Cafe Nola is an eclectic cafe right in the heart of Frederick. Although they don’t have a huge or varied menu, they do display local art and host bands every so often. Unfortunately, the great food didn’t make up for the other categories we also consider as important aspects of dining experiences. Cafe Nola is the epitome of a downtown hipster restaurant.

The best part of our Cafe Nola experience was the food itself. Although they offered little variety, the food they did serve was delicious. Specifically, Cafe Nola is known for their breakfast food. They lived up to our expectations with the quality of the croissant sandwich and the french toast. The croissant sandwich had multiple options to customize with your choice of meat. The french toast was tasteful with just the right amount of sweetness. The grass fed burger on the dinner menu was appetizing and was served with sweet potato fries. Although some people may prefer sweet potato fries, providing them as the only option is an example of Cafe Nola’s ‘stylistic approach’. Our own Mr. Hartman, who went there with his wife on a date night once, weighed in on the subject of the sweet potato fries with his usual candor “Sweet potato fries as the only option? What the heck is that? And then they acted like I was some sort of unrefined clod for wanting, ya know, french fried non-sweet potatos?!?”. However, Cafe Nola is accommodating to different dietary needs. Providing vegan and vegetarian options in a way that many other food establishments in Frederick don’t offer.  

Aside from the tasty food at Cafe Nola, we found the overall culture of the restaurant to be rather discourteous. Upon our first attempt to try Cafe Nola, we soon realized they were closed. Mind you, it was 4pm on a Tuesday. If you plan on eating out at Cafe Nola, be sure to check online for their unusual hours. Once we got the chance to dine-in, the service was lackadaisical. Visits by our waiter were few and far between, which we guessed was probably based on their ‘laid back’ philosophy. If you find mellow atmospheres and lots of unique character appealing, this could be a restaurant for you. For our specific tastes, we favor a different type of experience, but it all comes down to your preference.

All in all, Cafe Nola clearly wasn’t our cup of tea. But, that doesn’t mean that it won’t be yours. Try it out for yourself if you’re looking for a different place to eat and have some time on your hands. There are better options out there, but we still suggest you give it a shot.