Lamplighter Roasting Company

[UPDATE] I walked by, and the cashier grabbed me to apologize and offer me a refund. Points for accountability and trying to amend the issue.
Coffees are decent, but over priced. Staff is inattentive. Pastry was literally inedible! When I complained I could not even bite into the brownie bc it was so hard, the cashier did not even offer me a refund! Horrible. Cannot believe people make such a big deal about this place. I do not recommend Lamplighter to anyone. Please spend your hard-​earned money elsewhere.

This one did not have sandwiches which made me sad (the other 2 locations do) but we decided to get a chai latte and some croissants. I liked the chocolate croissant, I liked the chai latte, I did not like the goat cheese croissant much, and the yogurt parfait was eh. I loved the ambiance.

This place is perfect for a quick coffee/​latte and a scone. It’s ambience is rustic and trendy and the people are very friendly and nice. I had the chai latte and it was just as good if not better than the chai latte at Starbucks. Parking is a bit limited but with the visit. Too bad there’s not one in the Chesapeake area!

Update your hours please on Unilocal.Just stop by your summit Ave location for a macchiato at 5 p.m., Unilocal said you were open till 6. Thanks

The coffee here is always great and the service is wonderful. They don’t offer a wide variety of lunch options here so I would suggest if you’re looking for substantial food then head to the Addison location. That being said the muffins and ricotta spinach croissant are delicious.
Parking can be a little full in the area since it shares with Isley/​Richmond Bike Studio/​various apartments in the area, so you may have to park a little further up the block or on another street and walk over.

Delightful. Reminds me of my favorite places in Brooklyn. I had the Almond Pinwheel and a Pour Over Columbia Coffee. Both were incredible. So pleased.

A third wave gem in a warehouse neighborhood with excellent coffee roasted and poured by serious tattooed coffee nerds. It’s expensive, but that’s because you’re paying for an epicurean experience (not a substitute for Starbucks), and they’ll prove their knowledge to you by kindly walking you through the bean variety. I chose the Tanzania Tweega and loved the cup.

Been a lot of times now — great coffee, nice service — Food is really good and price is really spot on. Brown Sugar Latte is great!
Fly’s can be a little bad outside, but what you gonna do when its «outside» in the city! :)

This place is pretty cool if you’re looking for a good coffee spot. I would love to see more comfy furniture in here sometime.
Coffee is a little expensive with no refills, but they do roast their own, and that’s a huge plus.
If you’re looking to eat, this might not be the spot, but they have delicious bagels!

The baristas have a meticulous attention to detail when crafting the drinks. The coffee roasting operation is within sight of the seating area which is cool. The space is neat with old exposed bricking high ceilings. The cortado was delicious as were the iced chai and chai latte we shared. Good stuff and reasonable prices. They also have a nice little selection of pastries and cookies.

It’s pretty out of character for me to give any independent coffee house less than 4*, so it’s really disappointing to me to have to give Lamplighter 3*.
I was driving from Raleigh to DC and decided to stop here to try a cup of coffee. While the place was cute, the coffee I sampled seemed a bit light for my tastes. I was told they don’t really do darker or bolder coffee here, which was a major letdown. Most roasters have a few beans to pick from so everyone is happy.
I ended up just getting a drip coffee which was ok. After a few sips I thought it was pretty good, but then halfway through the cup I thought it was terrible and threw it out.
I dunno, I guess this coffee shop just isn’t for me. Glad everyone else enjoys it!

Met someone for coffee here today and it was alright. I ordered a chai tea latte and I have to say that it wasn’t as spicy as I expected it to be. I really love the cinnamon-​y, nutmeg-​y, and whatever other spice taste of chai tea. Something about it awakens my senses and gets me going! This just didn’t do the trick for me, but I really did want to love it!
What I did love, however, was the delicious blueberry muffin that I snagged to go with the tea! Oh, it was super cake-​y and crispy on the edges. Perfection. Super dense. Everything you could ever want in a muffin.
Besides that, the atmosphere and staff are both really lovely! But hours later my clothes still smelled like coffee! This is not necessarily a bad thing, because I like the smell of coffee, but it’s definitely worth noting for those who are sensitive to smell.

It’s a nice little place to stop for some quality coffee. I will definitely bring my laptop next time to catch up on some work. If you’re in the area, you need to stop in for a cup of joe.

Minimalistic space. Stark and airy.
The guy working was not friendly (didn’t get his name). He wasn’t outright dickish, but there was an air of pretense that was unnecessary.
Good coffee, though!

