This was a disappointment and given the almost universally positive reviews, I'm not sure if my…read moreexperience was an anomaly or if Halwa is benefitting from a college town, grading on a curve situation. I came by last Wednesday morning for a bit of caffeine and a bite to eat before my top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality (down the street at VA Tech) and I embarked on our road trip into Kentucky. I'm a hardcore morning person and it's often difficult to find coffee places that are open before 8am. The primary reason I came here was because they opened at 7am, well before most of the businesses in the area did. That's a point in their favor at least. And it's cute in there. Per my accompanying picture, there's a lot to take in, with tons of items on the walls and on display, and I needed a solid minute or two just to look over the large menu, which featured a lot of different types of coffees/lattes, as well as a significant number of Middle Eastern influenced snacks and pastries. I literally got over there just as the doors opened (promptly right before 7), so I had the run of the place for my short time in there; I have no doubt this place is hopping when students are actually on campus and don't feel like frequenting the obligatory Starbucks for whatever reason. Maybe it's just a personal palate issue but I didn't like anything I had. Since this was a very specific type of coffee establishment, I tried the Turkish Coffee. That one for sure just wasn't my speed - it's a super tiny portion, pretty much akin to a shot or two of espresso, and aside from the first two or three sips, was literally just grounds. My gut says that's just how Turkish Coffee is, and I won't be sampling that again anywhere. I did see some intriguing lattes including one of my all-time chums Rose, so that was probably the call in hindsight. I also selected two food items, both of which were also unfortunately misses for me. One was the baklava, a pastry I'm very familiar with and tend to really like. This was, I'm sad to say, the worst I've had. The biggest issue is that you can barely taste the main ingredients, namely the pistachio and honey. You know what you can taste, see and feel on your tongue though? Sugar. Lots of sugar. For some bizarre reason, they make their baklava here with a layer of this crystallized sugar. I don't know why, but it honestly ruins the item and drowns out the actual flavors you should be tasting. Arguably an easy fix, but I only took a few bites of it. I also got a Lebanese puff pastry, which looked intriguing but just didn't have much of a flavor. This was my first time trying it, so maybe it's supposed to be on the blander side for whatever reason, but it mostly just tasted like dough to me, especially the areas closer to the edge (not all that dissimilar in my experience from a croissant). The service was fine; there was just the one young woman behind the counter opening up for the day, and everything I ordered was provided within a few minutes. I got two coffees (a "normal" one for my chum as well), and the two pastries, which came to close to $30. I think that's a little pricy, especially for a place right off of a college campus, but your mileage may vary. Normally I'd recommend avoiding an establishment where I literally didn't like anything, but my gut says it's still worth stopping by. Just don't get what I got.

This contemporary and relaxing bakery and coffeehouse located in Blacksburg, Virginia, specializes…read morein Egyptian and Lebanese inspired desserts and baked goods. But above and beyond their Middle Eastern pastries and unique drinks like Turkish Coffee and Mango Madness, it is an inviting environment with comfortable tables, chairs, and couches, to spend quality time socializing with good friends or with a laptop connected to the internet with their Wi-Fi, doing research for that special project. After being awarded the Triad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Halwa Bakery & Cafe is the perfect example. After having dinner with a friend at another restaurant, we decided to come here for dessert. When we arrived, it was easy to find a parking space right around the corner of the Cafe. The place had outdoor furniture to be able to enjoy your food and drink outdoors in nice weather. Inside, the beautiful hardwood floors and exposed ceilings, together with the unique lighting treatment, gave special character to the place, and providing an extraordinary environment in which to better enjoy the moment. On the left of the ordering counter there is a couple of large blackboards with the menu written on them in color chalk. On the right, there are several display cases with Sandwiches and Pastries for one to observe and make better choices. My friend ordered a Baklava Cheesecake and I ordered a Peanut Butter Special Cake. As we sat down enjoying our desserts, that were amazingly delicious, the place was full of people. Some working on their laptops, others socializing, and others simply enjoying their food and drinks. As we were leaving, I saw on one of the walls two framed newspaper articles from The Roanoke Times, with color photographs, on this Blacksburg bakery with Mediterranean pastries. I highly recommend this place as a perfect environment to enjoy some cultural food and drinks, either alone, with your laptop, or with good friends.

