Orbis Caffe

I had a headache. I was tired. I was hungry. The symptoms of waking from slumber were stronger than usual. And yet the charm of Mount Lebanon and the approach of Orbis Café gave me hope, and I slyly persuaded my henchbrethren of the need to stop.
Orbis Café differs from your normal specialty coffee shop in that it’s willing to cater to hipsters and 85 year old grandpeople alike. It’s a quaint little shop with some beautiful touches but without the meticulously crafted designs of their significant friends in some other parts of the city. The baristas seemed more flustered and less calm and cool, and yet happy. It’s just a place that is capable of pleasing the connoisseurs without turning off the common people. A bit hidden is the obtainability of such a quality thing as a pour-​over using Ceremony or Intelligentsia coffee. But it’s true! You can even spend $ 40 on a few ounces of rare coffees like Geisha, Eugenioides and Sudan Rume!
They also carry local 19 Coffee Roasters which I had to try, in the form of a Columbian pour-​over. I was a bit skeptical but it turned out to be about a 9.5. On a scale of 1 – 17. Not bad, not amazing. BUT, there was the heavenly broccoli Brie quiche.
I was revived. I was awakened. I was filled.

It’s kind of pricey, but I get that every time I pay $ 4 for a latte, it’s really just paying for wifi and rent for the next hour that I’m going to spend there while I chill and sip my coffee.
I drink a lot of coffee, so the first thing I had to do when I got there was use the restroom. I’m not ashamed to say it. Bathroom cleanliness is important when you’ve got a tiny bladder like mine. And actually, the bathroom is super chic. It’s decorated in a kind of Japanese theme and I’d give it a ¹⁰⁄₁₀ on the neat & tidy scale. So there’s that.
I appreciated my latte art by my barista which really matched the time and care they put into the store’s decorations. It’s really diverse from African masks to Japanese umbrellas to daisies to Seurat-​inspired paintings. You feel more cultured just by parking your toosh there for a while.
I had a medium Hazelnut Latte and a great time and I only left $ 5 lighter than when I went in.

So let me start this review by saying that I’m not really a coffee drinker. My bar is set at Starbucks (and I just lost all the coffee snobs in the room).
Ok, for those of you still with me, because I admittedly don’t like plain coffee, I am pretty much a lightweight when it comes to what I order. I have a standard toffee nut latte that I get from Starbucks on those rare occasions when I want to pump sugar and caffeine into my body, and that’s about it. The thing about the toffee nut flavoring is that other than Starbucks, little local coffee shops with limited menus never seem to have it. So even though Starbucks sort of sucks (my coffee snob friend has trained me to taste how they burn their beans) I deal with it for my favorite drink.
Except for Orbis! I went in today and practically hugged the owner behind the counter when I saw that she had a bottle of toffee nut flavoring sitting there. I quickly ordered a toffee nut latte, and it was AMAZING. I finally had my favorite drink without any burned beans, so I could fully appreciate the flavors.
When you eat or drink in the café they serve you at your table, and I’m always impressed by the presentation. The drinks always have little hearts in the foam and the plates are served with a teensy garnish bowl of fruit — usually fresh raspberries and blueberries. They do a pretty big breakfast rush, complete with a Sunday brunch. Their quiches are always exotic and fabulous and today I had some sort of cookie with nutella in it and just about died from happiness. Oh, and I’ve been there before and can attest that they also have an awesome selection of loose-​leaf teas (because I *am* a tea snob and understand that well).
Totally love this place’s café atmosphere — which is very cozy — and think the place is awesome. Come check it out!

My fiancé and I grab coffees from Orbis almost 5 days a week between the two of us. We work in Mt. Lebanon and it a nice, local shop that we can walk to. The staff are always incredibly friendly, efficient with orders, and the coffee is on point! I like that they experiment with different flavors (lemongrass latte) and different roasts. They have a small box that holds frequent shopper cards so you don’t have to worry about carrying yours with you all the time.
The shop is spacious with plenty of tables, even during busy times. Would be a great place to read/​study as well.
Stop in if you haven’t been yet. Guaranteed you’ll be hooked!

A superior coffee shop with options for pour over or french press. Very good brews! The service was a bit slow but I think it’s worth the wait if you have time. I really like the intelligista brand they sell on site here. The staff also seem
Knowledgeable too about their beans.

