By Brianna Brinker, Campus News Editor
Delicious food surrounds the area of Saint Leo University. This year, two new spots have opened. One in San Ann and the other in Dade City, two cities well known to Saint Leo residents and students.
In San Ann, an adorable, cozy café has become a favorite spot in the area. The Haven Cafe opened on May 17 and is only three minutes away from the university!
As you walk in, you’ll see a sweet environment filled with comfortable chairs and tables. The Haven Cafe makes you smile due to the positive signs hung all around. You can find meaningful signs such as “Jesus loves you!” and a small Jesus figurine at the register.
“The inspiration behind The Haven Cafe is my daughter, Madison! I was a stay-at-home mom who was always striving for more with her little one. With a passion and a strong background in both baking and coffee, I felt I was ready to branch out into a storefront! The name actually comes from my daughter’s middle name, Madison Haven,” said the owner of The Haven Cafe, Lilian Allman.
If you walk even further back, you’ll see a room with a comfortable couch to relax. They provide outside seating as well, so you can also sip your coffee in the sunshine.
The coffee is delicious! Currently, they are serving fall flavors in their lattes, such as pumpkin spice, s’mores, and maple cinnamon. All of them are sweet and flavorful!
Their menu changes with the season.
They also have food options, such as tomato-basil bagels, French toast bagels, cinnamon rolls, yogurt parfaits, and smoothie bowls. The bagels go perfectly with an iced coffee!
The Haven Cafe is a perfect place to relax with your friends, do your homework, or grab a coffee to go.
“The most rewarding aspect of owning the cafe is truly the community we have created. Every guest that steps in truly feels like family.” Said Allman.
The staff are extremely friendly, and they help create a beautiful cafe filled with love, community, and peace.
If you are a Saint Leo University student, you can get 10% off your order! Stop by and see what’s brewing at The Haven Cafe!
In Dade City, 10 minutes from campus, the Le Garden Bistro welcomes you with a beautiful atmosphere that feels like you’re having lunch in France.
As you sit at your table, you’ll notice that all the paintings are European-based art. It is classy, clean, and fresh, surrounded by beautiful flowers outside.
Le Garden Bistro is perfect for an afternoon lunch. They have coffee and lattes to start off with before you choose your meal. Their options range from salads, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, and soup!
If you’re in the mood for a great sandwich, the Chicken Tender BLT is incredible; it has so much flavor and is extremely tasty! The La Pargi-Italiana sandwich is also to die for! It is delicious and the perfect lunch sandwich.
The Caesar salad is a great side option and pairs well with any of the meals you choose.
Le Garden Bistro offers two burgers. The Truffle Burger and the Bacon Jam Burger are both delicious, insanely huge, and come with seasoned fries.
The service was great, with a kind and friendly waiter who made the visit even more enjoyable.
One of the dishes was forgotten about, but was brought out a couple of minutes later, free of charge, which was very thoughtful.
If you are still feeling hungry after your meal, they have desserts such as crème brûlée and bourbon caramel bread pudding.
The restaurant looks fancy, but the prices are very reasonable. The meals are between $10 and$18! A great deal for college students.
A Customer at Le Garden Bistro, Richard Judd, who had the Truffle Burger, claims it was “Monstrously delicious!”
Both restaurants, The Haven Café and Le Garden Bistro, are unbelievable.
The Yelp ratings for both are almost five stars!
Grab an iced coffee at The Haven Cafe and have a study hour, and then for lunch, head on over to Le Garden Bistro with your friends and try any one of the incredible meals they provide. You won’t regret it!
