Mea Culpa Cafe

Thorough. Omg. The food is unbelievable, I was so pleased with the entire experience, highly recommend. My husband is very critical, yet he was impressed with the quality of the coffee and food. It's clean, the people who work there have such wholesome respectful vibes. They got it right for sure, and it's a hidden gem.

This little cafe has created a sense of the slower pace of a small town. You feel yourself exhale deeply, settling into your seat on the porch, exulting in the breeze and the greenery caressing the railing. Downtown seems a world away.
We found the setting to be beautifully clean. The indoor space is bright, fresh, impeccably clean, nicely decorated in an opened, uncluttered way. The tile wall is the star of the show.
Expect to wait a bit for your food. It’s made to order and worth it. Order some coffee and enjoy your moments.
My guests were thrilled with their waffles. Not a crumb was left of neither the goat cheese nor the lemon curd.
I tested the highly recommended kale and chickpea salad. The kale was ultra fresh and not too bitter. This savory combination of ingredients and blend of textures is definitely one to try.
I’ll definitely return.

They have good coffee, good tea, and good waffle based foods (I had one with goat cheese, herbs, pistachios, and honey that was really good). The coolest thing, however, is the overall vibe. They are in an old house, have a little used bookstore incorporated into an old staircase, and a community refrigerator out front that has food for anyone who needs it. I think that is a great idea worth donating to.

This cafe is INCREDIBLE! The lime and pepitas latte was the best I’ve ever had. It was not overly sweet and had a great depth of flavor. The lemon curd waffle was also wonderful and not overly sweet. The place extrudes a very warm and inviting vibe. The patio and courtyard are great places to have a conversation. It’s a little louder inside. My friend was blown away by the oatmeal. The best savory oatmeal she’s ever had. She could describe it as, “That oatmeal… gosh”. The food and drinks can take a while to come out but the wait is definitely worth it. This place is a must try.

So glad we gave this place a second chance since we weren't super happy with our first visit.

This time everything was exceptional. Amazing food and cafe and we really like the atmosphere. Feels like having a cozy breakfast while sitting at home.

We will definitely come back.

Had no idea what to expect when I walked in. Had my mind absolutely blown! Had possibly the best London fog I have ever had (and I have had a lot of London fogs), followed by a delicious breakfast. We had the corn pancakes and goat cheese waffle, both with egg. Both were filling, each bite was a perfect combination of sweet and salty. It was quite a memorable meal, left me feeling satisfied, happy and full. Highly recommend and cannot wait to go back.

One of the best place in Norfolk! The food and coffee always outstanding... Most important that every dish is so creative, flavorful and surprising all the time! Today we tried chicken sandwich and let me tell you, it was one of the best sandwich in my life! Chicken was juicy, caremalized onion and cheese combined with broccoli and greens, and sauce made it work! Even the bun was house made, fresh and soft, that's how it should be for all the sandwiches in the world 😅

Best latte I have ever had was here (it’s the lime pistachio one!), I appreciate this cafe always wanting to experiment with new flavor combinations that I have yet to see replicated anywhere else. The atmosphere inside this shop is so great and I adore that you can buy used books here, I always find something I’ve been wanting to read. The food is very tasty but I will say it’s all slightly rich or sweet for my preference, but based on the name/menu you can figure out what suits you best, still love the place and come by frequently.

This cafe is next level. You will not be disappointed. Coming from a harsh critic- The coffee is some of the absolute best I have had. We tried the coconut lime latte and coriander caramel- both SO good. Not too sweet and a great coffee taste that was perfectly balanced. We also got a liege waffle with chocolate maple sauce. My mom was born in Brussels, Belgium and I grew up having homemade liege waffles and I have to say these tasted incredibly authentic and SO fresh. I also REALLY appreciate that everything was served on real ceramic dishes and silverware not wasteful plastic or paper. The staff was very kind and the atmosphere made you want to stay for a while. I felt like I was in another country on a lavish vacation. Such a wonderful experience. Will definitely be back.

Great place! Not a big menu, which I actually prefer cause it's usually better.
But most were vegetarian or vegan, which I really enjoy!
It was also super good! And the staff is really nice, I'll definitely go back!
Oh and on a side note, they have books!!!! I always love a coffee place with books!!!! I'll add 2 more stars for that if I could.

Absolutely LOVE their coffee!! They have amazing service very talented baristas. For all my fellow waffle fanatics, look no further! Their waffles are the perfect balance between fluffy and crunchy and the waffle sandwiches are so delicious and made with fresh, tasty ingredients. This was a great morning pick on my visit to Virginia!

Haven't visited in years. What a treat! Imaginative! Inventive! Delicious! Strawberry Tonic suprise!! Chocolate Orange Latte 🤗 Liege Waffle😋🫠

You’ve never had a waffle until you’ve had These waffles.

Favorite new breakfast and brunch spot. I had the breakfast waffle sandwich and it is both unique and flavorful. The coffee is great as well. Nice vibe in this hipster hideout.

Love their breakfast waffle, their corn pancakes, and their kale and chickpea salad. I also love their strawberry latte with almond milk. As a vegetarian, I would very much recommend this cafe, especially if you're looking for a bright, welcoming place to work alone or with friends.

Atmosphere is flawless. Espresso drinks are excellent. Waffle sandwich is freaking incredible. There’s usually a bit of a wait for food to arrive, so come when you’re not in a hurry.

This is my favorite breakfast/ brunch place in town. The Belgian waffles are fabulous and the flavor combinations on the food are another level. Since food is fantastic drinks could just be ok, but NO they are outstanding, coffee is fantastic and carefully prepared by a great barista. Other drinks are also creative and well thought and prepared, you should try them all without regrets and come back often to taste new additions to the menu.

This place is a breakfast and brunch dream.There is indoor and outdoor seating. Blooming jasmine gives you some privacy from the road and adds extra aroma to your experience. the atmosphere is very intentional and minimalistic without being underwhelming. The coffee and food were incredible. I left very satisfied without feeling over stuffed. I've been looking for a cute cafe since moving to VA and have been underwhelmed until now. I will definitely be back often with friends and visitors.

This is the place to go. Absolutely impeccable food, service, and atmosphere. Everything about the place speaks high quality and is thoughtfully put together. A real gem!

The breakfast waffle sandwhich is an amazing dish. Don’t be put off by the waffle as the sandwhich bread, it’s truly a delectable addition. Each part of the sandwhich adds to the total flavor: butter and sweetness from the waffle; robustness and and full body from the egg; spice from the squash; salt from the dried tomatoes. The coffee’s great too.

This place is amazing! We were very pleased on our first visit…clean healthy food!

Service was great and they actually wait on you 😁

Highlight of the day…I asked for a hot tea and they made it all fancy like my husband’s coffee ☕