Park Avenue Coffee – Lafayette Square

Had my first ever butter cake here and oh my goodness, SO good! Shared the red velvet and turtle butter cake with a friend who was equally impressed and I just can’t wait to come back and try all of the other flavors!

I loved the gooey cake and the oatmeal raisin cookie! Man who worked there was very helpful too.

Gooey butter cake! That’s all I have to say.
As we headed back to Illinois, my sister was SO SO SO adamant about getting gooey ooey f’n buttery cake (yup, that’s what we called it), that we backtracked to get her some. I’m so glad we did because it was divine.
Park Avenue Coffee is a quaint little coffee shop in Lafayette Square. I could picture myself getting coffee from there on the daily, if I lived around there. They have a gorgeous patio too! They offer coffee, tea, other drinks, baked goods and of course… Gooey Butter Cake. They have over 75 flavors!
St. Louis is know for the traditional cake. It’s sweet and cuts like brownie. Kind of like a blondie but sweeter and more «gooey-​er» (pretty sure I just made that word up). Crispy on the outside yet chewy on the inside.
Legend has it that the cake was accidentally made by a local St. Louis German American baker, in the 1930’s, who reversed the portions of butter and flour when attempting to make a regular cake. I don’t know, if it’s on the internet, it must be true… hahaha…here’s the Wikipedia article (
).
I tried their original and lemon raspberry and ended taking two originals for the road. They didn’t last long. I was disappointed in myself for not bringing a dozen, of each, home. The lemon raspberry had a nice little tart flavor to it but it was still sweet.
Needless to say, if I find myself in St. Louis again, I’ll definitely be back to Park Avenue Coffee!

Visited St. Louis and decided to make this the stop to try a local favorite, Gooey Butter Cake. Yum!
Very nice, quiet café with delicious baked goods! They had several types of gooey butter cake. Tried the traditional one and loved it!

Love this place! Staff is always super friendly, coffee always hot and I love the breakfast foods and pastries they now offer!
They have just refreshed their look too which makes it even nicer to come to.

Came here predominantly for the gooey butter cake. I ordered the red velvet, and my best friend got the turtle. We shared, and both were so delicious! I also ordered a mocha which was good — nothing too special. But if you want a sweet treat to go with your coffee, this is the place!

I’ve been to this location a few times now and have tried a different type of gooey butter cake every time. I’ve had the white chocolate blueberry, pumpkin, and, today, the chocolate chunk. They’ve all been very good.
This location seems to attract groups, and the space is really small, so it’s not the best coffee shop for doing work that requires any sort of concentration.

This place is awesome. Amazing coffee but their gooey buttercake in 72 flavors is one of the largest selections in the world. Now St. Louis is where gooey buttercake is founded so it’s not too big a surprise.
This location in the heart of Lafayette Square fits the neighborhood well. Don’t miss this place as its also 2 doors down from the Chocolate Bar which is another great neighbor.

Gooey butter cake, coffee, and conversation. What could beat an afternoon spent here with those 3 things?
I ordered the Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cake and it was sooo good. I had to pace myself to eat it slowly to enjoy it more often even though I wanted to devour it all in one bite. I’m not a big coffee person, but I got myself a Caramel Macchiato to accompany my desert. The coffee was really sweet, which left my taste buds almost numb from all the sugar being consumed with the cake. Bad choice on my part, but I would not recommend ordering the two together. Regardless, both the coffee and the cake was delicious! The coffee itself wasn’t anything spectacular, but if you’re going to visit I would definitely suggest ordering one of their many options on gooey butter cakes!

Loved it! Friendly staff! Helpful staff! Lots of gooey butter cake selections! And OMG, it is soooo good! Worth the calories! Great lil spot! Trendy place! I will return!

