Pastimes Café, located at 14224 Madison Ave, opened on Feb. 20 and is already a must-visit destination. Owner Evan Laisure launched Pastimes in 2019 as a food truck/bagel stand at farmers’ markets and in the Cap & Corks parking lot in Lakewood. Laisure and his team spent years building their business, eventually bringing it to a stationary location.
Laisure, who attended art school and worked as a freelance muralist, designed the café to bring together his two passions: art and breakfast. The interior is filled with murals and artwork that represent environmentalism and conservation, creating a unique aesthetic in the Lakewood coffee shop scene.
The name “Pastimes” represents the “good old days,” focusing on modern quality and timeless authenticity. A Lakewood native, Laisure aimed to create a space that served the community with a local flair.
The menu features staple breakfast items made with whole foods, as well as fun spins on traditional dishes. “I want to be able to serve breakfast in a quick way, a place for people to have breakfast with their kids on a Saturday morning,” Laisure said.
Pastimes current menu features “Build A Bagel” breakfast sandwiches, three different variations of oat pancakes, 10 artisan breakfast sandwiches, three different breakfast burritos, and rotating brunch specials.
Though called “breakfast sandwiches,” the menu items can also make for a quality lunch option. The menu also features vegetarian and vegan options.
The beverage selection is managed by Alex Tharnish, the barista and coffee commodore, who curates classic staples and well-developed signature drinks. Tharnish created As Told by Ginger—a honey brown sugar latte with ground ginger steamed into it, which he claims is “so good on an early winter morning.”
Laisure and Tharnish hope to expand their tea and coffee menu in the future and continue to enhance classic flavors. “My goal is to keep it simple and elevate the true flavors so they can really shine,” Tharnish said.
Despite the competitive nature of the local coffee shop scene, Pastimes is already standing out through its food, artwork, and service. “I honestly have only the most positive things to say about Pastimes,” new customer Erin Boyer said. “The employees were so kind and personable, the food was delicious, and the environment was very inviting.”
Pastimes is an embodiment of Laisure’s self-expression and love for Lakewood. Every detail is carefully attended to and created with the customer’s experience in mind. The shop is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. A Laisure simply puts it, “Come get breakfast.”
