Lockwood Cafe doesn’t feel like the other coffee shops in Ames, and that’s exactly why it’s worth the trip. Tucked off campus on Reliable Street, the approach is a little rough around the edges, but step inside and you’ll find one of the most welcoming, genuinely original cafés in town.
The vibe at Lockwood Cafe
The first thing you notice is the atmosphere. Soaring industrial ceilings with exposed ductwork, dramatic curling plants, mismatched furniture, and a wall packed end to end with local posters, art, and community flyers. It has a distinctly relaxed, liberal, lived in feel and it draws a more eclectic, off campus crowd than the student-heavy spots closer to Iowa State. If you’ve only ever done coffee near campus, Lockwood is a refreshing change of scenery.
The food
I ordered the banana Nutella crepe, and it was honestly the best breakfast I’ve had in a long time.
At $7.25 it’s a genuinely reasonable price, and it’s deceptively filling, I ate it at noon and wasn’t hungry again until dinner at 7:30. That’s rare for a crepe, and a real value if you’re stopping in hungry. Lockwood runs a full sweet-and-savory crepe menu alongside their coffee, so it’s as much a brunch spot as a café.
Seating and practicality
There’s plenty of room here, with outlets and a good mix of table sizes small two tops up to larger tables that work well if you’re bringing a group in for brunch. There’s also generous outdoor seating, which was full when I visited on a nice day. I’d imagine the inside fills up fast once Iowa winters set in.
One thing to plan around: Lockwood closes at 3pm and is only open Wednesday through Sunday. So this is a morning-to-early-afternoon spot, not a place to settle in for a long evening work session.
A community focus you can feel
What stuck with me most was how clearly Lockwood tries to give back. There’s a barn style shed out front where people can take clothes for free, and a small area inside offering free packaged goods like rice and canned items. It’s the kind of detail that tells you the people behind this place care about more than just selling coffee.
Bottom Line on the Lockwood Cafe
Lockwood Cafe is best for bringing friends to catch up over a great brunch, not for marathon study sessions the early close time and social, buzzing vibe make it a “meet up and enjoy” spot rather than a “head down and grind” one. But for a memorable, community minded café with food that genuinely overdelivers, it’s one of the most distinctive places to eat or drink in Ames.
The details: Address: 4625 Reliable, Ames, IA 50014 Hours: 8am to 3pm, Wednesday through Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Website: lockwoodcafe.com
Leave a Reply