Lucky's Coffee Garage is a fun and whimsical auto garage-turned coffee house with a high-end offering. If you are an urbanite traveler who is not here for the sparse mountain-culture-influenced-yet-more-suburbanized Lebanon experience, Lucky's Coffee Garage is the place for you. This breakfast cafe is truly an upscale and gourmet Lebanon, NH adventure. And maybe one of the only ones here. The only other cafe I can think of for miles around - to get a fancy, urban breakfast like this in the area - is at Taste, but the offerings at Lucky's are notably more indulgent and inventive. The creative menu rotates seasonally and this does not include the fabulousness of the pastry selection. These are made fresh on location, daily and range from scones, bars, biscuits, cookies, muffins, etc. I have seen a broad cultural span of trendy and gourmet ingredients added to breakfast sandwiches and lunches here which are surprising and lovely, ie a good ole' reliable meat, egg and cheese variations but with a refined international sauce and/or tasty twist added. The daily specials here are truly inventive and crafted with passion. On the day we visited there were enchiladas verde with pickled red onions, harissa spiced cream cheese, vegan puree-made pumpkin pancakes, pears poached with mulled red wine, prosciutto and ricotta and Schmögasstartta: house cream cheese, shrimp, hardboiled egg, cucumber and thinly-sliced radishes on pumpernickel. The Drink Specials on this day were: Rosemary maple, pumpkin spice and lemonade.
As for their coffee, the flavor of the house roast espresso I always get is not my favorite. The espresso coffee bean roast has a taste I am not used to, like a tinge. Because I am likely not in the norm with my gastronomic opinion here, I am going to share what Lucky's says about it on their website: "We are a multi-roaster ... that offers espresso, drip, nitro, cold brew on tap and whole roasted beans." They serve Illuminar coffee, roasted in Middlebury, Vermont. The Illuminar website says they, "push the boundaries of flavor." I would have to agree. LOL. It seems a very high-end roasting company with all of the things that I want to see and tour and learn about but not the default house roast. I still order Lucky's drinks but haven't enjoyed enough of the variety of roasts to know which other Illuminar roasts I like better.
There is a thing with the red fox here. Definitely look up mythical associations with the lore of the red fox, but I usually think of Fantastic Mr Fox when I see the vivid murals and artwork and it makes me happy and more curious.
As with most places in this town, folks pretty much keep to themselves here and inside the cafe especially. I've seen much more social behavior when the weather is pleasant on the picnic tables outside. Of course I'm speaking for the later-in-the-day crowd which around here means after 11 but before they close at 2pm. This is the only place that i know of - other than Starbucks in West Lebanon - where you can actually sit and linger over your drink or use your laptop or read a book. Coming from more densely populated urban or suburban areas, I have come to realize people around here just don't chill with a coffee and online work to do as much otherwise. Unless you are lingering solo at a bar with your drink. Also, another reviewer commented that the morning crowd - who I will likely never see the likes of - are more chatty, indoors. :)
I love how festive and colorful it is here. The interior design here is bright and uplifting, yet does not take itself too seriously. If you are staring at an old garage and transform it into this gourmet wonderland -- I have no understanding of the iterations of the architectural history here -- yet still leave nods like old license tags, you definitely have an optimistic heart for hope and innovation along with the drive to see an award-winning community-and-beyond transformation through. In short, I've seen a few places people come from all around long drives for in this area, and Lucky's is one not to miss. Also, if you are in town at dark, when they are no longer open, enjoy the gorgeous rainbow of festive lights which grace the building. read more