PJ's Coffee

The beignets are the reason to walk into PJ's on a Sunday morning. They are baked fresh, regulars pick them up by the dozen, and they are the signature menu item of the New Orleans-based chain that this Greensboro location is a family-owned franchise of. They also sometimes run out. One customer was disappointed to find none available when they showed up expecting the full New Orleans menu, which is worth knowing before the drive over.

Call ahead to confirm beignet availability if that is the reason for the trip.

The shop is on Market Street near Lake Oconee, with a drive-thru and mobile-app pickup. The room itself is spacious, with multiple seating styles (tables, couches, high tops) and enough space between them that the layout supports both a quick stop and a longer sit-down. Free wifi for business customers. Pup cups for dog owners.

The iced white chocolate latte is the regular order. Vanilla latte with hazelnut syrup is the customization that locals have figured out and that the menu does not advertise. Mocha cold brew with cold foam, granitas, fluffy muffins, plain croissants, a turkey-sausage sunrise sandwich, and an egg-and-cheese biscuit handle the rest of the menu reliably.

The operational catch is the counter pace when mobile orders stack up. If you walked in expecting a quick in-person order and there are twenty app orders in the queue ahead of you, the wait is longer than the room makes it look.

For Lake Oconee locals who use the drive-thru and the app, that is not a problem. For the visitor who came specifically for the New Orleans-style menu, the right move is to call ahead, order the beignets, and treat everything else as a bonus on the morning. The drive-thru moves faster than the counter. The mobile app moves faster than both.