Light's Coffee Shop and Pizza

My husband and I have enjoyed brunch here several times this year and everything has been fantastic. The service is always friendly and fast, prices good. The new creative menu options including the Oreo French toast, cinnamon swirl French toast, and other options have been 10/10. The bakery is still what I remember as a child, so the nostalgia factor is there too. Highly recommend!

UPDATE: ate at the dinner today!! Coffee was piping hot.. breakfast was filling and tasted good.. timing was fair from order to served... the staff was kind, friendly, and quick!! Keep reading for what else you will find here!! More then a coffee shop !!! You want amazing bakery products 😍 this is your place!! I spent way more then my dr. Should hear about! Every bite was worth it, and ofcourse some ok alot went home with me!!!!.. if you want PIZZA you can't find anywhere else in Elmira..THIS IS YOUR PLACE!!!! While enjoying the 2 slices I bought for lunch.... a KFC pizza comes out!!! Yep had to try that!!!! HOMERUN WAS LIKE A kFC bowl on a pizza!!!! You bet my next trip in the area I am trying the dinner food!!! Yes it also has a Dinner inside....

Got fish fry for my kid as take out & they gave us moldy dinner roll, good thing I checked.

I had the stuffed french toast, and it was phenomenal! The waitress was nice, but didn't tell us the specials. It took a while to get us our check, and then they accidentally charged my ticket to my sister's card. They fixed it all, but just a little frustrating. Other than that, great service and food!

Sunday 11:00am Busy, not crowded. Seat yourself. Waitress prompt, not hurried. Menu is a bit ambiguous, but waitress answered questions, made recommendations. Order placed, and food arrived as ordered, within 7-8 minutes. Food was very good, and portions adequate for price. Purchased several baked food after breakfast. Will return.

Once again Light's hits it out of the park. The Reuben and fries was the best I've had since I left the Hudson Valley. Please eat here! You won't regret it.

Awesome little diner/bakery! Found it while visiting from out of state. Kind of like going back in time to the 80's lol The staff was super friendly and the food was awesome! You get a lot for your money. The donuts from the bakery were also super! I highly recommend stopping if you're in the area.

This place hit the spot! Everything came out quickly and correct. The food was good and service even better!

I would rate a 10 if I could. coconut raspberry cake. Excellent did not disappoint from the moist cake to the delicious frosting. It was amazing. It was well loved by everybody. Thank you The chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Excellent did not disappoint. It was also amazing. Thank you for being the best.

To: the new owners: This establishment is a poor excuse for a restaurant. Service was EXTREMELY SLOW, waited close to 20 minutes to order, the food took another 20 minutes and when it did arrive, the food was cold and intolerable. I essentially left my incomplete breakfast. My French fries never arrived, and the waitress did not appear to care. She dropped the receipt and left the cash register. At this point, I placed the money on the counter and walked out. The price for a cheese omelet and coffee was $14.95. My recommendation is "Run for the Hills". MacDonald's or another restaurant is the best option for breakfast. The place is a pathetic mess and should be visited by the Health Department and shut down!

Just want to give anyone who sees this Lights Bakery Review a heads up and not waste their time nor their $$$ at this place!! Met a few friends there this am for breakfast needless to say it was rather sad and pathetic!! I know all about this "inflation" epidemic were all dealing with but 1st was their Prices OMG this is Breakfast stuff I'm talking about Toast , eggs , hash browns , coffee ect. their menus looked as if a 6 th grader made them. Let's just say their "Fancy high end Breakfast prices damn sure didn't match the quality of the food!!! Prisoners breakfast is better I'm sure of it!! Looked almost as if all there "Breakfast" food is pre made and then microwaved ( cold at that) cause that's what all of ours was .. If that wasn't pathetic/sad enough my 2nd sip of burnt $3 small coffee had a 4" middle finger sized piece of plastic I almost choked on / swallowed , how nice.!! So with that I let the "dazed and confused waitress "Barbara" I heard someone call her know about it and the cold and essentially raw $5 handful if that of so called home fries being cold and basically raw know and guess what ... she could of cared less !! Are u kidding me ?? That place is definitely belly up. Take my word for it save the disappointment and go to the Diner Car on old Ithaca road where you'll get Fresh quality well made food and a reasonable $$$ especially with how well it's made/cooked!! Hell even Curlys is better then this premade, microwaved yet still cold food with burnt coffee with chunks of plastic wrapper breakfast place called LIGHTS BAKERY ‍ To the owner or new owner

Ordered a pizza. Gave me something that was old an warmed up. They weren't even smart enough to warm it all the way. At least get the cheese melted. Cookies stale. I guess this is the trademark of the new owner, sell anything no matter how old it is. The time has come to stop going there.

