Lamplighter Roasting Company

Very good, very fresh food! My family loved it. A little cramped inside, but there’s more seating available outside as well. I had the French toast with fresh fruit on the side… It was amazing! Would definitely return here again!

Very good coffee. A lot of varieties. We come here often.
We tried its sandwich (wingman) first time, and it was good and flavorful.

Solid coffee. Solid drinks. A stable, well-​known company in RVA. Would recommend. It’s not going to change your life. There’s nothing amazing about it, but they do everything above average. I like this place.

Good coffee and nice place to kill some time.
Sort of a hippy/​alt vibe. Sandwiches and that type of food

Holy moly! For as highly-​vaunted Lamplighter was my experience here left me puzzled — especially the ones raving about the coffee. The moment I took my first sip I was disturbed by how bracingly bitter and acrid the coffee was. In order to pull espresso that tastes like that, they are more than likely either pulling shots with grinds too fine or pushing water through that’s too hot, I guarantee it. Not my cup of tea so I’ll stick to the food, which is good but I wouldn’t come out of my way for anything on the menu.
The place also looks like a shack and hardly has spots to talk, much less work. I’m pretty sure you aren’t getting anything done if you try to work here because it’s a tight, cramped feel with lots of laughter and people milling around. The folks here are super hipster/​artsy and it’s very conducive to people watching. It feels more like a hipster bar/​café with not enough seating, so lingering is also out of the option because people are watching tables like a hawk or asking if they can have it the moment you stand up. Personally that’s a little stressful so I’m not sure if I’ll be back.

Perfect spot for a caffeinated afternoon — here’s why:
Coffee: I sampled both the hot Thai coffee and the days special — Lavender coffee. I’ve never tried there Thai before, but a customer behind me raved about it, so I went for it. He was justified; it was the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had. I usually add a little cream or sweetener to my coffee drinks, but this was a masterful balance of bitter and sweet. Alas, while shopping, I forgot my lavender coffee behind at a shop and never tried it. What a shame.
Service: The staff were very efficient, and the woman at the counter knew everything about school item on the menu (that I inquired about).
Seating: Outdoors boasts café tables, picnic tables, and two benches. They may want to squeeze in one or two more café tables due to the high traffic. Indoors has a bar area (3 – 4 seats) and some more small tables. The place holds as much seating as fits.
*i did not try the food, but it looks delicious

I died and went to breakfast heaven! Rarely when I ask If a restaurant has veggie protein options are they able to provide a selection of five plus. Have no fear meat eaters — you have plenty of options as well. I ordered the conquistador containing eggs, avocado, salsa, cheese & veggie sausage on a knot roll with the tall bike brew coffee on the side. The outdoor seating would be lovely on a warmer day. My only regret is that I didn’t try one of their pastries. Keep up the delicious work!

Chock full o’ hipsters
The breakfast sandwiches are bomb diggity and if you like coffee then something here will be up to your snuff. Since its a breakfast/​lunch place that should cue you towards counting on them being closed earlier than most places.
Nice patio seating for brunch with all your bros.

They serve great food and coffee! I always came here when I needed to relax and reevaluate life. Everything was affordably priced and the clientele that come by the establishment are always so friendly. I usually sat outside on the communal table, you can usually spark a conversation with anyone. Coffee coffee coffee coffee! The bold rich taste of the beans make this place unique. Enjoy the cute place and the crowd. The only issue in that area is the street parking, especially when everyone from Glen Allen and Petersburg come on Fridays and Saturdays.

Two words for you: Lavender Latte.
I’m not sure if this is available at all of their locations now, but I had it at the Morris St. location, and it is amazing.
I really enjoy all of the Lamplighter locations, and I like that they are all unique and offer a different atmosphere while maintaining the same feel. The Scott’s Addition location is very industrial and cool while the other two spots are more of the traditional coffee shop/​café vibe.
I highly recommend the Katie bagel sandwich (I believe you can only get it at the Addison and Morris St. locations), but you really can’t go wrong with any of their food selections.
You go, Lamplighter, keep doin’ you.

