Cafe Lily

This place was so adorable! The staff is super friendly, and they even told us about upcoming events they hope to have at the café. My friend and I ordered 2 acai bowls, and they were huge! And delicious! Much better than these commercial places. I would definitely come back, but have moved to South SD so I would say the location is an inconvenience for me. But come after a hike at Iron Mountain! That’s what we did. :)

Super friendly, down-​to-​earth service (gentleman at counter was very helpful and spirited).
Coffee: Wonderful mocha… mmmm. Lots of rich chocolate. Coffee was delicious and not acidic at all.
Pastries: good variety, warmed up, delicious (I had croissant stuffed with blueberry cheesecake)
Breakfast: nothing special (I had basic burrito)…I bet lunch is more robust and yummy.
Great little outdoor patio (dog friendly) and nice breeze.

Met my girlfriends here for some breakfast. Really nice and friendly service. Yummy food. They make waffles to order. Who doesn’t like waffles? Food is fresh and tasty. Also the prices are really reasonable. You could each have a breakfast item and coffee for under $ 10. There are eclectic groups of tables and chairs. You’re served with real plates and silverware and cups for coffee. A big change from our disposable society. And the new owner is trying hard to do a great job and provide outstanding service. Kudos to family owned businesses.

I come to Café Lily every so often with the little girls I babysit. It’s a great place to bring younger kids because they have an awesome little play kitchen to keep them entertained.
The staff is super friendly and accommodating and always have a smile on their face.
I usually get a double latte that is pretty tasty, nice and foamy but the espresso quality is just OK (I may be a little spoiled b/​c i work at Starbucks) but i haven’t tried any other coffee drinks on the menu yet.
I’ve ordered a breakfast burrito twice and in my opinion it’s a bit pricy for its’ size (about $ 8 and is quite thin). The little girls shared one last time.
I most recently tried a breakfast croissant with eggs cheese and bacon and it was actually very good! Croissant was flakey and toasted to perfection. I had to save half for later because it was so big.
Overall, Café Lily is a great neighborhood spot and we will definitely be back very soon :)

This is a mixed star review. We go to Lilly’s almost weekly. We love their homey small business feeling. We like the casual no rush atmosphere. The two men who are always there on Saturday are great. They take a lot of care to serve fresh tasty food– 5 STARS. Also a great selection of coffees and teas. Yesterday we went to get our usual Artisan bagel. It comes with cream cheese, tomato, cucumber and pepper on our favorite (sesame seed) bagel. We always split the bagel because they are so huge. By the way if you like a little spice, they have one too. When the bagel was delivered both my wife and I took a bite at the same time. The bagel was hard. We told the man behind the counter that the bagel may have been toasted too long and was hard. I tasted like it may have been a day old, but that is just my feeling. 1 STAR. I asked him if they had changed bagels and he said yes. MISTAKE. He sincerely apologized for the bagel condition, removed it from our table and said he would fix the problem (5 STARS for customer care). A few minutes later the new bagel came. Again he apologized. This bagel was not toasted and was softer. However, I am not a fan of the new bagel texture: 1 STAR. Texture was more like a roll vs. a bagel.
I hope they go back to serving the previous bagel. Lilly’s is very kid friendly, especially toddlers, there are stations where kids can play with child stoves, sinks, etc. they also play classic oldies at a very comfortable volume (5STARS).
I am assuming that the gentleman at the counter is an owner. While we waited for the second bagel to be prepared I was looking at the pastry display and he suggested I try his homemade cheesecake. It was wonderful. 5 STARS. If you like a smooth cheesecake with a delicious buttery crust this cheesecake is for you.
They also have a nice selection of breakfast items.

Still amazing!
I’m so happy Poway has this place.
I wish bands played here more often.

Delicious food! Im a local to Poway and this was originally a really amazing ice cream shop and I was so sad to see it go! But I am so happy to see the place stay just as awesome with this new café. Its small, however there is still plenty of space to bring a family of five and enjoy fresh made food and coffee!

This little hole in the wall is such a gem!
I met with a friend for breakfast and was pleasantly surprised. The food was incredible, the coffee was way better then anything at Starbucks! The owners are charming and absolutely hilarious. The music is they play sets the mood for relaxation, perfect place for studying. I will definitely be back for more!

I wanted to like this place because I enjoy going to this area, especially when there is a Farmer’s Market on Midland. However, something odd happened today when I stopped in to get 2 coffees. After having filled up one cup, I noticed that the carafe was empty. No big deal. I asked them to refill but they had to brew a new batch. I went outside and got caught up in a conversation. When I came back (15 minutes later) my coffee was already poured into a cup. Nice gesture. Then an employee offered to make me a new cup. Because it had been poured into a cup for quite a while. Again nice gesture. However, another employee, maybe a manager or even owner the, interjected and said that it wasn’t necessary to do so.
Let me say, I would have been fine with the coffee that was already poured in a cup and sat for 15 minutes because it was my own fault for getting caught up in a conversation. But the way the well meaning employee was talked to and the fact that all this was happening right in front of me made me feel like an undervalued customer. Seriously? How much does it cost to give away a coffee? Won’t be coming back again.

