A lovely discrete treasure, a blessing to the South Charlotte food scene. This easy to find yet tucked away café was the best breakfast I've had in many years. The meal started off with an iced rosemary lavender latte crafted with their in house syrup made with cane sugar and fresh herbs. Rosemary and coffee has been a revelation to my palate and I'll be back for this alone. Which I will happily enjoy in this comfortable and cute dining area. Breakfast was made to order from fresh ingredients, piping hot and intentionally seasoned. As their bright and cheerful owner puts it, the main ingredient is love. And trust me, you can taste it. This is the first time in my two decades of eating tofu that I can actually shoutout how delicious it is. And the aromas coming of this photogenic waffle were mouthwatering. While Charlotte has become over run with corporate and copy cat restaurants, it is truly a thing of comfort to enjoy a delicious meal made by good people that care not only about what's on the plate, but who is eating from it. 6 stars read more

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I came in initially having high expectations due to the high rating on Yelp. When you walking in, it's a local coffee shop feel with brunch food which is inviting. We didn't wait for too long for the table as people were just leaving. It took a bit for the waiter to come to our table and took even longer for him to get our food orders in, which we noticed he got the food orders in for the other tables with people who came in after us. This then lead them to getting their food before ours. I ordered the breakfast combo which came with 2 eggs, bacon, and waffle. I was a bit surprised that this place didn't have any chicken or turkey protein side options as I've seen is common with brunch places. I also got my eggs scrambled which, as you can see by the picture, came out as an omelette. When asking the worker about the confusion, he doubled down on it being scrambled eggs and even gossiped to his coworker about it as well. Upon the unfair wait and the egg situation, I will not be returning here again. read more

The entrees were good. The portion sizes are small. The olive oil cake nothing special about it. It's annoying to pay 4+ dollars for a can of soda (guys you have a god damn Harris Teeter a few steps away from you what the hell makes me want to not come back) read more

Service was prompt, engaging, and informative. Place was comfortable with casual comfortable music playing. Food was great. I got the Cuban sandwich and it was spot on. Definitely be back. read more

LOVE their avocado toast. I consider myself an avocado toast connoisseur. I don't like the avocado toast at flower child and the one at The Salty should be called cucumber toast, not avocado toast. I say this to give you context in case you've also tried the avocado toast around town. Anyway, this place has the best avocado toast in Ballantyne. My toddler daughter really likes the eggs here and eats everything on her plate. read more

This place has a small cafeteria-like atmosphere but the food is outstanding. I ordered a cubana sandwich and it was crispy and chewy and delicious. Service was great and our waitress was fast and efficient. I will keep the Lights in my lunchtime rotation for sure. read more

Cozy spot with friendly service and great food. First time visit for breakfast on Sunday around 11am. We had the ginger spritzer which was a freshly made mix of ginger lemon tea and club soda. Very refreshing 5/5. For food had the French toast and eggs bacon and waffle. All delicious 5/5. Their lunch menu also had some great choices so excited to try again! Def recommend! read more

The Lights Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

What a gem! Loved my first time here. The restaurant is smaller with about 10 tables or so with outdoor seating as well. Our server was so engaging and helpful! We went for brunch and saw they are open until 3:00pm. I got the matcha latte and my friends got the chai latte - both wonderful! I got the steak and eggs - first of all, it was a ton of steak and cooked perfectly. The chimichurri was divine. Look forward to going back! read more

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I travel alone often as an older female and it's not uncommon to be completely ignored. This place took it to another level. There is no sign at entrance saying "Please wait to be seated"; so having never been there before, I chose a table and sat down. Was completely ignored. Once I managed to get server's attention, he moved me to a smaller table (which I would have chosen in the first place, but it hadn't been cleared yet.) I ordered a glass of prosecco that took about fifteen minutes to get to table. When server brought my food, he set it down and quickly turned his back and walked away. Not even a glance back, even though I was waving my hands and saying "excuse me!" I would have ordered a second glass of procecco, but he never approached the table again to ask if everything was satisfactory. The food was good but under-seasoned. Prices are high for what you get. Place is very loud and there's zero ambiance, more like a noisy cafeteria. Too bad because I normally tip 30% or more when I'm treated like an actual person. Won't go back. read more

Good--plenty of free parking; muffin was large and terrific. Service was wonderfully attentive. Could be better--coffee itself was below average; acoustics were bad, such that any conversation created a loud background throughout the cafe. read more

My friend and I went here in a Saturday for brunch and it was amazing. The ambiance is quaint and cozy. The staff were efficient and friendly. I got the potato hash with French toast on the side! Everything was delicious and I will be back!! read more

Food service ambiance EVERYTHING!! Extremely amazing fresh food. Very nice staff and they care very much about their customers.

