The Vanilla Bean Cafe

I really, really want to give this little coffee spot 5 stars but on this trip, a 4. The staff were all very nice & professional! The atmosphere was cozy & quaint. It would be an excellent place for a first time online date if you’re looking for a memorable, happy, little place. My first question looking at all the beautiful baked goods in the case was if they were made onsite. I was surprised when told that most are from The Cheesecake Factory restaurant chain & another place in NJ. I skipped anything sweet as the only things made in house were pointed out, wrapped in Saran. I ordered the Eggs Benedict from reading other reviews, but was told they are only available on weekends. I then ordered French Toast (also from great reviews) but was told that too is only offered on weekends. I will post a pic of the limited «weekday menu» offerings so you can decide if it’s worth the drive on a weekday. I reluctantly ordered the Bacon Mushroom Omelet. It was ok, but I could have made that at home & really craved one of their signature type dishes. It came with an english muffin, one pat of butter (had to ask for additional), no jelly was on the table & the side of fruit was grapes that were a bit sour, still needing to ripen & cantaloup (Not my favorite fruit, but it was ripe & juicy). The young man who took my order did come to my table and told me they could do a piece or two of French Toast as a side for $ 4. I thought the price in addition to the $ 7 was a little high as an add on, so I skipped it. Plus, I already had the English Muffin. The coffee was fabulous… extra strong & fresh! I do give their Joe & the atmosphere 5 stars. They do have an expanded lunch/​dinner menu with daily specials offered. Hope at some point the signature breakfast dishes can be incorporated into the weekday menu for those of us who work every Sat & Sun, 12 hr hospital shifts.

I’ve been savoring the Bean since it opened in 89′. Truly it is an oasis in the northeast corner of Connecticut. The chow is yummy and the people are kind.

I’m guessing I got lucky. We were obvious tourists among locals and we were late…3 pm? Specials down transition to dinner afoot, busy back of the house. I asked a bit of a dumb question about a menu item… the «doneness» of the tuna in the tuna sandwich. «Its a salad sir.» I stepped back while my better half got her and the kids orders in. The boy got a cheese burger, the girl got an avocado infused turkey on wheat, my wife got a rueben and I somehow ended up with an ahi grade barely done tunu wrap with among other things, slivers of asparagus, sesame aioli dressing and greens. A young lady who was clearly a boss took care of us. Go eat, enjoy, the hype is real… viva la Vanilla Bean.

Very nice homey kind of place. The menu choices are familiar with eclectic touches. Tasted an excellent New England Clam Chowder. Just the right amount of Clams and Potatoes, not to thick or to thin. My Roast Beef was Medium Rare but the Arugula was wilted. My Dining Companion thoroughly seemed to enjoy his mushroom omelet. The only disappointment was there was no fresh squeezed orange juice available at all. The overall Atmosphere was very comfortable.

I love, love, love this café. We drive 45 minutes just to come here & enjoy the food & atmosphere. It is so quaint and the food is delicious. They have a pretty big variety on their menu & so far everything we’ve tried has been very good. By far my favorite place in CT since we moved up here.

Stopped in for a coffee on a drive home from CT. The Vanilla Bean is cute and cozy with a menu of sandwiches, pastries, and beverages. I ordered a Nutella Iced Latte (it wasn’t on the menu but I had seen online). I was a bit disappointed I saw it being made with Hershey Syrup vs. actual Nutella, but the drink did have a good chocolate and espresso taste. I would definitely go back if I find myself in the area again!

I just don’t get what the hype about this place is. I’ve been here a handful of times and nothing has impressed me. The service is lame and flat, the food is ordinary and definitely overpriced. I’ve even seen a Sysco truck making a delivery here early in the morning so ingredients or at least some of them are of low quality and freshness.

For more than a decade, I’ve heard glowing remarks about Vanilla Bean from so many people. It’s almost unacceptable I hadn’t visited until last month.
Still, I’m glad I finally popped into this charming café (diner? luncheonette?) in the heart of beautiful Pomfret, CT. Not only is the menu outstanding and unexpectedly unique, but the décor is funky, service friendly, and food downright delicious.
We just stopped in for a quick bite en route to Rhode Island for the holidays, but my steaming mug of their award-​winning chili and chicken caesar salad were excellent. A caesar salad is an easy thing to slop together, but this was clearly done with housemade dressing — even chunks of anchovies! Hard to come by at a nice restaurant, let alone a rural café.
My fiancé’s Smokey Local burger was a hit with its hickory smoked bacon, chipotle bbq, caramelized onions, smoked cheddar and spicy ketchup.
Delightful sustenance before diving headfirst into a holiday weekend. Can’t wait to return!

Yum!
Went for a Sunday bike ride with dad. We ended up here after an hour long ride out to the town. Lots of bikes as we pulled in, and bikes never stopped coming/​going. So lots to look at. The inside is warm and cozy and is set up like a cozy café.
Food is kind of pricey, for the most part your burger is going to be around $ 10 – 15, any slice of anything (pie, cake, torte) is all going to run you $ 7.50+. Between a burger for myself, a burger for dad, a cup of «Autumn Bisque» and a slice of peanut butter explosion pie we spent $ 50.
The burger was phenomenal, the soup was delectable, and the pie scrumptious. The price was worth it.
Regardless of if you’re in a bike or not take the ride out to this gem, you’ll be pleasantly surprised :)

I was very excited about the amount of choices and that they have gluten free options. The food was delicious, however they were out of many of the specials at noon. We waited over 40 minutes for 2 of our parties sandwiches. The food did not disappoint, but the wait seemed a bit excessive.