This is an excellent coffee shop — menu is unique and delicious (I got the egg maple sausage bagel — very well done, not soggy as some egg bagels become).
I’m not super savvy with coffee but the cold brew I got (in December… thank you to the 80 degree weather) was strong but not bitter.
Ultimately the atmosphere is great for studying or hanging out and chatting with friends and is good for small or large groups (especially when the weather is nice).
It is a little messy/​dirty, but that wouldn’t stop me from going back.

As a warning, I am a coffee nerd in the making. I tend to enjoy local roasters wherever I travel. So far my preference is mild, low acid coffees with complexity but not fruit notes. That’s my perspective and bias.
Drip coffee served today tended to be heavy and bitter with a hint of nut (good) and fruit. After realizing it was not mild and complex enough for me to drink black I tried it with cream. The cream covered the complexity and the fat in the cream picked up the bitter and delivered straight to the tongue. Solid jolt of caffeine! I had a bigger jolt of caffeine off of this than I get from the Red Bull I use for working nights.
Might return to try a pour over.
Unique and varied menu. Enjoyed the kale slaw and deviled eggs. Kale slaw was tangy and I was just happy to have deviled eggs. Enjoyed the neighborhood environment and the people.
It’s a good place. I love the small local roasters. Perhaps their coffee selection and flavors will cater more to your palate than it did mine.

My favourite of the 3 Lamplighters I’ve been to! I love going here and just parking my butt in a seat with coffee and lunch to people watch or knit. Seating is usually not an issue outside though I’ve had to wait for a seat inside more than once but not a huge deal. This is the kind of spot people like to hang out and work outside on nice days.
The menu is the strongest selling point aside from the coffee (obviously that’s banging). I’ve gotten the Apple Bottom and while it’s a lot of bread, I usually pack up the second half to take home for dinner or lunch the next day. There are a ton of vegan/​veggie friendly options to be had.
Parking has never been an issue for me. Each time I’ve gone I’ve gotten a lot spot with no problems.
If you plan on staying for awhile, I recommend getting the 12 oz mug for there as they only charge $ 1 for refills.

BLUF: Great coffee. Great breakfast sandwiches. Good vibe with nice seating inside and out.
I got a coffee and it was a great cup. I take it black. My fam got capps or lattes which are too fancy for my taste but they liked them. I ended up buying a bag of whole beans which comes with a free cup of coffee. Good deal.
I got the standard breakfast sandwich; egg, sausage, cheese but it also came with avocado. It was good but not great.
My bro-​in-​law got the ranchero sandwich and it was super awesome. I def recommend that one over the first listed (standard).
The staff was nice and the food was quick. Popular place so I could see a long line and long wait but they were fast when we were there. I love sitting outside so this place gets some extra points.
Id def go back in the area for coffee or a quick sandwich.

I mean what can I say about this place that has not already been said?
They have hands down the best coffee in Richmond. «Best» coffee here means both strength and breadth/​complexity of flavor. incidentally it also packs a serious caffeine punch compared to some other wimpier coffees. The iced coffee for example is so delicious that it scarcely requires any modification even for those who are used to coffee and cream. It also contains enough caffeine to make my skin crawl and keep me tweaked half the day. I do not have as much experience with the non coffee beverages, but I have had the chai-​tea which is a good as I have had in town, and have been assured that the other drinks are on par.
Incidentally there is also a free refill for dine in coffee. When you combine this with the screen porch, regular porch, tables, outlets, and space heater, Lamplighter serves as one of the best places to get laptop work done or read out of the home in RIC.
The food here is also top notch. The comet bus is one of my favorite vegan sandwiches in town. And the smoked salmon bagel W/​cream cheese is the best one of its kind in town as well. Additionally, delicious sides such as the hippie greens and fresh fruit round out the menu to make Lamplighter one of the best sandwich places in town.
AND!!!
Don’t forget, lamplighter is one of the best people watching spots in town esp if you want to see hipsters with lots of local flavor.
Enjoy!