The service was excellent. But, as a long time area resident, the omelet was smaller and had less filling but was good. They no longer carry my fav bread for toast which is salt rising. The prices are higher yet portions a bit smaller. I miss what it used to be. Plus, no cream horns in the bakery. They've had those for decades.

Prices are outrageous here and the one in Horseheads. For that reason I'm out. The food isn't good enough for the money. $6 for an eclair. NOPE!

Friendly family bake/coffee shop. Been Elmira forever. My 1st visit was back in the middle 60's Parents took the family there for the cupcakes. They are just as good today as they were 60 years ago.

I don't know about the restaurant portion. I only visited the bakery and it seems like I wasted my money. I've never had a half moon cookie whose base tasted like molasses! then there was something called a wine cookie, which tasted like a spice cookie with raisins in it. yuk. Cupcake was dense & mix-like. Bread is grocery store level quality.

Horrible service ... and out of a party of three all food was gross. Miss the old ownership and won't be going back. Truly disappointe.

So disappointing! I ordered a western omelet with wheat toast. They put raw veggies inside the cooked eggs, no cheese, and gave me pumpernickel toast. It took 1/2 hour for the food to come, after we waited a good 10 minutes to order. My friends ordered the steak and eggs with hash browns. Their breakfasts were also wrong. over-easy eggs instead of scrambled, hash-browns were frozen inside and steak was dry, probably leftover from the day before. We had to ask for coffee ... in a diner! The server didn't know who ordered what and didn't know the one special they were offering. I'm told they are under new ownership which makes sense. I've never had a poor experience before today. Only 1/2-3/4 of the restaurant was full so it wasn't too busy. I think they need more people and a better grill cook. It will be awhile before I return, if ever.

Disappointing. slow service and boring menu. Left without being served after a wait of 45 minutes. Waitress basically said they got surprisingly busy and didn't seem to care. On the bright side, I discovered a new place for breakfast that is welcoming, efficient has excellent prices, a great menu, and tasty food which will now be my go-to breakfast place.

Best potato salad in 100 miles and the original "half moon" cookie. Friendly Staff offering great service.

New owner, new-NOT-better paradigm. Service is VERY slow. We've been going 4-5 times EVERY WEEK for over 3 years. We started going because service was good. Food came out quickly. Staff and owner were friendly. New owner has never made any effort to introduce himself. Occasionally uses his phone on speaker so we all get to listen. Service is now very slow. After going several times after ownership change, we are no longer eating there.

Food was OK but basic diner quality. Had the special build a burger finding that the tomato was previously frozen no mayo on the lettuce and tomato. Bakery items were sparse. Found a discounted bread loaf which was overcooked and probably should've been donated to the food pantry instead of being sold for a lower price. Quality should be everything but needs to be improved. I had hopes when I heard that Taninos bought it but I wasn't satisfied with the luncheon quality. To improve the service they should change the chip copy menu to one with pictures and more enticing selections. They should also have more bakery items and they should have a bakery cart to bring to the table for Diner selections. Payment was a problem because they added a charge if a credit card with used instead of absorbing the cost.

It took forever to get a cup of coffee. When we did the mugs were so full the wait staff spilled coffee on the table setting them down. There was hardly any room to add cream. It took a half hour to be served food. They were busy, but not packed that it should have taken so long. I ordered the special - steak and eggs with hash browns and toast. I ordered my eggs scrambled and they came out with over easy. They took the order back and clearly scrapped out the over easy and just added a scoop of scrambled eggs. We were not offered condiments and had to ask for ketchup and jam. The steak was over cooked and was tough, like shoe leather. There was no flavor to the steak. The hash browns were not freshly made. They were something you could get frozen and only tasted like starch. The plates were too small for the food and the toast was piled on top of the hash browns and eggs. The toast was cold and the butter unmelted. We had to get the attention of another wait staff to ask for more coffee. The bill was $16.95 and I along with the other people I was with hardly ate anything it was so bad. Definitely not returning.

This place has always had delicious breakfasts, but don't stop in without taking some cookies home! They make great gifts, too. The former owner has lovely food paintings on the walls, for sale. Say hi to Jody at the register- she'll make sure you feel right at home.

Food and service at Light's Bake shop are the best! If I lived here I'd go here everyday. Bake everything on premises. Staff are so friendly you feel like you're in your own home. Luv this place!

Was in town for a few days and went to Light's at 2:50 on a Sunday. "We're out of bread and close in ten minutes," the waitress informed us. We tried again a few days later, got there at 2:35. "Our grill is off, there's no hot food and we lock the doors at three." Not waiting for a third strike. Don't think I'll ever go back.

Great staff, yummy breakfast and delicious baked goods! Coffee was okay. Not many places left in Elmira to sit down and get breakfast so it's great to have this option. My mom got the cinnamon bread special which was amazing. Definitely want that next time!

