I've been here a few times. Each time nothing exceptional to note, good bad or otherwise. Workers are generally welcoming. But today was just ridiculous. My friend ordered avocado toast and iced mocha, I ordered caprese toast. My order came out 30 minutes later. I asked about the order about 15 min in. My friend got hers within 10 minutes. When I finally received it the cheese had that "melted and left to harden" look and taste on the edges. Underneath the tomato was straight up unmelted cold cheese. No, it wasn't packed. Yes, they had enough workers, at least 4 people behind the counter. Service was below average. While friendly, they were completely unapologetic about taking 30 minutes to toast bread, slice some mozzarella and tomato, and assemble (possibly warm?). The mocha was Hershey-like chocolate sauce which was not melted in and sat at the bottom of her drink despite trying to mix it in. I didn't try it so I have no opinions on it. The place has a cool vibe and looks like it would be nice to study here. But they really showed they do deliver on service. read more

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I have been to Cai's several times and besides waiting for at least 20+ minutes to make a latte, the drink was not what I asked for. They are more expensive than Starbucks which I wouldn't mind if my order was correct. It should not take 20+minutes to make a simple latte when no one else is in line. Will not try again. read more

Good environment to work/study, and really friendly staff (hence 4 stars) but pay for parking and on the street can only pay for 2 hours at a time. Also, very pretty space on a nice street to walk on. And there are outlets. Chai latte and green tea lattes are very bad, and my stomach felt very funny after their double stacked sandwich (even though it was very tasty. Could be a mystery allergy or sensitivity, but I'm still staying away). Hoping they do change their recipes for my favorite drinks, don't know where to find better in the area. Still recommend as it had great vibes and a warm, homey feel. Edit - also hoping they add some healthier options to their menu, like salads or even just calorie counts! I liked the sugar cookies. read more

Coffee was terrible. I couldn't even drink more than 1/4 of it. It made me feel so sick. I understand that a lot of high school students work at coffee shops, but they are not well trained and have terrible manners. The coffee shop has a cute vibe and is well decorated, but the service, food and coffee are terrible. Would not recommend. read more

Foodie Judy here!!!! I will not be rating a 5 because I think the taste of their coffee and treats could be improved. My coffee sometimes didn't taste as strongly as coffee as I'd like (too chocolately), but was still good! However, my crossaunt was cold, with a solid chocolate center and did not taste fresh This is still my favorite café in Metuchen. I love to come have a sit here with a cup of coffee and relax or read!!! The environment is great --cute decorations, plenty of seating and outlet, and the staff is incredibly nice!!! (Patient and answer all questions) Happy Judy :^) read more

Cai's Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

Great little place for a nice cup of coffee. The place is cozy and relaxing with plenty of options in coffee flavors.

The cafe is located on a cute strip of smaller restaurants and businesses and definitely fits in. Walking in, I noticed a few smaller groups and a lot of single patrons doing their own thing--studying, reading the newspaper, etc. which was the perfect environment I was looking for to study. I ordered a medium coffee, which was alright, but I liked the huge mug it came in because I ordered in. Each table has a small bouquet of fresh flowers and a menu which I browsed through--they have wine, which if you're segwaying from working to relaxing, would be perfect! It wasn't too loud, the customers all seemed very respectful of each other's bubbles, and the baristas too weren't loud and rambunctious. Definitely a good place to study with lots of natural light flowing in, it's just a little bit cold in the place so I would recommend some layering. read more

Cai's Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

My friend and I come to Cai's every other week to do some graduate school work. It is a great environment, coffee is delicious (I recommend pumpkin pie flavor), and service is always kind and helpful. My favorite study spot! Highly recommend! read more

What's a sweet little find to get some studying done. When your tired of going to the regular places and want something new to check out this is the place. It's a nice little cozy place with good coffee and snacks. I got the cappuccino and a caprese grill cheese and a raspberry cheese danish. Both of which were delicious and would definitely get again. Cute little place to sit down and do some work and study or just come down for coffee and a date. I think this place would work for any of those situations. Quick update we ended up here again after enjoying it the first time. Wanted something to eat so we got the avocado toast. And I can say it was not good in anyway to be honest. It was quite watery and looked like they barley used an avocado. The other food was good but this was not and I don't recommend getting it for that price I would except it to be great even good but it was no where near that. read more

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Truly a find! Love the energy and ambiance at Cai's - great coffee, teas and chais. Get a table outside and enjoy their new toasts or a bagel. It's the hub of Metuchen! read more

Service is just ok. Has potential to be great spot , only one barista is on point others seem preoccupied. Whatever it ain't Starbucks

This place has the worlds strongest coffee. I ordered a medium iced vanilla and I felt like I was having heart palpitations the rest of the night! The ambience is cute but their coffee is way too strong for me. read more

Coffee here is awesome. They allow indoor diners so while you are ordering your food or drinks there are people in there without masks. They do however have a lot of nice and spacious outdoor dining as well. Food is ok. got the french toast and it was average, the sandwiches are made on regular toast, they would be a lot better if they had a different type of bread. read more

