Java Break

Just a quick jog from Liberty Hall, we stopped at The Java Break for a caffeine boost before a Sunday night concert. (Open until 9pm daily, current regular hours.) Stepping downstairs into this shop felt like I'd entered a delightfully quirky vintage parallel dimension with a unique menu to match. Staff were welcoming to us first-timers and seemed to have a good rapport with the regular ahead of us. I had the drip Daily Origin Brew coffee, and the barista was able to describe flavor notes, with and without cream. Great for sipping! (Too bad we couldn't stay longer.) So many things on tap that I'd love to come back and try, like house-made chai and cold press Nitro A.M. (almond milk) flavored drinks. Variety of soda fountain flavors too (like lavender+lemon). JB also will fill bottles of many of these things if you want to bring home more for later. The space is a series of small rooms, each with its own character. Almost missed the bathrooms, the doors camouflaged among the writing on the walls in the Free Speech Zone (which I first misread as "speech free" aka "quiet" area, but there was a group chatting away while playing a board game, cluing me in). We sat for a bit in the quiet rotunda with a spiral staircase, sadly closed to customers, but cool to peek up at the stained glass above it. After watching what was on the display of a rigged up old TV for a bit, we exited outside and up to the surface, complete with some nice outdoor seating, and ventured up the corner to Liberty Hall. Definitely could become a pre-concert tradition!

Don't even bother with the Starbucks up the street. By any metric, Java Break is a much better coffee shop. The atmosphere of the place is a weird, strange, wonderful blend of 1950s diner, modern coffee shop, and, for one of the rooms, free speech wall. It seems like every room has a different theme. Each room seems to have a varying degree of quietness/loudness, so if you're here to bring your laptop and study for that exam you totally didn't procrastinate studying for until the eleventh hour, you can totally do that, and if you're here to bring all your friends and chatter away, you can do that too. The menu offers more than just the usual coffee and pastries. They have a pretty large panini menu, and a cereal bar, at which you can combine several different breakfast cereals and toppings, which include fruits, candies, and nuts. Sounds weird, but give it a shot. The coffee itself is many pegs above Starbucks coffee, and the pastries are fresh and tasty too. Overall, it's a fun place with good coffee, plenty of other great offerings on the menu, and a unique environment. Give it a try.

Ordered the egg, cheese and sausage panini, it was absolutely delightful. I adored my milk tea drink. Considering how expensive Lawrence, KS has become with gentrification and rising food tax, it was reasonably priced. Friendly staff, good outdoor seating, varied menu, overall excellent experience. Definitely going again.

Went to the Java Break for the first time today and had a great experience! I was passing through Lawrence and stopped in quick for an iced coffee. From the looks of it, this cafe is one of the most unique cafes I have been to! It is quite artsy and designed for students and those who work online to pop up a laptop and focus. There is a whole graffiti room where anyone can sign and lots of sating inside and outside. Would recommend, and will definitely be back again!

Scones had mold on top. All of them. Didn't see before I purchased it. But when I brought it up to the attendant they said it was the cranberries. But the mold was gray/black and fuzzy. They didn't offer a refund. Threw that in the trash. Sandwich had onion peel on it. Food was not good. Some of the back rooms were cool.