"The Lights Cafe, in a just-slightly-south of Ballantyne shopping center, recently rebranded as more of an all-day cafe, but because the housemade almond milk is the creamiest, non-grainiest, smoothest steamed gem in Charlotte, it hits the list. The care for local, healthful ingredients is paramount here, and it’s not bird-food “healthy” — it’s a buckwheat berries and cream waffle, in-house vegan olive oil cake, tofu pastrami. The coffee drinks abide by that philosophy too — the mocha is made with raw cacao and the minimal syrups are, of course, housemade. Sip the Lights’ coffee in the morning and the extensive natural wine options in the afternoon. Not a bad combo." - Kayleigh Ruller
