Eclectic coffee stop with an upscale vintage vibe. There is a small amount of seating areas available in a side room. Their coffee was great! I had an iced mocha, which really tasted like a chocolate covered coffee bean. I will definitely return!

Third visit:Wow. Im impressed how this place has changed. They have plants, vases, and other things to sell. Its so cozy now. Omg. I love this place!!! And their furniture is pretty. So happy you to see these changes.Please add more snacks to your menu as well!Second and first visits:Probably the only coffee place I will want to visit in South Bend. The cafe has a really cute and unique atmosphere and decorations.I felt really good there and wish I have brought my laptop to study there and drink coffee.But please take care of your plants. The thriving ones could really add a lot to the atmosphere of the place.

Wonderful coffee. Beautiful environment. Old meets modern. Spacious and inviting. The staff worked so incredibly hard and made fantastic beverages. They are on it! The wait was long most likely due to it being a Saturday at 10, ND move in weekend and the start of the hustle and bustle of the city. Props to the staff. ❤️

Great coffee, great service, great space to hang out/do work. Just be aware that it’s a little pricey.

The coffee was good. Nothing extraordinary. I was shocked to get such a tiny cup of coffee for $3. And I just got plain coffee. The atmosphere was common relaxing. Clean. Beautiful interior. If not for the price they would have gotten five stars.

An all around great third wave coffee house. The cappuccino holds up to the best in the country and the atmosphere is great as well! The beans they roast in house are just soso.Also: better luck next time with your potted plants!

Had an absolutely fantastic experience here. Coffee was A1, baristas were so nice, and the atmosphere is very comfy. The coffee selection is not super super extensive, but what they rotate through is very good. I would recommend giving this place a visit! The mirror in the bathroom is not super tall so you kinda gotta lean down if you want to fix your hair or anything. Just a heads up - or heads down ahha

Wife stopped here for coffee this am. Said it was the worst coffee experience she has ever had in a nice way :)Essentially the staff is very nice but they have insane policiesA) No coffee is ready at any timeB) They have no cream only whole millC) they have no regular sweetnersD) they only have small sizesNot sure how they stay in business

Great tasting coffee just bring your own cup bcuz the to go cups ruin it and with the Covid they don’t serve In a ceramic coffee mug. Bummer

I really like this place, and I’m thankful to have it in South Bend. I wish it had a bike rack and a way to recycle. Would also love the return of pet friendly visits.

Very rude customer service. I was overly nice to the workers there and was greeted appropriately. However, the barista that gave me/made my coffee was extremely rude and lacked any type of customer service.

First time visiting this location. Had been to the old location several times and it was great. The baristas were rushing around and it wasnt even busy. Just threw my coffee together to the point it looked like it was made in a keurig. We go to craft coffee places so they actually craft the coffee. Its not Starbucks, folks wont mind waiting an extra minute or two.The new space looks great though. 👍

Lovely coffee and atmosphere.

Great local coffee shop! I love the new location-- very spacious open concept vibes and easy to get some work done. I also love their oat milk cappuccinos and their specialty lattes-- theyre never too sweet and the flavors are fantastic! I think they would do well around here. Thank you for a wonderful experience!

Great Cappuccino and friendly staff. Recommended!

This was my first time at Zen Cafe, but it definitely wont be my last. The space is huge and open, not cluttered with too many tables and chairs. Its openness makes it a really ideal place to come have a coffee with someone or sit in one of the chairs and read a book.Updated: This has now become my go-to place during the week. The atmosphere is comfortable, the staff are great, and the coffee is the best in town.

Is the only place were you can get a cup of coffee or espresso or latte whatever floats your boat where its roasted right in house. Excellent. One thing to know is they do not have sugar so here are the type that prefers sugar then you better bring your own. They want their coffee to stand out on its own and not be masked by sugar.

This place is amazing! Awesome coffee! Cool, comfortable atmosphere and the baristas were great!

