El Mono Motel & Latte Da Coffee Café

Family was traveling to Yosemite and came across this place. What a gem!!! Their sandwiches were awesome and the service was great. Very relaxing environment. I cannot give enough praise.

A couple years ago I stopped into the Mobil Station for my morning coffee but a tour bus had just arrived and I found myself in line behind 70 hangry Asian seniors. Don’t get me wrong, I love an immersive cultural experience, I really do, but I needed coffee and despite several attempts to con my way to the front of the line, they just smiled and nodded in a way that suggested they did not understand my words.
I gave up, excused myself from the couple who were speaking to me in Japanese as though I understood them and drove into the small town of Lee Vining (population: 222) to see what they might have. I was familiar with Nicely’s «restaurant» but their coffee (and most everything else) is kind of gross so I decided to try Latte Da at the El Mono Motel. The yard out front was decorated with sunflowers and pumpkins (it was October) with several varieties of poppy growing in the flowerbeds that surrounded a lush, green lawn. Several people were lounging on the front porch. Some in willow rocking chairs with a book or sketch pad others huddled around their iPad, using the free wifi to facetime with family on the other side of the globe or check their email. Inside the rustic screen door you’ll find a pleasant mix of mountain lodge and bohemian chic. There are books to borrow, board games to play. The café offers tons of coffee and tea choices and while they’re a little expensive compared to what you might find in the metropolis you came from, it’s a tiny town offering a premium product that rivals or surpasses the quality of their big city competition. I had their organic brewed coffee and a chocolate chip cookie. I walked through the garden courtyard behind the office/​café. It’s like a secret garden back there. There is a freestanding sink that drains into a small flower box, there are tables and Adirondack chairs haphazardly placed among vegetable gardens, wildflowers, blooming trees and lush grass. It’s easy to get lost. Oh, the cookie and coffee were really good.
I love this place. The people, the atmosphere, the view, the wifi and the coffee are all as close to perfect as one could ever hope for.

This is some of the best breakfast I have ever had. It actually might be the best breakfast I have ever had, I just don’t want to say that since I live in South Carolina and can’t go back every morning. I was camping for weeks before coming to Lee Vining and to Latte Da, and this restaurant was an oasis of food goodness. Their breakfast sandwiches are otherworldly good and great for any time of the day. Their coffee is also good, but the real draw for me was the sandwiches. I didn’t stay in the hotel part, but it looked very quaint and hostel-​like.

Adorable café!!! Everything is so cute and lovely and cared-​for! We just stopped by for tea on our long drive back to Los Angeles from Reno, and really really glad we did! The hotel garden looked wonderful, too! Friendly service and very reasonable menu! Will def. stop by when we go to Reno next!

Best. Coffee. Ever. I’m a coffee lover who grew up drinking hand roasted coffee, this place truly loves their blends. The taste was smooth and unpretentious. Kudos for being friendly and making is a great cup on our long drive.

They make the best mokka and ginger cookie I’ve ever tasted… so delish and friendly service

It’s the cutest motel I’ve ever been! To be honest, we didn’t stay there, but we spent 2 of our mornings there having brunch. My parents loved it because this motel has a small garden and they prepare food for the birds. So when we had brunches there, my parents can take pictures of flying birds. A nice brunch place for bird lovers :)

Best breakfast in the greater Yosemite area.
.
I’m sure it’s a quaint hotel as well, but we camped.
They offer 5 breakfast sandwiches, all unique, all hand-​made, all six bucks.
They also offer free WiFi, something that is exceedingly rare in this area.
Cute outside areas were festively decorated with pumpkins.
Really made me wish we WERE staying here.
I’ve been told there’s good ice climbing in Lee Vining in the winter… maybe we’ll come back…

Good coffee and light breakfast sitting outside to absorb some morning sunshine. Next time I will get one of the breakfast sandwiches.

Hotel propre, tred bien situé dans Lee Vining avec vue sur le lac pour les chanceux. Le café en bas est bon et pas cher et l’équipe super sympa.

Once again I find myself at this little oasis of coffee and home-​baked goodness in the culinary desert of the Eastern Sierras.
26 years ago, when they first opened, I was so excited to find them. Nobody used Unilocal back then, so I never gave them a review. This one is long overdue.
Great coffee, friendly people and a variety of obviously homemade pastries. Do stop.

This Café is just great! You can order really good coffee and have the choice of several kind of sandwiches. They have also fresh pressed juice and home baked muffins.
It’s so beautiful to sit outside. And that’s what we did. The sandwiches and the blueberry muffin were delicious.

Try the Stellar Blue sandwich (absolutely delicious) with a Latte (their specialty). The front and back gardens, with plenty of seating, are so gorgeous and peaceful that you won’t want to leave.

The breakfast sandwiches are beyond good! After road tripping for weeks and surviving on largely underwhelming meals I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty their food is. Definitely stop here on your way to Yosemite! Also love the charm, the beautiful garden out back, and the friendly staff. Enjoyed my 1 night stay in the motel, too. It kind of felt like staying the night at grandma’s more than a motel :) which I enjoyed the comfort of greatly. I highly recommend this place!

Only came for the food. Very cute setting and the coffee shop is nice. The grounds are very relaxing and pretty in front of Mono lake. We had the breakfast sando, which was great. Had alfalfa sprouts, which was something you don’t see often in an egg sandwich.

Stopped there after leaving Virginia Lakes Resort. THE best coffee (and whipped cream) around. Shane makes the best iced mochas! (:

I stayed here for one night and it was decent. The rooms are small, but clean and have the amenities advertised. The WiFi was good from the room.
The breakfast sandwich was delicious.
The rooms are somewhat noisy due to people hanging out on the patio out front and the noise from the kitchen (my room was right near the kitchen)
I would stay here again.

The Sprouted Nest breakfast sandwich is unreal. The motel is very cute and quaint. Highly recommend.

5 stars for the café, excellent coffee, smoothies, sandwiches.
3 stars for the motel, small room with less than basic amenities (no coffee maker, no microwave, no tv, no desk/​chairs, old bathroom, etc.).

Wow, what a delight after experiencing some roadside bummers. Could not be cuter. We got lattes (incredible), an impressive egg, ham and cheese sandwich on focaccia, some gluten free and non– gluten free pastries, and organic smoothies. All this deliciousness in the most charming little place I’ve ever happened upon on a road trip.
Thank you, Unilocal!We will stop here every time!

Very cute little place. Nice outside sitting area to enjoy you breakfast or just work on a computer while having some coffee. Friendly helpful stuff. Fast. Tasty sandwiches, healthy gluten-​free bread available upon request and I don’t think there is an extra charge for it.
Good coffee I must say.
I would recommend this place to everyone

Probably the best mocha coffee I’ve ever had. It was so good I got a second one! Add the free wifi and I was set for a bit. The girls working here and great too.

My husband and I stopped hier in June 2015 to go through the Tioga Pass. It is a very simple, but clean Motel. The stuff is great and very friendly. You have free Wifi here.
For breakfast you can have very good self made sandwiches. Also they serve a very good Coffe (Caffe Latte, Cappuccino, Espresso,…).
You can get Self made Cookies and Cakes here.
You have to visit the coffee when you visit Lee Vining!

Cannot comment on the hotel, but definitely a good place for breakfast. Quality and organic foods are there. It is very tasty and spot on to wake you up properly. Enjoy the sun and also the stunning view on the way to yosemite