Lakou Cafe

"Owned by Cassandre Davilmar, this Haitian bistro is inspired by the traditional 'lakou' or courtyard. It features glossy wooden tables, woven light fixtures, and vibrant splashes of green and yellow. Popular events include movie nights and art exhibitions. Highlights on the menu include kreyol shrimp and cashew brittle." - Nicole K. Grimes

"This Haitian coffee shop in Weeksville serves a wide range of food like a salmon burger with pikliz, a Haitian breakfast platter, and a caesar salad with roasted curry chickpeas. They have a few good vegan options, like jerk jackfruit and soup joumou. The hot pink storefront is hard to miss, and they often host events like workshops and mixers in the bright plant-filled space." - will hartman, bryan kim, kenny yang

"Lakou Cafe is a vegan-friendly all-day spot in Crown Heights that’s equal parts coffee shop, bakery, and Haitian restaurant. The diner-like space has a long cushioned bench and boho basket lamps, and it’s a good place to hang out for a couple of hours with your laptop and order a Haitian-spiced latte or a kava drink spiked with ginger. Get the jackfruit griot with sos pwa or the roasted chicken and onion confit sandwich on grilled bread. No matter what, order at least one patty—their version is flakier than most, and you can’t go wrong with whatever filling you choose." - Nikko Duren, Carina Finn Koeppicus, Kenny Yang

"Lakou Cafe is a vegan-friendly all-day spot in Crown Heights that’s equal parts coffee shop, bakery, and Haitian restaurant. The diner-like space has a long cushioned bench and boho basket lamps, and it’s a good place to hang out for a couple of hours with your laptop and drink a Haitian-spiced latte or a kava drink spiked with ginger. When you get hungry, get the jackfruit griot with sos pwa or the roasted chicken and onion confit sandwich on grilled bread. No matter what, order at least one patty—their version is flakier than most, and you can’t go wrong with whatever filling you choose." - Kenny Yang

"You’ll find plenty to enjoy on the wide-reaching menu at this Haitian-American cafe, opened by Cassandre Davilmar in 2018. Daily offerings include a Haitian boulette with vegan meatballs that can be ordered as a sandwich or a plate, as well as a fried oyster mushroom sandwich with an herby epis sauce. Crepes are feature heavily throughout the menu, with flavors that range from Haitian peanut butter and ginger jam to a savory curry chickpea version." - Luke Fortney, Emma Orlow, Robert Sietsema