The food was good. Terrible, terrible service. Seems like there is no management. Waitresses talked with each other and kept their backs to their customers. First, we did not get our soup that we ordered. We had to remind our waitress when our dinner was delivered to bring the soup. Our food was delivered without dipping sauce; however our waitress never checked back. We could not get the waitresses attention, so our guests ate without the sauce. (We could have gone up to the counter, but did not). After eating, we had to get our servers attention to order coffee/dessert. She apologized. Finally never asked if we wanted more coffee or how our meal was. Did not seem to care. Very disappointing. Will not stop here again.

Light's bake shop has been around for years. I remember buying half moon cookies in my teens. I have to say that over the years this establishment has gone down on the quality of the food... it is hit or miss. No consistency due to poor management. there are four waitresses who have hung in there and make you feel welcome. the rest of the staff are not qualified and turnover is constant. Light's bakery is like the hubbub in downtown Elmira and needs a major overhaul. It is salvageable under new management. Save this restaurant and bless the four waitresses for there integrity. A change IS NEEDED.

I went there because I was craving an apple pie. When I saw the apple pie I asked the girl if the apples were real but she lied to me. I bought the pie for $13.50, which is very expensive compared to other places. I came home I had a piece of the pie and it was the worst apple pie I've ever had. I had to throw away the rest. It was very mushy and there were very little apples inside. Taste was horrible. Mostly just sweet gross sauce. I'll never buy from them again. If you are looking for really good apple pie try Sam's Club. It's huge and it's only nine dollars.

Clean, classic, well priced, super bright Diner. A true Gem of a fine. Reminiscent of those fabulous diners with a bakery attached that you find on the Jersey Shore. Prices are wonderfully modest Services quick.

This is just a cheap diner with food that doesnt even meet traditional diner standards. Go somewhere else for REAL diner food. Eggs over easy have to be the easiest item to make, but they cant even get that right. I offered to go to the kitchen and show them how to do them right!

Very nice and clean place the staff was great !! The food was nothing special nothing that makes me want to come back I ordered a chicken sandwich when it arrived the taste was there

Light's Bakery is a combination bake shop and diner. A lot of locals come here for breakfast and lunch. The service is terrific and the people who work here really try to make conversation with their customers. The food and pastries are very inexpensive but extremely good. The decor is what you would expect in an inexpensive diner and it is very clean. There is a wide selection of baked items and they even offer custom special occasion cakes. I would highly recommend this place!

Disappointing. Been visiting for years, but my breakfast was pretty sad; tasteless omelette, boring home fries and the 'rye' toast was completely flavorless.

Nice breakfast find at very good prices. Our waitress was friendly. If you're new to the Bake Shop, you need to know that you should just sit at any empty table; don't count on anyone's greeting or saying hello to you. (One potentially awkward situation: an older gentleman came over to us, smiled and said hello; I thought he was welcoming us. Turns out he was a regular diner just heading back to his seat at the counter.)

Stopped by and got some deserts. They make beautiful cupcakes! Would be nice if they have a box for cupcakes to-go instead of paper bag, you know why...

Vey bad service . We went to eat breakfast . We got a table wait for at least 10 minutes until We got the menu . 5 minutes later I told the waitress that we know what we want to order. Incredible she told me that she was to busy to take my order..

Look.... if you want good food at a reasonable price, Lights is the place. The food is fresh, hot and has great flavor. The bakery..... well all I can say is half-moon cookies. Should I say more?

Decent food however I went in tonight to get cupcakes knowing they don't close for an hour and a half and they refused to sell them claiming "the bakery was closed" when that was not online and all they had to do was ya as it out of the case and into a box. Bad customer service do not recommend it here.

I've stopped here a few times and let's just say don't ask the bakery anything! The last time I stopped in I had some questions to ask about possibly ordering a cake and a woman with dark hair snapped at the other " I'm not supposed to even be here so what do you want" she came over I asked if it would be possibly to order a cake with a picture and her response to me was "no I'm not even supposed to be here I dont have time for a cake" I told her I wasn't interested in it for that day and she said well it wouldn't have been possible for that anyway. I walked out. They really need to work on customer service. I also don't know why people swear by this place their baked goods are nothing special and the service is god awful. Oh and the one time I ate here everyone got sick..... Ironically all I had was a salad AKA rabbit food of iceberg lettuce and a mound of shredded carrots.

The bakery is mediocre at best and if I could leave zero stars for the cafe, I would. The mashed potatoes tasted and smelled like urine. Their tuna appeared to be not refrigerated and smelled of rotten fish. The bathroom looks like it's main purpose is for drug use. Avoid this restaurant at all costs!

The service was terrible , waited 15 minutes to even be acknowledged by our server. Was given coffee with no spoon to stir my cream after the server was made aware she must have just forgotten, no big deal. Tried to order a tossed salad for breakfast due to special diet i am on, was told i couldnt order lettuce until after 11 o clock. Every kitchen in the world could have thrown some lettuce on a plate, called it a day and made me extremly happy. The server did not come back to refill coffee or check if our food was cooked well.

