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Caffe Lola
Category: Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Canadian (Traditional) [Edit]
507 3rd StNiagara Falls, NY 14301
(716) 282-5652
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 2 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 8 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
26 reviews for Caffe Lola
Review Highlights
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"The sweet potato fries were fantastic." In 9 reviews -
"I had the Chipotle Steak Panini, which was perfectly made..." In 3 reviews -
"...the eggplant sandwich with pomme frites and was instantly..." In 2 reviews
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26 reviews in English
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Review from Dana S.
Buffalo, NY
11/29/2011 ROTD 2/21/2012
I was looking for a place for my friends and I to get dinner before heading to the new Main Street Gallery in Niagara Falls. Caffe Lola's menu was a hit before we even arrived; I emailed it to my friends and they agreed, it sounded incredible. The place did not disappoint. Bringing modern style and bold color to Third Street, it has a bistro feel and a welcoming atmosphere. It's a little different to sit and look at a menu, then order from the counter then sit again, but that hardly matters when you taste the DELICIOUS food. I order the Quattro Formaggio panino with a small side salad, and my companions ordered another vegetarian panino and a chicken salad. Each of us really enjoyed our meals; absolutely delicious, good-size quantities, and fresh ingredients. We split the sweet potato fries, which were out of this world. There was a maple topping, and almond butter to dip them in. We finished with homemade chocolate chunk gelato that was creamy, boldly flavored and HUGE! (Hey, I never said it was a low-fat meal!) Absolutely great place; I encourage you to give it a try.
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Review from Kevin B.
Red Bank, NJ
4/7/2012
Ate lunch here and the look and feel of the place is great. The mac and cheese was delicous and was made fresh.
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Review from melissa w.
Bronx, NY
5/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was in Buffalo for the National College Fair and myself and a few colleagues decided to go to the falls, because we had never been before. We didn't all have our passports, so we went to the US side. We planned on finding something to eat on our way there, but we quickly realized that it was going to be much harder than we thought. There was a lot of construction, and many of the areas we drove through seemed very depressed. We passed Caffe Lola once and thought it looked strange because of the grass in the window. When we realized there were hardly any other options, we decided to park and give it a try.
Once we walked inside, we felt much better. It was a really cute, normal looking restaurant. It's the type where you order and pay at the counter and they bring you the food when it's done.
I forget what sandwich I got, but it was good, and I got the sweet potato fries for the table. They were great. I think they put honey on them? And possibly butter, and it kind of melts down because the fries are hot. They were delicious! Top 5 sweet potato fries ever. One of my friends got the beer and cheese soup, and liked it a lot as well.
Great choice where there aren't many to begin with.
Oh, bathrooms were kinda strange, you like walk through a back hallway in the building, but were very clean. -
Review from Chelsea D.
Queens, NY
4/24/2011
Three and a half stars, really.
After reading the reviews on Yelp, I was really excited about coming to Cafe Lolla for lunch on my first full day in Niagara Falls, but I ended up being very underwhelmed. To cut to the chase, everything I ordered ended up being pretty bland.
It was a cold day, so I ordered "beer cheese soup" to warm up. Beer, cheese, and soup and three of my four favorite food/drink groups (the other being gelato), so if someone can combine two or more of them, I am usually very happy. This bowl of soup, however, was thin and mostly flavorless, tasting more like nondescript cheese watered down with watery beer than any great combination of beer and cheese. Thankfully, there was a bunch of shredded white & yellow cheddar cheese at the bottom which helped out with the flavor.
For my entree, I got the gnocchi with creamy pesto sauce, which the waitress said was "very good". That's actually why I picked it over a panini, but I wish I had gone with a sandwich instead. Boyfriend had the chicken bruschetta panini and it was way tastier than my pasta dish, which was bland bland bland. I didn't really get a lot of pesto taste, which is a shame because pesto/fresh basil is a powerful flavor.
It should be noted that boyfriend was ready to give them four stars off of his sandwich alone, so it's probably best to stick with the panini options. It was pretty good, and made me kind of jealous.
With two sodas and tip, the bill was around 30 bucks or so, as most of our meals in Niagara were.Listed in: Love: A Food Story, Niagara Falls, NY
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Review from Natalie V.
