While traveling through Western Carolina, I googled vegan gluten free and found this little hidden gem. It was super cute with a book store attached. Small town feel, with major good vibes. Super eclectic and gave me a Portland type of vibe. Was extra kid friendly and had a variety of gluten free vegan options. I ordered the vegan /gf crepecakes, my kids ate it all and left me with a crumb so I guess it was pretty good. I was so sad though, because the customer in front of me ordered the last peanut butter pie, which looked heavenly. Maybe I'll drive there from Atlanta one weekend just for a special vegan gf treat from here. It's totally worth the drive if you're into spontaneous trips for food (like me) read more

City Lights Cafe - My 3 year old was actually really good in here. Usually she makes a scene. Lol - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

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SPECIAL DIET HAVEN Over the past year this place has really stepped it up for special diets and lifestyles. When I first came here they had ZERO vegan options. Now they always have AT LEAST one vegan treat in the case, something gluten free and sometimes something that's both! They also now have vegan cheese and tempeh so many for the foods can be veganized. The breakfast burritos are awesome! If you're a vegetarian, vegan and/or gluten free this is a must stop. read more

Food was good. However, we were the only one dining in and the wait was horrific for just one sandwich! The lady from the back came out with a list of resons all of which a customer doesn't care to hear. Too bad actually. They could have been good. read more

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

First off cute little location! It's a family own restaurant with indoor and outdoor sitting. Parking is not too bad. You can park on the side of the building which is nice. The Hummus was GREAT it had a good kick to it which was nice the pita breaths was warm and it was so good we ordered more!!!!! I ordered the crape Greek style which was pretty good as well. It had a nice fresh taste and it was light. Sometimes with crape it can be too thick which won't taste that great but this one was pretty good, it was thin which made it light and you were able to finish it, the salad dressing I had was a olive oil base with a kick of lemon which was awesome. I also ordered the Salted Caramel coffee, it was so hot! Be careful but it was nice since it was a cold morning. read more

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Crepes are a must. Pasta was just right. Coffee, Beer, Wine, and an all around nice atmosphere. Very much my type of place where I could hang for hours drinking coffee, snacking, and checking out the bookstore. A great find in a small town. read more

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City Lights Cafe just opened up in the same spot as the old Spring Street Cafe. A very nice little coffee shop/wine bar/cafe specializing in crepes and paninis. I know what you're thinking--did he really say they're opening a crepe shop in Sylva? Yes I did. A great little patio and very nice people. The crepes were also very good and the coffee (from Tribal Grounds in Cherokee) was excellent. I still need to go at night to check out the scene, but my first impressions were very positive. I'll go back. City Lights Cafe also has easy access to City Lights bookstore, so make sure to pop in and patronize one of the last small, locally owned, excellent bookstores around. read more

City Lights Cafe - Entrance to city lights cafe in Sylva nc - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

We enjoyed our lunch on the patio. The sandwiches were pretty basic, but fresh. Potato chips instead of tortilla chips would be nice. The cookies were big and tasty. We browsed the bookstore. Lots of interesting offerings. read more

i love you forever city lights. grad student staple with wonderful staff and owner. best greek salad related item on earth, potentially (big fat greek crepe). read more

First off, I love love love this place. City Lights cafe' and bookstore has been a haven on cold rainy days when we needed a place to escape. Staff, food, beverages all great. I do want to share a recommendation from the standpoint of the dining area being a possible business meeting spot or conference call getaway. I have taken a few meetings from City Lights, and to be honest, walking into the restaurant at 8 AM and being greeted with Led Zeppelin/heavy metal at a noticeable volume makes it difficult to concentrate on a conversation or participate in a conference call. I'm not suggesting you inundate your staff with downtrodden Joni Mitchell, but if you want to foster a collaborative working environment you may want to curate a more laid back, background playlist. Thanks! read more