4.5…
Muna Module… Just do it. Bacon, avocado, eggs on a light and fluffy with just a touch of crunch focaccia bread. Doesn’t sound like much, but I’m salivating as I’m thinking about it right now. So good. Get the deviled eggs as a side with a cup of Americano and you’ve got yourself a meal to brag about.
Okay, let me add to make just a little bit more useful. A little outside Carytown, I had no issue with parking. But finding a table was proven to be difficult. It’s not a place you go to for a cozy family brunch outing. Their outside tables are very communal which was fine with me, and bring a hat if you’re there during the summer. Not a lot of shade.
But again, just get the Muna Module. You’re welcome.

Have been meaning to try this place for a while, and I finally made it over for lunch. It’s a very cool space with seating spread between outside picnic tables, tables in a covered outdoor room, and indoor tables. Décor is very simple and typical of a cozy coffee shop. While taking in the aroma of coffee, you place your order at the counter and pay, and then employees come out with your food calling your name.
This location is the original store and the largest of three Richmond branches. It was fairly busy when I dined here around noon on Saturday. There is no formal waiter service, but the interactions I had with staff were excellent.
As for food, I ordered an 8 oz. parfait, a Muna Module sandwich (came with one choice of side), and a cup of soup. The soup of the day was white bean and chicken chili, which came with a large handful of tortilla chips. While the soup had good flavor, it was not nearly hot enough for my liking and was just slightly warmer than room temperature. =\
My sandwich was basically a BLT with egg and avocado. It was a decent portion and not bad; I especially enjoyed the crunch of the bacon. I picked potato salad as my side, which was yellow (mustard?) and a bit tart, nothing special really. The yogurt parfait was decent, with plain yogurt that wasn’t too sweet paired with strawberries, blueberries, and granola.
Overall, the food was nothing spectacular, but I’m not a coffee drinker so I can’t comment on what is clearly Lamplighter’s specialty. I still had a pleasant dining experience in a charming environment though!

I prefer this location to the Morris St. location.
The iced coffee has a nice bold flavor, but it was also smooth. I don’t get that much flavor from other iced coffees and loved the Lamplighter iced coffee! Nothing is diluted and the coffee is strong. My friend and I split the lox everything bagel, and we both agreed it was delicious. The toppings were so fresh and it was a wonderful size for two people to share as a snack/​small meal. There isn’t a ton of space inside, but I appreciated the decent amount of outdoor seating. A nice place to sit and relax when the weather is nice.

I’ve been wanting to try this place for a while and this dreary cold day was the perfect stop before running my errands. I had past the Morris location when I had an idea to grab something warm to drink, luckily the Addison location was on my way!
walking in I was very confused and the nice guy behind the counter could clearly tell I had never been there. he helped me out by directing me to the menu and explaining everything. I ended up with the brown sugar latte with almond milk (I said soy milk but the guy behind the counter said it would work better with almond).
now on to the latte. it was interesting. good but interesting! it grew on me with every sip I took. I was contemplating getting a 12oz but I ended up getting the smaller size and I’m glad I did. I would love to go back and try the food and maybe some other drinks. the iced drinks sounded really refreshing on a hot day.

Absolutely love this place. The vibe is chill, relaxing and casual, and the food is amazing.
Their freshly brewed coffee is always delicious for any day. If you’re looking for that extra punch of coffee, I recommend the Thai coffee, which is one of the best that I’ve had.
I got their Muna Module sandwich and I was 100% pleased. The serving size was big — I had to take the other half to go. I got the goat cheese and cheddar grits for the side and the texture of that was very nice.
My friends got the Lox and the Katie bagels and they were very pleasantly pleased. If you’re in richmond, this is one place that you shouldn’t miss.

Un café un peu perdu dans un quartier résidentiel mais une clientèle détendue et familiale, un bon café et des tables en extérieur.

This is my favorite Lamplighter location, and although I don’t live in Richmond anymore, I make a point to stop by Addison street to hit up Lamplighter everytime I’m in town to get the thai iced coffee.
It is fast, since they pour already-​chilled coffee straight into ice. And it’s always delicious! I’ll be honest and say I haven’t had any other coffee drinks here because the thai iced coffee is so great. I have had the baked goods, however, and they are worth getting if you have a sweet tooth. I usually don’t, so the coffee will always do for me!