Cai's Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

Nice atmosphere, nice music playing in the background, nice place to lounge and read, but the coffee I ordered turned out awful. I ordered a caramel coffee and it was watered down with very little caramel. They tried to fix it and made it worse. I then asked for just a plain iced coffee cream and sugar and that was also just bad, undrinkable!!!. $10 worth of coffee wasted. read more

Cai's Cafe - Iced Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

Visited on a whim on a Sunday night to hang out with a friend. The atmosphere was a nice split between people working on their computers and others just talking with one another. A friend and I split a french press, and were helped by the barista as to which beans we wanted -- which had more caffeine, and a bolder taste etc. Price was fair for what warranted multiple cups of coffee that tasted great. An issue with a lot of coffee shops in the area is the atmosphere, some are too quiet, others too pretentious and expensive etc. Cai's manages to strike a balance and seems to encourage a fun experience with their assortment of board games and books, and the wine they offer in the evenings. Would definitely visit again. read more

Cai's Cafe - Cool atmosphere/decor - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

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Great small coffeeshop with warm and chill atmosphere! Tried there oat latte and apricot danish - was delicious read more

Cai's Cafe - Delicious Latte and apricot danish - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

I've been coming to Cai's for years, it's my favorite cafe. I have a sweet tooth so the French Lavender White Mocha patter is my go-to drink but I am also a big fan of their matcha and chai lattes. Their sandwiches are also very tasty and a wide selection for a cute little cafe, I've never been disappointed. Plenty of vegetarian options for me which I love :) I live in North Jersey now but I'll always stop by when I'm in the area! Also following COVID-19 regulations very well, comfortable outdoor seating and friendly service. read more

Cai's Cafe - Enjoyed some outdoor dining with my takeout sandwich and latte on a beautiful day - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

Coffee was good and the overall vibe of the place felt really cozy! Baristas were really nice as well when I asked for recommendations :)

Cai's is such a cute little coffee shop. The inside was adorable with a lot of places to sit and study or relax on a couch. There was also a good amount of seating outside too. The coffee cake I got was delicious. The girl working inside was really sweet and they were following COVID-19 restrictions as well. read more

Service is super slow usually and lattes are super expensive and inconsistent. Sometimes they're great and sometimes meh.

Came here for brunch with my sister. The ambience and coffee were excellent, could definitely see myself coming back to get some work done or study. The coffee was also great. Also had a nice outdoor seating area, good free WiFi and pretty quick friendly service. Downsides, the parking can be rough, the smoothies were way too sweet and when it comes to brunch, we opted for the avocado toast which while fresh, tasted pretty bland and overpriced for the taste/portion. read more

Love it here! One of the few places open late in town. The quality of coffee and beverages are consistently good. I heard this spot used to also be a wine bar which would be cool to bring back that concept. Overall such a cute vibe here read more

This was my second time coming here and I thoroughly feel like I got exactly what I wanted. The two girls working the counter were extremely nice and helped my friend and I with the type of coffee we wanted. We ordered a drip coffee and played board games in the cafe and enjoyed our time for hours. Overall if you want a chill atmosphere to hang out in, Cai's cafe is the place for you. read more

Cai's Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

I've recently been staying with family in Metuchen and I've gone to Cai's just about every day now. I'm in love with this place and it's people! Always great service, nice atmosphere and perfect drinks. Obsessed! read more

I stopped in while waiting for my room to be ready at a nearby hotel. Cai's was the perfect place to relax for a few minutes. The decor is beautiful and the atmosphere is comfortable. The important part though is that my drink was perfect. The price was reasonable. The staff was very friendly. I didn't get a chance to try any of the food, but the menu definitely looked tempting. read more

This coffee shop is a real gem. I found it by accident because I needed to drop off a package at the UPS store on my way to a massage. I intended to just buy a latte but I saw chai tea on the menu and decided to order a chai tea. The barista offered to make a dirty chai which I've never tried before and was pleasantly surprised. He even offered to sprinkle a little cinnamon on top which was a nice touch. They have a punch card that offers a you a free drink after six beverage purchases which is pretty generous as punch cards go. They also offer typical pastries and bagels for a quick breakfast. The decor is cozy, eclectic and cute and there is quite a lot of seating space including tables and a couch in front of a fireplace to hang out and chat or be antisocial on their computers or phones (like me). read more

Cai's Cafe - Storm Troopers need caffeine, too. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

Metuchen is a close knit town who kindly supports local business, and that's why Cai's is still in business. Unfortunately it's not because of their actual coffee and food offerings. Their cold brew coffee is somehow both not flavorful but also really strong. I drink cold brew every day and after a cup from Cai's both my husband and I felt nauseated and got terrible headaches from how strong it was. I've given them a few other shots and nothing I've ever ordered has been worth it. The mismatched used furniture look is not as cute as they think it is. Overall, though we live very close, we've decided Cai's just really isn't worth our time and money. read more

