La Colombe Coffee

This place is my happy place. I think it’s the single best cup of coffee around! It’s that perfect mix of bold but flavorful. Today, I had breakfast for the first time and the Nivva Oatmeal did not disappoint. It’s super smooth and creamy. Great way to start of the day. Beautiful décor, lighting, and seating all make this place the best way to spend a breakfast/​meeting/​chill out any point of the day.

This appears to be coffee motherland for the caffeine fiends, and I enjoyed my experience. La Colombe is a huge café with that homey/​warm feel to it. The place does get crowded, especially on a weekend, so be patient when arriving. I got an iced coffee and had to get a warm cinnamon roll since they looked so delicious. They have a good amount of space to have a seat to enjoy your coffee or to get some work done.
Their iced coffee has to be some of the best I have ever tasted. It was a great pick me up since I had a long day at the Fishtown Festival. The cinnamon bun was such a sweet and gooey treat. It was even better that it was sitting on a hot skillet. I was truly awe struck by the coffee distillery in the back, and it shows how much effort they put in their coffee. This is definitely one of the best cafes in Fishtown, and I would be here everyday if I lived in the area!

I love the coffee here, but the food is also amazing. I never had anything that I did not like. The sandwiches are amazing– loved the grits with bacon and eggs. And while you’re here, pick up a loaf of freshly baked baguette. It does get pretty crowded on weekend mornings, but by about 1 pm Saturday, you’re golden.

This is definitely a destination spot for coffee drinkers. I have never been in such a mecca before, even compared to some spots in San Francisco.
I got an iced half and half from the tap for $ 3.50. All good, all day. I’m not a huge fan of Fishtown, but I’d come back here anytime — and I recommend you do too.

I drink a lot of coffee, and one upside of that habit is that it has taken me to countless coffee shops all over the place. That being said, La Colombe’s space is probably one of the largest and nicest of them all. It’s beautiful, inviting, and bright.
I visited on a bustling Saturday morning, but the line moved quickly and we were in and out in under 10 minutes. After hearing my friend talk about it, I decided to try the draft latte. I also ordered a coconut lemon scone for good measure.
The latte was truly unique. It’s creamy, foamy, and light. It’s a cold drink but served without ice – though once I drank about half (and the remaining foam started to liquify) I found that dropping in a couple of ice cubes helped keep the last bit cold.
The scone was also delicious. It tasted very fresh, and had a good balance of sweetness. I love anything with a lemon glaze, and this was no exception.
I’m already looking forward to my next visit!

Wonderful coffee and fresh food. They bake on the premises, fantastic European style breads. Also have a distillery and make their own spirits.

One of those reviews I’ve been pretty much been torn on doing for awhile!
Ultimately my overall opinion of La Colombe (
) hasn’t really changed all that much with the opening of this flagship location. Especially when it opening here more or less gave an independent coffeehouse that used to sell their products in the neighborhood no choice but to close down for good (
).
But when one of the largest and most pristine coffeehouses that you ever did see opens up in a vibrant neighborhood spot; and features vices like beer, cocktails, and Steve «Espo» Powers murals on top of your regular cup of joe, sometimes you have to play devils advocate and give it a whirl! And even the people who harbor the most disdain for La Colombe like me have to admit that it’s a coffeehouse paradise like no other once they enter.
Inside you’ll find tables to sit and eat at with a group of friends or book club, barrel spots to sit and read alone, and plety of sections to catch up on some needed work. Whether you go to caffeinate with their coffees or impressive draft lattes, imbibe on boozy items like cocktails with their Different Drum Rum, or Tandem beer that they did with Conshohocken Brewing Co; or savor some impeccable salads, sandwiches, and desserts, you’l find it here and then some! Or you can show up to purchase their bags of their coffee/​bottles of their booze, take part in some educational coffee workshops, or grab a tour of their operations.

Ok ok ok, La Colombe is a coffee specialty staple in Philly because they have been doing it for a long time. That said, their roasts are average. Hate to say it, and wish it were different, but its the truth, and would love to see that change.
Now, THIS SHOP IS INCREDIBLE. Hands down, the NICEST coffee shop/​restaurant in the city. Repurposed industrial building, well executed, GOOD FOOD offerings, with beet and wine available. Apparently, no wi-​fi which means you wont be sitting next to someone who has been there for 6 hours while «renting» their work space for the price of one cup of coffee.
Would highly recommend visiting this place.

the first reaction by looking at the place and menu was «this coffee place that serves rum?». lol. but it was good.
LOVED the ambience. huge space.
coffee was nice. don’t remember what I ordered but it was good.
the baristas were friendly and were answering all the questions in calm and detailed manner.

It’s beautiful. Truly a design wonder. But I’m just not cool enough to be here.
So impressed. This place makes me feel shitty about everything in my life. My outfit. My apartment. My computer. I left with a coffee in a superior take out cup (I’m serious — even the lid was some design i’d never seen before) and I feel so frumpy and inadequate. At least I’m caffeinated.

You dot have to write a long review for this spot! Everyone knows how great it is! Great customer service I wish I could name everyone by name… Great atmosphere and excellent products!

Being quite new to Philly and all, I thought the La Colombe near City Hall was the only one… until my friend brought me to this one! The fishtown location is definitely way bigger and way more hip. The interior is really rustic with cool artsy decorations, and the whole place emits just a super hipster vibe.
I only got an americano but the pastries looked amazing so I’ll definitely come back for those! & maybe for the brunch too. The ladies sitting next to me were enjoying some amazing looking french toast and I can’t say I wasn’t jealous ;p.

