Café Carambola

Fabulous food and even better service! The soup of the day, wrap, with the hibiscus drink were fabulous! I went a little out of my way on a road trip and it was 100% worth adding extra time!

I just had the best tamale of my life! I usually get one of the sandwiches because they're so good. Today, I opted to try the Friday tamale special and am thrilled I did. I had one chicken and one pork. Both were good but the chicken was outstanding. Some tamales are dry but this was moist and absolutely perfect. I think I've found my new Friday lunch spot!

Excellent place to eat. Owner is passionate and excited to have you eat here. Get here early for lunch as many of their gespachos, soups, and tamales can sell out quite quickly because they are so good. The cafe de olla (Mexican coffee) is particularly good.

Delicious food. Healthy and fresh. Great service. Will defintely go again.

I can't say enough good things about this place. SO fresh, healthy, flavorful. The food is gorgeous. The people were all lovely and seemed genuinely passionate about their food. I would eat here daily if I lived in town. I had the watermelon & shrimp ceviche and the frijoles charros (bean with bacon soup).

Excellent tamales. Had 3 different salads and loved the flavors. Latino Fusion. Fast and friendly as the owner served.

Tucked in an unassuming strip mall on Northwest Boulevard in beautiful Coeur d’Alene is this fabulous, vibrant, little restaurant that became my new favorite within minutes: Cafe Carambola. Cheerful, pleasant Latin music on the speakers, a red deli fridge humming happily and stuffed with colorful and fresh salads, my eyes feasted on sights I didn’t expect in Kootenai County. A kind man welcomed me and I was wonderfully overwhelmed by the plethora of vegetarian options! He was attentive, so so sweet, and exuding a love that only people dedicated to their craft have. I ordered an El Peruano with a side salad of his choice: mango black bean spinach. Let me tell you: this was such a TREAT! The salad was a crisp and tangy gift in an earthen bowl. My sandwich, a rainbow of flavors on homemade bread, blew me away. When offered a very spicy sauce, I was also pleasantly surprised: it was HOT! And flavorful! It was served to me in a tiny dish, which I underestimated but the little saucer was enough for my whole plate. Oh! And I can’t forget my WARM hibiscus agua fresca — I would’ve never thought to try it this way. Also served in an earthen vessel, it was nourishing and delicious. Towards the end of my meal, the delightful man offered to help inflate the bike tire of an elderly cyclist patron who mentioned it was low on his ride over. He did not hesitate in the slightest to help! The happiest love bug couple sat next to me and it just added to the perfect environment: incredible food, music, service, and ambiance. This entire experience made me feel loved— the cozy drink, unforgettable food, and what I can only describe as “good vibes”. I will most definitely be back AND preach my newfound love of this place to anyone who will lend me their ears.

The food was incredible! INCREDIBLE! I will surely be going back soon because this may be my new favorite place to get food. The owner was working the counter and when we told him it was our first time there he made sure we got the dish that was best for us. The friend I got lunch with is vegan and they were incredible accommodating. I was impressed with the taste of the food, the friendliness of the staff, and the atmosphere of the restaurant. I would recommend this to everyone!

From the very first bite through to the final sip, our lunch at Café Carambola was nothing short of exceptional. This little gem tucked in downtown Coeur d'Alene delights on so many levels. The menu sings with creativity and fresh ingredients -- dishes that feel both familiar and excitingly new. The salads are vibrant and full of flavor, the sandwiches genuine, and the soups comforting yet elevated. Every item tasted thoughtfully composed and lovingly prepared. The latin-fusion theme works beautifully here: big flavors, fresh produce, and a sense that each bite is crafted with care. What really elevated the experience was the service. The owners and staff are so welcoming, friendly, and attentive that you feel like a valued guest, not just a customer--maybe we are valued seeing that we have been going for almost 17 years! The cafe has a warm, genuine vibe -- modest in size but rich in character. The setting is casual but polished, making it ideal for a relaxed lunch that still feels special. We appreciated the personal touches: the owner checking in, offering suggestions, making us feel comfortable and engaged. * Every dish came with freshness and bold flavor -- no filler, no compromise. * The service made the visit memorable. * The fusion concept works and doesn't feel gimmicky -- it feels right. * It's clearly a place that cares: about food, about guests, and about craft. If you're looking for a lunch spot in Coeur d'Alene that's just a little bit different -- full of flavor, personality, and warmth -- Café Carambola is a must. I especially appreciate the off menu items the owner makes me at every stop because I don't eat me. For my fellow non meat eaters, I suggest the La Potena no meat, extra jalapeños, and a side of their off menu habanero sauce!

The food is so tasty and fresh. I love their menu with so many choices. Carlos always welcomes us and keeps the front of the dining area going so people are willing to wait as we search the display case with their salads ect. The place is always clean and a great place to bring a friend.

