or come late is my recommendation. I love their chicken salad croissant sandwich. Simple. Tasty. Buttery. Divine. Mmmmm! The chicken pot pie is also something one should experience, too. As for tea . . . I'm not their target audience. I don't even like tea, lol. However, there is SO MUCH MORE than tea going on here. It is a wonderful "tip o' the hat" kinda place for Monroe. Looking for a great dining experience in an iconic house in the historic district? Has my "Give 'em a Whirl" meter sipping tea and eating scones with its pinky raised. Support local. Go here.

Stopped back in during the week for a quick lunch with my mom and sister. The house was lovely as…read moreusually and the staff nice as ever. We opted for a mix of hot and ice teas. I highly recommend the strawberry tea...taste like summer. We started with the cheese ball sampler. Not my fav as the flavors were not there. It came with 3 mini cheese balls; pimento, goat cheese and a garden veg with pineapple (IKR). Again, great presentation but none of the cheese balls had much flavor to match the name. For entrees we opted for the chicken salad sandwich, the chicken pot pie and the country chicken casserole. My sister loved the chicken salad, my mom just ate most of the filling of the pot pie, I was not a fan of the casserole (one note, no veggies and everything was mushy except the "herb" bread crumbs on top). Next time I will stick to tea and the lovely finger sandwiches and room for the lovely desserts from the bake shop.

This is probably one of the coolest joints I've ever been in. The food is amazing. The staff is…read morebeyond friendly. You could not ask for a better atmosphere. I'm visiting NC from New York and my brother in law showed me this gem and I was thoroughly pleased. I would recommend this to everyone!!

Visiting our daughter at Wingate and she recommended the restaurant. Parking was interesting and…read moretook us a bit to finally find a spot. It is in downtown Monroe with street parking and some public parking lots. Our daughter said she has been there around 11:00am and got a spot on the street right in front. It is very eclectic with decor and items for sale. They have indoor seating, seating along entrance hall and outdoor seating. You order at one counter, which has a large menu boards above the counter. The young lady that took our order was very nice. You pay over at the bar area. It was not busy at the time we were there. I had the Salad Sandwich. You can get it with chicken salad, tuna salad or chickLESS salad. I had the chicken salad in a spinach wrap with lettuce and tomato. There are other bread options. The wrap was filled with the chicken salad. It was nicely seasoned and tasted really good. My husband and daughter both did the Pick Your Burger, a build your own. My husband had the burger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions and pepper jack cheese. My daughter added bacon, lettuce, grilled onions and provolone cheese. They both said it was a great burger. We enjoyed our food. Definitely will come back.

I'm all about places like this. Intimate, unique, pleasant, and brimming with personality. Sure…read moreit's between here and there but we all know that's where the good stuff lies. Cool. We stopped in for some farm fresh eggs and also left with a perfect coffee and a couple sausage and jalapeno balls. At .65 cents apiece I could drop a roll of quarters on them alone. Mmmm. With tables outside, an inviting front porch, and an owner working the counter what's not to like? Has my "Give 'em a whirl" meter begging ya to stop by. Take a drive here.

An absolute hidden gem ! Lots of local items , specialty season baskets ( Easter is coming)…read moreoutstanding coffee and the best baked goods . The rotation of baked goods keeps us coming back . We have sampled many items and can't pick a favorite as there as so many yummy options . The sausage balls are also delicious - a tasty protein snack that my boys cannot get enough of . The owner is friendly and welcoming- not to mention a very skilled baker with a flair for delightful treats. This weekend we grabbed hot cocoa , a bag of goodies and enjoyed a relaxing swing on the porch . A great small business . We just love The Packing House and all it has to offer. So . Darn . Good.

I walked in to find five employees behind the counter and not one greeted me or served me right…read moreaway. The employee who eventually finished her conversation was polite enough and my order was served within a few minutes.

Placed an app order and pulled up to a very packed, traffic blocking drive thru. There were about…read more6-7 cars ahead of me. I would have went inside to pick up, but didn't want to take my 4 year old out of the car seat. I waited 30 minutes in the drive-thru that once you are in you cannot get out. Once I finally made it to the window and received my white chocolate mocha it was cold. Will not use this location again unless I go inside the store.