Strands Cafe

Great coffee and the best scones in the city! I wish they were open earlier and more often.

Very nice atmosphere, very nice service, easy to find. The scones were either too sweet (chocolate blueberry) or not sweet enough (vanilla almond). Their menu was complete without being overwhelming with too many choices. Looks like a good place to hold small business meetings.

Came here based on the reviews on Unilocal and I’m disappointed. This is a review on the food and not the coffee.
I ordered the chicken salad sandwich some people were raving about and I’m very disappointed. The chicken salad was bland and boring, it consisted of chicken, dressing and bits on carrots. Maybe my expectations are too high but need I say again… bland. Its not horrible but not worth it
Didn’t even finished my sandwich and won’t be coming back

Tried this place out recently for a pastry and coffee. Both were good and I would go back. The prosciutto is really good.

I ordered the Bacon BBQ Bourbon Chicken Salad yesterday and it was delicious as always. I also ordered a bowl size of the soup of the day which was the Pumpkin Spiced Soup and in addition to tasting great it was extremely filling. Luckily for me my wife didn’t mind sharing. I sampled what my wife ordered, which was the crab salad and a slice of king cake, which I even enjoyed more than what I ordered. It is hard to go wrong ordering food from this Café. The establishment is very clean, they have free refills for their regular coffee if you are so inclined to down several cups of coffee for a bargain. The prices are set fair for the quality that they deliver!

I’m not even a coffee drinker, but this place will make you one! I love the Tahitian Vanilla Latte — iced, blended or hot.
The ladies working are always very sweet and willing to answer any questions you have.
Unlike most other places, they have almond milk as well! :)
Love the cutesy place and décor.

Great chocolates, coffee, and croissants! Super friendly staff. I’m looking forward to seeing what they offer during king cake season.

Previously we stopped in for chocolates and they were great but we went back in for breakfast on a Saturday morning and were really disappointed. I will say it is a nice comfortable atmosphere. First, their breakfast menu is very limited. Putting that aside, we ordered the prosciutto croissant, a cinnamon roll and a spinach and cheese frittata. All of our items were really just so so. It may be good for coffee, tea and a snack, but not really breakfast.
The croissant really was mostly all pastry with no filling but the small pocket of prosciutto that was there was extremely salty. The frittata had a strange consistency and was served with a salad (no option for fruit even though it was breakfast). Even though my wife loves spinach salads the dressing was too sweet to eat. The cinnamon roll was huge and that’s about all I can say about it.

Perhaps the biggest lament of the world is that Strands Café is only open for a short period during the weekdays and on the first Saturday of the month, because this is an awesome café that everyone should check out!
Located in downtown Baton Rouge, this local café’s blue wall is more prominent than its tiny sign. Inside is a clean friendly café with an air of southern hospitality and a small but tempting display of pastries. When in doubt, just pick the one that calls your heart the loudest and you can’t go wrong!
My choice of Tahaitian vanilla latte is perfection with a light vanilla taste, and the triple-​cheese pastry is surprisingly hearty and delicious. I hate that I could not stay for lunch, but this light breakfast here is so unforgettable that I want to return again to Baton Rouge just to relive this!
Whether you want a coffee hangout or a light brunch, Strands Café is your place! This is definitely the café that you should try at least once.

Cute little place. I finally figured out their hours. They are only open 1 saturday a month, check facebook. We dropped in after the warrior dash (i was just a supporter, no dashing for me) and got a chocolate croissant, chocolate scone, and coffee to go.
The croissant and scone were delicious. The croissant was nice and flaky and crisp on the outside but the inside was so nice and warm and soft with the warm chocolate on top of it. So good. The scone was also very chocolatey, it had almonds and pecans and some icing.
The ladies were also super sweet. The ambiance is nice and quaint. Definitely give them a try. I can’t wait to go back and try more things.

