Café #1: Mello Joy Café

Mello Joy Café. This is my new favorite café. It’s been here about six months, but the name is a long-time Cajun mainstay. If Community Coffee is the coffee of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and the southeast of Louisiana, it was Mello Joy in Acadiana until Community bought it out in the mid-sixties and killed the name. Somehow the people in Lafayette have taken up the name and put it on some good coffee that you can buy in the grocery store. Its goofy yellow bag is a trademark.

This café is located in an old drycleaners in downtown Lafayette. They have preserved the high ceilings and brick walls while featuring the yellow theme. There is food at noon and pastries always. They offer the usual range of coffee, from espresso to the classic Mello Joy brewed coffee, which would be a bargain at $1 even if there were not free refills. The forks are real and the cups are china and come with saucers, imagine!

The internet connections are either wireless or plug-in, free. They’ll even loan you a card for the wireless. Because of its downtown location, this café is much less crowded after 5 or so than the other cafés in town. Take note, you denizens of CCs.

Maybe the greatest thing about this café is the staff. When they are not busy they sometimes come fetch your cup to bring you a refill. One staffer has taken great care in decorating the place for Mardi Gras. She’s got big plans for Easter.