Absolutely love this place! The food is always made fresh in house and delicious. The omelet and home fries with toast was outstanding and the green salad with a scoop of house-made chicken salad is always a fav. Their lattes are delicious as well! Great little spot! read more

The Collective Cafe - Chicken Salad Salad - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

Delicious and generous Philly Cheese Steak with fruit. Very friendly service, clean and good modern atmosphere, but comfy seating was a bit limited. Will definitely try again when in the area. read more

This place is a gem! Stopped in about 10 minutes before closing and was greeted with kindness and courtesy. I had heard their empanadas are amazing, so I decided to try a sweet one. They also have savory options. I also ordered a chai tea latte. While waiting on my freshly Made empanada, a gentleman approached me and asked if I had been waited on. He was so friendly and I could tell he truly valued me as a customer. He shared a pro-tip with me about the empanadas. Since they are prepared fresh, do not immediately bite into it or you could burn your tongue. I appreciated his concern and his recommendations for other empanadas, including frozen ones to enjoy later. The empanada was worth the wait and truly the best I have ever had. I will be back! read more

The Collective Cafe - Strawberry Nutella Empanada - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

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The food and coffee is absolutely amazing! Large menu with a variety of options. Seating inside is limited but they do provide outside seating as well. Great atmosphere inside. The only downside is some of front service could improve when ordering. read more

The Collective Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

This cute café was so delicious! We will definitely be back! The coffee bar when you walk in to the counter where you order from to the service then cute atmosphere. It was awesome! The lunch sandwiches were amazing. read more

I ordered Today's Special Sandwich. It was served with Potato Salad, and Free Ice tea (other option was Lemonaid). Also I got the Iced Vanila Latte with Oatmilk. My daughter liked the Sandwich (She's a little picky). And I liked my coffee & the Potato Salad! The interior was good!! Especially I really liked the outdoor tables. There are many parking spot, so you don't need to worry about it. I will definitely visit again :) read more

The Collective Cafe - Today's Special Sandwich & Iced Vanila Latte with Oatmilk. (Free Ice Tea) - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

Inconspicuous little joint behind Ridge Church in Matthews. Limited menu consisting of sandwiches and salads. The young cashier had trouble answering rather simple questions about the menu; however, overall service was friendly and attentive. Decor is eclectic. I had the BLT and wife a burger. Both were adequate but nothing to get excited about. read more

The Collective Cafe - the outside of the building - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

Delicious breakfast! I tried the omelet breakfast and enjoyed it. They give you a choice of protein, veggies, cheese. I did spinach, mushrooms, feta and croissants. Generous portion and includes a bread and a fruit cup. The gingerbread latte coffee was delicious too. They have non-dairy milks, too. The cafe had open seating and some outdoor tables. They were busy in the weekday morning. We parked in the lot, behind the building. They had lots of seating and tables, some couches and chairs. read more

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I want to love this place. The food was good. Ambience was decent too. The people were also really nice. Will give it another try. read more

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Best empanada anywhere!! Great choices of fillings. I drive from Lancaster to eat there! K Black

I live super close to this place but never gave it a try till today. Glad I did, I'll definitely be back (: good service and food ! read more

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This would be a great place to murder a hipster poser and get away with it! If only because his last meal would be FANTASTIC and he would feel so at home in this decor. Dripping with Edison bulbs and replete with deconstructed up-cycled lumber, this place screams 2015. But it's a 2015 we like and want to stick around a little bit longer. Well maybe not the Edison bulbs . . . but we digress. Let's talk about EXCELLENT SERVICE while we're at it. The friendly staff on the front counter serve up a stimulating mixture of caffeine, a totally intoxicating list of noshables, intriguing breakfast offerings, a fine selection of sandwiches and salads. Pretty much everything you need from breakfast until 4:30pm when the place closes. In addition to the dine-in pleasantries, there's plenty of room and plenty of Wi-Fi and an impressive number of electrical outlets to accomplish actual work during the day. One can even meet the most enchanting folks while noshing here. I know I sound like I'm gushing, but that's just because I returned from the interesting restrooms and I think I forgot to jiggle to handle. No just kidding! The restrooms are modern, well equipped and oh how to put it just so very clever. At least the men's room is. I can't vouch for the ladies but I expect the same subversive and delightful humor is expressed behind those doors as well. This place is clever, high quality, and homey all at once. [And maybe a bit overconfidently hipster as well, but we don't mind.] Come try the Collective Cafe's Fig & goat cheese empanadas and meet Isaiah and Anastasia at the front counter. I I think you'll be glad you did! read more

