Connecticut’s Vanilla Bean Cafe becomes Motorcycle Hot Spot

By Cameron Vanderhorst - September 5, 2019

It’s a far cry from your average biker bar, but if you’re in the area, it’s a must-see spot for good food and hot coffee.

It doesn’t have a cool biker bar theme. It doesn’t even have a paved parking lot. But every sunny weekend morning, Pomfret, Connecticut’s Vanilla Bean Cafe is a mecca for New England motorcyclists.

The Vanilla Bean Cafe’s rustic charm, great food, and hot coffee make it a draw for bikers far and wide. Its location in northeastern Connecticut puts it right smack in the middle of some of New England’s best riding roads, and its close proximity to the Massachusetts and Rhode Island borders mean that the parking lot on any given Sunday is dotted with an impressive collection of license plates.

Even more impressive, according to the Hartford Courant, is the eclectic selection of motorcycles on display. From Harley-Davidsons to Kawasaki Ninjas, you’ll see it all in the parking lot of the Vanilla Bean Cafe. Their reporter even spotted a Moto Guzzi – Harley-Davidson’s Italian air-cooled V-twin counterpart – among the bikes parked at the shop.

According to co-founder Barry Jessurun, motorcyclists have been a big part of the Vanilla Bean Cafe’s customer base since the early days of the cafe. Forums like this one contributed to its popularity as local riders spread the good news.

The Vanilla Bean Cafe has both a deck and picnic tables where riders can sit outside to sip their coffee and chat with other bikers. Inside, there’s a cozy, old-world feel that would make for a nice respite from the chill of autumn air if you’re riding late into the season.

Humbly, Jessurun points out that there aren’t many places to stop in that area. Like many, we want to get away from it all when we swing a leg over the saddle. Riding through the New England countryside, it’s nice to see trees and green spaces uninterrupted by strip malls and fast food joints.

In fact, Pomfret, Connecticut’s zoning laws, which were designed in part to preserve that country charm, prevent the Vanilla Bean Cafe’s owners from paving the parking lot. From what we can tell, it doesn’t seem to hurt biker business one bit.

Photos: Hartford Courant