We were looking for a treat around Edwardsville today & Yelp "surprise me" feature selected Cafe…read moreBirdie for us - so glad it did! I had the gluten free lemon lavender donut & a vanilla latte - both were great! My husband had a scone he enjoyed & lemonade that was very freshly squeezed. Service was prompt and friendly - you order up at the counter. Lots of GF options, no upcharge for oat milk, gender neutral bathroooms, cozy seating both indoor and outdoor on the patio, self serve water station.

Stopped at Cafe Birdie this morning. First thing you order at the counter and get your silver,…read morenapkins and water yourself. When you order the pad comes up suggesting a 18, 20 or 25 percent tip and the only thing they do is carry your food to the table! Next my wife ordered French toast and I ordered biscuits & gravy. French toast was 8 dollars and the biscuit's and gravy was 13. My wife got one piece of French toast and I received 1 biscuit with gravy with a small amount of tater tots not even close to the price we paid in food! The gravy was tasty but please! This is a very limited menu, very little selection! The place was very cute inside. We will not be back!

Visiting Edwardsville and I wanted to support a local coffee chain for my morning brew! Goshen came…read moreup when I searched and I'm not disappointed! Delicious latte, INCREDIBLE croissant and their store & packaging are so cute! Definitely recommend if you're in the area :) #supportlocal

Super cute and inviting coffee shop. The barista was super nice and offered up some fan favorites…read morealong with answering my questions. They have small bites along with beverages. The coffee was really good but what would keep me coming back was the service, absolutely enjoyed this entire exchange.

This is a great little neighborhood coffee shop. It's located in what I"d guess was a gas station…read morein its earlier life. The ambiance is minimalist with a rustic twist and it truly is right on the corner, so you can't miss it. They offer a good variety of teas, coffee and morning pastries. If you're there at lunchtime, they've got that covered, too. They offer several sandwiches and for the health conscious, there is a variety of salads, too. The staff was friendly and brewed me a great cup of coffee. I love small town coffee shops. Their personalized service out shines that chain that most people love.

I found this delightful little cafe in downtown Wood River a pleasant surprise. While it has been…read moreopen for about two years now (yes, I asked), I had not heard of Russell's Corner Cafe until a few days ago when I took an alternative route and happened to drive by the cafe. It's an ideal place to grab your morning caffeine or a quick lunch, while supporting a small business. My Order: Mango Passionfruit Iced Tea & The Italian Sandwich Food/Drinks: The coffee menu is extensive, and they have a decent tea menu (my tea was Stash). There's a small bakery/pastry case, plus a few sandwiches and salads on the menu. After eating there, I checked out their social media; it looks like they have occasional specials that they post. I enjoyed my tea, and the Italian Sandwich was delicious. My sandwich came with a little cup of oil with herbs, which was so good! Atmosphere: The inside is simple, yet inviting. There's a counter where you order, and two small rooms with a few tables in each room. There's also a few tables outside, which I would have sat at had it been a little bit warmer. The woman working the counter was friendly and helpful. Logistics: It's 3 hour street parking, but I had no trouble finding a spot. The building is sort of on the corner/side road. Once inside, head up to the counter to order.

This is truly a local gem on the River Road. We were staying at Green Tree Inn (also a gem), and…read morecame here for dinner on Saturday night. Melanie took excellent care of us. My dirty Martini was outstanding. Our entrees were excellent. They were also good for dinner the next evening when we had the left overs. It was a very warm evening in Elsah and the restaurant was also a bit warm...but so totally worth it! We will be back soon!

State Street is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the Riverbend area. They were a shining…read morestar in downtown Alton until their lease was not renewed. At first I thought it was a bad call by the landlord. Now that they are located in Elsah, I realize he did them a favor. Beau and Terri rallied and took on the challenge of relocating their restaurant. They searched hight and low and found the perfect location in Elsah, just 8 miles north of the old location. Elsah welcomed them with open arms and issued them the first liquor license in the history of the township. Since the relocation I have been multiple times for lunch. You cannot go wrong with their famous Mushroom Asparagus Soup or one of the popular Paninis. I've also been to a wine dinner that impressed me and my cousin who is a wine connoisseur. The wine and food were paired beautifully. Experiencing a regular dinner in the boutique dinning room is also a delight. Their menu changes regularly, but I must say when you see Terri's Lasagna being offered, that is a sign to order it. You will not be disappointed. All the servers and staff are spectacular. It blows my mind how many of them can remember the names of all their regulars. It makes for a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Next time you're traveling the River Road, take a detour into Elsah and visit State Street on LaSalle.