I LOVE locally owned. This café in the heart of downtown Baton Rouge is ADORABLE. When I walked in, I was immediately intrigued as the air was infused with the smell of deliciously fresh-​baked pastries. I knew I wanted lunch food not amazing pastries, so I kept my focus.
Their lunch menu is short with only about 5 options; as for sandwiches… two chicken options, one crab cake, and a couple others I believe. All come with a side, or you can change it to a salad with no side. I chose the chicken salad with a side of the soup of the day, which was the Pumpkin Coconut soup. I was very impressed. The sandwich was on a plump and flaky homemade croissant with plenty of chicken salad stuffed inside. The soup was thick and tasty with neither pumpkin nor coconut flavor dominating. Only complaint (seriously the only «complaint» if I’d even call it that for this awesome place) was that there wasn’t any lettuce or tomatoes in the sandwich. I’m a fan of veggies, so I would have asked for these had I known they didn’t come with it.
They have a delicious selection of coffee or tea drinks, but I went simple with raspberry iced tea. They were out of the batch they made for the day, but have no fear, they made me one from their individual packet selections. Lots of other choices of hot teas that they could make into iced tea as well, and they automatically added honey, which I love.
There were only two girls working today who answered all my questions graciously and told me all about just how locally owned they are. The dad does all the art, which was all over the walls and helped make the place so unique and beautiful. The daughter typically does the decorating and the pastries, chocolates, etc. which were certainly works of art as well. And the mom is the brains behind the operation it seems, but who would expect it any other way? ;-)
I work downtown and rarely shop downtown, mainly because I’m cheap and typically bring my lunch in all honesty. I cannot wait to return though and order some GORGEOUS pastries!!! My friend ordered the strawberries and cream croissant, so I got a taste but must return for MORE!
Oh and they have adorable gift giving ideas like chocolate truffles, fleur de lis shaped chocolates, and pralines in silver Louisiana state shaped cookie cutters… love those and great price for Christmas gifts for everyone on your list! Plus, they’ll ship them for you. Obviously, I can’t say enough good things about this lovely establishment, but I will go ahead and stop… now. :-P

Wow! Talk about Southern Hospitality! Right after I landed in Baton Rouge, I was starving and looking for a place to grab a bite to eat and a good cup of coffee. Of course, I did what any Unilocaler would do, and searched on my handy dandy app… and thanks to all you wonderful people, I came across Strands Café.
I walked inside to a very cute, European-​style café, very peaceful, calming, and welcoming. Since I didn’t really know what to order (I was so hungry I couldn’t think straight), I asked the girl at the counter for recommendations (she is the sweetest, by the way! Such a doll!!!) She recommended the Chicken Salad sandwich, on a Croissant, and the French Onion soup as a side. I had never had chicken salad on a croissant before, but I took her word for it, and and I’m sure glad I did! The crispy flaky buttery croissant complimented the chicken salad so nicely, and the French Onion soup was absolutely phenomenal!
I also ordered a Tahitian Vanilla Latte, and just couldn’t resist a cinnamon roll. I was told it would be brought out to me, as it would be heated to have that «just out of the oven» taste, and Lilia (the owner) brought out hot and steamy, with frosting dripping off and strawberries (my mouth is watering as I remember how delicious it was!)
As I was sitting there eating, I’m sure Lilia noticed that I wasn’t really from around there and struck up a conversation with me. I just have to say, she was the sweetest, kindest, most caring person I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting! She made me feel welcome, and when I asked for a to-​go box for my cinnamon roll (it was HUGE so I couldn’t eat all of it), she boxed it up for me, and also brought me some extra pastries for my aunt and cousin as a «welcome to Baton Rouge» gift. I was so touched by Lilia’s gesture that I got all teary-​eyed and gave her a hug. It was so nice to see that there are still genuinely kind people in the world that go above and beyond to make someone feel extra special.
If you’re reading this review, Lilia, I just want you to know that you made my day, and really touched my heart with your kindness. May God bless you abundantly and look upon you with His favor always!

Great place. You really are treated like family. Had a delicious pulled pork on a bed of spinach.

Attention to detail with coffee and pastries. Beautiful presentation and friendly customer service!

Adorable little café/​patisserie and a sweet little retreat from the everyday grind. Some friends of mine and I met here and I definitely could have just relaxed here all day long. The décor was so personal and heartfelt. Also, the people working there were so sweet and helpful!

I started out with a wonderful Tahitian Vanilla latte but eventually had to try one of the gigantic homemade cinnamon rolls! Delicious and so big we could have definitely shared it but we didn’t. Lol. All of the pastries looked amazing and the lunch menu looked fabulous! Unfortunately, I had to leave before lunch but I will definitely be back to try some of those!

