The Cafe At Cakes & Ale

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You saved our night from just being ok to being really good.
We were there on Saturday night to celebrate our 9^th wedding anniversary. After a mediocre dinner elsewhere I was nervous that we would not find a place with a good dessert and after dinner drinks.
Downtown Decatur was kind of dead which was weird 1) Because it is Decatur, the foodie hotspot and 2) Emory Commencement weekend. You agreed that it was odd.
Anyways, we ordered a slice of the vanilla bean and blackberry cake to share. To drink, I had a glass of the tauney port. My hubs has the Cigar City beer. I could have drank the whole bottle of tauney. It was delish! It complimented the cake so well. We sat inside by the window and enjoyed looking at all of the wines and people watching.
We will definitely be coming back again to try some of the other amazing sweets that you were offering.

The design, décor, and maintenance are elegant, sleek, and well kept. It is an establishment that manages to be modern without the often intimidating aspects of modern design. It feels comfortable.
You walk in and immediately can see various pastries. Of of those I have consumed the noteworthy of the bunch are the almost croissant, sweet scones, and the coconut macaroon.
The croissant is light, flaky and complimented without excess in filling and almonds in top.
The scone has consistently had the slight firmness on the outside but interior softness I enjoy, particularly when the flavors blend into a greater whole. In this case, almonds, cranberries and the dough manage to work together without any overpowering one another.
The macaroon has the crisp exterior combined with the moist and meaty interior that exemplifies what a coconut macaroon means to me. The coconut comes through along with the compliment of chocolate and nuts.
The coffee is well executed and in their case, the decaf espresso is particularly noteworthy. They blended a few things in to create a complex and rewarding decaf experience.
The breakfast sandwich is the good item I return for. Fresh English muffin is placed into an oven with baked egg, ham (I believe with rosemary), and cheese. Besides bringing forth the flavors of each ingredient, melting the cheese and ensuring a proper malliard reaction on the bread this process serves to heat the wonderfully light but firm egg. After the sandwich has been heated they freshly crack pepper and top it with some green onion. Balanced, warm and gratifying I cannot recommend it enough.
Lastly, the staff have been consistently excellent and as a whole it would be unreasonable ask for more from an establishment than the café provides.

Went here on a week day for an afternoon. It wasnt busy and i could enjoy myself and relax. Cheddar scone with green onions was just perfect (maybe a bit salty but definitely 5 stars for taste). I was hoping for some coffee art but got a boring cup with no art so maybe you are supposed to ask/​tell about about it? The monkey bread? was too sweet and sticky for my taste and didnt really enjoy it. but the chocolate croissants looked great!

Went here on a week day for an afternoon. It wasnt busy and i could enjoy myself and relax. Cheddar scone with green onions was just perfect (maybe a bit salty but definitely 5 stars for taste). I was hoping for some coffee art but got a boring cup with no art so maybe you are supposed to ask/​tell about about it? The monkey bread was too sweet and sticky for my taste. but the chocolate croissants looked great!

Delicious pour over, and pastries and breads from Proof Bakery! The barista was really nice, and made a delicious pour over and told me about the coffee they were using, really fantastic! My boyfriend had the latte and it was expertly done!
Great service, really cool place, nice vibe to hang out with friends, work, and just enjoy coffee, pastries and breads! One of favorites for breakfast for sure! Fans of proof bakery have to check out this place!

Love this spot because it’s cute, cozy, and chill. Also, I had the best hot chocolate of my life here! If those reasons aren’t enough to convince you to check this place out, I don’t know what is. Definitely try the hot chocolate! It’s heavenly!

Rainy day, window seat, AMAZING bottle of champagne (Lallier)!, and beautiful and inviting atmosphere = PERFECT Saturday afternoon. Oh, and it didn’t hurt that they have the best staff — super friendly and good looking… lol… Had a particular treat eyeing Jeremiah! Haha! Definitely look forward to going back and splurging again — next time on some of their espresso drinks and desserts! If this was near my place I’d without a doubt be a neighborhood regular. If you’re in Decatur, visiting Cakes & Ale is a no brainer!

Today was my first time and I will have to come back for a complete review. My latte was made with Hologram (formerly Rustico by Counter Culture my favorite) but the oddest thing happened after the barista made my drink. He stirred it, I’ve never seen anyone do that.
The barista was friendly and helped me right away.
The drink itself was ok, not great but not bad. As I said I will have to return for a better review.

Cool and trendy café located in the heart of Decatur! I ordered the Cortado and it was good but not great. The coffee here isn’t my favorite in the area but what really stands out here are the deserts. I tried a vegan Mexican dark chocolate cookie and it was very good! It had cayenne pepper in it and was a cool combination of flavors. If you are in the area this is a cool place to come chill or do school work.