@labellevie_frenchtown…read more Grab your people and go! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaSxbqDujgx/?igsh=MXZ1d2w0eWVyYnJpeg==

What a cute gem in St. Charles! Another spot I had been wanting to visit for a while and although…read moreit was very hot this morning, we made our way! Not a lot of parking, but lots of street parking and it's in a very walkable neighborhood. This place is order first, and then find a seat! And there is plenty of seating inside and in their covered patio! They have the menus all up front for you: breakfast and lunch, kid's menu, and drink menu. We ordered: Croque Madame Crepe - standard crepe, but w all the croque Madame fixings! The ham was soo good in this The Lake Bake - poached eggs on HASH BROWNS! Great seasoning on the potatoes. Just Cheese Flatbread - my 3 year old loved it! Orange Juice Cold Brew w milk Apple Juice I loved our breakfast! It was simple and filling! The atmosphere here is so lovely so I recommend visiting. It is also huge space. The further you go in, the more seating there is and a covered patio as well! The breakfast we ordered didn't come with any sides but it was still very filling and big portions! My son loved his flatbread. The staff here was also super nice!

I love Picasso's! It's such a cozy coffee shop. There is usually a line, but it's definitely worth…read morethe wait. When I come here, I usually park in one of the nearby parking lots. I have never tried their food (will need to come back!), but I usually get a coffee to go. I like the Van Gogh's Milky Way drink. I like it iced; it's a great flavor combination of mocha and coffee. I've always had exceptional service with the staff always friendly.

Did a "Picasso / Mr. Meowski Mashup" with the latter's blueberry-lemon pop tart to go with my…read morelatte. Service was fast and friendly. Love the atmosphere. Sitting out front on Main St. when weather permits is a nice option!

Well, I hate to be the first to review and have it be subpar but I have to be honest in case fellow…read moreYelpers check out my rating to help decide whether to try this place... As John H. mentioned in his review of Books a Million, Joe Muggs Cafe is a coffee shop in the back of the book store. There are plenty of seats and tables and I see lots of people using this place as a "library." My personal convictions won't allow me to sit in a cafe without buying something so I ordered 2 hot chocolates. With tax, almost $7 so I was a bit surprised and commented "Whoa - it must be good hot chocolate!" It was not. Obviously instant added to hot water and not very good instant, either. My companion remarked, "What did you expect, that they were going to melt some real chocolate into some hot milk for you?" No, but I was expecting good drinks... On the plus side - the server was very polite and cheerful. Even though I mentioned previously that I'm against being a "user" (sitting and reading a book without buying it or even a hot drink), some people may view this as a plus. I'll try not to judge.

It's a very nice place to just sit and read a book, get a drink, a snack, and relax. I like to sit…read moreand do homework. I'm secretary of a club and it's one of few places we can sit and have a meeting. The food and drinks are a bit expensive, but a few of their drinks are great! Also, if you ask for a list of syrups they have one behind the counter.

We ordered in. It was amazing we have ordered twice now. We will order again soon. Their soup I've…read moreordered twice now

Maybe it was just what I got (biscuits and gravy with eggs and bacon) but this was some of the…read moreworst food I've had in a long time. The bacon was inedible, it was like chewing on plastic. The gravy was bland, and the sausage in the gravy was very strange looking and tasting. The eggs weren't bad. Everything was piping hot and came out super fast like it had been microwaved unfortunately. The only reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 is because they had great iced tea. Again, maybe this is just a fluke and I got a bad batch but this was pretty disappointing.

One of my favorite coffee shops in STL! This one is close to work so I pop in frequently. The staff…read moreis so friendly and I love that they make their own syrups. They always have the best seasonal menus too and I love the ambiance. It's perfect for catching up with friends or getting some work done. I love the cozy vibes and it's one of those places where you can go by yourself and not feel alone. I've only tried a couple of pastries from here but next time I will be trying something off the menu!

First time coming to this location (but I've tried Goshen before). The matcha lemonade on their…read morespring menu was super refreshing, well-balanced, and not overly sweet. It's one of those drinks that feels perfect on a warm day. I also tried the avocado toast which was decent but didn't quite stand out. It was fresh and nicely presented but not too memorable. The space itself has a great vibe, nice place to sit and hang out for a bit. The cafe hours are also good, it's hard to find one that doesn't close at 2PM. The drinks really deliver and while the food could be a bit stronger, it's still a spot I'd come back to.

The oatmeal was really delicious, I ordered coffee as well and it was good, not too strong but a…read morelittle kick. Everything came out very fast, around 5 minutes. I enjoyed looking at the neat chalkboard that wraps around the main dining area as well!

I have wanted to visit 222 Artisan Bakery for quite a while. I heard they have pizza on Fridays and…read moreSaturdays. I finally made it. Ordered a pizza with pepperoni and bacon. I'd call this a hand tossed dough and they used a low moisture mozzarella. The sauce and toppings were tasty. They brought it out on a round metal pan. Here's the part I didn't like...the cardboard disc under it. Why are you putting cardboard under a fresh pizza that is being eaten in the restaurant?