We were looking for a place to eat with 6 kids and 4 adults where we could taste some beers and this placed seemed to be the best bet. Our finders were on! Because the food, drink and service was wonderful! Super cute atmosphere and the people behind the counter have the patience of a saint to deal with the noise of kids! read more

I do not know hoe this place is in business. My wife chose this place because it looked vegan friendly so she had high hopes. We walked in and only had one group of 3 ahead of us to order. It took 15 + minutes to order food. Once we ordered we took a sit at a table. There was only 3 other tables in the restaurant with patrons. We waited 45 minutes for our food! This is a lunch spot that takes an hour to get food. Now on to the quality of the food....bad! My wife had Tempeh and said it was horrible. My kids had rice and chicken. It was cold and bland. I got the big cat burriot which was ok. And we had a humus plate. I love humus but tbis humus had zero flavor. Lastly, my wife ordered a Chai Tea Latte which she couln't even drink. I spent $70 for lunch with ny wife and small kids and no one cane away staisfied or full. On top of tnat, we had to bus our own table. This after, i had already given a 20% gratuity when i paid upon ordering. It is safe to say, we will never vistit again. read more

This is probably one of the best places in town to get coffee. They are very inclusive and caring about their patrons and staff . Is a great place to spend some time with great coffee and a good book (which you can conveniently buy upstairs) read more

City Lights Cafe - Medium Homestyle Black Coffee & Small Vanilla Latte - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

This place rocks!!! I am new to the cullowhee/Sylva area and was looking for vegetarian options near me! I found city lights cafe and I cannot wait to come back. My sister was along for the ride that day and is a VERY picky eater, she had the chicken crepadilla and loved it!! I had the tempeh panini and it was incredible! Most restaurants never truly get a handle on tempeh but they did AMAZING. I'm excited to come back and try some more of their veggie options! read more

Not on their best game today. Order messed up and we are still awaiting what we ordered (banana Nutella crepe). I ordered the fromage flat, which is *half* of a flatbread with 1.5 slice of tomato, maybe a tablespoon of avocado and the feta cheese. A little staggering at $8.95. I know things are tight right now and honestly it's a right bite for me but seems a little steep. But we still love you City Lights read more

Really, what's not to love about this place? It has to be one of the most eclectic little cafes I've ever been to. A few highlights: -its a coffee shop but also a restaurant, but also a bookstore, but also a bakery but also serves beer and wine. - tons if healthy, farm fresh menu items to choose from -reasonably priced - very laid back vibe...order at the counter and they bring you your food -outdoor seating -convenienty located in downtown sylva. - they are advocates for love and equality and treating people with respect. - they are locally owned and operated - the food was delicious and they had several unique items! I tried the cheesy grits bowl that came topped with scrambled eggs, chive cream cheese and applewood smoked bacon. SO good!! My hubs got a basic bacon, egg and cheese on a plain bagel which was very good as well. They sell tons of baked goods and other items in the shop...including doggy baked goods..awesome. I recommend if you are in or traveling around the Bryson city, Cherokee, waynesville area. read more

If you have a soft spot for socially conscious, animal-loving, care-about-your-employees, welcoming-to-all kinds of places then this place is for you. And if you don't have a soft spot for those things, you should try City Lights and maybe you'll decide to change. An unassuming café that cares about the community, dishes out tasty, locally sourced goodness and serves beer, wine, coffee and by god the crepes. Check it out and when you do I challenge you to leave feeling unfulfilled. For dinner with my parents there was something for everyone. Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and meat lovers among us - we all left with tummies and spirits delightfully sated. read more

This place is hit or miss depending on who is cooking and making your coffee. Kinda sad because when things are done right is very good.