Words cant express how much we enjoyed going to the Café! We showed up after getting married and wanted to do a champagne toast. The manager put three tables together to accommodate us. We had glasses to toast, ordered the rest of a half white cake, which they brought a large cutting knife for us to take photos with. We couldnt finish the cake and asked if we could come back for it later and they agreed (which we did and sure enough they saved it for us). Very happy to find this place and will be giving them future business because of their hospitality!

Have been here twice. I won’t be back — as good as the sandwich is the service isn’t worth the extra calories.
The breakfast sandwich is AWESOME. The coffee is good. The service is sloooooow.
I recommend coming here if you have time to kill. I knew service was slow coming in the second time but I had forgotten how slow. The baristas also don’t have any personality. Maybe they stayed up too late.
Get some rest!

The café is adorable, however we walked in at 10:15 pm, which was 45 minutes before closing time as quoted on Unilocal.The staff made our party feel incredibly unwelcome as they kept pushing a to go order vs. in store. We spent over 50 dollars and felt the tension in the air as we sat and tried to enjoy our dessert and conversation. We actually read another review stating the staff was snobbish and disorganized, we felt the same and will not return.

I came here twice since its been converted to the new café/​wine bar format. I gave it two tries before writing this review and I’m just not a fan of this change. Sorry. I miss frequenting here before they changed to this new format. Loved coming here before as it felt more inviting and had a warm and rustic café/​coffee house feel where you could sip on a latte, munch on some yummy desserts, and connect with friends or get a little work done. Both times I’ve come here since they changed to the new format were both very disorganized and the people behind the counter also looked frazzled and unfriendly. They were kind of snobby and made me feel like they didn’t really want my business. I’m still confused if you order, pay at the counter, and pick up your deserts and drinks like you used to before or if you have to wait for a server to come to your table to place your order, get your food, and pay. I also feel some of their desserts taste went downhill. I miss the huge array of decadent desserts, bread, etc that you could get here on a regular visit. Definitely feels more limited on the dessert selections now. The first time we came here a gentleman came outside where us and another couple were seated. (There are only three small tables outside). The server only asked the couple at the other table if they wanted some ice water and goes back inside to get them two cups of ice water. Weird how he didn’t ask us though. Oh well. Must say though it left me feeling a bit left out and curious why we couldn’t get any ice water too.

The coffee isn’t the best but this is a great spot for dessert. The sticky toffee pudding (they serve it next door at Cakes and Ale as well) is the best I’ve had outside of the UK. So same dessert minus the wait and needed reservation needed next door. Also a nice place to do a little work in the afternoon since there is usually plenty of space. Treats that should not ever be missed!

I googled, Unilocaled and found this place close to where I was and my interest was only in dessert. No interest in meal. The décor and place looks very cozy. I will give it to them for this. Otherwise from a dessert perspective I wasnt impressed.
I had the disaster of a cheese selection, which I will come to later, and a German chocolate cake. The cake was decent to be described the best. Definitely not blow your mind away types.
Now onto the cheese platter (or sort of). I had no intention of ordering cheese for dessert, that was my mistake and overlooked the menu. In my mind I was thinking cheesecake and I ordered this (for this mistake I cursed myself and jogged 2 miles in regret). I cannot wrap my head around triangle cheese pieces, 4 apple slices, 0.5 oz of powdered pistacio and about 7 – 10 cherry mostarda. It in no way justifies dessert. I understand this place is trying to be a fine wine/​dine/​hang out establishment. If that is the case atleast serve decent selection of cheese to go with the wine (if that was your intent). Surprisingly all 4 pieces of cheese were tasting the same! May be the below link might help you find a balance between serving cheese for dessert and not serving it at all! If you got to do it! Do it RIGHT!

The atmosphere? Beautifully designed.
The coffee? Tasty, though far from noteworthy.
The service? Efficient, but cool.
The whole package? About as much spark as this review.

Very cute spot! Got to sit at one of the small tables at the front window of this café.
I shared an almond croissant – DELICIOUS! Definitely get this if they have them when you come. I typically go for chocolatey things, but I was sharing with a family member that does not like chocolate… I’m so glad I didn’t go for something chocolatey!
I also got the pour over coffee, which was a bit too strong (acidic) for my taste… I haven’t had many pour overs so I can’t say if this cup was unusually too acidic.
And we also bought a (I think it was called) Vegan Mexican cookie. Definitely an interesting flavor. The cookie was baked perfectly, not too crunchy and just the right bit of softness!
Most people were either meeting up with other people here or quietly reading or writing in a journal. No One had laptops out.

