Located at 9386 South Congress Street in New Market, this café operates within the historic Strayer House/Lee Jackson Building, serving as both a coffee roastery and full-service restaurant. Owner Kevin Fox of Crazy Fox Coffee began roasting as a hobby in his Dayton garage before taking over the café almost nine years ago following the previous owner's death in 2015. The operation has grown from producing 50 pounds of coffee weekly to nearly 600 pounds, roasting on-site with specialty Arabica beans sourced globally from Hawaii, Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Brazil, Nicaragua, India, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Tanzania and the Dominican Republic. With 100% recommendation rate from 323 Facebook reviews and pricing in the budget-friendly "$" range, daily lunch specials run $11.95 while offering breakfast sandwiches, house-made soups, salads, quiche, and fresh-baked pastries including highly-praised scones. Reviews note their breakfast sandwiches are "the best in the Shenandoah Valley and in the top 2% in the US" with over 80% of the menu exceeding expectations. The café has received Google 4.7 rating according to guests' opinions, with democratic prices and a cozy atmosphere perfect for both locals and Interstate 81 travelers seeking artisanal coffee experiences.
HankmadeIt is a custom artisanal bakery in Luray, VA, operated by Hank Overton from his USDA-certified kitchen at the historic Piney Hill Bed & Breakfast, which he has owned since 2000 at 1048 Piney Hill Rd, Luray, VA 22835. This Shenandoah Valley dessert specialist offers pre-order custom baked goods including three-layer cakes starting at $45 for 6-inch and $70 for 8-9-inch sizes, cupcakes (24 minimum starting at $60), one dozen medium cookies ($30), tarts (from $30), and scones (8 for $28)—perfect for weddings, anniversaries, baby showers, and special occasions near Luray Caverns and Shenandoah National Park. Unlike typical Luray VA coffee shops or walk-in bakeries, HankmadeIt operates exclusively by pre-order with at least one week advance notice required (one month for weddings and large orders with a deposit), offering local pickup or delivery to the Luray area. With over two decades of baking experience and all items made from scratch using the finest ingredients, HankmadeIt has earned a perfect 5.0-star rating from customers who rave about the exceptional quality: "The best cakes, cookies and scones I've ever had!" and "Beautiful to look at and even better to taste." Each dessert is made-to-order and fully customizable by flavor, ensuring every creation is unique to the customer and occasion—a distinguishing feature for those seeking bespoke baked goods in the Page County region. Contact Hank at 540-860-1680 or HankmadeItinLurayVA@gmail.com to order custom cakes, cupcakes, scones, tarts, and cookies for your next Shenandoah Valley celebration, with his work showcased on Facebook (@HankmadeIt) and Instagram (@hank_pineyhill_innkeeper).
Located at 20 W Main St, Luray, VA, this small-batch coffee roastery operates Monday-Friday 7am-3pm and Saturday-Sunday 8am-3pm, offering specialty coffee experiences with ethically sourced beans in the Shenandoah Valley region. The café has earned impressive ratings with 22 unbiased reviews on TripAdvisor showing a 4.9 out of 5 rating and ranking #8 of 33 restaurants in Luray. Founded by JMU alumni Phil Duntemann ('12) and Jill McMullan ('15), the name originated when Duntemann began roasting coffee beans on the front porch of his home on Broad Street. The company expanded from their original Agora Downtown Market kiosk location in Harrisonburg (circa 2017) to a bigger location in Luray, Virginia, through a partnership with business partners Jay Dedman and Ryanne Hodson. As small batch coffee roasters, they offer whole bean, hot and cold brew coffee, marketed as the "Freshest coffee in the Shenandoah Valley!" The café provides family-friendly dining with creative food options, Instagram-worthy presentations, and breakfast sandwiches including fresh baked biscuits with butter and honey, while maintaining budget-friendly pricing marked as "$" range on Facebook. Their newest flagship location opened at 47 Court Square in Harrisonburg in 2024 after extensive renovations, featuring a full commercial kitchen, bakery, and seating for up to 100 guests. The shop emphasizes sustainability by offering discounts to customers who bring reusable mugs and often hosts student groups and live music events.