Everything they do here is done with love! The food and drinks were bursting with flavor and you can tell that the owner (who took my order and served our food) REALLY cares that everyone has a wonderful experience. I have zero complaints and every reason imaginable to return... what a gem of a restaurant Coeur d'Alene has in Cafe Carambola. I can see why my mom and sister have been telling me to go here... I'll be back

I have been here 3x and will visit many times more. I had the The cubanito and the mexicana sandwiches which were so good it will be hard to order something different next time. Also had the Friday tamales, best I have ever had, wow. Wife ordered the watermelon and shrimp ceviche (yum!) and some delicious ginger, mango and coconut soup which was off the charts good. It just feels like you are feeding your body something good when you eat here. Love it.

This was AMAZING. I moved to Idaho 5 years ago and this has to be THE BEST food I have tried in the state. Everything was so flavorful and unique. We are only visiting Coeur d'alene for a few days but I am going to have to eat here again before we leave. The owner was extremely thoughtful and accommodating and even gave us a few slices of tomato so that our 7 month old (who has food allergies and couldn't eat what we were eating) could enjoy the meal with us! Truly can't explain how much we appreciated that.

Not only is the food spectacular at this adorable, warm, welcoming cafe, but the service is the best you will find anywhere. The people who run this place are kind, attentive, and genuinely nice. I cannot recommend this marvelous, charming restaurant highly enough!! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu.

Carambola is off the hook. Someone recommended this place or we would have never known it was here. It's in an unlikely business mall where I think it's the only restaurant in it. Drove by it many times without knowing it was there. But now that my wife and I have tried it, we won't be able to help wanting to stop here. It's amazing. It is a very small place, so if you want a seat, you must get here early or late. Luckily, we came at the end of a rush for our first time. The co-owner, Carlos, is a super charming guy who is there to serve you well and make sure you have a wonderful experience. His wife, the other owner, is the main cook. The food they gather together and cook is amazing. You would think avocado, tomatoes, and onion mixed together for a salad would taste just like what they are. But these guys add some kind of magic to it that makes it something else, something greater than the sum of those ingredients, and it is very good magic. The couscous dish is equally amazing. Then, you get to the main course; the sandwich. I ordered the La Poteña with chicken and my wife had the El Peruano with chicken. Both sandwiches were delicious on their own. Then he brought us some habanero sauce to spice it up. Oh man, that made it super delicious. So glad we each ordered the large so we'd have some to take home. Accompanying these sandwiches, in addition to the sides I mentioned above, we ordered the roasted carrot and hazelnut soup. That does not sound like a good combination, to me, but it was a most wonderful soup. I wished I had a bucket to take home; so good. For a drink, I ordered the Jamaica with full cane sugar while my wife had half sugar half non-sugar. It is a plentiful and delicious drink. Another thing I could have had a bucket of. This will be a new favorite for us and we can't wait to come back.

We were passing through Coeur d'Alene and a friend reccomended this place for lunch. It's a pretty small restaurant, but still had great ambience. We ordered sandwiches and quesadillas and everything was brought out quickly and was delicious. I highly recommend the black bean and mango salad too. We will definitely try more things on the menu next time we come through.

I simply asked the owner to surprise me and told him I was hungry. He delivered a sandwich, soup, and a watermelon based salad. The soup had almost a pumpkin or squash color. The sandwich was beef based I believe. It had a hint of some intangible taste that was so good. And then the salad- also delicious. So basically I trusted his judgement. I also had asked a lady behind us in line and she said everything is good. So true.

We passed on all the downtown options due to the ratings here on Yelp. It is absolutely well worth the 12-15 minute walk, and deserving of the 5 stars. The owner greeted us, explained the menu, and was not shy about offering samples! I had the cubanito with a side of mango bean salad, tasted so good. My wife had a lentil green apple soup that was so silky smooth. Everything tasted freshly made, mild spice level and authentic. There are two large drink concoctions at the register, hibiscus and lemonade I think. Mix them together for a perfect refreshing drink. 100% will return. PS it's on the lower level of the shopping center in the middle.

The Cuban sandwich was outstanding along with the delicious corn chowder! When in the area I will go again, and again, and again! The owners were very friendly

This was our first time visit to CDA, and we had researched and read this place was great. Wow- it didn't disappoint. Everything tasted so fresh and flavorful... I read no matter what the soup special is-just get it. So glad we took the advice. That's one I'll be thinking about for a long time. Everything was yummy but that pasta salad makes it on every post for a reason- it was delish!!! Also- get that tea!! The owner(s) and employees were just amazing- so warm and genuine. They even attract the kindest of customers, who were the friendliest people we had met on our visit so far. The ambience is just great in there- it's as if everyone knew each other and that the owner knew every single customer. There are a couple outdoor tables if the inside is too crowded. I'd also say this would be a great place to order to-go and have a picnic outside or eat at home. Done gushing and hoping next time we'll be able to try these tamales everyone was raving about (but only available on Fridays and the locals tell me expect a line out the door as soon as they open).