New York, NY
4/27/2011
Came here with a large group and got to try a bunch of things. It's probably one of the better choices around, but not anything special. If this were in another town surrounded by better food options, I'd give it two stars, but since it's in the culinary wasteland of Niagara Falls, NY, it gets 3.
PROS: Fries were nice and spicy and came with all sorts of yummy dipping sauces. Mussels had FABULOUS flavor. Sweet Potato fries were over the top sweet but still yummy.
CONS: Mac and cheese was dry and almost tasteless. The S'mores sandwich was reportedly "just ok" and left almost intact. Everyone who had sandwiches said they were "okay."
The best part of my meal were the crumbled macaroon bits that were served on top of the sweet potato fries. I picked them off and saved them for dessert. A lot of people reported that the gelato there was excellent, so I'm guessing they do better with pastries than entrees. -
Review from David S.
Ann Arbor, MI
9/23/2011
Walked to Caffe Lola for a late lunch while doing the "touristy" things at the Falls (Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, etc). The walk takes around 20 minutes from the Falls (a little more than a mile, I'd guess). It is a little ways down on 3rd St., but the neighborhood still feels safe -- there are a good amount of other businesses. The giant caraffe of water that they place on your table as you enter was well-received on this hot summer day.
They hand you a menu, and you can take your time to look it over; when you're ready to order, you head up to the counter, place your order, and pay at the same time. This system leaves me wondering what I should do for the tip -- do I put it on my credit card receipt now, even though I have no idea how the service will be? Do I look like a cheapo and put $0 tip on my credit card receipt, but then leave a cash tip afterwards? Or are we not supposed to tip at all??
I ordered the Chipotle Steak panini, and it was tremendous. Perfect amount of meat, the chipotle sauce was great, and the accompanying side salad and homemade pita chips made it into a nice meal. It definitely filled me up, even though the panini isn't that big. My girlfriend ordered the Chicken Bruschetta panini, which was also good. By the looks of the other reviews, I should've got a side order of sweet potato fries -- next time! -
Review from Alisa C.
Chatham, NY
11/13/2011
Fast, friendly service. We had takeout lunch while attending a convention down the block. Sweet potato fries are a must have: sweet and savory. Basic fare with a flare. We also had the polenta and greek salad. Compared to what else is in the area, we were happy and full.
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Review from Jane Y.
Cerritos, CA
6/23/2010 8 photos
My family and I went there right before it ended for the day and we enjoyed every single dish. It was worth the long walk from the Niagara Falls State Park. We ordered the Pomme Frites which had a garlic aoli which was really good. My brother really liked the chipotle mayo. Our server said that it was spicy but it wasn't really.
We also ordered the monte cristo and chipotle steak panini. Both of them were really good and not too toasted. We also got tomato soup which was pretty dark and had little chunks of tomato in it. But the baguette that came with it seemed fresh baked. We got the Spinach and Orange Salad. I really wanted to try the mac-n-cheese but we came too late so they didn't have any left :( But we got the portabello mushroom ravioli with red pepper cream. SO GOOD.
We got two desserts. A gelato parafait and regular gelato. The sweet cream gelato was super creamy and way better than all the touristy junk and perry's ice cream anywhere. The parafait came with raspberry and chocolate syrup and the regular gelato came with two lemon sugar biscottis. The gelato was apparently made by some store in west ny with all fresh ingredients and handmade. All the food was really great. I would definitely go here again. -
Review from Alex O.
Los Angeles, CA
9/24/2010
Lobster mac n Cheese.
eat it -
Review from Nicole C.
Grand Island, NY
5/15/2010 1 photo
My fiancé & I ate dinner here tonight (Saturday) around 6:30 pm. We were the only ones in the entire restaurant. If it weren't for that, I would have given Caffe Lola 5 stars. But it ruined the entire ambiance as we ate in silence and I felt like we were the only thing the staff had to look at. So awkward.
BUT, the food was great, decor was adorable, and the staff was friendly. Prices are fair and portions are perfect size. Unfortunately, this place is just located in the wrong part of town. Surrounded by bars, crack heads, and a giant casino, Caffe Lola is doomed in my opinion. It's sad that such a great little place is suffering on Third St.
We had the pomme frite to start, which were just french fries with ketchup and two other dipping sauces. Nothing impressive, but worth the $4 we paid. For the main course, I got the gnocchi with basil cream sauce, which was delish! My man ordered the chipotle chicken panini, which came with chips and a small salad. He liked everything he had. We used a gift certificate that we got on http://restaurant.com, and our bill was only about $17. I loved this place, but I'd be leary to come back without more people in my group. -
Review from Sonia H.