I think diners are a rare thing in Elmira. This is a great diner in the heart of Elmira! Service is VERY fast even on a Sunday afternoon during the peak of the church crowd coming in. Awesome diner food with a big selection of breakfast, lunch and dinner specials served all day. I agree that the best thing in the diner is their deserts. I had a lemon cake that was to die for! Mr. P had a lemon meringue pie that was also wonderful. Check out the unique paintings along the wall of strawberries, veggies and baked goods. Cheap diner food...but good diner food at that!

One star is too much for this place, 15 min to get a cup of coffee and a muffin that tasted frozen. Sure wasn't fresh, won't be back anytime soon. Much better bake goods at Weis Market.

Great, classic, locally run bakery and "diner". Very clean, nice atmosphere. The help is very friendly, also. Paintings by local artists cover the walls. Today we had an omelette (probably 4 eggs with broccoli, mushrooms, onions, cheese, and green peppers). The BLT and egg breakfast were really good, too. Prices are very reasonable.

This review is for the Half Moon cookies first and foremost. My grandmother has sworn by these cookies for decades. I would always talk her into going to a closer bakery when I'd visit (mostly because I really wanted a cupcake from there) and she indulged me even though she always preferred Light's. But when I wasn't around and after the local bakery closed, there has been no place else but Light's for our Half Moon cookie needs even though it's a fifteen minute drive. You can call ahead if you need a large order of them and they'll be happy to get them ready for you. The fact is, I've been eating their cookies since I was a kid, but I had never eaten in the diner before this week, but it was lunchtime when we arrived to pick up our cookies and so we tried it. It was good! Now, if you're a nit-picky city slicker, then you might knock off a star because it's very basic diner food cooked by everyday average people in a real small town, but then you'd be a jerk. The toast is homemade in the bakery! Give that star back. Now. Places like this need to survive in the digital review age. Help them out. Two full cases of pies. Two more full cases of cookies and other sweet treats and a rack of homemade bread. Give McDonalds 1 star. This place deserves 5.

I usually really enjoy lights and come in a lot with my friends but this experience was just extremely disappointing. We waited at least fifteen minutes before our waitress even came over, had to order our food and drinks at the same time, and didn't even get our drinks until right before our food came out too. It was mediocre at best and then I couldn't get her attention for a refill so we sat after our food for another twenty minutes waiting for the box and our bill before we finally had to send someone up to get it because our waitress still wasn't back. I love lights but if I knew it would be the same waitress when I came back, I wouldn't.

The cake is the best thing Lights has to offer. Their frosting is legendary. You have to try one of their cakes, if only to taste one of their frosting roses. Mmmm!!! The half moons are NOT traditional black and white cookies. They are unique to Lights, and sinfully delicious. Also try their breakfast. Nothing fancy. Eggs, bacon, pancakes, that kind of thing, but a good bang for barely any bucks.

Have been coming here for years and am never disappointed. The staff is great and the food is always delicious. The bakery is great as well!

Stopped in for lunch. Had the roast turkey dinner. Food was horrible. Turkey was dry and salty. Stuffing was tasteless. Won't be back!

I was born and raised in Elmira and our family has been going to this bakery for years.. and got many birthday cakes, rolls, etc.from them.. However, I have to say that I am getting disappointed with things that I have bought there.. Twice this summer I bought 6 cupcakes ( at each time ) - get home and go to eat one and realize they are NOT fresh.. definitely tasted day old or maybe 2 days old... the rolls get smaller and smaller every time you go.. I have bought frozen rolls now and bake them up here at home.. It makes me mad when you pay the prices that you do that baked goods are not fresh...

Light's Bake Shop is a diner with a bakery attached to it. I personally have never dined in the diner, but the bakery has the best half-moon cookies that you could find in Elmira. I grew up in Elmira which it was necessary to get those half moon cookies but now that I have moved away, I make sure to stop in every time to stock up on the half moon cookies!

Excellent breakfast place. The staff was friendly and welcoming. When I asked about bread for the french toast, the server said I could choose any bread they make. Chose apple cinnamon - very tasty. We went on a Saturday morning and the place had a steady stream of customers. Even though we were not locals, we felt very welcome. As a benefit, the bakery is next door. They had the best whole wheat bread I have had in long time. The half moon cookies were outstanding.

I am a little disappointed, i was in the bakery when a young woman came in for an interview and she was a little different, she had tattoos, she was not way out of balance, just a little different, i saw how she was treated, shame on you for letting a customer hear that, you should never judge a book its cover, you were very rude to her, i think i will stick to Wegmans bakery from now on. At least they treat others as they wish to be treated.