MÄNI'S BAKERY CAFÉ

"there's Denny's, there's IHop... There's Norm's, and in every other city there's a Coco's.
They're okay, I suppose...

-- But then there's Mani's -- one small step up in price, one giant leap for yumkind.
Believe.
Mani's is the perfect little neighborhood restaurant to eat at when you don't want to dress up to go out, but are also too lazy to crack open your fridge and cook your own meals.

-- At the same time, there's something so elegant in eating a Mani's three egg omelet with a bran muffin and fresh squeezed orange juice, while wearing Crocs and a trucker hat. Elegant, at least, for your tummy, if not so classy on the wardrobe front.

Portions are large, yummy, and on par with Canter's Delicatessen, price-wise. A million times better than Dupar's.

Service is sweet and familiar, in a way that makes you want to come back again for lunch and dinner (this time, in your shiny going-out Crocs).

You'll find plenty of choices to subsidize your gluttony at Mani's, whether you're vegan, lactose intolerant, on a salt or sugar free diet (you've got guts, honey), or are an unrepentant carnivore who wants to tear into a roast beef sandwich like a culinary Tyrannosarus Rex.

Cobb salad at Mani's somehow tastes like a treat.

Yum. So yum...

The inside is cute and cozy, but the real fun is sitting outside. Other customers' puppies will walk up to you and sniff your legs as if they know you.

Oops!

Bits of food keep falling off my plate, and some young lady's chihuahua keeps having to pick up after me.

I don't think he minds working on Sunday.

-- and neither does your server!

Tip accordingly, sweetness."

-kai l.

"I've been going here ever since I was a toddler (I used to live up the street.) I used to love their gingerbread men, which unfortunately they don't seem to carry anymore. Even though I moved out of the area almost a decade ago, I recently decided to pay another visit. I found an amazing array of pastries, drinks, sandwiches, and tons of vegetarian-friendly fabulousness. The server was very patient even though we must have stood there for ten minutes trying to decide between all the amazing food.
I normally hate sandwiches, but those you'll find at Mani's are just incredible. Tofu, and pesto, and mango, and all the toppings in such awesome combinations!
The food selection seems to have changed over time, but the quality remains magnifique. It's a little slice of LA, and totally underrated. I only wish I lived closer so I could come here all the time."

Alex H.

“Oh, just an adorable little space on Fairfax with a delightful bakery, coffee and teas, and a full menu served in the wee hours on weekends. Their black bean soup was thick and filling, and the jalapeno toast was spicy cheesy goodness. The place is tiny but the service is very good, and you can feel free to sit for hours nursing a cupcake and tea and never be bothered other than to refill your water glass. On the way out I grabbed a few sugar-free takehomies, and the best thing was the moist chocolate truffle heart sandwich cookie... the chocolate is so rich and creamy, you hardly miss the sugar.”

–Beth F.

“Mani's is amazing!!! I stopped by last night to pick up a menu and saw their amazing desserts, and then read that they use NO refined sugar! I watched as the guy behind the counter put out fresh chocolate eclairs, and I knew I had to look no further.”

–Danae E.

“Yummy baked goods and a surprisingly complete and delicious menu... great for a Sunday morning muffin/coffee run, or lunch. And on a rainy day, you can't beat their soups, esp if you sit in one of the cozy window booths.”

–Eric M.

“First off, I'm a Pacific Northwesterner and we take our coffee seriously… So when I moved to LA, I found that what most people considered coffee I considered an oil slick.
So when I went to Mani's on my lunch break and finished off my lunch with a mocha, I was hopeful. It was more chocolate than coffee, but it blew my mind. I could just sit there and smell it all day. I've had lattes and espresso there and it's very very good… The fact that most everything is good for you makes it a regular lunch destination for me. If you're in the neighborhood and want a mind-blowing mocha, I suggest stopping by.”

–Kristin B.