I evaluate coffee shops on three things: quality of coffee/​treats, location, and the thoughtfulness of the vibe. I’ve been to both locations dozens of times, and I’ve finally figured out how I feel about Park Avenue.
First off, I’m happy that it exists. I’d love to see more coffee shops that cater to a variety of crowds in the city core. Both locations are convenient for me; I actually have scheduled dates with friends at this particular location. I love Lafayette Square, and I think Park Avenue meets many of the neighborhood residents’ needs. I’d say location is the aspect in which this coffee shop excels.
The coffee and treats are so-​so. I’d tend to agree with other reviewers that everything is a tad overpriced. I get that gooey butter cake is a thing – it’s just not for me. The coffee and tea has been consistent, but it’s not really a front-​runner in the artisanal coffee scene. The muffins are pretty standard; the bagels are worthless. I have no complaints about the service.
The vibe is the worst aspect. Both locations are plastered with a strict blue and orange scheme with feel-​good slogans. It’s a bit much. They could benefit greatly from a branding update. But the space does have potential; it’s set up well for socializing, popping in and out, and studying/​working.
With all that criticism, I will say it’s lovely to pick up a warm drink at Park Avenue Coffee and take leisurely stroll through Lafayette Park. Do try the gooey butter cake if you fancy a St. Louis novelty.

Best gooey butter cake! Lots of flavors to choose from. I love the original classic gooey butter cake and this place does it perfectly. I’ve also tried a few of the other flavors and the butter pecan and turtle were really good! Definitely recommend trying all of those. I miss living in St. Louis for things like this, but I make sure to stop in here whenever I’m back in town visiting.

The location is great — Lafayette Square is exactly the type of neighborhood that needs a good coffee shop. The street is so quaint and cute and «old town”-ish.
I personally love Park Avenue’s coffee. It’s all air-​roasted, right here in St. Louis and then distributed to their three locations (also in St. Louis). I highly recommend trying their various roasts just straight black before adding cream, sugar, whipped cream, etc. It is a smoother, more balanced, less acidic taste than beans roasted using a traditional roasting method. You’ll come to recognize a less «burnt» taste in their coffee.
The Lafayette Square location has a great little seating lounge in the front of the café, which was crowded when I arrived and there were only a seat or three open. The seat that I did find unfortunately was broken inside so it sunk in on part of the seat but I could feel the spring on other parts of it. I hope the rest of their seating wasn’t so bad! I’m glad they have a mixture of couch/​table/​chairs that makes for good conversation if you’re there in a group. It was too cold and dark to be outside in the back when I went, but I definitely want to check it out on a nicer day.

This is by far my favorite coffee place in the St. Louis area. There are a ton of coffee drinks to choose from, and their gooey butter cake selections are to die for. Not to mention their location in Lafayette Square with a nice view of the park. My wife and I make it a point to visit here with every return visit to STL and will continue to do so as long as they stay open.

They have one of the best selections of Coffee type drinks that I’ve found. I pass by other coffee shops on my way to Park Avenue. The service is always fast and friendly. It’s not too noisy so you can take a book or your laptop to read or work.
One of my favorites treats is a Mocha Frappuccino. In winter I get a couple shots of espresso added to coffee. I have several friends that rave about their gooey butter cake but it never took hold with me. I could give the 5 stars but they are a bit pricey.

I had the great pleasure of sampling some of Park’s gooey butter cakes at Unilocal’s Summer Stunner a couple weeks ago! I was super excited to see them there as I had recently added them to my to-​do list when I discovered that they offered 73 varieties of gooey butter!!! At Unilocal’s event they were offering three flavors: Original, Double Chocolate and Key Lime. Of course the Original was nice. But chocolate is always my favorite! Although I have to say, the Key Lime was pretty awesome as well — and I don’t usually go for Key Lime! I can’t tell you how many times I went back to this table for more…
Then, the other night out at the Chocolate Bar, I realized that this place was a couple doors down! How had I never noticed it before?!? My husband chose the turtle gooey butter and was a huge fan! This place also offers some delicious drink options to go with your treat. One of us chose the cold brew mocha coffee and another the steamed with with cinnamon. Everyone was very happy with the choices!
I can’t wait to visit again! Hopefully on a day when I can buy a large assortment of flavors to share for a gathering!

