Sweet Lela's Market Cafe, which opened on the Towson Circle in late June, is probably one of the best new eateries in Towson.
Sweet Lela's is an upscale fast-casual Italian cafe aimed mostly at the lunch-hour crowd.
Patrons order inside then, if they're eating in, sit down somewhere inside or outside (though I saw some menus going outside, so I suppose they can work that way, too).
A brief note about seating, however: There's just not enough of it.There are a few two-seat tables inside and several larger tables outside.
When we went, the outdoor tables filled up while we were there so the staff brought out several additional tables, which I would imagine could only do so much.
In the winter or during bad weather, it's going to be really hard to find a seat. But then again, I think they're counting on people grabbing their lunch and going back to the office.
The menu is mostly gourmet Italian dishes mixed with American sandwiches.
No spaghetti to be had here, however--the menu is mostly standard lunch fare, stuff like sandwiches, soups, and salads.
I had the Eggplant Caprese ($8.95), one of their daily specials. It was delicious, with fresh mozzarella and bread topped with what must have been salad dressing. It was excellent, though it didn't seem like very much food for the money.
I later returned for the Panino Caprese ($8.50). The ciabatta bread and basil tasted very fresh. All entrees were served with a small house salad.
My friend got the entree-size house salad ($6.95). She said the vinaigrette dressing that came with it was fantastic. The greens were very fresh.
Assorted bottled beverages are also available from their cooler. They have everything from spring water to organic green tea soda to non-alcoholic wine. The drinks are a little pricey though, so expect to pay at least $2.25 for that bottle of soda. Or if you like coffee, they have espressos and lattes on the menu.
For dessert she got a scoop of gelato ($2.25), and I tried a piece of tiramisu ($5.25). The gelato was smooth, and the tiramisu was amazingly creamy. There just wasn't enough of it. If you pay over $5 for something like that, you'd expect a somewhat bigger piece. However, it's definitely worth going back for - even if a tad pricey.
Service was very good and fast. The waiter was nice, the staff was helpful, and I generally had no complaints.
The plastic ware they hand out puzzled me. They wrap it in nice napkins like a full-service restaurant, and it looks like stainless steel until you pick it up. I've never seen any place do that before.
Overall, while Sweet Lela's lacks enough seating and the prices are a little high, it's a pleasure on a warm afternoon and well worth checking out.
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