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This is a great place to meet a friend, network, conduct a meeting or just get in a nice breakfast. When you enter the cafe you have to make an order at the register. As you find your table you notice the vibe from the decor down to the music. They will call you to get your drink at the counter but the will bring your food to your table. The staff is nice which makes the experience even better. read more

Come for the coffee! Skip the burger. I got a nitro cold brew, black and it was great. I also ordered the burger and it just tasted like a dirty grill. Still four stars though because it is a coffee shop after all. Great atmosphere. Cozy. Very very clean! I also love the mission. read more

Food was great, prices are very reasonable. Would definitely for lunch, meeting, or study group!

Found this gem via Yelp. I needed something fast, convenient and good quality on my way to work. CUTE ambiance, I wish I had more time to stay and enjoy it. I ordered a creme brûlée iced latte & chicken salad wrap with sweet potato fries to go. Both were really good! The food was fresh and made to order. Normally don't get too excited over chicken salad because you know what to expect but this chicken salad had flavor, super moist and the wrap had a little crunch to it with the lettuce and tomato. I also got a guava & cheese empanada- also delicious. The staff was amazing! Helpful, personable and all around genuine. Definitely will be back when I'm in the area and I can't wait! read more

The Collective Cafe - Creme brûlée latte with almond milk, YUM! - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

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Maybe we caught the staff on an off afternoon, but the table service was nearly nonexistent. The guy at the front counter was helpful when we mentioned this was our first visit. He asked for a name and said that our drinks and food would be delivered to our table. We didn't receive a number to place on our table but figured the server would find us. There were no clean tables so we milled around a bit and finally sat at the least-dirty table and bussed it as well as we could. The server came with my meal and seemed overwhelmed when we asked to have our table wiped clean. She asked if we wanted the food or our table cleaned; we wanted both. She disappeared for a bit with my meal and came back with a towel to clean the table, then came back with my meal. I asked for napkins and utensils. That required a very lengthy trip, but she at last returned with napkins and plastic utensils. Then she brought my husband's meal. But still no drinks. So my husband claimed our drinks at the front counter. During all this, a manager-type person was busy gabbing with patrons, oblivious to the dirty tables surrounding him. I guess it was beneath his pay grade to pitch in and help? The plastic utensils were a real surprise ~ this place seemed like it would be into more sustainable practices. As for the food? The empanada was really greasy ~ the greasiest I've ever had. I won't order one again. However, my husband's potato salad was the best we've ever tasted. (Even better than my sister's, but that's just between us.) We'll give this place another try and hope that whatever was happening with the table servers will have been resolved. We all have off days. read more

Great fries! Came here recently with a few friends for a quick snack. Service was super fast and place was so cute! I'll definitely be back.

Stopped by for a chicken salad sandwich and a latte. Both were excellent! I also enjoyed atmosphere and comfortable chairs to work from read more

I loved this place! There was lots of seating inside, and even tables outside. There was a bunch of parking, which is always a plus. I ordered a fun holiday drink. The girls behind the counter were super nice. I didn't have to wait long for my drink. My friend met me there, and we had time to strategize about our business. There was a constant flow of people coming and going. All different ages, people working, and even moms with little kids. I'll definitely be back here! read more

Really cozy place with great food and coffee. And honestly the service was so above and beyond. Everyone was kind and attentive. Highly recommend read more

This place seems great and has a great premise and feel so I will probably need to try them again because I found my visit to be very average. We ordered food and a coffee and a tea. The person serving us was very nice but didn't tell us to come back to pick up our coffee from the counter. We took our number and sat outside and waited. Our food came but no drinks. We had to go ask and they told us that they were at the counter. Ooops, we had no idea. Overall food was ok but nothing that we couldn't make at home ourselves. read more

The food was wonderful, the atmosphere eclectic & cozy. A definite reason to come back.