Great food! Healthy delicious options, very generous portion sizes. Great ambiance! Great staff! The coffee is a unique blend & very delicious. Just passing through town, highly recommend to everyone.

Every time I'm in CDA I always roll through, best customer service and humans I could ever imagine who deserve this business Thank you Carlos and Colomba, I absolutely love them both so hard! -Lorna

Incredibly fresh and delicious food! Several vegan options that were all very tasty! Excellent customer service. I highly recommend this place!!!

Love this cafe! Delicious and unique ! Latin infusion...flavorful without being spicy. Favorites:

Came through on our way to Montana and we were incredibly surprised by just how good this was

Found this place on Yelp and lost didn't go in. It's tiny and in a strip building. Quaint ambiance. But the food, my God, the food. Fresh, simple and incredible taste. The service is great and the owners care for every customer which is very rare in this post-covid restaurant world. For the money, this place delivered one of most satisfying, comfortable dining experience I've had in a long, long time.

Food was very good and was full of flavor. Carlos and his wife, have an amazing restaurant with great ambiance and decoration. Tables are nice and hand painted giving it a nice touch. Staff was really nice and attentive. Would highly recommend.

WOWWWWW SOOOO GOOD! Owner was super cool and helped to take our order - guiding us on the different options for some of the dishes. We also got a %something% + plum drink that was super fresh and very good. The food came out quickly, and everything was full of flavor. While the quesadilla was very good, I wish I would have gotten a half panini/soup-of-the-day after having tried my partners. Highly talented chef and excellent service = 10/10 highly recommend!!

The best Latin American food I have ever had! Great, friendly people too. I wish I lived 30 miles closer so that I could eat here every few days. Wonderful place.

Flavorful and fun. A true family favorite! From a foodie husband to a very picky child, everyone in our family loves Cafe Carambola. The friendly colorful atmosphere is so inviting. It's like stepping into your favorite vacation food spot right in our hometown. We've tried so many dishes on their menu and love everything. My husband's favorite is the seasonal watermelon ceviche and the club style quesadilla.

Service is kind & fast. Ambiance is quaint and welcoming. Food is outstanding-unique and honey flavors that I look forward to every time I am traveling in CDA

This place is so amazing. Highly recommend. My usual is the Peruano wrap with watermelon ceviche

One of the best lunch spots in CDA. Amazing food, and hospitality! I will definitely return when I'm back in town.

I have been meaning to try this place but I'm a vegetarian. I decided to go and they made a "P2" for me and it was outstanding! I plan to take my BF who eats meat but I now know all of their salads and even a sandwich is there just for me. Great service, very attentive.

Oh my god!!! I'm 59 and this is the BEST food I've ever had in my entire life! One bite of pure freshness and you are taken to a faraway happy land. I will be back often! They are open only for lunch, 11-3, get here early. WOW!! I'll be here for Tamale Friday!!

Probably some of, if not the best food you can get in the Coeur d'Alene region. The owner and works give the best service and are so kind and the decor reminds you Latin American with the clay pots and mugs. Absolutely amazing!

Our favorite Mexican restaurant- the flavors are incredible and so fresh. It feels like you're in the owners home and a very welcoming, cozy atmosphere. Carlos is always friendly and makes the experience better every time. Highly recommended any of the wraps and the different soups of the day are very inspired

I'm not a tortas girl but loved this place. Small but mighty. The salads were so beautiful I had a hard time choosing what to try. The titas was calling my name but I wert with the bean salad and it was delicious! Packed with locals so I knew I was in the right spot.

I love this restaurant!!! The owners are soo nice && the food is absolutely incredible. The shrimp & watermelon ceviche is tooo diiiie for. And the mixed drinks they have every day are also so yummy. I always get the p&p sandwich w/ the jalapeño salsa. 10/10 HIGHLY recommend eating here

I originally ordered a medium carne asada torta. Instead I receive half of some kind of shredded meat torta that was just about the size of my small hand. All for a whopping price of $7.45, which gives it the 2/5 stars. Didn't even come with a drink. As far as flavor, it was ok, 3/5 stars.

Outstanding food, outstanding service, and outstanding friendliness. Loved it and looking forward to returning.

This is a long standing favorite that never disappoints! The flavors are incredibly unique and fresh. Try the Shrimp ceviche, you won't be disappointed! The family that owns and runs this restaurant obviously take a lot of pride in their creations and outstanding customer service. They also cater parties.