As a Seattle native, finding a great coffee shop was at the top of my list when i moved to South Bend. Everyone recommended Zen--and this place has lived up to all the hype! Their espresso is GREAT. They have oatmilk and do a great job foaming it up for lattes. The staff is friendly and does a great job.

I hunted for the best coffee in the Notre Dame area and I bet I found it. Dont be put off by the slightly dilapidated building this is located next to, or the fact that you may need a 4x4 to traverse the parking lot. This is worth all that. The staff was extremely friendly and the coffee was excellent. There are some fun games you can play with your friends there, and even a super Nintendo and a VHS player (compete with tube TV). A great experience all around. These guys roast their own coffee in the very same location, and you can even look at the green (unroasted) coffee bean storage in canvas bags! A nice touch.

Great coffee place. Love the atmosphere and service. A little pricey.

This is a neat little coffee shop off the beaten path in South Bend. You will have to travel a little bit into a neighborhood to get to where this coffee shop is hidden. The staff were friendly and the environment is quiet if you need to get away from the noise of the city.My only complaint as a first-time visitor is the difficulty to identify the actual location of the coffee shop. There is not clear signage other than the small letters on the door. For trying out a new place, driving as far away from other parts of town can be concerning and confusing, as from the outside looks like an abandoned warehouse. I would like there to be more signage on the road for the shoppe and clarity of where to park, as i had to drive around several times before I actually found where the coffee door was and where to park. Better signage and directions would be great!

Zen Cafe has high-quality coffee, and a selection of teas that could fit an array of taste palettes. Even more, baristas are welcoming, and they know where their coffee beans come from. Ask them about it! We highly recommend Elder Breads soup of the day as well. Its deliciously homemade, with just the right amount of garnish and pickled vegs. Another major plus is the outstanding bread that can accompany this soup. So far, their sourdough whole wheat is tops. Think: rustic, old-world, wholesome bread. This bread has a crusty exterior dusted with bread crumbs, and melt in your mouth interior. It was that delicious, Elise needed to get a loaf to take home. The breads quality was well worth the price ($10) to take home and have for lunch sandwiches, and share with good company. We continually come back for the quality in food, atmosphere, and people.

If you pull up and think you’re in the wrong spot, you’ve arrived. Pull around the building. Great atmosphere. Coffee was good too. 8/10 of you’re a coffee snob :)

Great Cappuccino and the best dirty chai latte that I ever had and its the best with oat milk, the microfoam is super creamy and delicous! I usually like extra hot because the temperature is prefect for me. I usually come here all the time until one barista told me they changed the coffee machine setting on temperature so they could not make it hotter. I still ordered one but it doss not taste the same anymore!! So I dont go as often anymore.Not many seating area but the atmosphere here great. I wish I was misinform by the lady who told me they cant fix the temp so I can have my perfect dirty chai latte with oat milk AGAIN!!

Great coffee and service. It’s a nice quiet place with low street traffic in the midst of a big city.

Super hipster but the pour over is delicious! Dont let the outside scare you off.

I actually enjoyed listening to the banter between the baristas. As other reviews say, the cold brew comes from a can (which FYI you can buy locally from Purple Porch Co-op if you want 4 packs). They couldnt fit all of the drink into the cup, but the guy gave me the can with the bit remaining, which I appreciated. good job thank you

Fantastic service and great ambiance. I really liked my chai latte.

Lovely little café. Definitely going back!

The drinks were very good but the service was especially slow. Prepare to wait about thirty minutes to just order if you come in a group of four people. The interior is interesting but not all that practical. The seats arent comfortable enough to stay in for long periods of time and the space is drafty and cold. Go for the experience but I probably wont be coming back.

