The Vanilla Bean Cafe

11.29.24 This is at least my 5th visit, and I love it here. There's always something new. There's always something traditional, and there's always comfort food. The coffee is hot, and the desserts are amazing. Today, we tried the bison burger, the turkey avocado sandwich, the carrot cake, and my fave, the peanut pie. Indoor and outdoor dining (weather permitting) You walk up and order your food, get your own coffee/tea and they bring you your food to your table.

I’ve been here a few times with coworkers and it has always been really great! I usually get the same thing, black bean burger, and it is always so tasty. Recently went for breakfast and truly enjoyed my breakfast sandwich! The wait time is great and I love sitting in the dining room area. So cozy and fun! Thank you for another lovely experience!

Got a wonderful bowl of country style chili here, had a plentiful amount of different ingredients in it as well as some tortilla chips. I finished that up pretty quick, I will note the portion size for the bowl was not much larger than for the cup size, so I would recommend just saving money and getting the cup and something else probably. Aesthetics of the space were. Nice and the bathroom was very clean. Happy I made a visit here!

Great food and atmosphere. Definitely stop in if nearby!

Delicious food! Today I got the dumplings off of the dinner specials menu, but all their offerings are delicious. My favorite of all time has been their lunch special pesto mac and cheese 😋 love the couches and the rotating art on the walls!

We had lunch here at about 2 pm. Many people there but not crowded. The sandwiches were well prepared and good. Eating area was both inside and outside. The parking lot is gravel so outside contends with dust. You order at the counter and they bring the food to your table. Service was quick and friendly. It’s a good place for a quick lunch.

Our first visit. What a lovely little cafe! It was busy on this Sunday afternoon but we got a table. Staff are very friendly. There is local art all over and some for sale. They serve local soda and use locally grown food and meats where possible. On Saturdays you might catch some live music. We ordered a bison burger which was cooked correctly and tasted good. A pastrami Reuben which was delicious. They said it’s their most ordered sandwich. Had the “award winning” chili. It was good. It was fresh but not much spice. You can add hot sauce to it like I did. I also had a fish wrap, one of the daily specials. I didn’t care for it. The haddock was flaky and yummy but the Thai sauce didn’t go with the fish in my opinion and it was messy to eat. I ended up unfolding the wrap and eating just the fish with a fork.

What a coffee shop! The entire atmosphere is quintessential to how a coffee shop/cafe should include. The food menu is extensive, featuring quesadillas and grilled items, and the coffee menu, though on the smaller side, has plenty to offer. I purchased half of the chicken sandwich, a cup of the clam chowder and a latte with a maple syrup shot. The sandwich was delicious but the chowder was heavenly! The latte was fantastic, not too sweet and my wife got a hot chocolate, which was rich and delectable. VB was definitely worth visiting and I would highly recommend!

First time trying this restaurant and we were very pleased. The menu is presented above the counter on boards with varied selections from quiche to sandwiches to burgers. They also had weekend breakfast specials on a board as well. This is an order at the counter, seat yourself, and food is delivered to you. Very comfortable atmosphere with plenty of tables. We ordered the corn chowder, quiche Lorraine and steak Caesar salad. Drinks offered are coffee, tons of types of teas, and various soft drinks. The corn chowder was excellent with plenty of corn and potatoes and a very nice light creamy broth. Very filling and a great start to a cold rainy day. The quiche came with slices of cantaloupe and grapes even though we asked for them to be omitted. Quiche was excellent with a nice flaky crust and plenty of bacon and onions throughout and the cantaloupe was nice and sweet. The steak Caesar was ordered medium rare and it was delivered exactly that way. Large bowl of romaine lettuce, slices of cucumber, croutons, three colors of cherry tomatoes and the steak topping it all off. Shaved Parmesan was also on the salad. The steak was well seasoned with a little bite to it which made a great addition to the salad. We didn't sample desserts but the dessert case was filled with all types of very delicious looking cakes. The staff were super friendly and very helpful. This will definitely be a place we will be returning to again.