Great daily specials. Sandwiches and salads are very popular- get there early! Great owner and staff.

I've been here twice. Got the quinoa bean and kale salad the first time and had to get it a second time, but was also recommended the tomato and avo salad (I even got a sample first) and it was equally as amazing. Sooo fresh and who knew a salad with just tomato and avocado could be so delicious. The red lentil soup was amazing and it took me a second to realize it had apples in it... interesting combo but so good!!! The staff are incredible. Worth every penny. I'm a local and will for sure be back.

Every sandwich and every soup is delicious. Everything is so fresh. I thought that I didn't like quinoa until I ate here. It's sooo good. We always share a sandwich, quinoa, and the soup of the day. They split it for us every time and we never asked them to! Best food with the nicest owners. If we ever get married, we hope we can get them to cater.

Great selection of authentic latin american cuisine made by the owner. Her spouse operates the front of the restsurant and provides exceptional customer service. As first time customers we got an indepth explanation of the various menu options. There is a reason this restaurant gets great reviews -- they earn them.

It's a small place tucked away in a business center. I definitely felt transported to Mexico when I entered. The owner was so friendly and patient to explain each item to us because we did not know what to order. We got the pulled pork sandwiches with a side salad which was the spinach, black bean and mango one and it was perfect. The food is so fresh and packed with beautiful flavors. I highly recommend the "drink of the day" as well, it was flavors I've never tasted before together and very refreshing. If you plan to sit with a large party, I'd recommend reserving a spot if you can. Unfortunately I did not get photos of the food, only the drinks, because we were so hungry.

Always serving with a smile on their faces and the daily menu is fresh, healthy, and delicious.

Ridiculously tasty food and amazingly sweet and friendly service - couldn't ask for more! Between the four of us, we had the tamale special with delicious rice and beans, a quesadilla with pulled pork and a mango side salad and a few of the tortas...of which the Cubano was the best! We were looking for a healthier option than burgers or fried food on our way out to a ski trip (where we'll have a ton of that) and the reviews pointed us here and did not disappoint. We will 100% be back anytime we're in the area!

This place was fantastic. It's a small joint located in a strip mall. The interior was very pleasing for a small lunch cafe. At the counter is a display of the some of the tasty dishes they have to offer. I ordered the club carambola sandwich which was absolutely amazing. I am not big on sandwiches usually, however, I could eat this sandwich everyday. I also had farfelle pasta and kamiwa bean and kale. The aquas fresca drink was super refreshing also. I wish I could have tried everything here at Carambola. It's so disappointing I live in a different state, however if I lived near by I would go broke due to eating here daily.

Carambola is always such a treat. Sometimes I forget to include it in my routine, but I have never been disappointed. So many choices and flavors. Don't miss it.

If you haven't experienced Cafe Carambola, you're missing out! This is by far the greatest lunch I've had in a long time. So great, I made it my go to lunch spot during my stay here in Coeur D'Alene. Everything is so fresh and delicious. I will remember this restaurant the next time I'm in town. Don't miss out on this gem! Amazing food! Amazing people! Thank you Carlos for a great lunch!

WOW! What an incredible restaurant! The service is also the best I've had in CDA. The owner is so sweet and kind. Get there early because they usually run out of food by 3:00! All of their salads are fresh, healthy and amazing. The tortas are great if you want something more filling. I love the Peruvian torta special. As a foodie from California, I approve! One of the best spots here in CDA.

Always excellent... I crave every single one of their salads. Have enjoyed their catering as well and hope to go on one of their amazing tours to Oaxaca!

We had the potato, green chili & bacon soup. Sooooo good! And I had the black quinoa, kale and bean salad. Honestly, have not tasted a combination of these flavors....ever! Highly recommend.

Though this place is a bit of a challenge to find, it is more than worth it! The service is excellent and the food even better. I shared a quesadilla with my Sister-in-Law and had their Posole soup. Both were very generous servings and as good as anything my Mom would make.. So delicious, I ordered mor to take home to my husband. I'll definitely be a regular!

This is one of those small family-owned, ethnic restaurants where the owner pours his heart into the business and it shows. The "go to" meal here is a combination of one of the amazing cold salads and a delicious sandwich. Half sizes are available for lunch or light eaters. I ordered their version of a Cuban sandwich and I have to declare that it was truly the best Cuban I've ever had. My companion ordered another sandwich whose name escapes me at the moment and it was even better! I don't think you can go wrong with anything on the menu. If you are a first timer, the owner will guide you through his menu and answer any questions you might have. This is not a fancy place or a "first date, set to impress" atmosphere, but if you are a foodie or even a wannabe foodie you have to give this place a try!