I like the menu as it is versatile and everything I've had is delicious. However, the service is incredibly slow. You can always bet to wait at least 25 or more minutes for your food read more

I absolutely love the food and the atmosphere, but the staff isn't very friendly... I've been three times and each time I was not greeted by any staff, and they seemed as if I was a burden to them. I will go back for the food, but i'm not expecting good service anymore. read more

It is a very quaint and cozy. Their food and coffee is to die for. It's a great place to have lunch after perusing the bookstore. Their cheesecake was absolutely delicious. Please come here. You won't be disappointed!! read more

The atmosphere and servers are very nice. I was disappointed with my breakfast brunch bowl. The grits were very dull and had no flavor. The biscuits were dull and average. The cappuccino was good. Very crowded on Sunday. Wish they had servers instead of waiting at cashier- very slow and inefficient. Would like to go at night and try their wine and beer selections. read more

Sweet crepes were life-changing. There's beer, books, and bacon, what more could you ask for? The environment is welcoming and I would definitely come again. read more

City Lights Cafe - Cappuccinos and peace signs - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

This is a wonderful, inclusive, socially- and environmentally-conscious café in a charming mountain town. The service is great, the coffee is better, and the cinnamon rolls are incredible. I'll definitely be returning the next time I'm in the area. read more

Delightful, allergy-friendly shop nestled just off the Main Street; my 10yo "heavily approves." Theirs savory GLUTEN FREE crepe is delicious, and they have a simple salad that can have protein added. I would give them 5-Stars, except they didn't make the requested substitutions; but the GF food and GF desserts are delicious. read more

I had the grilled panini totally tempeh and it was an outstanding flavorful delight! Excellent job!

LOVED it here! Great place for a nice relaxed breakfast. Lots of room to sit inside or out. Order at the counter. The case is filled with quiche, baked goods, strata, desserts, etc. Attached to a quirky bookstore. Staff was friendly, accommodating and clearly enjoyed working there. Came in on Memorial Day for a late morning breakfast. I had a fruit, yogurt and granola parfait. They make their granola in house and it was delicious. Not overly sweet and very fresh tasting. The fruit was perfectly ripe. They had blueberry muffins topped with streusel cooling on the counter so we ordered one. It was perfect. Big, ripe blueberries. My friend ordered the strata, which that day had Italian sausage and vegetables with herbs. He loved it. They also had crepes on the menu, both sweet and savory. Beer and wine is served too. I wish we would have stopped again during our stay in Sylva. Next time for sure! read more

City Lights has delicious gluten-free crepes and cupcakes made in a safe manner. One of their employees also is a nutritionist (iirc) and quite clear on her food allergy issues. The non-GF items are just as good. I wish they had local meats, but wishing doesn't help the availability or price points. This place is very affordable, and the crepes may be a bit too big. Conveniently located almost exactly half-way between our house and the in-laws', I suspect we will keep stopping here for a long time. It's a bit too far in either direction ever to attend evening events here, alas. And one of our dogs loves their GF cupcakes. Oops. read more

City lights was one of my favorite places, but that designation has changed. As others have mentioned, it certainly has become a hit or miss place. "Hit" is used loosely here. I completely understand times have been tough with the pandemic etc. but consistency in food, beverage, and service is critical. Most of the time when I do go to city lights it's purely for coffee now and maybe a muffin to go. Last time I got a bagel with "vegan" cream cheese and some soup and the quality was awful. Bagel was old and stale, soup was the wrong soup I ordered and no taste, the "cream cheese" was liquid. I didn't bother complaining bc I had no energy to do so that particular day, I was tired and hungry. The place was not crowded that day either. I do notice the quality in food and service seems to go down when all I see is younger college age kids working the counter and kitchen and no adult to be found. They have no customer service skills either. read more

This is an amazing little gem! We will absolutely be back again. My husband loved the tuna melt and my kids the crepes. Very clean the food tasted great and the staff was super sweet and helpful great service. read more

A surprising find in Sylva, all the food is made fresh, kind of a hipster place with a lot of health food options and bohemian atmosphere. Lots of local beers, several wines by the bottle and the coffee is okay. I had a cafe au lait and a breakfast crepe early one morning. The coffee was quite bitter, the crepe was under seasoned. Luckily there was sriracha on every table. The price was a bit high $16. I can check this one off the list as been there, done that. Although I might drop back in for a beer sometime. read more

