Higher Grounds Cafe

Very good coffee and specialty drinks here, food is always good as well. However, in recent times I have had some negative experiences there. The owners have been in business here for quite some time now, and over time I have noticed that they are much less friendly than they used to be. No out right rudeness, but just a feeling that they are doing me a favor rather than the other way around. They also will not make any specialty drink that is not written explicitly on their menu. For example, I ask for an iced green tea. They will not make that because it is not on the menu. BUT I can chose from several other iced tea flavors… I have been in very few coffee shops that won’t make a drink the way a customer likes it. For that reason, I give 3 stars. The cash-​only policy can be a deal breaker for some, too.

I have recently moved to Mount Joy and thought I’d give this place a try. Down to Earth employees who were very friendly. I only ordered an iced coffee each time I went, but the drink was great and reasonably priced. The only draw back is that they don’t accept credit/​debit cards… so be sure to have cash on you or you’ll be heading next door to the bank’s ATM machine.

This place is really cute and the workers are nice. They get 4.5 stars for that. Their menu, though, is highly lacking. Being a vegetarian, I am aware that I am very limited in my food options. I try not to be picky when it comes to what food is available. Usually there is at least one thing on a menu that doesn’t have meat, and that’s fine. When I went here, there was absolutely nothing on the menu that didn’t have meat in it (except for the baked goods… but I came there for lunch and try to eat healthy). I ended up getting a latte and a cookie, only because I was meeting someone there and I was hungry. The latte was really good, as was the cookie… I just wish I could have gotten regular lunch food, too.

Boy, this place is wonderful. At the recommendation of someone on Unilocal I ordered a large frozen hot chocolate. And then I ordered another one, because wow. It tastes wonderful, way better than Starbucks’ chocolate chip frappé.
The food is great as well, I had the sandwich of the day on a croissant and it was fantastic. I think it was ham and cheese?
Regardless, at the risk of sounding a little odd, their mayonnaise has a slightly different taste than something store bought, and is reminiscent of Subway’s, which is basically the highest praise mayonnaise can get.
The atmosphere was interesting, with music playing softly in the background for ambiance and a rather small dining area making it feel cozy rather than cramped.
Overall, it’s great, and I’ve no complaints.

This place has been around for years, now. It used to be Mount Joy’s library years and years ago; my how things change.
This café is conveniently situated near the middle of town and is open until early afternoon from very early morning. Parking is usually okay along Main St in Mount Joy, so it’s easy to get in and out pretty fast. They are a cash only operation, so make sure you bring money. If you must, there is a bank next door and I’m sure they have an ATM.
They have all of your usual coffee drinks, both hot and frozen. The atmosphere inside is bright and unique. There is lots of space for small gatherings, hanging out, and talking. The family that runs the shop is very, very nice and knows many customers by name.
I recommend checking out Higher Grounds Café!

It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed this place, but let me update.
This is a cute coffee shop, but there are several reasons why I don’t patronize it, even though it’s only a few miles from me.
1. Lack of vegan options. There really isn’t much if you are lactose intolerant.
2. Doesn’t accept credit cards. Really folks? A machine is cheap, the percentages are low, and you’d probably make more money in the long run (like business from people like me who collect points from their cardholders). Yes I do know an ATM is next door, see comment about points. I have almost a week worth of free hotel nights by using my card to pay for everything and I’ve yet to pay one dime of interest.
3. No WIFI. I have a job where I work on the internet. I often frequent places WHILE at work. No wifi means lost revenue from people like me. Yes, there are ways around people hogging up all of the tables with laptops, but this is Mount Joy — Not Philadelphia.
I’d really love to come here more, but the library coffeeshop in E-​town is the same distance, cheaper, has wifi, and lots of lactose free products.
As a former small business owner, I feel that #2, and 3 are shooting themselves in the foot profit-​wise.
c’est la vie.

Cute place for coffee. Also have soup, sandwiches and pastries. No wifi though so if you want a place to work on your iPad this isn’t the place unless you have your own hotspot.

Atmosphere and décor are unique and cool. Coffee is ok, better than diner but not anything to rave about. One complaint: no unlimited refills. There are several coffee shops in downtown lancaster with unlimited refills so if I want to spend some time at a coffee shop I don’t go here. If I am meeting someone I’ll go here since I’ll be spending less time in the shop.

This coffee shop with it’s ideal location in downtown Mount Joy has a pleasant atmosphere inside with a nice variety of seating.
However as someone who frequents a variety of coffee shops, I was not impressed. The counters around the espresso machine were a mess and there was syrups/​sauces all over the outside of the flavored syrup/​sauce bottles. The most disappointing piece was when I asked where they get there coffee. I was told that they don’t share this info with customers.? Doesn’t make sense to me.
Like I said before, good location and fun seating. But the cup of coffee is the most important thing.

Cute café that is perfect for a time out from life. You can read on their sofa. No wifi though.

Iced black coffee was excellent, always a good sign. The colors, seating, and layout are all fab. I love how the seating area extends back in and around with a variety of choices for lounging and relaxing. Would love to revisit sometime to relax and enjoy it more.

Best latte in town! I enjoy reading the paper, drinking a hot mug of coffee, and chowing down on their special of the day. Tough to find a parking space with all the construction going on in town.

This is my new Saturday morning ritual. The staff is friendly. The food and coffee is great.

Awesome soups. Friendly gals who own it. And the best part is they have no wifi! Yes NO wifi, so you get a small cozy coffee shop and rarely wait for a table. It’s easy to miss, so just look for the only yellow building in town.
The only take cash or check. They are not open on Sundays. So, in some ways encourage you to not buy on credit and to uphold the sabbath!

Great little coffee shop but their hours are odd.

This is one of my favorite coffee shops, I wish I went here more often. If you are driving down Main Street in Mount Joy, you can’t miss it– it is yellow and purple! It certainy adds a splash of color and brightens the entire place.
They make delicious lattes, mochas, smoothies and several other beverages. For lunch you can choose from salad, quiches, sandwiches that can be made on a croissant, bread or wrap. I stopped here on a rainy afternoon and had the buffalo chicken salad on a wrap– it was spicy and yummy. It was a perfect choice and just hit the spot.
Another time I had a warmed croissant with strawberry jelly and a cup of coffee.
This is a great place to meet up with friends and family, perfect for a date or just to hang out and clear your mind.
They also sell teas and cute teapots, so you can also get some shopping done, whilst waiting for your order.
The few times I have been here, I noticed
that the people here were of all ages: teenagers to older people, which in my opinion speaks volumes about how comfy this place is.
You probably want to call and check the hours of operation– I know they are open for longer hours on the fourth fridays.