Lighthouse Coffee Roasters & Cafe

Lighthouse hides in a North Kingstown plaza, the kind of plaza you'd pass for years without noticing. Several regulars admit they did exactly that before finally walking in. The room is calm and chic, with comfortable seating, couches and chairs, and soft morning music playing low enough to talk over without raising your voice. The only laptop-friendly perch is a counter against the wall, so plan accordingly if you came in to work. Ample easy parking out front, which is the kind of small thing that matters when you're trying to make a coffee stop part of a busier morning rather than a separate errand. The coffee gets roasted in-house and is the reason to make the stop in the first place. People in the area call it the best in town and they've had time to compare. Cappuccinos come up most often in regulars' orders, and the everything bagel with chive cream cheese has a small but loyal following that mentions it specifically. Breakfast sandwiches handle the morning rush for people who want a meal with their cup. The other thing worth knowing: Lighthouse keeps a real selection of gluten-free and dairy-free pastries, which is uncommon for a roaster-cafe at this size in this part of Rhode Island. People with those restrictions mention it specifically and come back because of it. The pastries and bagels round out a small but considered food program. Service is friendly enough that customers single it out, which is the kind of detail that compounds over time. It suits locals and plaza visitors who want a calm cafe with strong coffee and food they can eat without negotiating with the staff first about ingredients. Less of a fit for a long laptop session, since the dedicated counter is short and outlets are in short supply. Good morning coffee, considered pastries, easy parking. Limited if you need to camp for hours with a laptop and a charger. The kind of plaza shop that rewards the people who finally pulled into the lot after years of driving by.