Wow. Talk about an amazing coffee shop! This place is the mecca of hipster coffee houses. Tucked away in Fishtown, the original La Colombe is definitely one of the coolest coffee shops that I have ever stepped foot in. To my surprise, the place was not flooded with tourists which is always a relief. Overall good coffee, amazing atmosphere and pastries and bread worth swooning over. If I lived in this neighborhood, I would be doing work here every day!

Pretty cool spot to pop by for a bite to eat or a fresh cup of brew. I had been familiar with their coffee (which was served in several local cafes), but hadn’t had the occasion to come here yet. We ended up coming here on a Sunday for brunch after seeing that the wait for sit-​down brunch spots with table service nearby were at least 1.5 hours!
Even though there was a small line for ordering, it was super fast and we were eating within no time! The menu is not the most extensive perhaps, but there were still quite a few options! I went with the bacon, eggs, and biscuits in gravy and definitely did NOT regret my choice as it was amazing! If you have a very large appetite, however, you might not be full after eating here as portions were quite small.
Of course, I can’t recommend more the coffee here as it is definitely tasty. Such a shame there’s no free refills lol. You can get fresh water on tap, with or without carbonation.
Once you place your order, you take a number and seat yourself. Food is brought to your table, but coffee and drinks will be served at the counter top for you to grab.
The atmosphere here is clearly extra hipster, but really cool to look at and fun to just take in. The vibe is chill, and you’ll find all kinds of people here. How do they not have free wifi here in 2016 though? Lol.

The interior, décor, and ambience alone should make this place five stars. As opposed to starbucks, where I feel like I might have a seizure at any given moment, this place is spacious, hipsterly opulent, aesthetically pleasing. Wifi would make it the perfect place to get work done, but consequently, might lead to the work-​at-​homes to move in permanently. Even still, this is definitely going to be a place I go to grab a cup and enjoy with good friends.
I was underwhelmed with the espresso that I ordered. It was made promptly, and likely would be pleasing to those with less underdeveloped palates like mine. I, however, have to call a spade a spade, and note that it was more vinegarry-​sour than bitter. I imagine I probably should try to order something more straightforwards next time, and not the most exotic espresso I could find on the menu. I did try a bit of my gf’s iced drink, which was delicious. Had I not just ordered food down the street, I definitely would’ve tried some of the cuisine they had out. Was definitely intrigued.
Want to complain about the pricing, but it’s comparable to other crappy chains, and so in the end, it’s not overpriced… Just hard to convince myself to spend the money when I have nice beans at home.

LOVED this place, but why no WiFi??? Took the star off for that. The coffees and pastires spectacular. They did charge me a $ 1 for a cut of plain hot water, which I thought should have been complimentary.
If they got WiFi, would have been a top notch place.

I love coffee. I will throw down a skinny mocha like no ones business. When I walked into La Columbe I almost considered moving to Fishtown to take advantage of this place. Large variety of barista favs, beautiful décor, cool urban vibe, and delicious pastries. Did I mention they have alcohol to mix in if needed? It’s a must or bust in Philly.

Can you say overwhelmed?!
As a coffee fan I was a bit in awe of the size of this place.
It’s a coffee shop but, on steroids.
From artisan buns and rolls to coffees and lattes, LA Colombe has a little something for everyone.
My only suggestion would be for anyone on their first visit, you should stroll up to the counter and take a menu prior to getting in line. It explains their sizing and flavors so that you aren’t looking stuck when it’s time to order.
Drink up!

We cannot get enough of the flagship location of La Colombe. The Fishtown location manages to straddle the grand and the cozy, which is no mean feat, and we could not be more thrilled to see La Colombe among the anchors of this gentrifying area. We are continually impressed with Mr. Carmichael’s vision and commitment to his causes, whether the environment (sustainable coffees) or creating opportunities for the less fortunate (Haitian Coffee Academy), which also compels us to return, again and again.
Importantly, La Colombe’s newest coffee innovation, the draft latte, is available here. We are addicted to its rich, slightly sweet frothiness. So smitten are we that we earnestly desire have our own draft latte tap in our new kitchen.
Here, one can enjoy gorgeous hot food, sandwiches or full meals along with the most superb coffee on the planet. Happily, La Colombe’s delicious breakfast classics – sugared brioche pouf, pain au chocolat and scones – are also available. And this location has a proper boulangerie, offering various baked on-​site breads (including the generally elusive brioche «loaf»).
The single most visually arresting feature of this location is the ginormous copper still. It is a sight to behold (and reminds us of a Rube Goldberg apparatus). There La Colombe’s Different Drum Rum is distilled. Indeed, as soon as we learned about Drum Rum, we dashed here for our first bottle; it is now also available in a state store near you.
Note to the management: We understand that La Colombe plans to add 100 locations in the next year or so. Please put Lower Bucks County or Eastern Montgomery County on your «to do» list. Sadly, outside of the Carversville General Store, we have found no one in Bucks County who serves your coffee, and we need great coffee when we are outside of the City. We are an under-​served community. Thanks.

Two Words: DRAFT LATTE
Get it, please. Please, just go… NOW.
If you like iced latte, well, you won’t after you try La Colombe’s draft latte… because it’s so much better!!! I’ve never heard of a draft latte before but after a tiny bit of research I think La Colombe is the only place that makes it; actually I think they created it. It’s basically iced latte in a keg… such a cool idea! I love that it comes out already cool and creamy unlike other iced lattes that are made hot and then poured over ice. And I don’t know what kind of coffee and milk they use but the coffee comes out naturally sweet! It’s so rich and creamy and smooth and delicious… hold a second while I take another sip.
So just a side note, for those who don’t like very milky coffees or iced coffees (you’re weird, don’t talk to me), i.e., like my husband, luckily they have some pretty awesome hot coffees too. So really, you don’t have an excuse not to go check this place out. So just go… and I’ll see you there :)