About
Smith Mountain Lake Coffee House is a dream come true for coffee lovers. Whether you live here full-time or you’re staying in a Smith Mountain Lake vacation rental, you’ll be so glad to have this particular coffee house within reach.
Just like the popular coffee chain (but better), Smith Mountain Lake Coffee House offers a nice variety of flavored coffees and teas, as well as a menu of delicious foods to enjoy with your cold or hot beverage. This is a great place to come by in the morning before you take your boat rental out; the Bridgewater Marina & Boat Rentals is just behind the coffee shop. So while your significant other is singing for the boat rental documents, you can be inside the coffee shop, ordering your coffees and pastries to go.
While you’re inside, you’ll definitely want to browse their unique gift items. A trip to Smith Mountain Lake wouldn’t be complete without picking up a trinket or two to bring home. This cozy little coffee shop will certainly tempt you as far as beverages, sweets and souvenirs.
But it’s not only a place to stop in for a quick coffee. This is a place where you can sit, relax and unwind. There are plenty of tables and chairs inside, as well as a large sofa to sink into. Outside, there are high tables and chairs, where you can sit and watch the boats come in and out of the marina. Come in to have a chat with your friends, to kill some time while waiting on your boat, or to have dessert after dining at one of the many eateries in the Bridgewater Plaza.
Location & Environment
This spot is super easy to get to, located in the Bridgewater Plaza on the southwest end of Hales Ford Bridge, off of Booker T. Washington Highway. They offer dine-in and takeout, but no delivery. They’re open at 7 AM, so that’s early enough to get that much-needed cup of Joe before heading out on the lake. They close at 6 PM, and they’re closed on Sunday. The atmosphere in the SML Coffee House is casual and chic. They have distressed, painted wood furniture, with wooden floors and neutral colors on the walls.
They have a special meeting room available for groups that’s private. Several book groups in the area and local companies reserve the room for gatherings and meetings. It’s completely private and if you ask, they will set up a buffet for your group.
I have to say, I’ve rarely encountered a place where the staff are so happy to take care of you. They will bend over backwards to make sure you’re happy and that you find something delicious to enjoy. And if you want to sample something, like a coffee flavor or a sweet delicacy, they are happy to give you a sample. These people, from the owners to the waitstaff, are pleased to be able to serve the locals and tourists at Smith Mountain Lake.
Coffee & Beverages
Lexington Coffee Roasters roasts all the beans for SML Coffee House and deliver it regularly, so their coffee beans are always fresh. They have a vast selection of flavored coffees, and you’ll want to try out several before settling on a favorite. They offer retail bags of coffee for customers who want to bring some coffee home. SML Coffee House will grind up as many beans as you like and you can enjoy your coffee in your vacation rental, on your boat or back home. They get their dairy products from a local place called Homestead Creamery, including the cream that you can add to your own coffee.
Food & Pastries
They offer gluten-free options and diet options for people with dietary restrictions. They even have a special Keto menu. No matter what you want, cheesecake, cookies, brownies, and more, you’ll be able to get a diet version to suit your needs. All their food is baked freshly and in-house. They bake all day, and I can tell you it makes for an enticing smell. The minute you open the door, the smell of baked goods and fresh coffee wafts out and you lose all sense of anything else! Once you see the splendid array of goodies, you’ll definitely find something that you like. But I have to call out the glazed filled croissants which SML Coffee House is kind of “famous” for. Of all their items, this is the one that they’re most likely to run out of before the day is done.
The reason is that people come in and buy them in bulk because they’re so delicious. The owner once recounted a story where a guy from Kentucky came in and bought 24 glazed filled croissants to take back home to his family in Lexington. I’ve had them myself and I can say that they live up to their reputation! Finally, SML Coffee House also offers deli sandwiches with all the brand name cheeses and meats you’ll recognize, such as Boar’s Head.