Wondering where to find the best cafés near you?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top cafés in Ellicott City, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best places to venture next time you're on the hunt for tea, coffee and bites.
1. Matcha Time Cafe
Topping the list is Matcha Time Cafe. Located at 3785 Hamilton St., the Japanese café is the highest rated in Ellicott City, boasting 4.5 stars out of 166 reviews on Yelp.
In a cozy and warm atmosphere, Matcha serves up different varieties of tea, including green, white, oolong and black, herbal (non-caffeine) infusions and hot or iced coffee. To accompany its beverages, the café has about a dozen maki and temaki sushi rolls.
For dessert, Matcha offers ice cream, including a black sesame and a green tea flavor, and there is a small shop of Japanese gifts.
2. Pure Wine Cafe
Next up is Pure Wine Cafe, situated at 8210 Main St. With four stars out of 207 reviews on Yelp, the wine bar and café has proven to be a local favorite.
Owner PJ Strain aims to show how food and wine come together with ambiance and service to become something greater, according to the restaurant's website. You can check out the full wine list here.
The food menu contains mainly of small dishes or appetizers. Try the olive oil and bread, move on to the Treuth and Sons steak tacos that come with ribeye beef, carrots and radishes, sriracha aioli, shallots and cilantro, and finish with Cajun crab mac and cheese.
3. Snow Cafe
Snow Cafe, located at 9065 Frederick Road, Suite A, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the desserts-focused café four stars out of 180 reviews.
The menu is stocked with staples such as hot and cold beverages, salads, sandwiches and paninis, but Yelpers rave about the savory and sweet waffle options.
Reviewers recommend the jalapeño chicken waffle, which is a piece of jalapeño-flavored chicken on top of salad greens on top of a waffle; and the strawberry and banana waffle, which includes a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
4. Georgia Grace Cafe
Georgia Grace Cafe, a jalapeño and bakery that offers coffee and tea and more, is another much-loved go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 58 Yelp reviews. Head over to 8006 Main St. to see for yourself.
Calling itself an upscale quick-service spot that features a European-inspired menu with Greek influences, Georgia Grace's serves breakfast and lunch fare all day. (For a full menu, click here.)
The breakfast choices are heavy on crêpes — like the sweet crêpe stuffed with banana and mixed berries and topped with Nutella and whipped cream — and omelets, such as the Greek style, which includes roasted tomato, zucchini, eggplant and oregano. For lunch, try the mezze platter of Greek meatballs with greens, housemade hummus and pita bread.
5. Tea-Do Ellicott City
Last but not least, there's Tea-Do Ellicott City, a local favorite with four stars out of 48 reviews. Stop by 3355 St. Johns Lane, Suite C to hit up the café, which offers bubble tea, juice, smoothies and more, next time you're looking to satisfy your cravings.
The menu, as expected, is heavy on teas. The options include black, green and milk bubble tea, with toppings like aloe vera and popping bubbles. Each title has at least six different flavors to choose from. For bites, check out the curry fishballs and takoyaki. To view the whole menu, click here.