Been on the hunt for a wonderful coffee shop since moving from San Francisco a few months ago! This shop hits a lot of high points for me: Love their vanilla fraps on a hot day, cozy interior, nice staff, late hours, and amazing patio that’s dog friendly. Perfect for relaxing while reading a book with the pups! The only con for me is the price, but I’ll prob keep coming. Worth checking out in the cute Lafayette square!

I’ve had Park Avenue numerous times and adore it all. Their espresso is wonderful, and I love that they aren’t afraid to put a bright, citrusy coffee in the espresso machine. This location is now serving Cold Brew on a Nitro Tap and HO-​LY cow is it delicious. The same wonderful glaciers I’m used to, but with a creamy body and good head like an awesome draught beer. The gooey butter cake is always fantastic and I adore the outdoor seating.

If you have never had the pleasure of experiencing heaven in a cup then you haven’t been here. I live by the Airport. And this location is open until 10pm. I can’t tell you how many nights during the week even– that my boyfriend and I take the ride down just for a cup of delicious heaven.
The gooey butter is… meh. I’ve personally had better at other bakeries. But I worked in a bakery for a long time and made these so I have a specific way of viewing how they should feel/​taste/​etc. I do enjoy their mini apple pies and scones though. They are delicious!
Go for the coffee. Specifically the Park Avenue Mocha. It slides down your throat like a unicorn on a rainbow. Get whipped cream on it– it’s worth the calories. It’s the glitter to this magical experience.
The staff is always nice and if you go in enough they start knowing who you are. I feel like such a celebrity in there. I mean who doesn’t when you are drinking liquid gold? Having a bad day? Then you need some whipped cream on that coffee biotch. BOOM. Happiness restored.
I love you Park Avenue… You dark, delicious temptress.

As far as I know this is the original, I’ve trailed off ever since they opened the location in The Hill. Consistently good coffee at fair prices. Gooey butter cake is very worthwhile. Parking has never been a problem. This location has far more seating than the new location and there are lots of great outdoor seating locations here.

This was the meeting location for the start of an epic Fourth of July bike ride. I needed something with protein to eat and a water bottle refill. The only non-​sugary snack they have is quiche and while one of the girls behind the counter was very helpful with water bottle refills (even added ice!) the other was not so nice about it. She rolled her eyes when I asked and I had to specify for ice. The quiche is very tasty but I wish that they had more stuff like it on the menu! I’m not much for sweets even when I’m not about to embark on a 40 mile bike ride.

Excellent espresso (I went every day while in town for a conference). Their iced coffee was very good, and my colleagues enjoyed their smoothies as well.
On my last day in town, I tried the gooey butter cake, which they (and St Louis) are know for. Very, very sweet — but a nice treat!
Super friendly staff.

I am completely obsessed with their red velvet gooey butter cake and in general, all their baked goods are delicious. I can’t speak to the coffee since I don’t drink coffee, and I haven’t tried the other drinks but it’s in such a cute area that I love stopping in for a treat and then wandering around the square.
I’ve been to the other locations and this one is my favorite.
The only downside is that their gooey butter cake mixes are so overpriced for what you get, especially when half of it is just cake mix. Buuuut, it’s also so delicious!

Enjoying a delicious quiche for my breakfast! Creamy egg, ham, onions, and a nice crust-​this little «pie» is yummy… Highlander Grog coffee also quite nice… Great staff of very warm, friendly staff that build relations with the customers… Incredible selection of gooey butter cakes and many lovely pastries, muffins, and more… Even tempting Kakao chocolates at the register!
They also sell packages of coffee to go and gooey butter cake mix!
A neighborhood coffee shop with a great patio too!!! Tables, chairs, small wicker sofas and cool fire pits!!!
Get your coffee, protein shakes and beautiful teas here!