City lights cafe is a very cozy and fun place to hang out. The servers are all friendly people that are good to converse with and they are great at preparing the food and beverages. Today was my first time coming here. I tried the iced lovestruck latte, a special valentine's themed drink that was created by a barista. It was pretty good. Upstairs there is a book store with a wide variety of choices. They have a system where you can ask them if they have a specific book in stock and they will tell you. You are also able to have books ordered if they are not in stock as well! Inside the bookstore there is a sweet cat that enjoys napping and pets. Very neat place. read more

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The food was fantastic, there are games to play at each table and the staff are very nice. Loved the music that gave the whole cafe a cozy feeling. read more

Super cute place, love the kitty upstairs, my coffee was delicious, it took a while to be acknowledged by the staff but they were friendly once they were ready read more

Apologies for the late review. Stopped in here for food while passing through. Would recommend! Food was banging! read more

Good food made fresh. Just off of Main Street. Not a huge selection but definitely enough that everyone should find something they like on the menu. read more

A friend and I tried City Lights for breakfast while visiting the Sylva area. The ambiance both inside and outside was so cute and perfect for this North Carolina small town! The woman who took our order at the counter was knowledgeable and helpful with our coffee and food questions. Both of our lattes were delicious! I especially loved my oat milk latte with honey. Our breakfast burrito and bagel were hot, fresh, and came out promptly. My favorite part of this business is it is also a bookstore! They have a good selection of both new and used titles, fiction and non-fiction. Plus, there is an adorable cat to pet inside the bookstore! read more

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This place is so adorable, stopped by on the way through Asheville. The staff was super friendly and helpful, I did the build your own burrito, was very tasty and filling. I also got the brown sugar cinnamon iced latte, flavor is good and the coffee taste is present which is nice! If you're looking for a laid back flavor with lots of character, give them a try! read more

City Lights Cafe - Iced brown sugar cinnamon latte - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

May 16, 2023 - 2 for breakfast while travelling. Quick stop in for breakfast on a 12 hours travel day from Murphy, NC to Philly, PA Eclectic and quaint we quickly ordered from this more of a take-out joint with tables. I got the Vegan Brekkie and my wife got the Garden Breakfast Burrito. We started with a Cinnamon Bun to split. Coffee was good, tableware and the facility was good and clean. The cinnamon was not 'exciting' and more doughy than flavorful. I worked in a bakery who won Philly Best Cinnamon Buns back in the 70s so maybe I am the harsh German judge?? But it was nice, just not awesome and sinful. 6/10 My Vegan sandwich was tasty with good ingredients a hearty affair. lightly nicely toasted and good. Tempeh not too slimy, but the sandwich was pretty wet and not very hot when we finally got it. 6/10 My wife Garden Breakfast Burrito looked awesome and had some nice ingredients, but as with my sandwich arrived 'cool' and the eggs and the sandwich also kinda soggy and wet. 6/10 So I guess the kitchen needs some attention and maybe help in getting the food out to the tables. All in all a nice spot to stop in and grab (or sit down) and have a bite. read more

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I'm so glad I waited this long to stop for lunch. Such a cool cafe with a friendly staff and atmosphere. I got a perfect latte and the turkey club panini, and the +$1 up charge for the spinach salad as a side may be the best single dollar I've ever spent. read more

City Lights Café in Sylva NC recently provided a catered reception to my family after a memorial service. Donna, the owner, was extremely helpful from the first conversation, helping us create a menu and a setting that felt very warm and comforting. The food was fresh, flavorful, and exactly what we wanted. Many of my family members commented on how delicious it was and how comforting it was to be able to share a meal together with the restaurant open after hours specifically for our family dinner. Oliver was a great server who made sure we had everything we needed, I wholeheartedly recommend City Lights Café to anyone who is looking for high quality catering with exceptional food and service. read more