Gathering Grounds Patisserie & Cafe has been doing the French-style bakery thing since 2011 at 24 East Main Street in downtown Luray, Virginia's historic district. Hours run Monday through Wednesday 8am-3pm, Friday 8am-3pm, Saturday 8am-4pm, closed Thursdays and Sundays (so plan accordingly). Over 1001 reviewers gave it a 4.6 star rating, which seems earned. The menu covers comprehensive breakfast and lunch with gourmet sandwiches, fresh salads, quiche, and house-carved meats. Coffee comes from locally roasted Red Rooster, plus there's Frappuccinos, Chai Lattes, Mochas, and Fruit Smoothies from their Espresso Bar. They do a weekly coffee flight sampler with four rotating roasts, which is a nice touch if you can't decide. Everything gets baked fresh daily using family recipes passed down from the owner's mother... the pastries, pies, cookies, brownies, muffins, scones. The tender grilled chicken breast sandwich with swiss runs $13.95, reasonable prices overall, and you can drink as much coffee as you want (seriously, they don't cut you off). They make their own gluten-free bread in-house, which is better than most places bother with, and offer vegetarian options too. There's WiFi, outdoor pet-friendly seating, and they do catering for special events.
Main Street Bakery & Catering offers a daily selection of breads & baked goods, personalized catering menus, cakes/pies to order, and quiche and soups for lunch, founded by Chef Charles "Chuck" Arnaud in 2002 with a philosophy deeply rooted in community service, even donating leftovers to the food bank. Located at 127 E Main St in Luray, VA, open Tuesday-Friday 8 AM-5 PM and Saturday 8 AM-3 PM, this licensed and insured company is a member of the Page County Grown Association and Virginia Green, using fresh & locally grown products in their foods with options for locally raised beef. They bake fresh bread daily including classic Wheat & White, fragrant selections like Cinnamon Raisin Swirl and Cranberry Walnut, with the comforting aroma and taste of freshly baked bread, plus their famously rich "World's Best Bread Pudding". Owned and operated by Chef Charles Arnaud, they've been catering weddings using fresh local ingredients for two decades, building each menu to fit clients personally using ingredients that are fresh & local, with coordinator Stephanie being easy to work with and knowledgeable, offering tastings at very reasonable prices (most pastries under $5, quiche slices $4-6). With 32 Yelp reviews and 5-star ratings on Google, they're known for brunch service and have catered numerous weddings and rehearsal dinners with amazing results. Customers rave about their cherry galette, lemon poppy seed cupcake, African honey loaf, red velvet cake with white buttercream icing, bread pudding, and blondie, with Chef Chuck often experimenting with weekly special breads and pastries to highlight Virginia's local bounty.
Good Day Café opened in Fall 2019 at 311 W. Spotswood Trail in Elkton and has partnered with the owners of Broad Porch Coffee Company to provide Elkton with the same high-quality coffee that their customers in Harrisonburg and Luray have loved for years. Located in Elkton, VA, with 398 Facebook likes and 19 people talking about it, the café serves specialty crafted drinks with the motto "It's a good day for a good day." The staff provides a cozy place for customers to enjoy coffee and freshly-made scones from Sophie's Sweet Treats, creating an atmosphere where book clubs, prayer groups, and remote workers feel welcome. They serve both routine local customers and Skyline Drive visitors from places like Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Israel. The café focuses on community engagement, offering a comfortable setting with amenities like a chess table and armchairs for reading, while maintaining the quality coffee standards established by their partnership with Broad Porch Coffee Company's successful roastery operations. Prices are competitive at around $2-3 for coffee and $4-6 for lattes and sandwiches, with daily specials and loyalty promotions to engage the neighborhood.
Mr. J's Elkton Express is the newest branch (opened 2022) of Mr. J's Bagels & Deli, started back in 1990 by brothers Joey and David Jerlinski. They've been in business over 35 years in the Valley and this is their 4th location, focusing on fresh made breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, salads, baked goods, and 15 types of bagels baked fresh several times a day. You'll find them at 100 Shenandoah Ave in Elkton, VA 22827, opening at 6 AM with breakfast available all day, 7 days a week. They make 15 flavors of hand-rolled New York-style bagels and 10 cream cheeses in house daily. Flavors include everything, sesame, French toast, jalapeño, and Asiago, with house-made cream cheese options to match. It's a great little cafe. Sandwiches come fresh made and delicious, the bagels are definitely made on-site (you can tell), coffee is fresh, and service is solid. Prices are reasonable too: bagels typically around $1-2, breakfast combos $5-7, sandwiches $6-9. The customer service gets praised constantly, with friendly staff, inviting decor, and a welcoming family-friendly atmosphere. There's online ordering for convenience, a great coffee station, and seasonal offerings like heart-shaped strawberry bagels. Their signature Mr. J's sandwich features grilled chicken, mozzarella, bacon, tomato, and ranch dressing. The original Harrisonburg locations built a loyal following, and the Elkton Express just off I-81 has extended that same quality and charm. A+ BBB rating. Strong on community support.
