Chicory Cafe

I was in town for a conference and I wanted something local to the area. When I saw the New Orleans style eats I was pretty excited. I have to say that gumbo was superb. It at the perfect balance of spice and flavor. It's not the best gumbo that I've had in my life but it easily made #2. The po boy was prepared to perfection and the ingredients were fresh. Outside of a few questions that the person at the concert couldn't answer regarding some of the menu items (which they were newer so not a huge deal) the ordering process was easy and painless. The vibe was chill and very easy to have a conversation. I would recommend this place and would visit again when I'm in town.

We picked chicory because it has always been a fun atmosphere and we wanted to do our Girls Christmas brunch then to see the nutcracker, getting into the Christmas vibe. When a our group walked in it was dead maybe 1 or two people inside then the staff. The staff was not so friendly and were even making rude comments about our group. We were laughing and sharing gifts but this has never been an issue before as there is usually live music. We order drinks and food mostly everything was good some things not so much the hummas was gritty and came with 6 baby carrots and 4 pieces of celery. The staff was making comments about our asking for another round of mimosa's and what felt like they cut us off stating they were out of things to make the drink when it was there special. I usually go to the chicory downtown mishawaka and have always had a great experience with the food and staff. I am sad to say that south bend location was just not a great time. Hopefully it was a one off day as it was snowy and slow. Best of luck.

Genuinely neighbourhood-y atmosphere that’s not trying too hard to be cool. Breakfast and people behind the counter were meh! Nothing wrong but no too much to talk about too. Coffee cup sleeves advertised gambling :-/

It's a homey and quaint space. Being counter service there really wasn't much chance of personal interaction, but the food came out within 3 minutes, so it was quick. I got the seafood gumbo which is listed as having shrimp, chicken and andouille sausage- i picked through the dish and found not 1 piece of shrimp, maybe a couple small bits of chicken- it was hard to discern any really, and just several small cuts of the sausage. It was still tasty, but more of a Midwestern cajun style rice soup than an actual gumbo you would find in the south. The cornbread was a delight, not too sweet, great texture, and a great flavor.

Recommendations: •Steak po’boy breakfast sandwich- I don’t know if it was because I was starving but this sandwich was so good! The bread was so soft and had shaved steak with cheese had lots of flavor. The combination was delicious! Of course, I used their Louisiana hot sauce for some spice. Aaaand no meal is complete without some sweetness… •Beignets: doughy goodness with a good amount of powdered sugar. 3 to an order. They are honestly so filling I would say 1/2 of 1 is good if you just wanted a taste. Especially if you are already full. My son & I shared 1 piece and took the rest back to the hotel. •s’mores Latte was delish (if you like sweet coffee) We went around 10:30am and as you can see it was not very busy. Plenty of seats available. They had a corner that looks like it’s for live music! All around really cute and cozy. I bet it’s great at night! The only con is probably the bathroom. It’s shared with other establishments and you need a key but not a big deal at all.

Excellent food. I had the Cubano and it was delicious. It was pulled pork, ham, cheese, with pickles, melted Swiss and a toasted buttery French bread. I also had the Turtle Late and it was a nice chocolatey treat. Overall I would recommend this place, it also has a quaint atmosphere, and if you want to dine outside on their patio you can.

Chicory cafe has super chill atmosphere, and is an inviting place for a quick bite. It's good for takeout and fine for hanging out too. The food selection is influenced by New Orleans French quarter, and overall has a good selection and is tasty. The line can occasionally get long, so usually I prefer to order ahead. They have more than one location in the area. As others have noted service can be incredibly slow, and they don't really seem to care, so just be prepared to wait if you order at the counter.