We love the atmosphere, food, service and specialty coffee options. On a nice day you can enjoy the outdoor patio.

We enjoyed brunch/lunch after a morning hike at the nearby Salt Lick Trail (see separate review). Service is pay up front with delivery to table, and self bus. I had my usual oat milk latte with 1 pump of SF vanilla, and she had a maple syrup latte. The avocado toast was on a wide slice of wheat bread and topped with fresh greens and some berries. The eggs were cooked to order. Service is prompt, friendly, and laid back. The interior is fresh and modern, and the location is the end unit of a strip mall. If we are ever in the area again, we would return. read more

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It's been way too long since I've been here. They have such good food. Today I had the Brunch Salad. So yummy. Lettuce as the base but then lots of bacon and 2 poached eggs on top. One of my friends got the salad too but added smoked salmon to it. She loved it. There is plenty of seating here esp since they expanded into the space next door. You order at counter and then they bring you your food. Lots of good beverage options too but I had already had my fill of tea for the day. Self serve water station is always a good idea. read more

Proving Ground - Brunch Salad - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois

Breakfast was fantastic! If it was not so far from home this would become one of my go to locations. read more

Proving Ground - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois

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Just ordered a Latte which was yummy. Service fast and friendly. Looked over the menu and had a nice selection of breakfast, brunch choices. A lot of room to sit and enjoy your coffee, meal. Outside seating as well. read more

Proving Ground - Latte - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois

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We love Proving Ground! Columbia is lucky to have this place. This morning we enjoyed a breakfast with friends. Always relaxed vibes, kind service, and everyone enjoyed their food and coffee! Tried the salmon eggs Benedict with capers, avocado, and a southwestern hollandaise. Excellent! And our favorites were great as always - breakfast croissant, avocado toast, mornin fixin's, and breakfast burrito! read more

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I've been several times before. Finally tried something different. The eggs with the mixed potato's are great. The monkey pancakes are a bit on the sweet side but absolutely wonderful. Ordered these to share which was the right idea! Coffee is great. They've expanded their seating inside with a small patio outside for the nicer days. Staff are always friendly. Stop on by and enjoy! read more

Proving Ground - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois

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When my daughter wants to spend the night with the parents (she's 24 and in her own). I treat her to Breakfast Proving Ground Café and Roaster!!!!! This place is so good. Counter service is top notch and it is fast!!!! My Morning Fixin with Scrambled Eggs, Potato Hash, Bacon and toast!!! These are probably the best hash potatoes. The sweet potatoes are what makes it!!!! Then the Schubert Special was basically the same without meat....But they got eggs over medium. I always need a pancake when I am eating breakfast out as I do not eat them often (they wreak havoc with my sugars). But we all shared it in the middle of the table!!! It hit the spot!! Great patio for gorgeous weather The Vanilla Latte (not mine) was good!!! read more

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Proving Ground Coffee in Columbia nails the trifecta: warm, welcoming service, fantastic food, and top-notch coffee. I had the Eggs Benedict--perfectly poached eggs, silky hollandaise--and a coconut latte made with their house-made syrup. Smooth, rich, just sweet enough. The vibe is cozy and relaxed, with happy dogs hanging out alongside their humans. Whether you're fueling up for the day or lingering with friends, this place gets it all right. read more

Went to Sunday brunch with a close friend I haven't seen in months. We arrived just before 10 am, and luckily we didn't have to wait to find a table. She got an iced chai & I got a hot chai. Both were really good. I got the Cajun turkey club with a cup of chicken tortilla soup. She got Schubert's Special. We both thoroughly enjoyed the vibe of the place and our meals. read more

Proving Ground - Cajun turkey club with chicken tortilla soup, and Schubert's special - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois

They never disappoint!! We have been coming here for years and I love everything on the menu. Including the oatmeal!! So creamy and sweet read more

Proving Ground - Oatmeal with apples,bananas and pecans - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois

Nice place though I have only been there twice. The potatoes are great! I will visit again soon. read more

This is the perfect place for a nice coffee or a quick bite. The restaurant is the cutest little thing! They have greenery everywhere, cute decor and seating inside and outside. They have a great selection of food and drinks. The food here is on the healthier side and it's amazing! I ordered the "Mornin' Fixins", the meal was perfect, the potatoes that was served with it was the perfect addition. My boyfriend ordered the "Tacos", he also loved his meal. We'll definitely be coming back. I also tried their "mocha-mellow" drink. This drink was amazing! The marshmallow whip on top was delicious! The staff here are very friendly and work quickly. The food came out pretty fast and our drinks were made immediately. read more

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My kid had a dental surgery next door, so we came here to pass the time. I'm usually skeptical of fake meats, but the match chorizo hash (vegan) was calling my name -- so I went for it. Really delicious. Filling. And surprisingly meaty tasting! My only regret was not getting a drink. It was the wrong time of day. But, hopefully I can get back here to try a specialty drink, or at least the coffee. read more

This is a favorite spot for when my dad is visiting town - we really enjoy the lattes and breakfast - it has always been consistent. Service is great for a local coffee shop - and even when the cafe is full it doesn't take long for a table to open up. I recommend trying their lattes or fresh squeezed orange juice. They are both great ways to start your morning! read more

Proving Ground - Latte - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois

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At first we weren't sure my wife could get in.. From the front it's a long walk for her with her walker.i drove around the side and found a ramp she could negotiate with no problem. Once inside we were greeted and found a seat and menu. Placed our order which came out pretty quick.. I got the French toast with blue berries and strawberries, it was very delicious. I did miss the hint of vanilla,like I put in mine at home. She had the eggs Benedict. The sauce was wonderful, the eggs were cooked perfectly, the potatoes were great. She took home what she didn't eat they were that good. Very helpful staff. They have outdoor seating and indoor seating. Comfortable atmosphere. We'll return again. read more

Proving Ground - Where you sit - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois

Walked in and found a seat right away. Order at the counter with super friendly staff!! Loads of good items on the menu, unfortunately no gluten free options but the gluten eaters really enjoyed. Huge portions!!!! read more

Proving Ground - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois

One of my favorite shops. Friendly staff, cute area, and fantastic food and coffee. What more can you ask for?