Excellent, affordable and welcoming coffee shop. Great location for walking though parking can be limited, especially if church is in session. Menu is currently more limited than their Langlab location but the coffee is just as good and its a lot quieter

Great local specialty coffee shop.This new location is much more accessible than their original roaster/cafe in LangLab. Nearby street parking and large lot across the street.Typical speciality cafe drink menu, but no pastries or food items when I visited. Wish they offered a macchiato between an espresso and cortado, but great coffee overall.Espresso Grinder: Victoria Arduono Mythos IIEspresso Machine: Synesso MVP HydraBatch Brew Grinder: Mahlkonig EK43Batch Brew Machine: Fetco CBS XTS

A great place for wonderful coffee. Roasted by them and made there. Found out about them recently, visiting them frequently after that.

We asked for vanilla in our mocha and they said they couldn’t do that even though I saw the bottle of vanilla on counter. Who does that?Why would you force someone to experience their coffee in a way that they didn’t want to?

Refused service without a mask although the mask mandate was lifted several weeks ago. They did not offer a disposable mask and did not ask if I was vaccinated. Just refused service. Wont be back and will be spreading the word about their no mask, no service policy.

For the level of snootiness they show towards customers you’d expect better coffee. Big 👎🏻.

Best coffee in the area. I always get the cafe miel latte when they have honey. Baristas are really nice

Hands down the best chai I have ever had. This is officially my new coffee place. PS. The chocolate that is made there is amazing!

The second location of Zen Cafe is located near the corner of LaSalle and Hill Street. Front door directly across Saint Joseph Catholic Chruch. As of the writing of this post the lactation is in its pop-up layout, with plans in the work for expansion. I love the original location for its eclectic look, comfortable couches, and warm vibe.The coffee and chais are just as phenomenal as ever and the baristas are very personable. I stop by at least once a week and if theres a shirt wait for a brew, it is well worth it. Highly recommend!This location has great potential and look forward to the expansion on March.

An amazing atmosphere right in the center of town with truly lovely coffee. You could hangout here for hours and get your work done. Luckily the co-op is right next door if you need to grab a quick bite to eat. The staff is super friendly and the place really is quite gorgeous

They made a perfect dirty chai. I also picked up a bag of their home roasted coffee beans to brew at home. Its smooth and delicious!

This place is off the charts awesome. I really dig the endless space and feeling of freedom walking around. This puts South Bend on the map for me. Moved location and are really guzzling the koolaid now!?!?

Great little local spot. The staff was really nice and helpful. I had a hot chili latte (can’t remember the name but it was great). FYI if you try calling... as of 9/16/20, they are definitely open for in-person pick up even their phone message says otherwise.

We love our local coffee shop. We frequent Zen at least once a week and brew their coffee at home. We used their beans as wedding favors at our wedding—tasty and perfect.

This place is so friendly, the layout is gorgeous, and the lattes are delicious!

Best cup of coffee anywhere around the south bend area.Pretentious staff. More of a hipster vibe.

The dopest spot in town. Coffee.... friends and sweet mullets

Great coffee and a chill atmosphere

Amazing vibe. Delicious beverages. Quality coffee.

Ive had really good experiences at Zen overall. Because of covid I dont hang around inside, just order and go, so I cant speak to things like the seating or wifi. I love a lavender latte and cant find them anywhere else around here, so every so often Ill treat myself. I only subtracted a star because 1) the prices are a bit steep and 2) the one negative experience I had out of the five or so times I have been so far. I ordered a cappuccino and asked if the barista could put a little cinnamon on top. Weirdly enough they refused, saying something about how cinnamon only comes with certain specialty drinks. Considering that cinnamon is a very conventional topping for a capp and I was paying $5 for it, I was kind of taken aback. Overall though I like the place and will definitely be back!

This is THE place to get coffee in south bend. Youll love the coffee, I promise.

