Located in the same building as H&H Fitness on 803 West Commerce, BnB is now run by Margaret Maclaughlin, who also owns and runs Big Mac’s Barbeeque. When she saw the opportunity to take over management of the coffee shop, she said, she acted quickly, adding the Bobcat coffee drink to the menu, for example, and making other changes, like adding pastries.
At the moment, BnB is getting ready to serve a seasonal drink soon, McLaughlin said, that should start a habit at the store of offering beverages that go with the time of year. “If watermelon is here, we're going to have a watermelon drink,” she said, also mentioning the possibility of a pumpkin spice drink for the fall or a drink that suits Christmas time when it arrives.
Maclaughlin said she has always been a coffee drinker herself and her twin daughters have also taken up the habit. “They always want Starbucks, but I saw the opportunity, and I know coffee is a good addition to the business.”
A good addition to your morning would be the Bobcat cold coffee beverage I was provided. It tops a mix of sweetened coffee and half and half with a layer of whipped cream with caramel stripes. It went fast and I wanted more. I also had a caramel macchiato, a warm concoction of steamed milk in which a shot of espresso is dropped. Delicious, of course, and the cause of a productive morning and afternoon of writing.
BnB also favored me with a selection of beignets that reminded me of nights at the Coffee Call in Baton Rouge, but had chocolate interiors. I also enjoyed a slice of their avocado toast which is topped with Arugula leaves, a great way to get morning breakfast energy and satisfyingly savory. Finally, I tried their chicken and waffles breakfast sandwich, especially enjoying the indulgent flavor of the waffles with the tender chicken.
It was a morning of being thoroughly spoiled, and one I hope to repeat soon with the many other menu items, which include so many coffee beverages, brewed coffee of course but also their Americano blend, the above-mentioned Caramel Macchiato, Frappes, Caramel, Mocha, White Mocha, Vanilla and Hazelnut Lattes. Their coffee comes from the Lavazza Company. Their fruit smoothies include strawberry banana, mango, blueberry, pineapple and mixed berry.
Their food items are a true horn of plenty, with several breakfast sandwiches incorporating croissants, biscuits or toast. They have wraps, bagels, crumble muffins, four kinds of Danish, Belgian waffles and cold drinks. I found the prices very reasonable, especially compared to those of the big chain coffee shops. Watch their Facebook site for specials.
Hours at BnB are 5:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday. If you love the service, buy its merch, too. Snazzy shirts and hats with Hope’s zip code and the store’s logo are on display.