Had some decent coffee here (cortado and cold brew). The décor was cool and the music was decent. The yogurt with granola was awesome! The place is HUGE so there is plenty of seating. I’m picky with coffee reviews, so I knocked a star off just because I had better coffee at a different shop in Pittsburgh.

Best coffee ever. I travel the country every week. Recently in Portland looking for a great cup, found a couple but thought not as good as «orbis».
Enjoy the Vegan Blueberry muffins too.
Joe

Service lets this place down. In the only customer in the place and I have to wait while the barista finishes her text? «Just a minute, I’m almost done…» she says, while I stand there.
Customer lost.

I went there for a coffee I tried latte it was good but the cinnamon rolls was hard and not fresh. The staff friendly the place not bad. There are no wide choice of drinks and food.

3.5 Stars, rounded up to 4 Stars
I’ve been here for coffee drinks several times. Each time the drinks were great. I had brunch here twice. The made-​to-​order food is tasty and fresh. The granola biscotti in their case was just ok.
The service is somewhat lacking. Be warned that the made-​to-​order brunch food is not served unto 10 AM (although a couple that ordered right after us was somehow allowed to order their brunch food at 9:45 and was served before 10 AM). Don’t come here if you plan on ordering food and are in a hurry (unless you are said couple aforementioned).
I’d definitely come back for food and coffee when I don’t need to be anywhere.

Came for a quick last minute brunch. Coffee and other drinks were pretty good. Breakfast sandwiches, toasts, bagels, etc were all delicious. I would definitely recommend getting something freshly made rather than the stuff in their case.
Only criticism is that the staff want very attentive and our food took an hour to come out. So, while the product is good, don’t expect great and speedy service.

Organic blueberry scone. And it tasted good. I don’t know how they did it. Cool place.

Awesome coffee. Awesome atmosphere. Love this place. The service is very friendly and the treats are always fresh and interesting. All around terrific coffee spot. Serves both the coffee fanatic and casual coffee drinker. Also, a very underrated component of a good coffee spot… the brewed coffee is always fresh and hot!

Orbis has a wonderful sense of community, and it earns that well by being a locally family owned business. The coffee is excellent and the staff is very friendly. I attended their once a month international dinner and the food was over the top excellent.

Super cute atmosphere here. It’s a little dark, but it feels kitschy and homey and is a great place to meet up with friends, or to bring a book or laptop and settle in.
The espresso is usually Intelligentsia (Black Cat) which is a big plus. They have a range of drinks for absolutely everyone, from coffee snobs to flavored-​sugar-​coffee addicts. That’s a hard crowd to keep everyone happy, but Orbis does it right.
The batch brew coffee is priced well and sometimes is great, other days it is not-​so-​good. I wish it was more consistent so that I could count on a great cup every time. Sometimes it is very disappointing.
The snacks are great here too, and I look forward to a breakfast soon!

Love the coffee; wish there were more comfy, lounge type seating. Important part of Mt. Lebanon community

Had a great Espresso and a chocolate biscotti, wish I could have got a croissant or something besides a cookie. The folks who work there where really friendly. I’ll be back.

I stopped by here today with my girlfriend in an attempt to get out of the blustery weather. The inside of this place was comforting with lots of earthy colors between the dark brown wood color and blacks. I decided to have an Americano to warm up while my girlfriend went with the jasmine green tea. The tea came in a cute little red teapot for my girlfriend to pour herself and she enjoyed the flavor. My Americano was both smooth and strong which was nice.
The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again. I loved the comforting atmosphere and warm drinks on a cold day.

This place is a gem in Uptown Lebo. Great strong European-​esque lattes. The owners are from South Africa and plan a unique dinner on the last Friday night of each month with a different international theme. You register in advance and it’s BYOB the night of. My husband and I attended a Caribbean themed night this summer in July. It was fantastic! Go with a group of people and you’ll all be seated together. A wonderful experience. Small plates, tapas style.
Otherwise, this is a lovely café to step into for a scone with a cup of tea or coffee.

Aldo Coffee used to be at this location, and that was one of my favorite coffee houses, so I was disappointed when it closed. I need not have worried, as Orbis Caffe serves up some delicious coffee and treats, and the vibe is the same laid back, chillin’ and comfy atmosphere as it ever was. Try the chocolate hazelnut biscotti… delicious.