One of my favorite oat milk caps in the country! Finally a place in Michiana that doesn’t ask “what size” when you order a cappuccino 💯

Nice roaster with 30 mins of South Bank

Very disappointed in this place. Walked in excited to try a new coffee shop and walked out without ordering.The girl with dark rimmed glasses and blue/green shorter hair was very rude.After reading other reviews saying they do not customize drinks we were glad we didnt order. As much as wed like to, we wont be back.

Love the vibe coolest coffee shop in town. Great for meetings and work. Coffee beans roasted in house.

Worked in coffee for the last 20 years and Zen is the best quality and socially conscious cafe/roaster I have found. I find it so typical of a “Karen” to leave a review admitting that not only was there clearly a staffing issue but that she then bullied the barista into breaking policy for her. Super cool Karen. Keep up the good work of being entitled and rude to those just trying to do their jobs.

Coffee is nothing special really but way better than any chain like starbucks ..

Im out of town and enjoy visiting new coffee places. unfortunately the owner forgot to open up so the worker was managing everything. I like cinnamon sprinkled on my lattes and they werent going to do it because they dont deviate from their menu which appeared to be typical. eventually he gave in. the place is also under construction so maybe it new. in hard times I hope they survive but not a good first impression for me

Great atmosphere! Love coming here! Amazing wall mural... the interior is awesome! Staff is always friendly and helpful.

Let me simple say a must go to to get your coffee! Me and my wife found this place and we not disappointed.

Great place super cute but bring your own bean bag to sit on as seating is limited

Cool place, great coffee!

Place is SUPER chill! Dont bring sketchy vibes!😁

The best coffee and service in Town.

Excellent coffee shop and awesome staff！

First time at their new location. Very welcoming and clean even with the construction to the other side. I got the honey ginger matcha latte iced. Very good.

Cafe Meil was very good! Got to support good local roasters!

Americano and pour over were terrific! Service was excellent👍

Awesome atmosphere! I will most definately be coming back to this place. They brew individual cups to give you a fresh brew and I enjoyed my interaction with the barista! The only downside is that theyre not open early.

Very good coffee and artisan chocolate that is handmade in South Bend. Coffee is well priced. Chocolate is expensive but worth it to support a local business and delicious.

Very good iced mocha latte

They serve coffee only and they serve it with care and quality! I had an Americano here and it was very good. Their bags of freshly roasted coffee are really fairly priced for the quality of beans that they are. They sell by the point too, which is rare for specialty coffee.

Dogmatic coffee pompousness at its most insufferable and officious. Customer beware: requesting a so-called additive to your coffee (e.g. steamed milk) gets you mansplained out the door that your drink preference will ruin their coffee (and told ‘no’ because ‘they have a policy!’).

How can a decent coffee house not offer decaf espresso options or the ability to add your own milk or cream to your coffee? Terrible customer service if you are not going to make at least some effort to accommodate your customers. I gave this coffee spot a second chance because I really wanted to like it. But after 12 months they still haven’t made any changes to accommodate customers. More people are drinking decaf for health reasons and still want to drink quality coffee and espresso drinks. It would make sense to go with this trend and provide better customer service.

Ze best coffee! Zen makes an art out of local coffee. 💮

By far the best coffee in the area - it’s worth the trip. Chill dark vibes with edgy music in the background. The furniture is meant for lounging.Getting there can be tough - try turning right from High St to Pennsylvania, then right on a steep unmarked road until you come around back to unpacked parking. Step out of your car and the ramp up is on your right!

Boo. We were really excited to get coffee here. Hours posted were 8AM open on a Saturday. Showed up at 8:40AM and it was closed. 🙁

Delicious coffee

Arguably the best coffee shop in South Bend.

One of the best cappuccinos Ive had!

Love this place! The environment is so chill, and the coffee is great. There are always new roasts and lattes to try, and the staff is always enjoying themselves even when they are busy. The location may seem is eclectic, and it is shared with other small businesses and entertainment. Try the cafe miel with oat milk and play some old school games while youre here, you wont regret it!

Nice expanded sitting area! Must try their creative specialty lattes!

