The Local Lion

I was blown away by their coffee and donuts. I’m kind of a coffee snob, I grew up in Hawaii and don’t even drink Starbucks. I wish this place was in my town.

Cute college town hangout. coffee, tea, beer and doughnuts:) coffee and hot cocoa with almond milk were great. Donuts were much better than dunkin d variety. Tons of gluten free choices & we actually liked the gluten free cake donut better than the gluten variety for some reason.

I have recently been messaged by an employee of The Local Lion, with him claiming that my review is false and slander. Totally unprofessional, my review is honest and a true reflection of my visits. Obviously my review is not the only bad one, as The Local Lion has an overall rating that leaves MUCH to be desired and is one of the lowest rated establishments in Boone.

I’m only giving 3 stars because every time I have ever ordered a latte it has been lackluster. I just left and ordered a pumpkin spice soy latte. I barely taste the espresso and there is not even a subtle hint of pumpkin spice! This has happened before when I’ve ordered various other flavored lattes. Maybe it’s the brand of soy milk or simply needs an extra pump of syrup. The convenience of a drive thru is nice and workers are pleasant. I will absolutely RAVE about the homemade donuts especially the orange ones! Absolutely delicious and reminds me of the potato donuts my grandma used to make. Donuts are what keep me coming back… maybe next time I’ll just get a drip coffee.

Finally checked this place out last week! So glad we did (was with 1 other person)! We were upset that we didn’t go there sooner! We both LOVED it!!! The customer service was top notch even though the place was practically full of customers. I ordered a pumpkin spice latte that was EXCELLENT! not too sweet, made just right! I also just had to order a pumpkin spice doughnut. It tasted fresh and delicious. I love the atmosphere and the décor. However, I would have given this place 5 stars but the location is not the best. In fact, it is a bit difficult to get to depending on the traffic. We will be back soon and love to support local businesses in our area.

Yes I know this is a local place but honestly Starbucks has them beat 10x over. The donuts are disgusting– they’re made with potatoes. That’s just wrong to begin with. Secondly, every time I’ve been they’ve only had one barista working completely. That means taking orders, handling money, and then preparing the order. This means there is always a line. The coffee is not that good and they’re a little pricy for what you’re getting. Save your money for something better.

I feel horrible doing this sometimes, like I’m destroying a cherished doughnut place, or a cherished restaurant, tourist attraction, whatever, but I knew about these issues when I took this job, so darnit, my opinion must be heard…
This place is pretty unremarkable, truth be told. The standard glazed donut was fine, nothing to wreck your diet over. The problem that turned me from a positive to a mediocre review was the orange glazed cinnamon roll… it did not taste anywhere near what I was expecting. I could not take more than one full and one little bite (the little bite was just to confirm what I had experienced with the first, that the orange flavouring had come out of an inexpensive tube). Apple/​cinnamon donut was dry. All-​in-​all, 4 donuts $ 6.00 and change.

I’m giving this place an extra star because their service and atmosphere are so delightful… But unfortunately, I was looking forward to exceptional homemade donuts, and I was disappointed.
The glaze on the chocolate donuts was oddly grainy, as though the sugar hadn’t really dissolved. The regular glazed doughnut was fine, and the little donut holes were tasty.

Very disappointing. Donuts very egg tasting and the glaze is horrible. Ordered a carmel frappé and they tossed the first one and a second person tried to make another. I took one sip and threw it away. Tasted like cold weak coffee. Don’t waste your time or money.

The coffee is spot on! Flavored lattes are not overly sugary, but have deep, rich flavors. Iced coffee wasn’t just a cup full of ice with a couple measly ounces of coffee.
The doughnuts were unreal. They were twice as thick as a standard doughnut, light and airy, but not so much that you feel like you’re getting only air. Whatever they do to their dough should be standard operating procedure at every doughnut shop. The glazes were phenomenal, especially the Orange and the Chocolate Espresso. We got a dozen, and they threw in a few doughnut holes for free.
This place is highly recommended!

So I’m not a huge fan of desserts — I know, I know, it’s weird. But donuts here are consistently good every time. I usually order the Maple donut. It’s a cakey donut with tremendous flavor.
Best part is, you can go through the drive-​through for donuts and coffee/​tea.

Fantastic coffee and doughnuts. Homemade and hand roasted there, a Boone favorite for sure.

Stopped in for a latte & a couple of doughnuts one night with the family while on vacation this week. As a coffee shop owner a know coffee and I was very impressed with the quality roaster at the Local Lion. The staff was very friendly & each drink was delicious. The doughnuts were so amazing we had to stop back in on our way out of town for a dozen for the road. I overheard the owner spending a great deal of time explaining the differences between drinks to a customer. He was very kind & enjoyed speaking with her. This is a great place & look forward to stopping in again on our next trip to Boone.

Overroasted coffee, stale doughnuts, and service that was lackluster to say the least. I ordered a pourer that was made with the care of a giant gripping a small flower, and it took 15 minutes for him to finish it. When I got it, it tasted like fresh roasted cigarette ashes. And my wife got the cinnamon thing, she said was bland and hard. I had a glazed doughnut that was meh at best. Definitely won’t be back to this place.

Best coffee in Boone. Period. I rarely drink my coffee black, and I choose to with their roast because it’s so smooth.
The place has a good atmosphere and wonderfully friendly staff. The fact that they have a drive thru is awesome.
I think their plain glazed donut is my favorite, but since their prices are reasonable I always end up buying more than I intended! More energy for hiking!

I love local places like this, especially bakeries that dare to compete with the KK and DD giants.
The MAPLE DOUGHNUT was nicely flavored, but a bit on the greasy side. Freshly fried is nice I guess.
The SALTED CARAMEL CUPCAKE had a nice ratio of cake to frosting. It was also clear that the buttercream contained a lot of real butter, which is always a plus. I didn’t actually want to eat the whole thing, so I’m not sure what that says about it, but I think they’re doing a nice job.

Sad sad place. Not happy with service ALl. Coffee not hot they’re not willing to remake. Guess I’ll go to Stsrbucks.

I’ve been here a couple times, and I just can’t «love» it as hard as I try. The espresso often has this strange, dull-​bitter taste to me. I’ve tried it iced with a small dollop of honey, and that wasn’t bad as the light sweetness took the edge off. I’ve had plain jane lattes, just espresso and milk, and they were just alright; not something that I would rave about. I usually leave just kind of slightly disappointed so I’ll probably stop buying coffee or other beverages there.
Their donuts, however, are ridiculous. In a great way. The sweet potato donut is my favorite honestly, the gooey, melty crystalized sugar on top makes it perfect with its warm, sweet and cakey flavor. The little donut bites are good too! The barista once threw a couple extra in the bag for me when I only asked for a couple; the staff is usually friendly as can be and I like the atmosphere of the place. It’s also fun to watch the roaster up front.
They have stuff for the kids as well, but I wasn’t keen on their smoothies. Overall, you probably won’t regret stopping in if you’re in the mood for some donuts and a little coffee to go along with them! If you’re looking for slap-​you-​awake espresso or some whole beans, check out Higher Grounds; their selection is killer!
Cheers xx

Excellent place to stop in the morning. Coffee’s great and the doughnuts are amazing. The service there was great, and have been short on change a few times but have never left without my order. They are what local shops ought to be like! I feel terrible for the bad experiences of a few others whom reviewed it, but those must be the exception and not the rule. Great great place!

The Boston Crème Pie type are awesome.