I was in Sylva for work, and unfortunately I discovered this place towards the end of my stay. This is such a quaint, comfortable place with indoor and outdoor seating. I ate here the last two days of my stay and I had the downtown turkey club panini, then the blackened chicken penne with Cajun cream sauce. They are excellent crepe makers also, with any kind of crepe you can imagine. I had desert crepes, the apple pie and strawberry cheese cake. If you are ever in Sylva you must visit here. The food is delicious and fresh and the people are so friendly. I don't think I could ever say anything bad about this cafe. read more

Really cute place. So glad I found this place on our way to Murphy from Asheville.. Definitely worth a little detour off the highway. Our food was great. read more

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

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casual atmosphere with great food, in town for a couple of days and came here frequently for breakfast. Good coffee and locally sourced food, they also have beer/wine and are connected to an upstairs bookstore. Unisex bathrooms and an overall very progressive vibe! read more

When I die and go to Heaven, I won't have to go far. I'll just come here to City Lights Cafe. Seriously, I fell more in love with my boyfriend simply because he brought me here and got me some goat cheese (and other delicious treats). This is an awesome cozy place to have some coffee and breakfast, or wine and a cheese plate, or lunch, or...you get the picture. Just go here. The food is outstanding. I've been here twice and we've ordered piles of food and just share everything. Every single thing I've eaten has been great. read more

The only good thing I've had here is the chicken salad. I've gotten a few drinks here, but they were not good, and I often had to ask for them to fix the drink; the people fixing the drink had a poor attitude when I asked them to fix the drink, which was mainly asking them to add coffee to dampen the sickeningly sweetness of a latte (co-workers had the same issue with their lattes), and asking them to add more chai to my chai tea latte so that it didn't taste watered down. They were never extreme or extravagant request, I had hoped that it was just a fluke the first time it happened, but I've been a couple more times with co-workers and had the same issues. Not sure if it's just poor customer service on the rotating employees part, or if it's the fault of poor training of employees. read more

Very good coffee and bagels. Also very good granola with honey. Service is friendly but a little slow. Indoor or outdoor seating. There is an adjacent boom store. read more

Good food, very organic, local and hippie. Polite service and food was high quality. Menu is based around the above and a bakery limited kitchen. They have beer and wine and it appears they have small town entertainment on some kind on thier stage. This place is probably a 5 for many but I gave it a 3 because im a little bit too conservative. read more

City Lights Cafe - Stage for the Hippies - Bakeries Near Me - Sylva, North Carolina

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amazing options and friendly staff. i'm mostly vegan and they were more than willing to go out of their way to recommend some friendly options for me! read more

Small little spot with lots of options. I got the fajita quesadilla and chips & salsa. It was delicious. Great place if you're vegan or need gluten free options. read more

Enjoyed a nice business lunch here today, will be back as usual! (probably my 5th visit since moving this February) THREE STARS on the quiche of the day: though tasty, it was rather small and not even 1/2 inch thick/tall. The crust seemed" store bought". The food is always good here, so perhaps it was an off day for the poor quiche. I'll try it again, but take a look at it first. Considering it was served with soup, it was actually plenty of food for someone of average/small appetite; if you are really hungry, go for a panini. FIVE STARS for the soup that accompanied the quiche: THAI PUMPKIN. Exquisitely creamy and delicious, it had a nice kick from some sort of pepper (cayenne), and since it was made with coconut milk, it *might* have been vegan (I forgot to ask). This is an amazing soup that my lunch partner has had multiple times and loves also! I highly recommend this soup! FIVE STARS on the cappuccino! Made perfectly and served HOT! Yay! FIVE STARS AS ALWAYS FOR FRIENDLY, FAST, SUPERB SERVICE! Thank you! I'm anticipating a crepe in my future.... :-) read more