The best French toast I've ever had. They locally source their bread which was light and fluffy and the mascarpone cream with berries on top, was delicious. The manager was very accommodating and welcoming. Loved this little cafe! read more

One of my favorite cafecito and lunch spots! Clean eating fusion with latin favorites! This place was amazing and reminded me of Miami. The vibes inside are like a busy bodeguita and the staff is so kind! read more

The Lights Cafe - Pan con bistec, tostones, & a cortadito! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Ordered a pollo sandwich which was well made but no real flavor to it. Maybe that's what healthy is supposed to taste like?

Excellent authentic food, Pat and Luis are the best! They create delicious meals and love their customers! It's adorable!!!! read more

The Lights Cafe - Avocado Toast- homemade sourdough and poached egg! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

salmon bagel was spectacular staff was accommodating, great vibes, music was pretty fitting too read more

The Lights Cafe - Smoked Salmon Bagel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Such a cute and vibrant hidden cafe! The staff is so friendly, I was immediately greeted and sat. Luis, my server, was very attentive and funny! Food was so yummyyy and fresh. I was definitely full without overdoing it. Will be back :D read more

The Lights Cafe - Cappuccino:) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Good food and service. A bit pricy but enjoyed the breakfast. Small cafe feel. Would recommend.

I came and got the steak and eggs, with a coffee, both where fantastic, the portion sizes are redicoulus. The staff where extremely nice and accomidating, and the seating was comfortable, if it was closer to where I live I would go weekly read more

Fantastic food. Avocado toast and breakfast sandwich with extra hem. Coffee is good. read more

The Lights Cafe - Avocado toast, The Breakfast Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I went here with my daughter a couple of weeks ago because she really loves the cafe and she wanted to treat me to a nice brunch. When we arrived, I noticed that the atmosphere is nice and quiet, the decor is simple but fitting. The service was very good with the waitstaff being prompt, professional and courteous. They really did go out of their way to make us comfortable and welcomed. So far so good but where I deduct stars is for the food which was mediocre because it lacked a robust flavor and the Brioche bread that comes with the Breakfast sandwich wasn't available but the staff did give a 10% discount due to the inconvenience. I really wanted to like this cafe but I really didn't like the food but everything else was perfect. This also is a nice place to sit, relax and enjoy the atmosphere. My daughter really loves the cafe, the food and ambiance so I would recommend. read more

I love this place! Found it since it was next to our chiropractor in the shopping center in ballentyne. Very friendly and efficient service. They have an array of different things on the menu, more on the healthy side which I love! I opted for a salad a smoothie, kale Caesar salad and a chocolate falls smoothie with added coffee shot. The kale Caesar had a vegan dressing which I appreciate since I'm lactose Intolerant. Both were tasty and light and I was ready for my day! I will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu which all sounded phenomenal. Looking forward to being back ASAP! read more

The Lights Cafe - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Awesome experience and super friendly staff. The food was probably the best breakfast we've had! They were really helpful with my banana allergy as well read more

The Lights Cafe - Oat Porridge - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Such a quaint and cozy cafe. My daughter and I had breakfast options but the sandwichs at other tables definitely caught my eye. Will absolutely be going back. read more

The Lights Cafe is a great little spot where the food truly shines. The **Cuban sandwich** was a very good, and will be back to try a few other items soon. Equally impressive was the service. The staff were prompt, courteous, and genuinely seemed to care. In short, give it a try. read more

Cannot say enough good things about this sweet little spot!!! we went on the 27th around noon and had a late breakfast with our two sons before everybody headed back home! My husband and I both had breakfast, my vegan son had an awesome sandwich and other one had a quesadilla!!! my eggs came cooked perfectly, and my earl grey tea came in a French press, doesn't get better than that!!! Food is super fresh and they all Pay such great attention to detail. !!!made great friends with the owner Louis and our server was awesome as well, feel like we made new family friends!!!! will definitely be back to this place and highly recommend it!! read more

What a wonderful hidden gem! The food was fantastic and the service was top tier! Highly recommend for a unique experience and healthy and delicious food choices read more

The food was really good everything tasted fresh and delicious! The service is amazing such friendly people and very welcoming! The restaurant itself is very clean and put together they have a little bakery, with muffins and croissants! In all very good place read more

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I ordered the quinoa and beans bowl and added an egg. It was a very hearty portion and was seasoned well. The only thing I didn't love was the kale because it was too salty, but I understand because they were most likely trying to make it more palatable. The service was efficient (given there was only one other couple in there), but I was satisfied. The tables were a touch small/crowded, but the lighting was good. Overall, I am pleased with my choice of breakfast restaurant! read more

Food was so good - great presentation, fresh, creative. Definitely going to be a regular here.

