Haven Cafe and Bakery

Is this a generous rating? Probably. But I’ve eaten breakfast/​brunch here twice and the food has been excellent, the counter/​wait staff incredibly friendly, and it’s an institution I’d like to support. It wasn’t crowded on the Monday of President’s weekend, so it seems like it is probably just barely making it, and it deserves better than that. I had a mushroom/​spinach/​cheddar/​sausage omelette, and it was delicious, as was the scrambled eggs and the frittata my companions ate. And my son, a connoisseur of these things, said their croissant was fabulous.
So, eat here. You won’t be disappointed.

Great food, especially breakfast/​brunch. Friendly waitstaff and quick service. Pretty expensive but worth it, probably the best breakfast spot in town.

Love this place and it is one of my favorite places to grab breakfast or lunch when in Great Barrington. The counter staff and wait staff are very friendly, there is a sunny patio to sit outside with my dog when the weather is nice, and the food is excellent. Tried the Haven burger today for the first time and it was amazing: blue cheese, caramelized onions, grilled mushrooms, meat cooked to perfection. Have also tried various breakfast dishes (served all day), all likewise excellent. I have never waited excessively long either for service or for my food, unlike other reviewers.

Place was pretty much empty when we went. One person ahead of us in line. Waited 10 minutes as two people chatted with the customer and slowly made her coffee… and didn’t acknowledge us or take our order. Nine months pregnant woman, grandma, and toddler weren’t enough to capture their attention. Not the first time here that service has been slow/​indifferent. Much different experience than Haven in Lenox, which is great.

The food is decent here, but the wait is just way too long. We waited over 30 minutes for food breakfast food and my eggs sardo, which is usually a safe dish, came out completely bland. One of my poached eggs barely had a yolk. You can clearly see that the yolk had bursted and the little bit of yolk left was no longer runny, but they served it anyway. The saving grace on the plate were the roasted potatoes. My fiancé ordered the eggs Benedict, which he really liked, but to wait this long for some eggs over raw spinach and pickled artichoke just didn’t seem worth it. It was just disappointing.

If you love to wait 20(!) minutes for an overpriced iced tea and have to clear your own table, then this is the place for you! Understaffed but also not very aware of how /​bad/​it is. Sorry, it’s just ridiculous. Go to Patisserie Lenox or somewhere else.

Awesome Fresh Imaginative and LOCAL Grub

Carrot Cake + Hot Apple Cider on a damp rainy day = JUST what I needed.
Delicious carrot cake and really hot cider which was perfect on a freezing Fall day. This cake is AWESOME! My friend had the cobb salad, which I had a few bites of and it was delicious, but I believe in going straight to dessert.

I’m a big fan of ethically produced /​locally grown food, so this place was a must-​try for me. The food was simple and delicious. I had the Haven breakfast (grilled polenta, over-​easy egg, and bacon) with a side of greens. Everything was tasty and well-​executed. I went on a weekday morning and service was very timely. It’s a little pricey, but not outrageously so, and pretty much in line with what you’d pay for a full breakfast anywhere in the GB area. I’ll definitely be going back to try the salmon scrambled eggs…

I love a really good omelet, and was thus excited to see they offered «French rolled omelets»; I ordered their veggie omelet, which contained roasted shiitake and cremini mushrooms, spinach and onion confit.
What I received was pathetic. «French rolled omelet»?? Right. Google that and see what a French rolled omelet ought to be: fluffy yet creamy inside. What I received was thin like a crêpe, except with the texture of foam rubber, wrapped around a greasy filling. Hands down, this was among the worst omelets I’ve ever had.
And what’s with the coffee? They had none ready; it was served AFTER the omelet was served.

What can I say other than perfection! For a new bistro — albeit the second in a series — the Haven Café gets everything right! Yes, prices can be high for breakfast and lunch fare if compared to other local joints, but the flavor and fare offered is incomparable. I’ve loved the upscale breakfasts of places like The Red Lion, unique tastes at Martins, and simple approachable local flair of Main Street, The Local Diner, and others. Haven has great breakfast burritos, sweet griddled-​goods, scrambles of Butternut Squash, Lox, and all things between. Not to mention, the wonderful potatoes, soft baguette, and perfectly pairing salads which only further round out a perfect meal. I’d love to try the rolled omlettes, French Toast, Lox Scramble, and weekday breakfasts I’ve yet tried. Lunch looks wonderful too!
Tea, tea, tea… Delicious in every way.
Keep it up, Haven my haven.

We thought we would try this location out since we had enjoyed the one located in Lennox. Same great food but our order got lost somehow while we watched other tables receive their food, finish their food and leave. In compensation we did receive a nice arrangement of pastries and 2 lattes on the house. This place is still worth trying.

Best brunch around! This was the first weekend they were open. And everything was delicious and service was amazing!