New York, NY
9/1/2011
I was really happy with my family's lunch at Caffe Lola. The sweet potato fries were fantastic... all four of my kids loved them. And how many places do they have Nutella on the kids' menu? (I was thrilled that the kids menu offered something other than the standard hot dogs, pizza and chicken fingers that every other restaurant we've been to on our vacation has had.) I will make a point to go there again on our next trip to Niagara Falls!
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Review from Luke B.
San Francisco, CA
7/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
If you're in or around the Niagara Falls area and looking for a yummy, non-truck vendor meal, look no further than Cafee Lola. Came in for a quick (and light) lunch with the gf and her bro, and walked out REALLY satisfied.
Food:
- We got the fries and dipping sauces (we also got mayo) ... Ok, maybe fries aren't "light," but these things were PERFECTLY cooked...yum!
- GF and I split a Sante Fe Salad w/Shrimp ... Great for splitting lunch and tasty dressing/perfectly-cooked shrimp
- The bro got the Portobello Mushroom Panini, I snagged a bite, and DAMN! that thing was TASTY
Note: There are no waiters or waitresses, just go to the counter with your order. This is actually REALLY nice (and efficient). Don't worry, just cuz there's counter service, doesn't mean it's not a nice place.
Don't be get suckered in by all the street carts...go to Caffeine Lola! -
Review from Mark S.
Durham, NC
7/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is a gem. Must eat here if you are in Niagara Falls and love good eats. The lobster mac and cheese was delicious, as were the fish and chips. And portion size is impressive for "small plates." Three cheers for Cafe Lola!
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Review from Maybelyn L.
Madison, WI
5/20/2011
We had the tomato and grilled pepper bisque which was kinda sour. The chicken tortilla soup was served in a huge mug which was kinda cute. The paninis are just okayy. Ambience is alright. This place is a MEH.
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Review from Mirela T.
Arlington, VA
8/8/2011
Well this was certainly an exceptional surprise. Had to walk a little ways to find this place from the Niagara Falls park, but it certainly helped work up an appetite. Glad this place didn't disappoint. The decor was lovely, the food was marvelous. Especially the Sweet Potato Frites, "the Sweet Potatoes are deadly good, coming from a Taiwanese person, you know that's legit." That's how my boyfriend felt about them! :) The lunch was just enough food to fill us both, and we are both huge foodies, it takes a lot to fill us up. I had the Chipotle Steak Panini, which was perfectly made, and it taste awesome! Boyfriend had the Apple and Turkey Panini, which he found very much so refreshing and different, very tasty. Each entree comes with a side salad which was delicious and also very refreshing. I wish it was closer to the DC area so i could go more often. I've definitely bookmarked this place, if i ever go back to Niagara Falls, or should i say whenever i go back. I'll be sure to visit Lola again! :)
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Review from Cathy H.
New York, NY
8/2/2010
On my way out of a tourist-trap shop, I asked the cashier for a good place to eat. Expecting to get the usual, "well, this tourist concession stand to my left has great steamed hamburgers with ketchup and mustard on a generic, makes-your-elementary-school-cafeteria-look-gourme t sesame bun," I was surprised when she suggested Caffe Lola. Since I was going straight from the falls to the airport, I had all my luggage with me and had to drag all my stuff several (short) blocks to Caffe Lola. I walked past empty office buildings, abandoned retail shops, and a storefront that read "HOUSE OF THE LORD," which I misread as "HOUSE OF THE LOST," because the place looked so deserted.
Enter Caffe Lola.
It's charming, it has a chic loft-like interior, and it has a wonderful service staff. Its panini were outstanding--I had a beef with caramelized onion, and my eating companion had a tasty croque monsieur. Dessert was also good--s'mores panino and root-beer float topped off with locally produced root beer.