Absolutely love city lights cafe. We go there anytime we care close to that part of NC. The service has always been great. The food never takes long to come to the table. It is worth visiting. read more

City Lights Cafe - 10/10 - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

Well, I saw gluten free crepes, and was ready to go. Thankfully, hubby agreed. This little spot is just off Main Street in Sylva. The food is very good. BUT - and that's a big but - they were very dogmatic about germs, mask-wearing, etc. So, although we enjoyed the food, we haven't visited for months. Who knows? Maybe we'll check it out again soon. read more

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Food to expensive and u do not get alot we did not get the bar service was slow nah wasn't all that

We stumbled upon this place after doing some Horseback riding. There are so many gluten free and vegan options. It is a contactless ordering system. You can dine inside but you have to order from your phone. We both ordered the turkey melt on gluten free with chips and salsa. I was not a huge fan of my sandwich. I think it might've been the vegan cashew cheese because my husband loved his. We split a sweet gluten free/dairy free crepe and oh my--it was so yummy. The crepes is definitely where it's at here! They also have bakery items. We ordered the midnight cake to go. It comes frozen but quickly defrost. It was very yummy and was gluten and dairy free! read more

City Lights Cafe - Turkey melt on gluten free - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

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Had never been to City Lights but after looking at the menu it looked like a nice spot for lunch. We walked in an ordered at the counter. My wife liked all the coffee options as well as the fresh made desserts. I ordered the Downtown Turkey Club Panini and added Ham. For my side I went with the chips & salsa. I did like that they were able to change up your sandwich cause I'm always down for more meat. I mean is it right a club if their isn't turkey, bacon, and ham. Our food came out in about 15 minutes and glad it wasn't any longer because we were hungry. My club was good but wasn't great by any means. I was a little odd too that the deli meat seemed to be made up of multiple little pieces. All and all everything was just OK. Might go back but will probably try something different. read more

City Lights Cafe - Downtown Turkey Club, added Ham - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

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This is one of the few places in DT Sylva to get a quick coffee and breakfast in the morning, so I give it props for that. The coffee was very decent, they have TONS of flavor options to choose from. I opted for the seasonal snickerdoodle but honestly I couldn't taste any flavors besides oat milk. My boyfriend had the chocolate covered strawberry that was actually really good, and I think it had chunks of freeze dried strawberries in it. A nice, flavorful touch! The food took forever to come out which was weird for a bagel sandwich and a bagel with cream cheese. The bagels were tough and not really warm. Overall food was very average. I liked the location and the atmosphere a lot and I do think it's a good spot for a (kinda) quick meal. read more

City Lights Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

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Just needed a snack- ordered hummus and chips- hummus was dry and flavorless. The chips were dyed blue and red- yuck. Staff was very nice

We ordered wrap trays for my daughter and her bridal party the day of the wedding (10/26/24) while we were getting ready. The lady that delivered the sandwiches was on time, asked me where I wanted the trays and even helped a little with set up. She was very gracious and kind. The wraps and cookies were delicious! They even catered to a few of our vegetarian friends, no problem. I highly recommend this restaurant's catering menu. They even provided disposable plates and all utensils. Call them for your event, don't even hesitate. They took so much stress off this mother of the bride which I was grateful for. read more

Unique spot with a variety of menu and drink options. Came on Christmas Eve day for lunch on our drive back to ATL and the place was hopping. While standing to place our ordered, I was trying to figure out the type of place this really was.....it seemed to be a little of everything. A coffee shop - yet draft beer and wine selection. Breakfast items and pastries - yet sandwiches and Mexican - all rolled into one place. The interior atmosphere is pretty chill and laid back - and served both people wanting to work by themselves on a laptop or places for groups to sit. My bride ordered the Chicken Crepadilla ($10) and wasn't a big fan as proportionally it was mostly crepe and not much flavor. I went with the Turkey Club Panini ($10) and it was decent. Unfortunately, neither of us liked the house made salsa - seemed bitter. Service was good and the food came out pretty fast. read more

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Loved it! Everything came out great - especially the crepes. "Liberals make great coffee" - I should know.