I was disappointed during my visit here. Service was extremely slow, and my boyfriend and I were the only customers dining /​waiting on food. I ordered a bagel with cream cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers. When it finally arrived close to 30 minutes after ordering, it was cold and chewy, as bagels get when you toast them but then wait 30 minutes to serve them. My bf’s food was average and lacking in flavor. Not worth what we spent and we won’t be returning.

Great food great atmosphere wish the portion was slightly bigger. Is a great spot though made my day just a bit sunnier during the rain.

Mike and Stanley are great. I’ve had some time off and the pleasure of meeting these two and finding this growing and flourishing coffee shop and café. I can not wait to see what more they do with this place.
Everything I’ve tried has been yummy. I normally like coffee for coffee but Stanley’s Carmel latte is the best.
Go see for yourself!

I’ve always enjoyed going to Café Lily, but since Mike and Trish took ownership, I’m really loving the energy of the place. They work to do what they can for their customers and are always welcoming.
The coffee and food are still really yummy too! I had their acai bowl today and it was so tasty and huge!
Saturday mornings are my favorite time to stop in before I head to the street for the farmers market. I love old Poway! Definitely stop by to see Mike, Trish and Stanley!
They just catered an event for me and it was great! They were accommodating and generous! I really love supporting local and they love serving the community!

I stopped in Poway for a breezy afternoon with my baby and my mother. We were referred to this café from local business owners and it did not disappoint! The menu was simple, healthy, and very kid friendly. As we waited for our food my baby was able to entertain herself by checking out a huge interactive bookcase for all ages, and a miniature kitchen. For an appetizer we devoured the chocolate stuffed croissant. Their newest cook made us amazing paninis and my daughter had a cheese quesadilla. The entrees were the perfect portion and we all left full and happy. The work crew shared stories with us and made the vibe very homey and friendly. The owner said she might make a cheesecake soon, so we’ll definitely be back to try out the prized family recipe!

Hopping Busy on a Saturday morning… Vanilla latte (ez on the vanilla) extra foam done to perfection! The gentleman playing the violin was an added bonus making this a 5 star visit. Staff was very friendly & down to earth when I asked for specifics on my drink — thank you!
I will be back & bring the rest of my coffee drinking Fam.

Hands down, the best coffee shop in Poway! The coffee is the freshest in town (with $ 1 refills). It’s got a cozy living room feel. They got a give and take poetry suitcase in the back and lots of art work hanging around. The owner Sean is an awesome guy. If his younger brother is in, get a latte made by him — that guy is a genius with the foam art!
I’ve been coming here for months now, and whenever I meet a friend for coffee, Café Lily’s is my first choice. It’s also a stone throw away from Old Poway Park, which is a nice place to walk around afterwards.
The only downside is that it closes at 4pm.

Coffee sucks. Weak and tasteless. This is a hangout for the locals to gather, drink weak coffee and bullsjit.
Sofie had a scone so stale there was no taste.

I have been to Café Lily twice now and I find it adorable. It is in the heart of Old Poway Historic District which is a fun place to spend the afternoon. On my most recent visit, my boyfriend and I were exploring the different shops and museums and decided we desperately needed an iced drink since it was 90 degrees out. I remembered my brother-​in-​law getting an iced coffee there the weekend before and figured it would be perfect.
I ordered a small iced nonfat late and found it to be very refreshing. I am not a huge fan of coffee in general, but I really needed the caffeine and didn’t see the tea list until it was too late. The coffee flavor was definitely there, but not overpowering. The weekend before my brother-​in-​law said that he also liked his coffee and my nephews loved their ice cream, which was also purchased from Café Lily.
The ambiance here is great too! they have many tables and chairs, none of which match, almost like they bought all of the furniture from antique shops or something. There are some wooden chairs and some leather comfy chairs. The walls are covered in old records and it just has a very chill vibe.
I haven’t tried their food, but I’d definitely recommend coming here for a drink and to relax.

I came across Café Lily last weekend and have been there 3 times since! I am really picky about my coffee, but they have impressed me! They have a pretty good looking good menu as well, I’ll have to try one of their sandwiches too!
The shop is located in the Midland community which is very charming. They have inside seating and free wifi so you can sit and work/​read while you enjoy your coffee. I’m very glad I found them!

I randomly found Café Lily while searching my Entertainment book for a restaurant in Poway. When I saw the high rating on Unilocal,I knew I had found a winner and the café didn’t disappoint!
Located in the old fashioned part of Poway, the café is tiny with a handful of tables inside and one table outside. There’s a blackboard on the wall with a selection of sandwiches and you order at the register. Then you choose a table and they bring out your food to you.
I chose the turkey panini but substituted the pepper jack for provolone and added pesto mayo. The sandwich was large and I was full after the first half. It’s too bad they don’t offer half sandwiches because it would be the perfect amount of food for me. The sandwich tasted great and had a good quantity of turkey. If you like pesto, try the pesto mayo!
The breaded eggplant sandwich is highly recommended by my vegetarian boyfriend. He said that it was delicious and one of the best sandwiches that he’s had. He ate the entire thing before I had even finished a quarter of my sandwich, granted, I am a very slow eater.
Since the restaurant is so tiny, it can take awhile to receive your food. I think there was only one person making sandwiches when we were there and it took at least 15 minutes to receive our food.