Decided to try this after looking for a coffee shop with food near the ballantyne area. There's plenty of parking as it is in a plaza with other businesses including a Harris Teeter. We sat at a two top table against the wall and were promptly served. The coffee came out hot which I appreciated so it stayed hot while we ate and chatted. The food was slightly overpriced but tasty. My only other complaint was it got quite loud and the lights blinking around the counter were distracting. Otherwise, food and drink was good and I'd stop by again to try some of the baked goods. read more

This has quickly become my favorite cafe in Charlotte. I love their simple, healthy menu and the staff is so pleasant. They recently renovated the space as they prepare to serve as a wine bar in the evenings, and it's made the ambiance even nicer. Only thing that would make me like this place even more is if they did a special monthly dinner with rotating chefs or something. This area could really benefit from something fun like that! read more

The Lights Cafe - A view of some renovations - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Exceptional breakfast spot! Cozy environment, friendly waiters, high quality food with a good crowd! Can't ask for anymore from a cafe.

I have been eyeing this place for a long time and I'm so glad we got to finally try it out! Everything was amazing from the friendly service, artisan inspired food and the cleanliness. Highly recommend this place, there is something for everyone! We got the Cuban, breakfast platter, fresh juice and olive oil cake. read more

The Lights Cafe - Olive oil cake- it was to die for! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Amazing amazing food. Coffee and matcha were fresh a tasted amazing. The menu felt very thought out and nutritious. The owner came up to us and was so sweet. I believe it's hispanic owned which is a total plus to me. 10/10 recommend and will be back to try more menu items! read more

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TLDR: Oh.my.gosh it's good! Coffee, food, staff are all amazing! Luis, the GM, is awesome!! Have you ever been to a restaurant and wanted to order everything on the menu because it sounded so good? That's exactly how I felt at The Lights!! Such good food and the staff are so sweet!! We wound up going for breakfast four days in a row on our vacation and it was consistently delicious! Luis, the GM, is one of the best I've seen! Watching how the staff interacts with each other, on both busy and slower visits, shows what a wonderful employee culture he's set for the restaurant. (I come form a restaurant background and notice things like that!) We tried a few of their coffees, French toast, bacon, avocado toast, açaí bowl, banana chocolate chip muffin, croissant and their olive oil cake and mascarpone cheese. All delicious. The açaí bowl was refreshing and the coconut tasted like so was really fresh! The croissant was as buttery and flakey as you'd expect but the real winner was that olive oil cake!! On my goodness - so simple, light and fluffy, not too sweet and just amazing! Pro tip- scoop some of the mascarpone into a hot coffee! Yum!! read more

Great!!! Love this establishment. Love to meet friends here for breakfast. Great service. Great food. Clean. Ample parking. I give it a 10. 2 thumbs up. read more

If you need a good healthy option this is your place, they have a wide variety of options. They also seem to willing to work with you if you have any items you need removed from your meal. I went in after lunch for a smoothie that would be filling and I decided on the Immune in Tune with the assistance of the lovely lady who was working the cash register. She explained it was one of her favorites and I later googled Sun Potion Ananandamide & found it is a type of cocoa. I've only went in once but I know I will be back. I will admit the smoothies are kind of expensive but they taste great and have real ingredients so most times that's worth paying for. I will update my review to add when I go into purchase food and some delicious coffee drinks but I am really excited to try another smoothie so the food might have to wait. ;) read more

The Lights Cafe - Immune in tune Smoothie 24 oz - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

So delicious!! Just ate breakfast here and we got the chia bowl, egg whites, and a scone. Literally the best breakfast ever. The chia was fantastic, and it was enhanced with fruit & honey that made it taste absolutely divine. The egg whites were seasoned to perfection, and the matcha latte I got was so good too!! The best part is none of this food has hurt my stomach, even though sometimes I can have a more sensitive stomach. The atmosphere was colorful and fun, and the service was great. Luis was so funny & always made sure we had everything we needed. The service was fast & the food was delicious, so I cannot say enough good things about this place. Not sure how it's not Instagram famous yet!! Can't wait to come back to try lunch and dinner. read more

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