Serendipity, An Eclectic Eatery Reviews | Lafayette Restaurants & Bars

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I was excited for a new non-chain, locally-owned, "sustainable" breakfast place to open in the Greater Lafayette area.

small apple juice, scone, side of potatoes, french toast, scrambled egg, coffee = $20.86 (incl. tax, excl. tip).

my dining partner enjoyed the juice, french toast and egg. I was less enamored with the potatoes, scone, and coffee. The side of potatoes came in a tiny tea cup, nicely seasoned, but portion was too small to be enjoyed. Blueberry scone was pretty standard. $3 for bottomless cup of "nothing-special-about-it" coffee which never got refilled. I'll give this place another chance but was underwhelmed by my first visit. I hope quality, portion and customer service improve.

Other items on the menu gave me pause, 2 piece chicken strips with side of mandarin oranges, $8?

Spacious with booth, table, counter and loft eating areas.

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Posted on 02.17.13 Jeremy S.

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I ate there this morning around 11:30 and there was a pretty good crowd. My boyfriend and I both ordered breakfast, although I would like to return to try the hamburgers.

I had the eggs benedict florentine which others have commented on. I thought it was fine. It was not the best I've ever had, but if the restaurant is dedicated to local and organic food I can understand why the tomatoes aren't at their most flavorful in February. My boyfriend had the carnivore omelet and loved it. The potatoes that came with both were excellent. OH! I almost forgot, they also give you homemade scones while you wait for your meal which is a very nice little detail.

What I love about this place is the atmosphere which is a great balance between casual and pretty. It's MUCH nicer than Sunrise Diner or XXX and is a much better option for a nice brunch.

I will also return because of their dedication to organic and local food. Knowing the origin of your food is invaluable to me. I also like their attitude toward the business which is evidenced in the service, the quirky menu and the Saturday morning cartoons. This feels like a real person small business.

Of course, the higher quality and responsible ingredients lead to slightly higher prices, but they are not outrageous. My Eggs benedict was 9$ and I think my boyfriend's omelet was like 7.50 or something. The coffee seemed slightly expensive at $3 but it is K.Dee's coffee and you get free refills. If you want responsible, honest food, it will cost you slightly more. Period. If that isn't worth the extra couple dollars, it might not be the place for you. but gosh is it pretty in there in the morning! It feels so much different than when Pre was there.

I can't give it five stars because the food just was not memorable enough, but I will definitely be back whenever I'm craving a nice breakfast.

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Posted on 02.12.13 Lauren M.

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My husband, son and I visited Serendipity for breakfast the day after they opened their doors and we were thrilled. The food was delectable and fresh, the portions are generous.
The service was super friendly and the atmosphere is inviting.
The menu is diverse and the staff can actually tell you where your food came from. (in fact, having this information available for you is a downright obsession of theirs....my kind of folk.)
I was surprised when we returned the next week and everyone remembered us. (quite a rarity, even in a city as small as this)
They play cartoons on Saturday mornings so kids have something to distract them while they wait to eat and the table coverings are paper so they can draw as well.

We've been back twice more since that first visit and have loved every meal.

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Posted on 02.03.13 Tessa H.

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I sort of wanted to like this place, but was turned off by the sanctimonious local/organic pitch. Eating whole, ethical food is important to me, but I feel like that can't be the only thing a restaurant has going for it. Nonetheless, I came here for lunch today with a few friends. It was larger than I expected and the host was pretty friendly. I like the way the space is set up for breakfast and lunch- lots of natural light. Because everything I've seen written by/about this place has touted the quality of their ingredients, I decided to order a caprese salad. It's February, so that's an unusual dish to feature on a the menu of an establishment that prides themselves on organic, local, seasonal food. It's a simple dish and the quality of it is almost entirely dependent on the quality of the ingredients (it's hard to disguise dry mozzarella)- so I figured it would be a good test of Serendipity's claims. When it came out, it was 3 slices of mealy, pink, drippy tomato, 3 slices of roughly-cut uneven thick mozzarella, and a garnish of bruised, poorly chopped basil. The salad was not salted. The balsamic vinaigrette that I asked for on the side was totally mediocre. Oh, and it was $6. One of my friends ordered the taco salad which she seemed to like, it was pretty substantial. Another ordered a roasted pepper sandwich and said she enjoyed the peppers. My third friend got the pork burger and loved it. She was probably the most enthusiastic about her food. All of their meals came with fries, which I tried. They were okay- somewhere between thin and thick cut. Not as crispy as I like. Our service was slow and everyone was late going back to work (from a 1 hour lunch break). I'm disappointed that I didn't have a better experience here, but I can't say I'm surprised. It's fine if you want a fine meal in a kid-friendly spot and don't mind the high prices, but personally, I won't be going back.

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Posted on 02.01.13 Jamie W.

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This is one of the newest restaurants in town located in what was Pre Lounge on Main Street (at the corner of 8th). They are open from 7:30 until 2 and serve breakfast until they close.

We went for lunch and had a very good meal. I had the Mushroom and Swiss burger with caramelized onions (paid $2 to upgrade to grass-fed beef) and my husband had the Turkey Ruben. The Ruben was huge (it would have been a two-meal sandwich for me). Both sandwiches were very tasty and they came with some of the best fries I've had in a long time (and I was in Belgium in October). The fries are crispy and seasoned with a house blend of seasonings. Very good.

They had a grilled cheese and a portobello mushroom sandwich for vegetarian options. They also have a children's menu that adults can order from. The desserts looked so good, I decided I needed to return sometime for coffee and dessert.

The atmosphere was pleasant, the food arrived quickly, and the service was friendly. Prices are higher because they use organic ingredients. Our burger, Ruben, decaf coffee, and diet coke cost $31.00.

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Posted on 01.30.13 Dia D.