The best part of the meal, though, were THE AMAZING SWEET POTATO FRIES. I've been a sweet potato fry love since my early youth, and I am always on the hunt for sweet potato fries. Most places fail miserably (soggy fries are served at least 1/2 the time), but Caffe Lola hit it out of the park. Not only were they really nice about letting me sub my salad/chips side for sweet potato fries for a little more money (because I just couldn't eat a panino, salad, chips, AND an app sweet potato fries), but their version is super-good. They used the tasty, lightly-battered manufactured-and-frozen-and-shipped-to-food-servic e-in-a-bag variety (actually the best kind, since restaurants that make their own inevitably fail). Then, the topped it off with cookie bits, maple syrup, and butter. I was dubious about the toppings, and meant to ask the restaurant to hold them, but I was REALLY glad I didn't--they were DELICIOUS. My dining companion, who actually dislikes sweet potatoes and sweet-potato derivations, declared the fries to be "tasty for sweet potato fries, and also just tasty."
Caffe Lola's other little touches were also great--they came back to check how the food was (even though it was a pretty casual environment), they told me how to make sweet potato fries at home, they served sandwiches with Terra chips instead of Ruffles (seriously, classed up the sandwich right away), their green salad was mixed greens and not gross iceberg lettuce, and their green salad dressing was actually very tasty (I devoured large parts of my companion's salad--so much for not being hungry enough for salad, chips, and fries). All in all, an excellent eating experience in a most unexpected, semi-deserted town. -
Review from Mark a p.
Santa Clara, CA
7/14/2009
So my second day in Niagara Falls. I just walk back into US after visiting a friend. I get a message to meet up with family and we are heading here for dinner. We were directed here. This place opened in April. It's an intimate place. I think my only complaint was with no drapery. Sunset can be bothersome in the eyes for 15 minutes. The US side of the Falls has very little offerings for people. Ok Set up over.
I was amazed at the prices. Everything is under $20, but the food didn't take a back seat. It's mostly a panini, soup, salad, pasta place. It's also a gelateria. There is a kids menu ie PBJ panini and similar kid comfort food. There is also a Sunday brunch with different menu. My portion was right for me. Each panini comes with green salad and root veggie chips(tarrot).
I went with an order of pommes frites for myself and the table. I was sad the garlic aioli was sold out. Oops on them. oh well, my other dipping offers were tasty. My panini was chicken bruschetta with balsamic reduction. I got a very good tasting sandwich and frites. I wanted a wine as others at the table. So we went and ordered from the adjoined Wine on Third. Prices there are also very reasonable. Our server would bus our glasses. The group really enjoyed the food and the price. Other orders where sweet potato frites with maple honey butter, angery mad squid(arrabiata sauce); quattro formaggi, monte cristo, portabella mushroom paninis; squash ravioli in brown butter, gnocchi in basil pesto and pine nuts(it smelled and tasted like fresh pesto) entries; and the kids went with PBJ and mac n cheese. Owner/Operator/Manager Mike Kruas stopped by out table and chatted about the food.
So if you are around the area. Stop in. I want to try the Knuckle Sandwich next trip. Lobster with saffron aioli. -
Review from Sean S.
Rochester, NY
3/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This place was really good. Friendly service and really good food. The selection was really interesting too. The location was kind of strange, it seems like it was put in the middle of a ghost town, which is really a shame. It was a great place and a cute little street.
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Review from Laura B.
6/14/2011
I was with the fam visiting Niagara Falls this past weekend. We needed a good lunch spot close by and based upon reviews, decided to try Caffe Lola out. We started with the sweet potato fries drenched in maple syrup and butter. The flavor was good, texture was a little mushy. Between 7 of us we then tried the mussels, the bistro panini, the roasted eggplant panini, and the strawberry & goat cheese salad. The mussels were decent. As a big fan of Belgian cuisine, I consider my critique of this classic dish to be pretty well developed. This one had a slightly thicker broth than the average, which was nice. The flavor was robust, however it was salty as can be. That kind of ruined it for me because my favorite part, which is soaking bread in the sauce at the end, was not desirable. The overall consensus was that the bistro panini was yummy, but that the roasted eggplant was bland and boring. The strawberry and goat cheese salad was good, however could have been slightly better had the proportions been honed. I really wanted this restaurant to be fabulous because it is very cute, but it fell a bit short unfortunately.
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Review from Vivian T.
San Francisco, CA
9/24/2009
Stopped by here on our first day in the Niagara Falls NY side last week. There really isn't much of a selection of restaurants to eat on this side (Canada side marginally better), unless you are ok with eating chain restaurants. We were pleasantly surprised by Lola... our group tried different paninis, all were very tasty--eggplant pesto, chicken with balsamic vinegarette reduced bruschetta, and chicken with peppers. Pretty casual setting, you order at the counter and they bring your food out. Pricing is reasonable. Nice way to start the trip after a red-eye!
