Carmelo’s Bean & Leaf

AT and I stopped here because… Well, I was already well into my second trimester and my bladder was not cooperating much with my travel plans. I needed to make a pit stop stat and we found this cute coffee shop not far from where we were doing some sightseeing.
I know better than to run into a place of business without buying something just to take a leak (and truthfully, 99.9% of them won’t even let you, with signs indicating that restrooms are for paying customers) so I perused the menu quickly and decided that a hot apple cider would give us some extra bounce to our step that afternoon. AT graciously ordered the drink while I made a beeline for the loo.
The bathroom was clean, which is always a huge relief to me. I was quick about my business and by the time I joined AT, he already had our drink in hand. We made our exit, as we weren’t hungry for anything else, and started sipping the hot beverage as we walked to the car. It was extremely hot, so I most likely burned myself. I left it in the cupholder as we drove to nearby Book Barn. Even by the time we parked, the drink was still pretty much scorching hot, so I left it. Upon returning to the car, I found that the paper cup had leaked! What?! The drink had been in it for an hour, maybe an hour and a half tops. I don’t know many things but I do know that even a paper cup should withstand holding liquid for that long without leaving sticky content all over the place. I drank as much as I could of the cider, which was no longer hot, but after awhile, the sweetness was overpowering. So while I appreciate having been able to relieve myself at Carmelo’s Bean & Leaf, I hope our leaky cup incident is not common and I think making the cider a bit less sweet would go a long way.

This place is part coffee shop, part restaurant, and part beer garden.
The coffee shop part is a carry over from its former Bean and Leaf days. The restaurant part was added as an Italian restaurant. And the beer garden, well I’m guessing that only happens when the weather is nice outside.
Perhaps it’s just me, but I originally found the whole setup a bit confusing. I think the café has certain hours and the restaurant part has certain hours or something like that. It’s taken me several visits to figure out a routine but I’ll typically order at the counter and seat myself. It’s not your usual restaurant setup. I’ll usually retrieve my own beverage too. I just wish there were some type of signs explaining the process because I’m still unsure I’m doing it right.
Regarding the menu, I wish it were better. There’s a lot of basic menu items on there and nothing really strikes me as «I must try that!»
Overall, I feel this place has potential. I think if it were a little more organized and if it settled on one identity, instead of trying to be three different things, I think it can go places.
PS: Many of these Unilocal reviews are for the former business, the Bean and Leaf Café, and not for the latest business.

My girl and I stumbled upon this place last week and have been here every morning since. Nathan always welcomes us and remembers our order everytime, nate is the man… We have to thank him for the PB&J Latte he founded! !! Lol. Great latte. The Irish burrito here is amazing and all the staff is personable and friendly. Don’t go to dunkin or bucks and waste your money on watered down crap. Come here and get a REAL cup of coffee.
This is hands down the best coffee spot around.

Just had the tortellini soup at Carmelo’s bean and leaf Deelishis a must have for the fall season had Italian Wedding soup last week also delish

It’s a great little place. Has a great feel and some good food options. The most interesting thing I noticed aside from their extensive coffee menu were the tea selection. Not many places serve matcha, I was impressed to see it on the menu. They also have a selection of Ayurvedic teas that are designed specifically for your dosha. Interesting stuff.

Food, drink, vibe are eclectic and nice but why the hokey, unnecessary, creepy mannequins out front?

Cute but way over priced for what it is. The food co-​op offers similar breakfast items for cheaper with more friendly service. I think the owners aimed at being a hipster eatery– snobby attitude included. Organic, wholesome food but diminished by the price and owners.

Stopped in for lunch. Staff was friendly and service was quick. Excellent, Cobb salad. Thin slices of chicken were juicy and warm. Bacon was crisp and veggies were fresh. Accompanied by black iced black tea. Simple but good. My wife had grilled cheese sandwich and Pond Scum smoothie. Nice fresh bread and tasty cheese and she said the smoothie was good. If I were local I would definitely go back.

Clean, clean, clean. Friendly and courteous staff and the food is good. Did I say the patrons were pleasant too? Yes, everyone is there to enjoy the atmosphere and the light but tasty menu. WIFI is good too. Don’t forget to tip! The staff is worthy!

I ordered the oatmeal with fruit and walnuts. Some of the walnuts were rancid. I’m sure it was a fluke. Cute place.

Was very skeptical of this merger but I can say the idea that Bean and Leaf’s coffee is now offered as an alcoholic version is great! Ordered an iced mocha latte with amaretto and Kahlua and it was the best drink I had all sailfest weekend. I believe our servers name was Davita (I apologize if this is wrong!!) and she was so friendly and attentive. The bruschetta was yummy too. Give it a try!

My wife and I had dinner last week. They now serve beer and wine, full licence soon!
Nice evening ambiance, good food, satisfying portions, very affordable. My salad was served with the main course so I had to take it home. The marinara sauce could use a bit more seasoning but it went with with my bone on chicken caciatore.