Stopped by for lunch. We were here on a Tuesday, after the lunch rush. There were a few customers. We ordered a sandwich. The food was ok, once it finally arrived. I had a sweet tea to drink. It was drinkable and that is about it. The 2 stars are due to the long wait for 1 sandwich. read more

Excellent food and atmosphere. They had a sign out front that welcomes all walks of life and I thought that was great. Only problem I had was that it also stated that "Black Lives Matter". I hope they weren't referring to the Marxist group. We need to remember that ALL lives matter...not just black, white, Asian or any one group. read more

Found this place on Yelp, the night before, looking for breweries in Sylva. The menu looked intriguing with all the Tempeh options. So we came for brunch the next day. The staff was very courteous and helpful. They take Apple Pay. Shows that they are with the times The food was delicious. We had the Tempeh Panini and the chicken crepadilla. What really impressed us was the policy of this establishment towards its employees. Theses type of businesses deserve community support as they are giving back to the community. Highly recommend. read more

City Lights Cafe - Employee policy Living wage and Staff Development - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

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This used to be one of my father's favorite places to eat. He's vegetarian and it had fresh food and lots of vegetarian options. We used to frequent lunch all the time, then, Covid happened. At first they were closed, then, you could only order online and pick up at the window. This was a little much for my older father. Plus, it was just a pain in the ass to have to do and you still had to go to the window to pick up. It just seemed needless since a visit to the window was still required. Why not just allow us to order and pick up at the window. Today we were going to give it a try and immediately we were asked to put a mask on, for which they supplied. I'm not a fan of the masks but if they are going to provide the mask I will oblige and today we did. Note: there is only one other place in sylva that is still requiring masks so there are a lot of maskless options. We ordered burritos and tipped 20%. It took about twenty five minutes for them to bring our food and there were only four other people in the place total. The burritos were ok but they were about 80% rice with only very little of the fresh ingredients they used to put in their food. I had the chicken burrito and there was just enough chicken and fresh lettuce to say that the burrito had chicken and fresh lettuce. The last thing we experienced was a sign that said bus your own table. I gave them two stars because the food was pretty good. I subtracted three stars because it isn't even close what it used to be. Average food with minimal service, plus, requiring masks equals two stars. read more

We stopped by for breakfast on our way through town. They are very clean and taking Covid precautions seriously with their online ordering system. I ordered the scrambled eggs, eggs, bacon, and the strawberry crepe. Everything tasted good, with the crepes being my favorite. The staff was very nice. They let me redeem a free cookie voucher through checking in on Yelp, even though they weren't aware that Yelp was running that offer. read more

Located in Sylva, the City Lights Cafe afforded us a nice and sufficient breakfast to get our busy day of hiking started. Came in for breakfast on a Friday morning and found it pretty desolate. There isn't table service so you order up front, pay, seat yourself and then they bring your food to the table, a concept I'm seeing more and more lately. City Lights also has an adjoining bookstore boasting the same City Lights name and also provided free Wi-Fi which is always a plus when away from home. We were a large table of 9 people so some items were faster than others but that's to be expected with a large group. The staff were friendly and apologized for the delay in some items being ready. Multiple items were ordered at our table including; simple breakfast sandwiches, breakfast wraps, hummus, and Greek crepes. For the most part everyone was happy with the food and complaints were minimal other than my breakfast sandwich which was unspectacular with the bagel under toasted and the eggs somewhat watery. City Lights also serves beer and wine and a selection of baked goods/ deserts that caught my eye. I purchased a 32oz growler and had it filled with a local beer from the area and took it to go. This purchase was exceptionally cheap at only $12, including the growler. Enjoyed the beer later in the day while hiking the Smokey Mountains and thoroughly enjoyed it. read more

