The best coffee shops in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, ranked
With help from readers, we've rounded up a list of the 12 best coffee shops in our region — from bustling cafes to hidden gems — worth adding to your regular rotation.
How it works: We considered a host of factors when putting this ranking together, including quality of the coffee, customer service, the vibe and the cafe's overall non-coffee offerings.
We always pay our own way.
12. Boulted Bread
Not technically a coffee shop, but a bakery with coffee worthy of recognition.
Boulted Bread's new location opened in May 2023, and it's since become a great place to spend your sleepy weekend mornings or hammer out some work with the help of a flaky croissant or morning bun.
Plus: You just never know who you might run into, like your neighbor, your favorite local business owner, the mayor or a congressperson.
Location: 328 Dupont Cir, Raleigh
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 7am to 4pm
11. Pine State Coffee
Boasting both a shaggy exterior and an off-the-beaten-path location, Raleigh's Pine State offers a welcome refuge between the Mordecai neighborhood and the din of Capital Boulevard.
Pine State shines through its in-house roasted coffee beans and some of the most welcoming staff in the Triangle.
What's next: Pine State has long shared its home with the running store Runologie. But with Runologie shutting down retail operations, Pine State is in the process of expanding areas to sit and lounge.
Location: 614 Automotive Way
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7am-4pm
Saturday, 8am-5pm
Sunday, 9am-2pm
10. Cup a Joe
A Raleigh favorite for decades — squint and it could still be the '90s inside — Cup a Joe has something for everyone, whether you're a college student in need of a place to study or old friends looking for a spot to catch up.
It will always be a local icon. If you don't believe us, take comedian Patton Oswalt's word for it.
Location: 3100 Hillsborough St.
Hours: Daily 6am to 7pm
What's next: Cup a Joe will open its second location in August at Mission Valley Shopping Center: 2109 Avent Ferry Road, Raleigh
9. Caffe Driade
Tucked away in the woods next to Bolin Creek, Caffe Driade's appeal is as much about the landscape as it is the drinks.
While its interiors are small, sitting among the tree-filled patios around Driade is one of the more sublime ways to take an espresso.
Stick around long enough and you can trade your latte for a glass of wine and some live music on the weekends.
Location: 1215-A E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 8am-2pm
Friday, 8am-6pm
Saturday and Sunday, 9am-6pm
8. NoRa Cafe
A prime meetup spot in North Raleigh that has far more than just an expansive coffee menu. NoRa also serves build-your-own breakfast sandwiches, Liege waffles made from brioche dough, wine and beer.
Location: 12333 Strickland Roa., Suite 100
Hours: Daily 7am to 8pm
7. Sola Coffee Cafe
Whether you need a smoothie, lunch or just a quick cup of coffee, Sola has it all. The bustling cafe, which brands itself as a community gathering place, is the place to be any day of the week.
Address: 7705 Lead Mine Road, Raleigh
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 7am to 3pm
6. The Optimist
Raleigh's The Optimist has taken off since it opened its first location between the Oakwood and Mordecai neighborhoods in 2020.
The shop has since expanded to North Raleigh and east of North Hills, along with opening a cart at PNC Arena.
Locations: 1000 Brookside Dr., Suite 109, Raleigh: Monday through Saturday 7am to 5pm, Sunday 8am to 5pm
4509 Creedmoor Road, Suite 104, Raleigh: Monday through Friday 7am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am to 5pm
1000 Social St., on the first floor of The Exchange: Monday through Friday, 7am to 4pm
5. Black & White Coffee
One of the Triangle's most well-known roasters also has two brick-and-mortar coffee shops, serving creative lattes, a small selection of pastries and quality teas.
Plus: Black & White's downtown Raleigh location is inside Videri Chocolate Factory, so grab a cup of coffee and some soft serve or chocolates when you need to treat yourself.
Locations: 327 W Davie St., Raleigh: Monday through Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm, Sunday 9am to 3pm
314 S Brooks St., Wake Forest: Monday through Friday 7am to 6pm
4. Cocoa Cinnamon
After originally serving coffee on a bicycle, Cocoa Cinnamon opened its first permanent location in 2013, ushering in a wave of specialty coffee shops across downtown Durham.
Today, it has three locations, each with its own personality, especially its coffee roasting location on Chapel Hill Road. There you can also grab delicious churros with your cappuccino.
Its in-house roastery, Little Waves, has won several awards since its beginning in 2017.
Locations: 420 West Geer St., Durham: Monday through Friday 7am to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am to 7pm
2627 Hillsborough Road, Durham: Monday through Friday 7am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am to 6pm
2013 Chapel Hill Road, Durham: Monday through Friday 7:30am to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am to 7pm
3. Joe Van Gogh
An OG of the Triangle's specialty coffee scene, Joe Van Gogh has grown into one of the area's biggest roasters over the past three decades.
While its excellent roasts and adventurous seasonal drinks are the main draw, Joe Van Gogh offers one of the best pastry programs among coffee shops as well.
Locations: 1129 AD Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill: Daily 6:30am – 5:30pm
1104 B Broad St., Durham; Daily 6:30am – 5:30pm
4711 Hope Valley Road, Durham: Daily 6:30am – 5:30pm
150 Medical Dr., Chapel Hill: Monday through Friday 7am to 4pm
211 Shannon Road, Durham: Monday through Friday 7am to 2pm
3109 Poplarwood Ct Suite 115, Raleigh: Monday through Friday 7am to 4pm
2. Jubala Coffee
A tried and true fixture of Raleigh's coffee scene, Jubala's brews and biscuits are some of the best around.
Locations 8450 Honeycutt Road, Suite 104, Raleigh
2100 Hillsborough St., Suite 100, Raleigh
200 Park at North Hills St., Suite 140, Raleigh
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7am to 5pm
Saturday through Sunday 8am to 5pm
1. The Left Hook Coffee
Owned by Kristin Kulik, Raleigh's Left Hook Coffee has quickly become a crowd favorite in the Triangle's coffee scene.
Since opening inside Gussie's last spring, Kulik has built out a team with a reputation for slinging unrivaled espresso drinks and next-level customer service — the kind that makes you feel like you're a celebrity when you're grabbing a morning cup of joe.
What's next: Kulik already has her eye on the next thing: she's roasting coffee out of the old Hargett Street Laundromat, which she hopes to have up and running as a standalone coffee shop by the fall.
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