Great place to eat lunch . Sandwiches were tasty and fresh. Pleasant atmosphere. The staff were very friendly

Nice atmosphere food was made fresh to order and very quick... had one picky eater and she adored the parfait and croissant! Egg and toast ham cooked perfect and egg sandwich all served with a small parfait.. nice touch! Will definitely come back next time we are in town! read more

The Collective Cafe - Toast egg cheese and bacon side of yogurt! Simple food made good! Ice chai and mocha! - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

It's a cool, dope, nice gathering spot that's a nicely blend of coffee house, restaurant, and meeting space. Carefully thought out dining area that caters to both the experienced satellite workers and anyone looking for a delicious breakfast. The decor is genius inside from an inspirational wall of quotes to industrial bars and tables. This place is a hidden gem! The food has been on point with every visit and the customer service is spot on! I've ordered a build your own omelet and a French toast plate. I was able to catch pics of one of those options to give you a visual. Enjoy!!! read more

The Collective Cafe - Throwback goodness - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

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The coffee spot, a little off the beaten path, was an unexpected treasure. The coffeehouse is accommodating, the staff is friendly, and the whole place looks straight out of Pinterest (impressed). The coffees, fresh house-made juice, and other breakfast foods were just as exceptional. Overall this place was not what I expected; I am 100% impressed and will return. Please make an effort to check it out! read more

The Collective Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

The coffee and food is amazing here! This place never disappoints. Everyone is always so nice and professional and the atmosphere is perfect. I love that they always have rotating special coffees. Right now they have a lavender and it is the best one in town. read more

We were checking out the Matthews area, and was looking for a local spot to have lunch on a Saturday. We found this great cafe! It is counter service style, so you order your food, pay at the counter, then your food comes to where you're seated. We got there at a busy time, right at the start of the lunch rush, so there weren't many available tables. As we were ready to sit (there were 3 of us) a small table opened. This place has bench seating, high top tables, large buffet tables, and couches with end tables too. Anything you might like to feel comfortable, the Collective Cafe has it. Food comes fast here! And looks and tastes great! We got the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich side of steak fries, the Smoky Chipotle Chicken Panini side of fruit, and the BLT side of roasted sweet potatoes. All delicious! Food was hot and fresh and came out very fast. Great on a busy Saturday. Also, their bathrooms are very clean. I know this can be important to many guests, so I thought I would mention it here. Great little find on the way to downtown Matthews. If you are heading to the area, stop here and grab a bite first! read more

Excellent food, quickly delivered. Beautiful and peaceful atmosphere and decor throughout. I'll definitely be back.

Stopped in with wife for a quick lunch, looking for something new and local and hadn't heard of this place before. Was really impressed. The atmosphere was great, low-key and very clean. Staff was very nice, and the menu was great. Nice selection of salads and sandwiches. Service was quick with no issues. Would definitely stop in again, would love to come try breakfast out sometime as well. read more

First time eating here. Had breakfast, omelet with fruit cup, chocolate shake. A comfortable place various types of seating. More of a coffee and donut relaxing place.. Food was tasty,, though maybe a tad pricy. I may return to see how lunch is. read more

The Collective Cafe - Mushroom,spinach,bacon, cheddar cheese omelet - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

Great food and atmosphere. We had a panini and club sandwich with sweet potato fries. Both were great. And the sweet empanadas were excellent as well! read more

The Collective Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Matthews, North Carolina

Love this place. I work in this space often and grab breakfast or a coffee. The build your own omelette is always a great go-to. The environment is amazing. Love the word wall and the cityscape. Great people work there! read more

Good food and friendly staff. Good recommendation if you work from home and need a different space.

Acceptable. I had a coffee and pastry to go. A fair amount of people had their laptops out working. The cashiers were nice and polite. I ordered a caramel latte which was alright. I also ordered a blueberry and cream danish which tasted like play-doh and was totally inedible. read more

Cute little spot I would've never known was there at the back of an office plaza building. Staff was very friendly and food was fresh. It got busy and we were able to join a group of moms at a community table. read more

Very cute ambiance, good was good but a bit hard to find a seat with all the people camping out with computers/ single person seated at a 4 person table. Coffee was good, service friendly. read more

Rude, abrasive service. I asked a few questions before ordering and was given short, curt replies. After putting in my order, I saw that the food item wasn't listed, so I just asked her, "Did you get the Veggie scramble"? The woman replies, "No you didn't say anything about a Veggie scramble." Umm...yes I did. Just because you didn't hear me doesn't mean you need to be rude about it. Also, there's an awful lot of plastic -- utensils, side dishes, coffee cups (and you can't bring your own, they won't let you). It's too bad they can't be a little more environmentally friendly. Anyways, the atmosphere here is otherwise pretty good, and I can see why people like it. Perfect place to come with a computer, sit back, and hang out for a spell. I just can't get over the reception. I definitely won't come back. read more

Id highly recommend this adorable coffee shop/ lunch place. I had no idea it was just out of downtown Matthews behind Target. The menu appeared to have something for everyone. My salad hit the spot. read more