Ironclad Coffee Roasters & Baking Co.

I’ve been here 3x now and each time the service was super friendly, coffee and food (cheesecake and croissants!!!) were delicious, and the atmosphere was clean and inviting. Lynchburg needed another coffee shop in the area and I’m super happy to have Ironclad. Also, the cheesecakes and brownies on offer were gluten free so that’s a huge win for the GF community. And I would just like to say that my iced latte cost $5.50. I see that there are many people complaining about the prices which makes me laugh because Starbucks cost just as must if not more. It’s honestly embarrassing for Lynchburg to be so unwelcoming of a new great coffee shop. Thankfully each time I’ve been there, they were full of customers so I wish them the best and will continue to give them my business.

I’m a Dallas, TX native, so I’m used to excellent quality coffee/pastries + paying top dollar for it, and want to add my review to the mix. I’ve been to Ironclad frequently over the past month, and was shocked to see such poor Google reviews. My honest thoughts: Coffee: I have tried the regular latte, matcha latte, brown butter chocolate chip cookie latte, Connemara cappuccino, and Florida man and pomegranate espresso tonics. They have all been great! Ironclad puts an insane amount of effort into their products. The drink specials are all accompanied by miniature house-made cookies, and regular drinks come with a mint. The Connemara Cappuccino special is smoked with real Irish turf in a glass box! The brown butter chocolate chip cookie latte uses milk steeped for 24hrs in house-made cookies for its flavor! The Florida man tonic is made with fresh pressed tangerine juice. You cannot beat the quality + effort! I experienced the bitter taste of espresso that some reviewers have mentioned ONLY when I got it with macadamia milk (which is thinner, and doesn't cut the espresso as well as a fattier milk like whole or oat.) Food: I have tried their breakfast sandwiches, quiche (best I've ever had), and various pastries, and there has not been a single thing I didn’t love. I am very picky and prefer to cook/bake my own food so that I can be assured of the quality. I completely trust Ironclad, though. They also offer a variety of unique baked goods which cannot be found anywhere else in Lynchburg. Examples: Matcha white chocolate cheesecake, Dubai chocolate croissant, Banana Cream Pie croissant, Cannoli croissant, Lemon Meringue croissant, et cetera. The bakers are extremely innovative. Quality/Dietary Restrictions: Ironclad uses real, quality ingredients for all their food. Everything is house-made, down to the bread on their breakfast sandwiches.The alternative milks Ironclad offers are excellent quality. They have Homestead creamery whole milk, milkadamia macadamia milk (which has NO added seed oils or sugar), and an oat milk. They also make all their syrups in-house, and offer natural sweeteners like local wildflower honey. They consistently have one or multiple vegan and gluten free food items, which is so appreciated. The gluten free brownie is huge, moist, and tastes phenomenal! Prices: Quite a few complaints have to do with pricing. My first time at Ironclad, I got a 24 oz latte with macadamia milk and honey. The size, alternative milk and sweetener did rack up the total to over $13. In my opinion, it is high, but that's just the price you pay for the largest size and two modifications. Other drinks do not cost this much! That all said, I am willing to pay for quality. Knowing the effort and quality that drinks and food items have, I feel that the price is justified. Again, there’s nothing else like it in Lynchburg. Mission House, White Hart, et cetera simply don’t compare. (also worth adding that coffee has been progressively getting more expensive everywhere, and tipping culture doesn’t help the price either!) Ambiance/Wifi/Employees: The inside is gorgeous and honestly stands out in a small town like Lynchburg. Definitely gives boujee, big-city vibes. There IS wifi. The experiences I’ve had with the employees have been perfectly fine. They were nice and respectful. **I own my own espresso machine, and have still been here an embarrassing amount in the month of April. ** not an employee or paid reviewer (although I would accept a brown butter chocolate chip cookie latte as a ‘thank you’)