Busy little spot but the food was pretty good and the atmosphere was really cool. Lots of bikers of all types.
Went simple for the first visit: cheeseburger and vanilla bean cheesecake. All I can is wow. Burger was fresh, not a frozen patty and cooked to perfection. The vanilla bean cheesecake was amazing. Drooling as I type this.
Can’t wait to head back

Great biker spot and the ride from providence in October is soooo beautiful! First time here and tried the vanilla bean cake and while a slice is 7.50.it is sooooo worth it! Omg it’s delicious. I can’t understand why all the gravel though. with the amount of bikers here I would think should pave. But definitely coming back!

Adorable spot and great food! Lots of outdoor seating for when it’s nice out as well.
There are SO many vegetarian and vegan options — it was hard to make a decision! I typically go for a cup of soup and a half sandwich or salad. You really can’t go wrong.
Vanilla Bean is the perfect stop for lunch or a coffee on a nice day. Check it out!

On a road trip. We heard about this place and loved it. Delicious food and a fun atmosphere!

One of my favorite places to have lunch when I’m in town visiting. The food is amazing and the macaroons are to die for!

Extremely disappointed in the service and food today. I ordered and waited 20 minutes and no food. The girl said she forgot to place the order. Then I was brought out the breakfast. The scrambled eggs were runny, the English muffin not really toasted and fruit tossed on the plate. The bacon was not included. I had to ask. Very disappointing and not worth the wait and $ 7. When I expressed my disappointment the girl who brought me my food said the cook who does the breakfasts was off. Well maybe you shouldn’t service breakfast then if no one can prepare it properly.

Cozy café atmosphere, spacious and bright. Order at the counter and they’ll bring it out to you. Super friendly, accommodating staff – I was looking for a GF tortilla for the ahi wrap but he explained that they just hadn’t found one that didn’t break easily or taste like cardboard so they weren’t offering one. Hey, I get it. So… had it as a salad instead Wish I’d snapped a pic – they def put the love on it.
Also had the tomato florentine soup. Perfectly seasoned w/​big chunks of tomato. Vegan. me happy.
Coffees and teas, sandwiches/​soups/​salads, two veg burger options (one GF)… desserts too! Everyone will be satisfied here. Plus, it’s in a pretty part of the world, even in winter. C’mon down.

Had ginger-​lemonade, chili, vegetable quiche and fish wrap. One of the best-​tasting fish wraps I’ve had! But on the small side. Served with bagged chips and a pickle. Excellent flavor but overall underwhelming.
Veggie quiche was TERRIBLE. Almost no veggies! Just egg. And a pre-​made crust! What?!? Served with grapes, cantaloupe and a mixed salad. Very unimpressive.
Lemonade was excellent. Fresh, tart, not overly sweet and a little unusual with the ginger.
Chili was ok. Too many beans and tomatoes (not authentic chili to my mind). But at least it didn’t taste like they just opened the can from the Cisco truck (as much else did).
Overall, the portions are what they ought to be for humans to eat them, but most people would say they’re small. That said, I left satisfied. Fish wrap was very good, but everything else really fell flat. Not much effort. And for $ 34 for two lunches, I’d expect more effort (at least serve your food on real plates and use glasses, not disposable cups).

The Vanilla Bean is an enigma wrapped in pita bread.
The food is often/​usually very good. After an explosion of publicity some years back, it became a «hot spot» in an otherwise very chilly location. Northeastern Connecticut is beautiful and quiet, and this is a wonderful surprise for those traveling the scenic back roads. Outside dining, live music, creative specials. And it’s popular with bikers cruising through the area. Not a bad thing at all, but it sometimes can get noisy.
As for the food, I’ve rarely had a bad meal at the VB. However, getting a meal as ordered can be dicey. Our last trip was the first time I think we haven’t had at least one person in our party return a plate because of some kitchen screw-​up. But still, note: I am giving four stars. The ambiance is good, the food is from good to excellent, and there is usually live music on weekend evenings. And they have a nice selection of bottled beer and lots of teas.
The prices are another story. It’s not exactly expensive, especially considering the nearby pricy Connecticut communities. But it’s not cheap. A Reuben sandwich, with only a pickle and chips, is $ 10. A cup of chili is $ 6 (don’t let them fool you… they call it a bowl, but it’s a cup. Other «bowls» of soup come out in actual bowls. The chili is in a small cup with some tortilla chips). Dinner specials can easily top $ 20, but the atmosphere and cafeteria-​style ordering system don’t really justify the expense.
All in all, if you’re doing a Sunday drive through the Quiet Corner, I’d recommend stopping in for lunch on the patio. We chatted with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward one time we were there (of course, that won’t happen again). It’s a very nice little spot with good food and friendly people.

Cute place near the prestigious Pomfret School! My breakfast sandwich for $ 6.95 (egg, pastrami, and Swiss cheese sandwich on an English muffin) was constructed well and kept me full until dinner!
Their weekday breakfast menu is limited. Sadly, the Vanilla Bean French toast is only offered on the weekends.