I came here with my coworkers for lunch the other day and I was SO impressed with the fruit salad- it was a special and definitely one of the best salads I have EVER HAD! I can also speak to their breakfast food- which is amazing, and I've had several lunches here from sandwiches to salads - I have never had a bad meal here. They have a great selection of food/coffee/speciality drinks/shakes and smoothies & everything I've ever gotten has been great. Food is always fresh- sometimes the service is a bit slow but always super friendly and helpful. The ambiance here is great & there is always a positive vibe! I have met so many nice people in here! One woman even gave me a bracelet randomly. They have a bunch of Al fresco tables & outdoor picnic table's which is really nice. I can't wait to come back and I hope they put that fruit salad- on their menu because it was soooo good! The prices are pretty average for the area as well! I would definitely come back!

This is my 5 visit. Met the owner multiple times walking around checking on the customers. LOVE IT Only drawback is , not really, it's an hour drive. Food Excellent Staff kind Facilities awesome

This is my local café in Pomfret my friends and I visit regularly. Boasts New England charm and great food and pastries. The food has a 'home made' charm about it and is indeed tasty. Great service too! What I also like about this place is that it features local artists whose work is posted on the café walls. A great touch and support for the artists who are able to exhibit their work. A great place to visit on a rainy autumn day or any other day of the year or season!

Food is excellent and the staff is top notch. You do order at the counter and drinks are self serve but they bring the food to your table when it's ready and clean the table after. Nice rustic ambiance. Worth stopping here!

My friends and I wanted to go out for a nice meal, but our experience here was anything but pleasant. Upon arrival, we were not greeted warmly. When we went to order, my friend made sure to tell the waitress she was gluten-free due to celiac disease. She ordered a wrap, and when it arrived, she double-checked with the waiter to confirm it was gluten-free. The waiter responded that she "thought so." After my friend had nearly finished the wrap, the waiter returned to inform her that it was actually not gluten-free. There was no offer of compensation--just a quick "Oh, sorry." When they remade the wrap, they added croutons, which were also not gluten-free. The manager brought this second wrap out and, instead of apologizing, tried to blame my friend for the issue. Overall, it was a terrible experience, and I'm stunned by the audacity and lack of care from the staff.

We stopped into Vanilla Bean Cafe for a light lunch before heading to a local winery for tasting. The cafe was busy and we had to wait a bit to order, as the woman taking orders was also making coffees. Mr. B had a coffee, and we split the turkey avocado sandwich. It was served on soft wheat bread and was filled with avocado. With a side of chips. Since we split the sandwich, they charged us an additional $1.00 which is minimal, and they cut the sandwich, put it on two different plates and we each got a bag of chips which is more than fair. We were very happy with our lunch and again outside was great.

It's got some good food, and choices. We ordered the veggie wrap, a whole one, but they must have messed up the order because it was tiny. Ordered it months ago and it was substantially better. We wanted to split the whole wrap in two to share, they offer to separate it so each gets their own chips and pickle, and $1 more which is fair, but oops, looked like we got a half, cut into two. Oh well, c'est la vie. We'll have to try again.

Very good food again at the Vanilla Bean. The Vanilla Bean is the only restaurant where I have seen Pink Himalayan Sea Salt on the table !!!! My Mom loved her pancakes and my wife loved her cinnamon bun. We visit Vanilla Bean when we are in the area and highly recommend this establishment if you are in the area.

Very cute place! You order at the counter. We stopped in just for coffee on a rainy Sunday when out visiting Woodstock Creamery nearby. Very cute atmosphere. The iced coffee we had from the special list was good. Ample seating. There was a good size crowd in there - food looked yummy. We did get slice of a pistachio cake to go which was small and I'm fairly certain they charged $8-10 which was ridiculous, but my husband said it was good.

The hubby and I have driven by this super cute spot a number of times as we have friends who live in the area, but last week was the first time we were able to stop in (They close at 3:00 on Monday and Tuesday and we always seem to drive past later than that). It's adorable from the road, you can see they have outdoor seating and can tell it has a cozy atmosphere. It's order at the counter, then pick a seat and they will bring it to you. The staff was nice and answered our questions. The hubby and I both chose a burger and a beer. Hubby was definitely a little disappointed that they don't seem to have a frier - hence no french fries with our burgers, but we made due with chips. As some others have stated, this place isn't exactly expensive, but it definitely isn't cheap. Our 2 burgers, chips, and 2 beers came to nearly $50 with the tip. The burgers seem to average $15.00 each, so keep that in mind if you don't want to spend that on a burger. The burgers we had were very good, and the ambiance inside was cute and cozy. It's too bad we're never around in the morning I'd love to try it out for breakfast!