Great little cafe with a wonderful ambiance. Everything here tastes great. Their coffee is clearly fresh brewed and their specialty drinks are a great balance of flavors with none being too sweet. Their food is also great. They have a lot of typical cafe fare but my favorite is the avocado toast. read more

Super cute local cafe. Lovely atmosphere. Friendly staff. Yummy coffee

Great to see independent coffee stores like this in the area. This is a nice space for hanging out and relaxing or getting stuff done. Lots of seating, tables, outlets, etc. Quiet enough that you can work or study with ease, but also busy enough that a conversation won't get you the death stare from other customers. Drinks are good quality, reasonably priced, and prepared quickly. Employees are very personable and helpful with questions, too. Parking can be a bit of a bother, but if you drive around a bit, you can typically find 2hr. metered street parking within 5-10min. Skip the Starbucks or Dunkin next time and come here instead; you'll be glad! read more

I would give this place 0 stars for customer service if I could. I went today and ordered a Cai's toast and asked the cashier if it comes with eggs, onions, tomatoes and avocados. She didn't even know what she was talking about because first she said it didn't come with avocado and then corrected herself. I got the food and it didn't have any eggs on it. We brought it back and showed them a screenshot of their online menu where eggs are included and without eggs it's $1.00 less. They made us pay $3.00 extra for eggs. They are not forthcoming in their prices and even though we showed them what it says on their site, they made up some BS excuse. Manager sucks and establishment is unreliable in their prices. read more

A fantastic place to be! HOWEVER, the coffee needs to be HOT!!! The food is good The environment is great read more

I live 2 mins away from here.. I come here almost everyday.. it's a nice cozy place.. highly recommended.

I was looking for a cafe to study at, and thought this place is pretty nice in the pictures Yelp has. Although it's pretty nice, it's really loud with the music and everyone talking there. I got a small iced coffee but I think they charged me for a medium; not exactly a big deal though because it was pretty good coffee. If you're looking for a quick stop for coffee, I think you'll like it here; however, if you're looking for a place to do work or study, this might not be the cafe for you. read more

First the good news: The shop is beautiful. The decor is warm and the staff friendly. It's a long missing addition to Metuchen - a town that claimed to be "hip", has lots of good restaurants, but had no exclusive coffee shop for years. Now, the bad: The coffee isn't great. The regular coffee is overly hot and more roasted than it should be. The espresso is a bit harsh. These are personal tastes, and I'm sure there are lots of people who prefer their coffee this way, so I hadn't written a review before. However, I went in for a cappuccino the other day and it was far from what I expected. A cappuccino is suppose to be a 6 to 8 ounce drink. It should be no more than 2/3 milk. In America, cappuccinos are made with a micro-foam emulsion and the whole drink is rich and full body. There's a fine line between a cappuccino and a coffee with way too much milk. This drink crossed the line. It was served to me in a 16 ounce cup which should have been my first clue something was wrong. There was a tiny bit of froth with large bubbles on top and a very milky and extremely hot coffee. It is something I would get at Dunkin Donuts if I got a latte there. Maybe I had an inexperienced barista. After all, it was well after noon when I got it. But, it was far from what I expect to get from a high quality coffee shop. The atmosphere is great and they have lots of flavored syrups and chocolate flavored coffee drinks. They serve wine and their pastries may be great (I never tried one). I can see how many people will love it. It's not for me. read more

Medium-sized coffee shop. Not a ton of seating, but what they do have is comfortable. Baristas are always nice & coffee is good. My boyfriend really likes their smoothies. A few seats have outlets near them, not all of them. Open late, which is super nice. read more

Great coffee always and perfect ambiance. I come in a lot to do work! The baristas are always very friendly and the music is perfect. Love Cai's!! read more

This place was beautifully decorated with holiday spirit! I loved how they added a little wine section. Very comfy and cozy and plenty of seating. The staff was welcoming and my iced latte was delish read more

Cai's Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

Great addition to the time-honored local tradition of perusing around Main Street on a summer afternoon. Brighter and way more open in comparison to its many competitors in the area. Worth peeking your head in too if you're in need of a little break in your day! read more

I really like this place!! As a recent transplant to NJ from TN, I've been trying to find the little things that I love about home here and this coffee shop has helped. It's very quaint and mix between chill and a social environment. The atmosphere is nice with lots of artwork, a lounging couch area surrounding the fireplace and tv, and lots of window space. The staff is very nice and one of the baristas, Tia, actually remembered that I liked tea from my last visit! I've been here about three times to get schoolwork done. I've had the passion fruit iced tea and vanilla latte. Oh, almost forgot to mention, they have wine tastings and sell wine by the bottle (half or whole) and it's not quite bad. I tasted the cabernet (really good) and I believe the wine is from Old York winery. Not to mention, they have various jam sessions throughout the week. Free Wifi! Very nice local spot and I will be a frequent visitor now as I adjust to my new home. read more