If you’re looking for hipster plus caffeine, Lamplighter in Scott’s addition is THE place. Yes, it is the smaller cousin with fewer selections and seating compared to Lamplighter in the Fan, but this place has a distinct feel to it that simply screams local with its tall ceilings and windows. The two times I’ve been to this roastery-​café, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by its coffee and tea tastes. Add on the intricate swan foam designs and mostly quiet atmosphere, I’ve got myself a place to nest while thinking of random nothings.
Of note: parking is street only though should be plentiful.

I wrote a review about Lamplighter’s Addison St. Café and originally gave it 4 stars. I’ve come to really love that café and if I could would give it 4.5 stars for sure. My first trip to their Summit Ave. Roastery added to my positive impression of the local chain and in conjunction with my preference for this location I’m giving it 5 stars to even out with my previous 4.
Lets start with what matters: the Coffee. Lamplighter produces consistently delicious beverages. They have great quality coffee and their espresso pulls are consistently well done, this is a shop that really respects their beans. I’m actually a big fan of their batch brew, I’ve never been disappointed with a cup. And their Chai Lattes are my favorite in the city.
The atmosphere is industrial but cozy, a great place to have a chat or accomplish some work. A record turntable which they play music from adds to the «cool» factor of this place. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable, for coffee-​newcomers just ask if you have any questions. Wifi is free, just ask for the password, it’s usually something simple like «tall bike.» I think I prefer this location to the Addison st. café for the industrial feel though it’s a little out of the city. Stop by for a coffee and to relax. Enjoy!

The brown sugar latte was perfect — super decadent. The french toast was great too, with real maple syrup! I thought the grits were tasty but not mind-​blowing.
They were extremely busy and seemed understaffed when we stopped by on a Saturday morning. I asked two employees for a second set of utensils and somehow never got them.

I’m a pretty hardcore coffee nerd, tastes and (admitted) snobbery forged by too many years of living in the Pacific NW. When I go to coffee shops I go for COFFEE and to sit and write. I don’t care about the chai latte or the muffin selection. All I care about is the quality of the coffee – I usually drink it black, with the occasional macchiato or cortado – and the quality of the surroundings. On both counts, the Lamplighter on Summit is my number-​one place in Richmond.
THE COFFEE: Lamplighter is the best roaster in Richmond, hands down, and they’ve just gotten better and better in the two years I’ve been drinking it. It’s generally very very good, and sometimes it’s superb, and they care deeply about making great coffee. They’re involved in the larger coffee culture and community and are constantly perfecting their coffees. They are the real deal.
THE SURROUNDINGS: The space is light and open and industrial. The music is often from their vinyl collection, played on the record player, but sometimes you get the employee iPod, and either way it’s usually good, tending toward likeable indie/​punk at a mellow volume. (Someone was on a Dismemberment Plan kick for a long stretch; last time I was there it was Cate LeBon and Land of Talk.) It’s a great place to write and read, and occasionally to eavesdrop on odd businessy conversations that always seem to be happening at the table one foot away from you. The baristas are courteous and laid-​back.
There are no outlets, so if you bring a laptop, charge in advance. I actually like that there are no outlets and I was bummed when they brought in the wifi – no charging + no internet made perpetually-​distractable me use my time better. (Anyway, don’t most computers hold a charge for at least 2 – 3 hours even with a few apps running?)
If you’re concerned about food, try the other two Lamplighter locations, which have great food including ample vegetarian options – they’re also busy and lively places great for people-​watching and socializing. At Summit, roasting and brewing coffee is the primary focus, it’s quieter and calmer, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. One of my favorite spots in Richmond.

very yummy coffee. had a latte and consado. Never heard of it before. Husband had goat cheese croissant. In the industrial area. Parking is back in angle or parallel parking. Prices are great. Mine was 3 bucks and smelled so good.

This place is so cute! I’ve been to the newer lamplighters that opened up close to the vcu campus and this one definitely has more of a «coffee shop» feel to it. It’s a lot quieter so it’s great for some relaxation and reading. I had the cortado and the banana walnut muffin. The cortado ($ 3) is strong but definitely enjoyable and the banana walnut muffin was delicious (2.50).
You can ask for the wifi password also if you need to use the Internet.
The only downside I would say is that they have very limited food options which are the pre-​made things and the drink options are extremely limited. Other than that, this place is great to come to!