I've come here since 1997 when I first attended VATECH for grad school. I spent countless hours…read morehere over those next 3yrs enjoying the staff, Chia tea, & food while I wrote my dissertation. The atmosphere is exactly the epitome of a coffee oriented restaurant should be (period). I just came back after all this time in March 2026 & was as wonderful as my memories. Always should stop get a sandwich, coffee or chia & read a book or just observe the goings on...love my Mill Mountain

Sooo good. the coffee was amazing! the Service was great and the overall vibe was very good!read more

Unfortunately, very disappointing coffee and chai. The beverages felt watered down and not like how…read moreyou would normally expect from a cafe. The syrups weren't mixed in, and the straws were too flimsy to mix it in. My chai was too sweet for me and wasn't something I really wanted to finish. My boyfriend alternated between my drink and his own which he said was more balanced. Service was quick.

This cafe is a small location but a prominent one in Roanoke's downtown. It was open when not a ton…read moreof things were, and had an impressive menu including numerous vegetarian and vegan options. Sometimes it's the simple things in life, though, and rather than go for a more complex platter when I found that you could get a bagel with falafel in it, I found my breakfast. There is a za'atar bagel available, which adds an extra flavor note to what was a compelling and filling breakfast. Their display of desserts was sufficiently impressive (and several of these were labeled vegan as well) that I decided to sample a baklava labeled as the Burma flavor. I couldn't figure out what the sweet pistachio mix had to do with Myanmar, but whatever was in there was good. I did not get a beverage in part because I didn't read the whole menu; maybe I missed out. Regardless, the food they offered was great for vegetarian diets, substantial, and delicious, and you'd struggle to find better in this part of the country or in most other parts of the country.

I went here approaching 11am- and there was only one empty table- so it was quite busy! The music…read morewas low and the place was not as loud since most people were studying/ but there were some quiet conversations- so the ambience and vibes were a good halfway point between calm and lively. I ordered a vanilla latte with whole milk. As you can see, the latte art was very cute, and it was not like EXTREMELY hot- it was perfect sipping heat. Also very affordable! The muffin was ginormous, and yummy- had to split it with a friend. And I love that there was a toaster and a microwave to heat up any of your goodies! Will be back again!

Good coffee and GREAT pricing. We visited and enjoyed the overall vibe of the place. The staff was…read moregreat as well.

I love space rabbit, and supporting small businesses. When they get busy, you do have to have a…read morelittle bit of patience because they are a small business so they can't afford maybe a speaker yet or extra tablets so you don't place your order until you get to the window. I have noticed however once you order they're pulling you up and so it was very quick today. I pulled up and it was out very quick, so they could continue taking orders of the people behind me. I got the gingerbread latte today and it's delicious. I've also got the chocolate chip muffin there before and it's really good also.

The coffee was delicious! We got 2 large frozen coffees and both were great. It was our first time…read moreand we will definitely have to stop again. I loved supporting a local coffee shop!

There are times that in places where you least expect it you will find the most cutest coffee truck…read moreserving the most amazing coffee. After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I was also awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at their Yelpies 2025 Award Ceremony, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, and where last year I was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Yelper of the Year Award, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And the Covenant Coffee Company coffee truck in, Southwest Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. This locally-owned coffee truck, lauched a couple of weeks ago by Jeff and Meredith Baxter, will be permanently parked on 1917 Franklin Road close to "George's Flowers" and near Greenway Park. The business originated from the owners' 12-year dream, aiming to serve high-quality coffee while supporting the local community and small business ecosystem in Southwest Virginia. Baxter will source his coffee from roaster Philip Hatter at Gladheart Wine & Brews, and will have housemade syrups that can be added to the coffee to create masterpieces of quality coffees at significantly lower prices than Starbucks. Although they expect that most customers will be for to-go orders, they have picnic tables set-up adjacent to the trailer, for customers who wish to enjoy their coffee on the spot. This morning as soon as I found out about this coffee truck and provided the information about it to Yelp, I headed in my pearl white Lexus to go try it out. When I arrived I parked my Lexus in an open space near the coffee truck and walked over to the trailer where I was immediately greeted by the owner Jeff, who was very friendly and welcoming. He showed me the coffee and tea menus, and also told me that for now they are also carrying Croissants from Bread Craft Bakery, and depending on the customers' demand for other eating products, other items will be introduced in the near future. I ordered a medium Iced Mocha Coffee with a Chocolate Croissant. The coffee tasted amazing as well as the Chocolate Croissant. At that time of the day the sun was somewhat bothering but hopefully he will have sun umbrellas with the picnic tables or something else to provide shades to the customers to be able to better enjoy their coffee there. While I was there, many other customers stopped by to purchase coffees and take them with them. The establishment also had stickers, t-shirts, and caps with the name of the place for sale. With its close proximity to the hospital, hotel, sports ground, and flow of traffic, I anticipate that they will be a total success. I highly recommend this place and encourage all of you to give your total support to this family-owned local business.