Absolutely love this place! We were staying for a few night at a hotel locally and really wanted a good cup of coffee. This is it, very good food and the coffee was spot on, ended up there 2 mornings in a row. read more

Great service, delicious food and amazing coffee at a fare price. I highly recommend Proving Grounds.

While the coffee was good, food service was not that great. They brought out our bacon away before the pancakes so they wouldn't get cold, but the bacon was already cold and I would not recommend the pancakes. They were some of the worst I've ever had very doughy in the middle and had cinnamon and I did not order cinnamon pancakes. read more

We love the vibe of PG and the staff is always welcoming and kind. Great place for meetings

Convenient location. Great cup of coffee. Some of the best breakfast I've ever had. Friendly staff.

Great food and coffee! We happened to be there during the eclipse, the friendly staff even offered us free eclipse viewing glasses! We happened to try the other nearby coffee/breakfast a day later and it was not nearly as enjoyable as Proving Ground! read more

Proving ground was a nice little surprise to find in Columbia. I was looking for a coffee shop that was a halfway meeting point for me in STL and my friend in Millstadt, IL, and this was perfect. The inside is super cute and cozy and all the workers were really friendly. I especially enjoyed my pumpkin cold brew. My only gripe was that, for $8 for avocado toast, I could've used a little more in terms of presentation. The side of bacon was hot, crispy, and yummy. read more

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Counter service was friendly and approachable. Ordered a latte and a croissant breakfast sandwich. The latte was closer to a cappuccino and was served in a to go paper cup even though eating in. The sandwich was good though I think would be better if they went with a thin slice ham rather than a single thick piece. Overall good experience read more

Very impressed! Staff was friendly and very helpful! The food was delicious and they have a great menu selection! We ordered: Griddle pancakes - DELICIOUS! Kids loved it! Green Goddess Smoothie- MUST TRY! Pineapple Express - Kids loved it and I even took a few drinks myself! Scramble with vegan chorizo- hearty and the potatoes are delicious! Husband loved it! Oatmeal- my kids ate some and they never eat oatmeal! Love the vibes all around! We will definitely be back! read more

Great place for breakfast. Try the chorizo hash or French toast. Coffee is excellent. Service is always fast and friendly.

We are in the area for a wedding and decided to try based on menu items. Food was amazing all 4 of us ordered different things: drunken monkey similar to bananas foster tons of pecans; Avocado toast had fresh fruit with it delicious, and 2 other dishes. Amazing!! We'll worth the visit. read more

Two big thumbs up!! We will be back to try everything else on the menu!! We each got a morning fixings and split Oreo pancakes!! This is breakfast heaven!!! Try the Nitro Chai if you love chai!! I did in a mug and I was a happy camper! read more

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Cold coffee‍. The food is terribly unseasoned and dry. Definitely matches the customer service. To my fellow 90s baby's this is not the place for you just trust me. read more

Amazing boutique style cafe with breakfast and light lunch items. Counter service and seat yourself, but they bring the food out to you. They have a row of built in seats with cushions that are very comfortable. read more

Eggs Benedict that were off the charts and a side of potatoes that were just as good! Fresh squeezed OJ sealed the deal!

Nice place! Ordered breakfast croissant sandwich. Add bacon and cheddar cheese. Take very long wait to get one sandwich but came out look very good and big. Very good! read more

Proving Ground - Outdoor seating - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois

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We come here for breakfast nearly once a week. The coffee selections are wonderful. Every meal we've had has been very well prepared, served quickly, and has quite a bit of thought put into them. They have a patio that overlooks the parking lot of the strip mall, but it's still enjoyable. The staff is always very friendly and attentive. We will continue to patronize the café. read more

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Great service quality food. One of the best tasting chorizo hash breakfast. Pickled onions, giving nice brightness to the dish read more

Update: Thought I would try again on the way to work and was REFUSED SERVICE based on my review which I have a right to give based on pathetic service. Thanks for making this easier to not ever stop again. This is where we are in the world today. No conflict management skills or trying to make the customer happy by training, attitude adjustments or evaluating where improvements can occur. read more

Staff is always friendly and very easy to order off the menu. The breakfast sandwich is huge and very delicious! Always able to find a seat and food comes out quick. The lattes are served in a big mug and are fantastic. However, the PG potatoes look and smell amazing, have a ton of potential. But, they are always under cooked and crunchy. Perhaps I'm wrong and they are suppose to be served this way, but I can't eat them. No complaints though, I can't cook the way I like them at home either. Haha. But if we could find a way to serve them soft I'd order them every time as well. read more

This is a unique breakfast spot. They have healthier options, which I love. The garden variety and 3 egg scramble are my favorite breakfast options. The real star of the show here is the cajun turkey club. I usually upgrade the side to a cup of chicken tortilla soup, which is warm and comforting. Highly recommend. read more

Great atmosphere, friendly staff, bottomless (delicious) coffee, and an incredibly-filling breakfast scramble. Thanks for making my visit to town a memorable one. Will visit again! read more

Proving Ground - The Schubert's Special. Get it. - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Columbia, Illinois