Located six miles from downtown Atlanta along the MARTA subway system, Decatur Square quarters a vibrant community bordered by local businesses, eateries, and festivals alike.
Recently established Cakes & Ale (family-​style comfort cuisine restaurant and bar) has been an active participant in the food-​renaissance of Decatur Square. Cofounder chef Billy Allin asserts, «Now, Decatur Square is a restaurant row… You’re getting people who are well-​traveled, who are used to different experiences, and that’s fueling a boom in the restaurant world of Atlanta.»
Rewarded the Design Award in 2012 by the city of Decatur, the boutique bakery sister-​establishment similarly named The Bakery — The Café at Cakes & Ale features euro-​rustic elements. An exposed vintage brick panel adds depth to the an ordinary color palate. High ceilings boost a bright and airy atmosphere.
Alongside my brother (pictured below), I sampled the lemon ricotta pound cake, pain au chocolat, and almond croissant. We also ordered a cappuccino and espresso.
Cakes & Ale’s pastries are rich and decadent.
Pastries:
The almond croissant stays true to form, assuming an airy consistency underneath its crispy outermost layers.
The pain au chocolat is a more dense and filling pastry compared to its [almond] croissant counterpart. The heart of the pain au chocolat is its dark chocolate center. Each bite promises a sweet, buttery indulgence.
The lemon ricotta poundcake has a flamboyant character. A dense cake, the lemon ricotta poundcake is gloriously complimented by a stellar crème.
Coffee:
The cappuccino and the espresso (served in a demitasse) showcase an appreciation for strong flavors. These two beverages pack a punch leaving you with a memorable first impression of the café.

I’m gonna be honest: I almost gave a 5 star review on ambiance. This place is just the coziest. Grab a window seat, people watch the MARTA station, stay a while, make some friends. Tables full? That’s ok. The bar’s lovely too.
Oh yeah. The actual product. It’s well above average. I had some good coffee here. I’ve also had some good tea. But this girl doesn’t really go to the coffee shop for the coffee. That’s more of the icing on top. As long as it’s drinkable, I’m pretty much ok. I’m in it for the location.
I’ve also had multiple pastries here. I would advise against that. Both cookies and pumpkin bread were pretty much inedible.
Also, the baristas are always very nice.

A $ 2 chocolate chip cookie? Well it was pretty darn good. Tea for two? Tea was so good (blueberry rooibos) that I wanted it to be tea for one! Overall a pretty cool experience, but I still like Dr. Bombay’s better :)

Cute coffee shop the dessert were really good at least the ones we tried the coffee was superb however the girl behind the counter was not friendly at all, actually the only way to describe her is that she was DRY like a TOAST! But once we sat down the service was better. A little pricey but competitive with Starbucks

Got the smoreo, which tasted nothing like what I expected. It was the most disappointing item ordered.
($ 2.25)
Also had the peanut butter nutter cookie. I’m not normally a fan of peanut butter but this was pretty good.
($ 3)
Brownie dulce was very rich and fudgy. Ok but nothing to write home about.
($ 4)
I’m not sure about the quality of their ingredients, but the place seemed overpriced and the desserts were unimpressive. Iced tea selection was very limited. No decaf choices.
Service was great.

This is my reward when I get up early: their breakfast sandwich and a cup of coffee. While it is pricier than a fast food breakfast (duh), this will be the tastiest meal you have all day. The eggs are fluffy, the biscuit is perfect, and the ham makes me glad I’m no longer vegetarian. Btw — you can get it to go.
The coffee drinks are all excellent. They do a great pour over, but their standard drip is absolutely worth drinking. I find that it packs quite a punch, caffeine wise. If you aren’t up for a full meal, grab one of their fabulous pastries. The crossoints are amazing, and once it came served with the most fabulous marmalade that I had to buy a jar of. If you come late enough in the day, grab a loaf of bread.
I’ve had some of their weekend brunch dishes, and they were delicious. The only downside here is that it can get a little slow when they are very busy. But it is always worth it!

Baby sis and I were just in and out. We had already grabbed lunch at Victory Sandwich Bar and gotten some froyo at The Yogurt Tap. But I had to stop here. I was curious from my last trip to Decatur Square and felt the need to satisfy my curiosity, at my full belly’s expense.
I eyed a sugar cookie with blueberry mascarpone cream filling sandwich in the bakery case and after exchanging a look with my sister, who love blueberries, we mutually agreed on the choice. We paid and left. Prices are a bit high for what you are getting, but we are in Decatur Square after all.
The sandwich was decadent, with the cookie being dense and sweet and the cream filling being, well, very rich and creamy. Fortunately for us, the cookie sandwich was not gargantuan and the filling was not very sweet. This balanced well with the sugar cookie, which was coated in granulated sugar too. You probably shouldn’t have this whoopie pie on your own, as it felt calorie-​laden. But if you don’t care, you will enjoy the delicate-​tasting mascarpone on all your own.
Others have spoken to the less-​than-​stellar quality of other items that this establishment churns out, like coffee and other food, for instance. I cannot comment on this and will chime in that I really enjoyed the cookie sandwich that I had here.