I took an impulsive trip to get some food in the middle of the day. I decided on a green tea latte and as I was deciding between the cake and the scone I randomly selected a scone. The scone I believe was a raspberry cheesecake and was very filling! I usually don't care for cheesecake, however, this tasted very fresh. The green tea latte was expected and reminded me how much I missed having it! The prices for the sandwiches I thought were quite pricey. The scone and green tea latte I believed were reasonably priced. I will be back if I ever need to go on a quick coffee run!!

Terrific brunch spot in the literal middle of nowhere! Food was great. Everything each person in my party had was perfect. Nice outside seating on a spectacular day! Couldn't ask for anything better!

A few friends and I went to this cafe for dinner. One has a very serious case of celiac disease, so she's always extremely cautious. She ordered a chicken Caesar salad wrap on a gluten-free wrap, making sure to tell them she has celiac disease. They assured her it would be gluten-free. After a long wait, the waiter brought out her wrap, believing it was the gluten-free one, as I had a regular wrap. The waiter left, and she started eating. About five minutes later, the waiter returned to inform her she was actually eating the regular wrap, not the gluten-free one. By then, she'd nearly finished it. The waiter then handed her the gluten-free wrap, and as she was about to eat, she noticed it had croutons that clearly weren't gluten-free. She had to send it back to be remade, and no compensation was offered. The waiter just said, "Oh, sorry," and left. Then the manager came to their table, claiming she hadn't requested no croutons. If she specified she has celiac disease, croutons should be off the table. Later, she went to get dessert and was charged $9 for a small piece of cake. It was an awful experience.

I have a very serious condition of celiac disease and I'm always very careful. I went in to order a chicken ceaser salad wrap, on a gluten free wrap, making sure to tell them I'm celiac and they assured me it would be gluten free. It took long for the food to come out, and the waiter gave me my wrap, thinking it was the gluten free one because my friend had gotten a regular wrap. The waiter then left and I started eating. She came back out 5 minutes later, and told me that I was eating the normal wrap, not the gluten free one. The wrap was almost gone at this point. She handed me the gluten free wrap, and as I was about to start to start eating, I realized there were croutons, and they were clearly not gluten free. I had to send the wrap back to be remade and got no compensation. All the waiter said is "Oh sorry" and left. The manager then proceeded to come back to our table and tell me that I never asked for no croutons. If I say I'm celiac, I obviously can't have croutons. I went up to get desert and got charged 9$ for a tiny piece of cake. Awful

So this is an interesting review for me. I used to go to Nichols College about 20 minutes from here back in 2010. My good friend lived in the house next door to the bean. I do not recall ever eating here back then which is a shame because my visit here today was enjoyable. Love the atmosphere, good vibe with interesting decor. The fish tank in the corner drew my attention as one of the fish was doing a continuous hand stand, thinking it was on its last breaths. I wasn't all that impressed with my meal. I had two eggs over medium (which didn't make it to the over side), my English muffin was hard and no butter to soften it up, sausage links were good and I enjoyed the fruit garnish. My favorite bite was the carrot cake ! 3.5 in my opinion, would go back. Great little date spot.

Nice enough spot, more of a destination for RI and southern MA folks on bikes. Still they have good live music sometimes and even though the prices are high the food and coffee is alright. Service always seems pretty good as well.

- The Food is great - Service is quick and reliable I come here every weekend for Breakfast Specials

This is my local café in Pomfret my friends and I visit regularly. Boasts New England charm and great food and pastries. The food has a 'home made' charm about it and is indeed tasty. What I also like about this place is that it features local artists whose work is posted on the café walls. A great touch and support for the artists who are able to exhibit their work. A great place to visit on a rainy autumn day or any other day of the year!

Still over an hour waiting for simple sandwich nothing special Thought it would be quick Orders kept going out wrong to wrong tables Totally waste of time

Cozy counter service cafe with plenty of both indoor and outdoor seating. Have a huge drink menu with a bunch of different coffee flavorings, plus a huge menu of American staples as well. Have been around since 1989. Have live music & open-mike nights I got a vanilla late and a turkey wrap. Both were fine, but not phenomenal 8

Perfect late lunch stop on fall foliage day trip! I had the Vegetarian Sandwich and husband had Turkey Bacon. Served with a bag of Deep River Chips and a deli pickle slice. Outdoor seating on a spectacular fall day made the stop even better! Highly recommend!