Flour & Water Co. sits at 124 S Main St in Woodstock, Virginia, a full-scale artisan bakery run by two sisters (the Jerlinski family) who built it into a boutique wholesale operation specializing in handcrafted bread, pastry, and desserts. They've been at it since 2003. Hours are a bit specific: Wednesday 7 AM-3 PM (then again 5 PM-8 PM for evening service), Thursday 7 AM-3 PM, Friday 7 AM-8 PM, Saturday 8 AM-3 PM, closed Sunday through Tuesday. Honestly the schedule takes some getting used to, but once you're in the routine you won't miss it. They do a bistro experience with daily lunch specials, Wednesday Pizza Nite, Friday Supper, and even afternoon tea service with scones and quiches. This place ranks with the best of big-city US and European cafe/bakeries. Not exaggerating. Fresh, authentic, delicious, courteous and efficient service, the whole deal. They've got a 4.8 star rating from 162 reviewers and a matching 4.8 on Google. Popular picks include lavender macarons, sourdough loaves, and their signature juniper blueberry cruffin (a cross between a muffin and croissant with flaky cinnamon sugar outside and sweet juniper blueberry cream inside). The French-quality croissants get constant praise, same with artisan sourdough breads baked using local grains and seasonal eclairs. Multiple customers have said it's the best croissant or baguette they've had since being abroad. That's not nothing.
Bella Gelato & Pastries is the sister spot to Bella Luna wood-fired pizza, and it opened in May 2015 as a downtown Harrisonburg, Virginia landmark for hand-crafted Italian ice cream made with local Mount Crawford Creamery milk. Open 8 AM to 9 PM Monday through Thursday, until 10 PM Friday and Saturday. This is an artisanal gelato parlor and European-style bakery rolled into one, featuring daily-baked bread, an espresso and coffee bar with locally roasted beans, a pastry case stuffed with croissants and other treats, and award-winning gelato. TripAdvisor gives it 4.5 stars and ranks it #4 of 8 desserts in Harrisonburg. People can't stop talking about the French toast bagels, bourbon toffee espresso gelato, and seasonal stuff like chocolate drizzled brownies, cupcakes, macarons, and Irish cream crème brulee. Prices are reasonable (double scoop runs over $4, single-scoop gelato around $4-6), and they've been a community fixture for 8+ years now. The chocolate hazelnut gelato? A favorite. The lemon bar? Possibly the best I've ever had, and I don't say that lightly. The tiramisu is outstanding and the atmosphere is genuinely charming. Customers especially love those cream cheese-filled croissants, which show real craftsmanship. The gelato comes in flavors like toasted almond and coconut without any artificial colorings, so what you see is what you get.
The Maple Cafe is a family-owned coffee shop and bakery at 1925 East Market St in Harrisonburg, VA, tucked inside the Valley Mall, open roughly 10 AM-4 PM Monday through Saturday. Home of the famous maple cinnamon roll. That alone is worth the trip. People rave about the coffee here (rich, nutty flavor that's actually brewed right), plus the freshly made sandwiches, salads, and pastries. The grilled chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat bread? Excellent. The ham sandwich with three different cheeses on homemade white bread? Also excellent. Someone mentioned being from up north where a decent latte can run $10+, and finding the prices here shockingly affordable with quality lattes and large sandwiches well under $10. Everything's made with fresh ingredients and homemade bread. The ham and cheese on toasted sourdough particularly hits. The vibe inside is warm, decor is inviting, and the staff (even the owner) actually greets you when you walk in. That shouldn't feel rare but it does. Menu also includes frappes, frozen hot chocolates, maple rolls, and vanilla loaf slices that go perfectly with your drink. It's become a real community fixture for coffee, smoothies, and sweet or savory treats in Harrisonburg.