Good coffees

The beans are delicious. Im not into certain Mexican foods but this place totally won me over. They have the best chicharrón and tripe tacos . Theres a lot to choose from and and a seafood selection. They have a salsa bar where you can go nuts. Definitely coming back and recommend it

Incredibly high quality coffee - their standards surpass most roasters as they are meticulous and consistent with their recipes and sourcing. I love the unique lattes they create - drinking their coffee is truly an experience! ALSO I absolutely adore all of the baristas and I look forward to catching up with them every time I visit!!

Zen has the highest quality coffee beans Ive ever tasted. It follows that their espresso is the best in the area, their drip and pour-over coffees are without rival and their cold brew (when they do have it) is by far the finest cold brew Ive ever tasted. They occasionally offer cafe miele (spelling?) Which is a real treat. Overall, they go above and beyond to offer only high quality items and to offer options you wont find elsewhere. The talented staff is friendly, highly knowledgeable and they appear to love all aspects of coffee, which makes them a joy to work with. I highly recommend this shop.

They had sweetener sitting right on the counter, but absolutely refused to allow it to be used for the coffee I had already purchased. Surprised, I offered to pay to use it, or for a side of sugar or honey. They said absolutely not. They told me that I had to consume my coffee the way they wanted. There was no indication of this before I bought the $5.00 cup of coffee. It feels like I just walked out of the twilight zone. Pretty frustrating.In response to the owner - it was honey. I appreciate the response, but a simple coffee with a sugar would have been better. I hope you care more about your customers than the coffee you source.

Zen Cafe is amazing. The best vibe. The best coffee (Nicaragua pour-over is my fav). A quick warning if you haven’t been here yet: all coffee you drink after trying Zen Cafe will taste inferior. It almost keeps me up at night. Stop reading reviews and just go.

I dont feel the need to go back.

We had a bad experience at Zen Cafe today. The coffee took 25 minutes, the coffee tasted burned and it was lukewarm.

Great coffee shop. The space is very cool and much bigger than I thought. They have a stage and lots of seating as well as great coffee and baristas.

Great atmosphere, loved the coffee

Not because its covid, but because its their all time policy not to be flexible with their drinks. They would not do a single shot of espresso for low caffeine diets. They wont sell a shot of milk to dillute the drink. Unhappy wife makes for a long morning.

Nice atmosphere. Friendly staff. Good coffee.Edit: Upped my score. Seems to be the spot for coffee in South Bend. They also have whole-bean coffee that I have tasted outside of their shop and it is consistently good.

Great spot for work/study.

This place is the essence of what an ideal coffee shop is to me.Its hidden in an inner building off the street, making it feel tucked away and cozy.The interior is amazingly spacious with tons of places to sit and work on a laptop (plenty of outlets available and good free WiFi) or hang out with friends (many comfortable seats and couches far enough apart to where you can have a private conversation).Its connected to what seems to be a performing arts facility or something (Lang Lab) and the whole interior has a really appealing industrial vibe while still feeling incredibly comfortable and warm.While I was there, they seemed to making chocolate, causing the whole place to smell delicious.I find myself imagining and longing for memories I could have had here with friends, working on homework or project, and just generally living my life in this wonderful space.Do yourself a favor and at least check this incredible place out.

I love this place. Meg Stevens is THE BEST barista. Make sure to ask her about the coffee.

So, the vibe in this place is unbeatable. Its SUPER cool. I mean really a great set up. My coffee was also yummy, but I did find it pretentious, if not just annoying, that they dont offer any form of additives, which is what the barista said to me when I asked for just a bit of sugar. On the hand, I respect that their approach to coffee making, but I can see how this may put off a number of folks.

Perfect atmosphere, great selection of teas & coffee. Its everything right with local coffee. Plus their pallets of coffee beans are a fun sight of the work in progress nature here. These folks dont just put skin in the game, they put soul in the game.