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The cafe food was tasty and service was quick. It's a nice little spot for a cozy lunch with a good variety of menu items to choose from. Note that the entrance to the cafe is actually on Allen Street, below the City Lights Bookstore which is on E Jackson. The bookstore cashier was rather irritated when I needed guidance to get to the cafe, pointing out a narrow set of stairs that goes down from the bookstore to the cafe. read more

Food was delicious and coffee was great. Only giving it 4 stars because a few of the ingredients I asked for they didn't have. Otherwise, it was delicious! read more

City Lights Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

Good healthy food. Haven't been in awhile because it tends to be pricey. But I guess that's the literal price you pay for good food.

Passing through the area and looking for a locally owned place to eat with limited places settled on City Lights Cafe. Staff was friendly and welcoming. They have a lot of options for vegan or gluten free meals. You order your food at the counter and they brought our food to our table. I got a sausage, egg, and cheese on a everything bagel it was very bland. They do use cage free eggs. When done eating you buss your own table. They are big on masking up even for protected vaccinated people. I go to this area often undecided if I'll return for the food. read more

Grazie mille Emily and Donna Marie for making the looooooong motorcycle ride from Boone worth the excellence of your espresso, baked goods, and unparalleled vibe. Looooooooove this place -- no place like it, and can't wait to return!!! read more

The staff is amazing and so kind, the atmosphere is so cozy, and the food is delicious!

Tried it. Couldn't get service at a counter service place. Not clean. Weird entrance.

Always a cute little place to get brunch with friends and AMAZING FOOD and chai, I would definitely recommend the crepes

This little place up on the corner just off Main Street is both a bookstore and cafe. They have a wide verity of coffees and teas. They also offer plenty of cold drink selections. The menu has sandwiches and paninis with an array of choices for fillers such as meats, veggies as well as combinations. Each comes with a choice of salad or chips and salsa. I had the turkey and cheese panini with a side of chips and salsa. Everything was fresh and it was pressed just right to melt the cheese. The salsa was thick, and may well have been homemade. This place is a real find and a do not miss on your next trip to Sylva. read more

This experience was awful. We waited 35 minutes for dry toast with dry egg patty and an untoasted bagel with about a teaspoon of the condiment we requested. To make matters worse, it was our anniversary and we started our day there...truly mediocre food at best. read more

The food was good and the service was okay. You do have to bus your own table in the name of saving them money. But they make it super convenient. Only downside was when we tried to buy one more thing (a pastry from the glass case) and they turned us down cause they were closed. We had literally just finished an entire meal there and were on our way out. Not sure why they couldn't make an exception for customers in the store/restaurant already. Would have led to us recommending a lot more folks. But it left us with a bad customer service experience as the last impression. Unfortunate. read more

The "Chicken Crepadilla" was $10 for a pinch of pre-poached chicken breast meat, a few leaves of spinach and two half-melted Kraft American cheese slices. It was served with a small pile of mostly brown guacamole and a small salad. The "Zesty Tuna Melt" ($8.95) was neither zesty or very toasty -just an overwhelming flavor of dill - and was served with a handful of mostly crushed tortilla chips, which were perfect for the itty-bitty plastic cup of jarred salsa. Meh! read more

City Lights Cafe - The $10 "Chicken Crepadilla" pre-poached chicken breast, a few leaves of spinach and two half-melted Kraft American cheese slices - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

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great salads. one added tuna coffee smoothie with chocolate hit the spot we were driving thru NC and stopped in Sylva which is a quaint outdoorsy / college town. the walk after lunch was just right sat outside with the well thought out flora and fauna good prices read more

Neat little bohemian place that has a great vibe going on. we popped in and some crazy good crepes. The layout is pretty eclectic and I wish that we had stopped by at the start of the trip instead of the end, but at least we made it! Parking on the street behind can be a little challenging when other people parking seem to think it's a new concept but we survived. read more