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Review from Bryan A.
Niagara Falls, NY
6/19/2010
I am a barista at Starbucks in the Crowne Plaza on Third across from the Casino, a short walk down the street from Lola. Whenever guests ask for a great place to eat I send them here. This place is a hidden gem and deserves more business than it probably receives. The decor inside is beautiful and modern, and you forget you are even in Niagara Falls when you enter. Even though there isn't an extensive menu the food is fresh and light. I am particularly biased to the eggplant panini, but fellow baristas swear by the soups, salads and the mac and cheese. We have ordered pickup many times, and food is usually ready in about 10 minutes. Support local business!
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Review from Jannet F.
Long Beach, CA
1/18/2011
This review is a long time coming because I'm a procrastinator. Anyways, my husband and I along with his family came to explore Niagara Falls in late May 2010 and let me tell you it was absolutely breathtaking. Well, when the munchies came we noticed that most of the immediate places were either chains on one side or unappealing fast food like options on the other. Although some of the Mediterranean and India food places looked interesting, we were in the mood for something different. That's when we stumbled upon Caffe Lola and we were surprised by the level and quality of the food. It was quality gourmet food that was affordable. We ordered a variety of paninis and the sweet potato frites and everything was just delicious. The paninis were very well made, the meats were cooked right, seasoned well, and the condiments and cheese matched perfectly. We loved the casual atmosphere and decor of the restaurant and it really allowed us to relax and take a break after all the fun we had.
Caffe Lola is really a little gem on the US side of Niagara Falls and I hope that it sticks around for many years to come. You can tell just by seeing it that the US side of the Falls have seen better days so this place was really gave me hope that it's on the road towards improvement. We will definitely be back when we're in the area. -
Review from Smacks A.
Kennesaw, GA
8/8/2009 1 photo
I dropped by Lola late one afternoon for a bite. I was pleasantly surprised to find such a variety of unique dishes with a gourmet touch. The restaurant has a flair that you cannot find anywhere else in the city. You will be pleased to know that the staff takes customer service as seriously as taste so I am sure that you will enjoy your meal. I settled on the eggplant sandwich with pomme frites and was instantly hooked. The prices are reasonable considering the quality. Lola is the beginning of a new standard of cuisine in the Cataract City. Bon appetit!
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Review from Randy W.
Berea, OH
6/20/2010
Definitely a hidden gem. The neighborhood is just starting to get a little dicey here, so if that makes you nervous, drive instead of walk -- but the food and drinks are top notch, and the price is great compared to other area offerings. Kid-friendly, too. Our best find for lunch or dinner at Niagara Falls.
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Review from jessica E.
Brandon, FL
12/30/2010 3 photos
This is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Three of us shared three meals and they were all delicious: soup, paninis, and desert! We sat at the bar style seating and were able to speak with the chef. He was very helpful, friendly, and appreciative of our visit and compliments. Definitely go here if you're in the area!
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Review from Ella R.
Brooklyn, NY
5/21/2010
This place belongs in Soho. The decor was unexpectedly trendy and chic for the surrounding area, I was very impressed with the layout and design of both the interior and the logo. Next door is a wine bar that also looked attractive and was full. We had been eating at Denny's the past two nights for lack of anything other than ice cream or Indian food, and were desperate for a change. My mother found reviews for Caffe Lola online and since it was close, we decided to give it a shot. We got the lobster macaroni and cheese, sweet potato fries, and chipotle chicken panini with vegetable chips and a small mixed salad. There was one family eating and they were about to close but they were kind enough to still take our order even though they had already cleaned everything up for the night. The same man who took our order cooked the food along with another woman helping; it was done in less than 10 minutes. The food was absolutely wonderful; the sweet potato fries especially were amazing, flavored with butter and maple syrup (I had doubts about this but after tasting them...great) and cooked to a perfect consistency - they looked like they might have been a little burned or soggy, but in reality they were both lightly chewy and soft enough to melt in your mouth. This town confused me with its inconsistency and bizarre melange of dilapidated warehouses, sleepy town stores and tourist traps, but Caffe Lola was a welcome surprise that reminded me of back home in Manhattan.