I love the bean and tea leaf. While trying to get settled in our new home, we were without internet for some time. Given our web-​dependent nature, we found the bean on Unilocal and seeing as they had both quality snacks and free wifi, they became our new home away from home for work and unwinding.
I was impressed with attitudes of the staff at the bean. Every person has been friendly and helpful, without exception. The food choices were pretty great as well, with gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options alongside some surprisingly delicious macro bowls of a daily rotating selection of legumes and grains.
The biggest excitement that I found so far at the bean were the matcha and maca that they have available, the former being a delicious ground green tea and the latter being an alternative energy suppliment to increase focus and mental stamina. I also love their alternate milk options beyond the standard soy to include almond and rice for those with soy sensitivities
The negatives of the bean are the location, which has some awkwardly engineered parking spots in their private lot, the cap on how many users can be on the wifi at once (which has prevented me from connecting more than once), and the booths which are less than cozy and could use some more comfortable padding.
For the price with it’s selection, and the easy access location to new london downtown, the bean is my go-​to that way outperforms over Starbucks or other competitors. It also serves full dinners and lunches, so you could quite literally spend your whole day here. Marvelous.

What a pleasant surprise to find this quaint coffee house with quite a selection! The décor is hip, urban and makes you LOL (the picture of tom selleck was my favorite). The two ladies serving were kind and quick (I was in a rush)…I wish I had more time and may have rated this as a four because of pure potential of what I saw – homemade baked goods that looked incredible; a robust menu with organic and farm fresh ingredients and unique combinations. I am a frequent ferry traveler and have just found my new place to explore!

Bean and Leaf has an Italian side now! Still the same coffee shop all night long but Starting at 5pm the kitchen changes over to an authentic Sicilian restaurant, and where better than the heart of New London?
Wether looking for a quick appetizer and a killer dessert or a romantic dinner Carmelo’s is the place, complete with Italian food, great background music, mood lighting, and staff eager to make your night!
As of now it’s byob, which is kinda nice, seeing as you know what you like best! :)
Bread and oil to start the meal (this is always my favorite touch to any Italian meal)
Come try it!

All fair trade and organic coffee, with a house brew and a specialty brew available along with espresso and tea drinks. They are coffee purists, so you’re better getting your coffee unsyrupped, but it’s still an option. The baristas here are super nice and accommodating, and you tell that they can turn on the coffee snobbery if you want them to.
Love the décor and the space, although the seating on the side with the register is super cold because of the doorway and there is a dearth of outlets. I was seduced by the tile mosaic tables until I realized that it was going to be chilly on a November afternoon.
The shop seemed pretty busy, but it wasn’t hard to grab a space. I eventually moved seats to one of the inset windows with sunshine and was a happy camper. Wifi was mildly unreliable. They also have a large selection of grab and go food, but I didn’t get the chance to try any.

The baristas are very accomodating! I’ve ordered my tea or coffee with some odd combos and they don’t bay an eye. A nice change from crappy D&D or Starbucks.
BUST THE CHAINS! support your local businesses!
Does anyone know if their oatmeal is GF? The barista this morning told me they bought in bulk from Fiddleheads.

I have visited here a few times for drinks but never tried any of the sandwiches.
A cool little coffee shop with a definite hipster vibe. Staff have always been friendly and drinks are great. I’ve gotten a chai tea latte a few times which has been excellent and blows Starbucks’ out of the water– extremely aromatic and just as good tasting with a really nice use of spices. Their espresso lattes are also good, I tried an iced tea once which was delicious, and they have a very large selection of both herbal and caffeinated teas. I tried a spicy herbal tea they have listed out of curiosity and it was awesome.
There are a number of large tables along the side of the building, although if you are there to get work done wi-​fi coverage is spotty outside (ask inside for hte password). I’ve also been approached by panhandlers more than once; one time an extremely inebriated man (brown paper bag and all) invited himself to sit at my table and ramble on for 15 minutes. Nothing Bean and Leaf can really do about this, but it is annoying. Despite this, Bean and Leaf has a nice community feel and I always feel like I am part of the town when I sit down to enjoy my drink.
There’s street parking in front as well as a private lot on the side (can’t be accessed from Bank Street though, you have to circle behind).
Bean and Leaf is a great place to stop in for a quick to-​go drink or to spend some time relaxing with a book.

I do love this place, it reminds me of some of the cool places in Austin.
The coffee is top notch, the food is well prepared & delicious. The people who work there are friendly & nice. I like the wide variety of their menu. It’s better to have choices that you don’t see everyday.
They are self proclaimed coffee purists but don’t make you feel like you have to be. I like that in a place. There’s lots of spaces to sit alone or meet up with a group. I’ve read the complaints about slow service and I disagree. Each item you purchase from the Bean & Leaf has been carefully prepared for each customer. Reminds me of the Hillside Farmacy.
Definitely a place to add to your regular stop if your local and a great place if you find yourself visiting new london.

I was contacted by someone claiming to be the proprietor of this establishment. He took offense with my review after verifying the accuracy and reluctantly that it probably happened the way I described my experience. Instead of admitting to the substandard experience he appeared to take his frustration out on me personally.
I stand by my review and personal experience.