Cute cafe! Random stop for a late lunch. The interior was homey, spacious and clean. Split a turkey and avocado sandwich ($13) and a bowl of chili ($7.50). No complaints about quality or flavor, we enjoyed everything! The bowl of chili is really more like a cup, be forewarned. Outdoor seating a huge plus! Service was friendly, but the prices are a bit high, so would more likely try something else in the area first, but overall a nice experience.

Great spot for breakfast! It's fast, yummy and they always have new meals to try. Great spot for motorcycles as well. Highly recommend!!

Wonderful, fresh homemade meals. We had fresh blue fish the owner caught himself. The desserts are positively heavenly. The Vanilla Bean Cafe is a delightful treat and a surprising find out in the middle of the Connecticut countryside.

Absolutely scrumptious- My husband and I found this charming little cafe on a recent road trip and it was a true delight to eat at. The shaved steak sandwich a must try sublime experience - a newbie tip ask for a bit extra of the steak sauce to dip your chips in and add a few to the sandwich too! Today's special clam chowder was a broth fill delicious addition the clams were sweet / potatoes cooked to perfection so good, I also tried the peach tea which was thirst quenching and the perfect blend of tea and peach!!!! Local Art on the walls is fun and adds to the dinning experience.

Highly recommend! Came here with three other people on a Wednesday even though it was 40 minutes away, totally worth it. The breakfast looks great but that is only on the weekends I believe so will be coming back to try that for sure. The menu is not huge but the selection is very good, there were a few other items I want to come back and try. I ended up getting half a bowl of chili and half a sandwich. I was very happy they had that option because I really wanted the chili but also wanted to try a sandwich as well. For the sandwich I went with the albacore tuna wrap which was yummy, the honey mustard on there was delicious and made it better than normal tuna salad in my opinion. But we all agreed our favorite meal of the day was the chili! I can see why it's award winning it was so delicious! We also got the kids Mac and cheese (so good and so much better than the Kraft most places serve to kids), quiche of the day that came with tomato soup (quiche was amazing tomato soup was just ok) and a whole tuna sandwich on toasted ciabatta instead of the wrap (I would recommend doing a bread instead of the wrap). Along with two desserts. Both desserts were great, I preferred the Snickers Pie but everyone else I was with preferred the chocolate cake with caramel and whipped cream. Owner was great and answered a bunch of our questions. Overall great experience.

A wonderful little cafe. We ate lunch here a few times while in the area. The daily specials were good as was all the food I had. They were serving a ginger tea that was delightful. Everything tasted fresh. The service was good, you oder at the register and they bring it to your table. One day that we were there a man played the piano and it was the nice quaint atmosphere.

My husband and I do "date day" every week & we look for new local businesses so support bc what a better time to support local! We absolutely LOVED vanilla bean cafe, seriously the cutest spot ever!! The food was phenomenal and the workers were so polite! Such a great spot if you're looking for breakfast/lunch!

The Vanilla Bean Cafe My BF and I are staying at an air BnB about 15mins away and decided to stop here for some breakfast. I got the Breakfast special but substituted the meat for pastrami (great decision on my bfs part!) and he got the ham veggie cheddar omelette which was loaded with filling. The English muffins were toasted perfectly as well! On the way out we decided to grab some homemade sweet treats to go. As a pastry chef and bakery owner myself (in NJ) I love to try desserts everywhere I go. We got a berry blossom which was the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a buttery dough (even better warmed up) and an almond Joyful which is essentially a homemade almond joy in ball form that is out of this world! We're only here for 2 days but definitely going to return again tomorrow for another yummy breakfast and of course desserts!

I've come here several times and am never disappointed. Food and service are both excellent, and I love the cozy atmosphere.

Arrived at opening on a Sat morning, a few people in the parking lot waiting to get in. Being my first time I wasn't sure what to expect when I went in. You order at the counter they give you a huge playing card as your number and you sit where you'd like. I ordered a coffee and Short Ribs Benedict my bill was $18. My breakfast was out in a short period time and it was delicious. I was at the restaurant for under 45 min and walked out full and extremely satisfied. I will be back.

Really cute and rustic! Menu is limited but delicious! Service is always pleasant. Sometimes they provide a local artist playing guitar too!

Excellent food.... love the outdoor space.. chili is exceptional. Burger a ten... not from this area. Come through once in a while. Second time at this fantastic place. Both times, I've only had lunch. But I saw ppl having Breakfast and it looked soooo good. My husband loved the chicken salad.

