Let me tell you, Yelpers, there's a reason why Carol's has a rare nearly 5.0 rating from 70…read morereviewers as of today. Or perhaps I should say "reasons" why. To start, this place has such a genuine small-town vibe, it's almost surreal. Live music, artwork from locals, the hand-lettered signs on the bakery items on display. I've made it a custom to stop in Owego about once a year, although I missed it last year. This year, I went about 20 miles (each way) out of my way to visit this gem of a coffee, sandwich, and bake shop. I found a parking space right in front, and immediately the live singer/guitarist could be heard from a speaker at the front door, but unobtrusively, delivering a very professional sounding "Brown Eyed Girl." I think that was the same song he was singing when I last visited two years ago. I was greeted by the staff like I had only been away two days, and the singer glanced my way and nodded a welcome as though he, too, remembered me. The coffee mug is perhaps the largest I've ever seen, and the DaVinci egg salad sandwich was also generously executed (recommendation: spring for the olives for an extra 25 cents). On the way out, I picked up two Dream Bars (a peanut butter and a coconut) to prolong the Carol's experience for just a bit. Yes, there's a reason, too, why they're called Dream Bars.

Stopped by Carol's Coffee & Art Bar as part of a recent visit to Owego. I'm definitely a fan any…read morecafe or similar space that integrates art into their environment, and there were quite a variety of lovely pieces at Carol's - many by the owner, but also included are other local artists. The menu, of course, also has "Carol's Favorite 'Comfort Food' Sandwiches" on the menu, all named after famous artists. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm a huge Van Gogh fan, so I ordered the "Van Gogh" sandwich that comes with oven roasted turkey breast layered on sourdough bread and lettuce, tomato, and mayo. The sandwich was good, but I have to say that proportions of the ingredients felt a bit off. I also noticed during the prep of my plate that the chips came from opening a bag (a bulk version similar to ripple chips you'd just buy at the store). In a cafe space like this, you can't necessarily expect people to be making everything from scratch... but I think it's just helpful to note to keep expectations in line. The drink that I ordered was made well (their beverage selection is at the very back of the menu). You can definitely tell that this is a community space, and it seemed like a number of locals filtered in throughout the lunch. There are notes on the tables that advise of a 90 minute limit for sitting at the table (not something I've ever actually seen before), and there's wifi available for use by customers. Perhaps an awkward experience was just related to the overall service? You grab a menu and choose your table if you're dining in, but you end up paying at the counter. Personally, if I'm going to sit down to eat then I'd prefer to have the check brought to the table and pay that way. The space is a bit cramped by the counter, so it seems like it'd benefit to minimize the foot traffic that has to wait there. And perhaps this is silly, but upon paying for the lunch, the server handed me my receipt and said "Just sign here", and then seemed to be somewhat... abrupt? I feel like I'm pretty low maintenance when dining out, but it just left me going "OH. Okay. Time for me to get out of the way" (it's worth noting that at the time, there was nobody waiting around, or to get to, the counter). Still, it was enjoyable to stop at Carol's Coffee & Art Bar. It's a more unique space with nice offerings.