«Cool café & pâtisserie in downtown Baton Rouge area.» A secret garden of deliciousness lies in this very café, so you must check it out! For months, I have seen the gorgeous creations that have come out of this very charming café. It was love at first sight for me, as soon as I walked in last Friday. Have you ever been to a place and was so entranced by it that you never wanted to leave? Well, that was how I felt about that place. Literally, I stayed until they closed! The interior felt like it was designed with so much TLC. Set in a historical building, the design definitely brought the historical personality back to the space. Oh the food… magnificent! The pastries are voluptuous and so full of life! I wish I had a soccer ball with me, so I could set it next to their cinnamon pastries; they are enormous! Loved the hand-​made and decorated candies. My lunch was bursting with flavor — Bacon Bourbon Chicken Salad (strawberries on salad too). After meeting co-​owner and chef, Lilita, I was able to connect the dots on why their logo background is of a pineapple. Can you take a guess why? Lilita was a gem to meet and speak with; such a kind-​hearted spirit and one of the truest passions for the culinary arts! I will be back over and over and over again and you know what? You should to!
COOL TIP: Free refills on coffee, when you dine in-​house.

Second time I ate here — lunch each time and ordered a delightful and much crab meat crab cake sandwich. Do not recall the bread for the crab cake last time but today it was a croissant and I tell you what, the croissant bread is enough of an incentive to return. The restaurant smells good, has art for sale and is set up in such a way that you feel relaxed inside — definitely positive ambiance. Oh yeah pastries and desserts are available in case you want that after lunch or if you drop by mid morning or mid afternoon. And for the downtown worker, on a chamber of commerce day like today, it was great to walk there and back to the office

Charming café located in downtown Baton Rouge. The café is easy to miss as it is away from the areas closer to third street and central business district. The team who prepare the meals are so professional. The Chocolates are made in house which is so cool. The ingredients are fresh. Come early as the menu is first come first serve.

Charming little place, located downtown by the River. I suggested coming here after seeing the great Unilocal rating. Limited menu ranging from salads, sandwiches, coffees and desserts. I was craving a turkey sandwich but unfortunately they were already sold out. I opted for the sausage egg and chz frittata with sweet potatoe chips. My friend decided on the crabcake sandwich and a salad topped with fruit. When our food came out, my frittata was huge (almost too huge for my small mouth to handle) and tasty but the chips were stale tasting. My friends crabcake on the other hand, was only wheat bread-​a few pieces of spinach-​and a small crab cake… what no sauce!!! She stated she didn’t like it so I suggested we just switch. I thought the crabcake had good flavor but overall it was too dry, I recommend adding a creole or remoulade sauce. Oh, and the mixed berry salad we ordered, ended up only being a side of fruit with no «salad.»
Again, the place is cute and low key and maybe their coffees are delicious but me or my friend won’t be back.

Whenever you can catch this place open stop on by! (We called ahead to make sure.) This places smells good enough to eat! The menu is small, the interior is quaint, and the sandwiches are delectable. Strands has a lunch menu consisting of sandwiches paired with quinoa, spinach salad, or chips. Good luck making it past the confectionery case to place your order… saying ‘No’ to any thing in that case is hard to do. Today was my first visit and four coworkers accompanied me. I ordered the chicken salad on seeded bread with pecan quinoa and it was delicious. I love it! Others ordered the Frittata Du Jour– omelet on a warm cheese scone, Roasted Rosemary Turkey Sandwich with chutney –it had the perfect combination of seasonings and rosemary (not overpowering). Jeff will order it again! Christmas decorations were displayed about and light Christmas music filled the room. There are small gifts for sale such as soaps, ornaments, plates, etc. After we dined, we each made our way back to the confection case to order cookies, cinnamon rolls, peppermint mochas, soy milk latte, and egg nog lattes. We couldn’t resist. Check out my photos for a visual of all these yummy things.
«See y’all tomorrow!» is what I belted out as we were leaving and then begging Jeff to take me again! I will try the roasted chicken!
Nom Nom Nom
Nowwwwwwwwwwwwwuh for the bad:
1. they are rarely open –we walked there three times and they were closed.
2. they are slow
2. they got the drink order wrong… UNsweet tea please
3. no sweet n low
4. they are slow
5. my cinnamon roll is now my paper weight
Oh they did?!