We love this restaurant. One of the few places you can drop in on a Friday early evening and it is not crazy crowded. Saturday's are another story, pretty busy. The food is great, lots of choices on the regular menu and always a bunch of excellent specials. The clam chowder is especially good and the gazpacho in the summer is good as well, great burgers! A go to standard for us.

I love this place. Decor is so awesome, vintage, but not. The food is really good. They have a lot of vegan options. The clam chowder is delicious. Veggies quesadilla, yum! You must try the Bean's bean burrito. Homemade salsa, avocado and sour cream. Amazing! Outdoor seating is available. Pay before you eat. The service is good and fast. Ok, so I won't go into details on their menu because there is a lot to choose from. It's a great place to eat, whether you are vegetarian, vegan, or eat meat.

Excellent breakfast. Great service. Nice people. Will definitely return whenever in the area.

My cousin, whom I visited for a day, goes to Pomfret Boarding School, and he wanted to take me to a nearby café. Hearing the possibility of a water review, i dawned my blue blazer and aviators, ready to critique pure liquid. While they don't have a tap to what I have seen, but they possess the most reliable water to come across: Poland Springs. Food was good, cheesecake was good for a local café, and my burger was done perfectly. Service was also fast and effective. I'd go here by myself if driving through Pomfret, Connecticut.

So in this COVID world you seek a restaurant with outdoor seating. Look no further! It was a Sunday late morning and the parking lot was packed with motorcycles. A good sign. We put our masks on entered to order our breakfast and got a table in the sun. I had a breakfast burrito. It was filled with eggs and veggies and sides of salsa, sour cream and guacamole. The salsa and guacamole were homemade. A side of potatoes and some grapes and cantaloupes were served. I also had a very good iced coffee. My dining companion had eggs over easy, an English muffin and pastrami with potatoes. She ate it all! A great stop in the Quiet Corner.

OMG. I have been on a life long quest to find the primo bowl of clam chowder. Previously, I found the best on Block Island and Peggy's Cove, N.S. My discriminating palate was totally satiated here! I will go 50 miles out of my way on my next trip to return here anytime - HOPEFULLY SOON! The bagel, lox and cheese was also fresh and delicious. Paxie, my 2 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel loved it as well - especially the fishies in the aquarium.

Tried Vanilla Bean for breakfast $7.50 for a bacon egg and cheese English muffin side of fruit 6 grapes and a slice of cantaloupe. Home fries $$1.50 extra Very disappointed in value see photo.

Cute place near the prestigious Pomfret School! My breakfast sandwich for $6.95 (egg, pastrami, and Swiss cheese sandwich on an English muffin) was constructed well and kept me full until dinner! Their weekday breakfast menu is limited. Sadly, the Vanilla Bean French toast is only offered on the weekends.

Meeting a friend for lunch and had the chili , it was very good for a cold day. The inside is very inviting either pick a table or a comfy couch door seating. When the weather is warmer looking forward to outside seating .

Great customer service and attentive to vegan items. Delicious vanilla latte. The mask requirements of customers are not as strong as I would like but the staff themselves were on top of it.

Fresh food, very casual and open all the time. What more could you ask for? Great omelets for breakfast, excellent salads. Can't go wrong. The staff is lovely. Order at the counter and they bring it to your table.

I was visiting my niece from Los Angeles and I came to this restaurant many times for lunch and dinner. The staff is fantastic and absolutely lovely. They were a pleasure to deal with!!! My favorite thing on the menu is their amazing and delicious Chili!! OMG,,,, it was so good and it comes with chips and they give you lots more chips if you ask them and don't charge you!!! If you are in Pomfret,,, please do not miss this most delicious place. They also have a really nice fireplace in the back!!!

A little expensive Tasty food Great coffee Nice seating but not a ton Ample parking Great place to go any time of day

Food was fresh and delicious. We ordered for four of us and sat waiting for the food be delivered. It was not too busy, many open tables. My wife and I got our food in 5-10 minutes. We finished our meals and the other two meals did not come out until several minutes later. A bit peri you, but the food was great.

Excellent food and the staff members are terrific! You can eat inside or out and it's a fantastic cafe for a destination ride! Whenever our travels take us to the Quiet Corner of Connecticut, our favorite destination for breakfast or lunch is Vanilla Bean Cafe In Pomfret Best food by far!!