Came to Covenant Coffee because I heard it was the best in Roanoke, and it certainly did not…read moredisappoint! Cool location and great founding mission. And amazing service!!!

Truly amazing food, everything seems made from scratch. Staff gets to know you and is very…read morefriendly. My two personal favorites are the chocolate croissant and the garlic rosemary sourdough. I could eat here every day and not get tired! Manager Brett also manages that place insanely well. Clean, organized, and efficient. Kudos to the team!

I have been to many bakeries in my lifetime, many wonderful ones located in cities like San Juan,…read moreMadrid, Rome, Paris, Brussels, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Miami, and Washington, DC, among others. I have truly enjoyed dining in each and every one of them. But Bread Craft, located in the Star City of Roanoke, is in a class of its own. After being ranked 4th among Yelp's Top 50 Most Prolific Elites of 2025, a distinction recognizing my consistent community engagement and high-quality contributions, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants, businesses, and establishments, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to go back and write follow-up reviews on those places that impressed me the most during 2025, and Bread Craft Bakery, located in Downtown Roanoke, is the perfect example of one of them. Bread Craft is a premier, artisan European-style bakery established in 2006 by owner Alex Eliades, who besides having a passion for baking, has over 25 years of baking experience, and leads the bakery focusing on traditional slow-fermentation techniques. The bakery is known for its high-quality, scratch-made sourdough, pastries, and Croissants. It evolved from a wholesale operation into a popular 6,000 square foot café on Church Avenue, also supplying local restaurants. The bakery specializes in Franch and German-style baking, utilizing sourdough as a natural leavener. It servers breakfast and lunch items, including sandwiches, salads, and some creative breakfast egg entrées. They are open Wednesdays through Sundays from 8:00AM - 2:00PM and are well known for running out of items before the end of the day. For this review I visited the Bakery / Café for breakfast on two consecutive Wednesdays. The first Wednesday I arrived too late to be able to have their Chorizo & Eggs Cocotte from their Breakfast menu. Breakfast is only served until noon, and I found out about this on that day. So instead I had a Cheese Danish and a house-made Mocha Coffee. Both items were delicious. On the second Wednesday I arrived much earlier for breakfast. Luckily, right before a whole rush of customers arriving to place Take-out orders. As soon as I walked inside I immediately felt comfortable with its clean and contemporary architectural design and decor, and an exposed red brick wall that gave it a warm ambiance. One can see that the owner spent a substantial amount in renovating the place when they moved here, and that they took good care of it, because it looked as if it had just opened for the very first time yesterday. While I was looking over all the baked items they had, I received a friendly greeting and warm welcome from a lady behind the counter who seemed to be the manager and took my order. To start I ordered a Chorizo Quiche which happened to be the Quiche of the day, and a house-made Mocha Coffee. Then since I was planning to turn this into a Brunch, for my main entrée I ordered their Chorizo Cocotte from the Breakfast menu. And for dessert I had a Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant that was simply irresistible. Everything tasted amazingly delicious, especially since I love Chorizo. The Quiche had an amazing crust with the eggs inside cooked with the perfect amount of chorizo. The Chorizo Cocotte was served in an elongated bowl with two poached eggs over Spanish sausage, accompanied by three slices of freshly made Baguette. And if all this wasn't enough, the Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant was the perfect ending dessert to this fabulous put together Brunch. Oh and the coffee was the best of the best. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. What an outstanding dining experience I just had at Bread Craft. Wonderful ambiance, amazing food, and extraordinary customer service. I highly recommend this Bakery/Café whenever you're in the area. I'm absolutely certain it will become one of your favorites bakery.

30 minute wait for a cup of coffee on a Saturday morning is just ridiculous! Either additional…read morestaff needs to be added or better trained to handle the weekends. What happened to the wonderful baked goods? The cinnamon rolls and fresh muffins used to be awesome. Nothing like that in their bakery cakes. Just a few cakes, some cake pops and apple cider donuts that were half the size of a normal donut. Sad. Won't bother stopping here again.

This coffee shop/gift shop opened around January of 2022, and I couldn't be more excited to visit!…read more My family lives nearby and I've always found it difficult to find coffee near their house when I visit. They have plenty of options, and an amazing bakery section as well. The service, quality, and selection are top notch. I love that Evie's at the Lake shares a space with SML Coffeehouse - so fun to look around while you wait for your coffee.