You should definitely check out the excellent coffee shops in Raleigh, NC. If you’re exploring the city, having a cup of coffee at one of these lovely cafes is amazing.
Raleigh is home to the most incredible coffee shops. Not only do the cafes serve delicious coffee and great food, but they also have beautiful interiors.
Whether you’re a caffeine lover that wants a drink or you’re looking for a place to work for a while, the cafes in this city are perfect.
I always love exploring coffee shops when I’m traveling. Trying specialty coffee drinks, having delicious pastries, and enjoying the vibe of a cafe is just a lovely thing to do! I made this list of the best cafes in Raleigh for you to choose where you want to get your cup of coffee.
Best Coffee Shops in Raleigh
Idle Hour Coffee Roasters
One of the best coffee shops in Raleigh is definitely Idle Hour Coffee.
You can find this coffee shop on Oberlin Road in the city of Raleigh.
The coffee that you can have here is very good and I’m sure you’ll love the flavors.
But that’s not the only reason to go to this coffee shop. That’s because, besides great coffee, you can get very good baked goods and pastries at this place.
For example, you can have very delicious donuts here that I’m positive you’ll like while having a cup of coffee here.
Also, what’s great is that you can get cheesecake and many other delicious types of cake here.
What’s great about the food, besides the flavor, is that it looks very pretty as well.
Address: 1818 Oberlin Rd #103, Raleigh, NC 27608
Heirloom
Heirloom is a great place to go as well if you are looking to have great coffee.
This is a specialty coffee shop where you can have all kinds of unique drinks that are very delicious.
Furthermore, you can get great tea at this place as well. For example, you can get delicious matcha here.
Besides that, there are very delicious and beautiful pastries that you can get here together with a cup of coffee.
For example, you can get very good macarons at this place.
Also, what’s great is that the interior of this coffee shop is stunning. It features a lot of pink elements and the coffee shop has a very minimalistic design.
Address: 219 S West St, Raleigh, NC 27603
42 & Lawrence
42 & Lawrence is a great place that coffee lovers in Raleigh you should miss out on for sure.
You can get very delicious coffee drinks at this place, and every type of coffee here is very good.
For example, you can get very delicious espresso, iced coffee, cold brew, and lattes here.
Also, what’s great is that the lattes come with very beautiful latte art that makes ordering a drink here much more fun.
What’s nice as well is that you can get seasonal drinks here. For example, you can sometimes get lavender cloud cold brew here. Also, you can get a berry lemonade at this place during some times of the year. And there are many other drinks to choose from during the year.
Address: 134 E Martin St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Benelux Cafe
Benelux Coffee is a lovely coffee shop that is located in the city of Raleigh, NC in the Village District.
What’s great about this coffee shop is that they roast their own coffee beans. Because of this, the coffee that you can get here will be very fresh.
Also, what’s great is that the cafe roasts the coffee in small batches.
Besides great coffee, you can go to this place for delicious Belgian Waffles that I’m sure you’ll love. Besides that, you can get other delicious baked goods at Benelux Coffee. With these, the coffee shop aims to bring a piece of the countries of the Benelux to the city of Raleigh.
Address: 402 Oberlin Rd #118, Raleigh, NC 27605
Iris Coffee Lab
Iris Coffee Lab is another one of the best coffee shops in the city.
You can find this place on Glenwood South in downtown Raleigh.
At this place, you can get a variety o different coffee drinks. For example, you can go here for drip coffee, lattes, espressos, and much more. Also, the tea that this place serves is very good!
Besides that, what’s great about Iris Coffee Lab is that it has a very minimalistic and modern interior. And there is both indoor and outdoor seating, which makes going to this place even better!
Address: 725 Tucker St, Raleigh, NC 27603
NoRa Cafe
The NoRa Cafe is a great place that you can find in North Raleigh.
You can get delicious and very fresh coffee drinks at this place, and these drinks are made with coffee beans from the partner Carrboro Coffee Roasters.
Besides that, you can get delicious baked goods that pair very well with the drinks of this place. For example, you can get very good Liege waffles here that are very tasty. These waffles are made from special brioche dough and come with pearl sugar.
What’s great about this place as well is that there are many books available that you can read and buy for 1 dollar.
Furthermore, another great aspect of this coffee shop is the relaxing patio.
Address: 12333 Strickland Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613
Aversboro Coffee
Aversboro Coffee is another lovely coffee shop that you can find in the city of Raleigh.
This coffee shop has a very relaxing and cozy atmosphere.
Also, what’s great is that the coffee shop offers a lot of specialty drinks that can be great to try. There are many unique options. For example, you can get drinks with peppermint, banana, coconut, and much more at this place.
There are so many different options to choose from. For example, you can get delicious frozen drinks here made with cold brew coffee.
Besides that, you can get very delicious baked goods at this place that pairs very well with the different coffee drinks.
Address: 9101 Fayetteville Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603
Sir Walter Coffee
Sir Walter Coffee is another great coffee shop that you can find in downtown Raleigh. You can find this coffee shop on East Davie Street.
At this coffeehouse, you can get all kinds of classic coffee drinks and there are more creative drinks as well.
For example, you can get very good drip coffee here, there are great latte drinks, and there’s much more to choose from. Also, the nitro cold brew of this coffee shop is very delicious! Furthermore, there are many other drinks to try here besides coffee, such as great tea drinks.
Besides that, you can get lots of different food options at this cafe in Raleigh. For example, you can get delicious sandwiches here together with a cup of coffee.
Address: 145 E Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Black & White Coffee
Another great coffee shop in Raleigh is Black & White Coffee.
At this place, you can enjoy great single-origin coffees and very good complex blends.
What’s great is that this is a coffee roastery that also has its own cafes. Because of this, they use their own roasted beans to make a delicious cup of coffee.
Furthermore, what’s great is that the cafes have a beautiful minimalistic and industrial interior that looks very beautiful. Also, there are many works of art at the cafes.
This interior makes going here for a drink an even better experience.
Also, you can get great latte drinks at Black & White Coffee, and the mocha that this place serves is very good as well.
Address: 327 W Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601
321 Coffee
321 Coffee is a coffee shop and roastery that is located on Farmers Market Drive in the city of Raleigh.
This is a coffee shop that is staffed by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The coffee shop employs about 50 people in total that work to give you one of the best coffee experiences in the city of Raleigh.
There are several locations of this coffee shop in the city and I’m sure you’ll have a great time at each of these locations.
Also, what’s great is that 321 Coffee roasts its own coffee. Because of that, the coffee is very fresh, which is great.
Furthermore, the roastery part of this place supplies more than 100 companies in the city with their coffee, which is great!
Address: 615 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27603
Larry’s Coffee
Larry’s Coffee is also one of the best Raleigh coffee shops. This place is perfect for people that are coffee lovers.
At this place, the beans that are used to make the coffee are slow-roasted. Also, the beans are completely organic and Fair Trade.
Furthermore, what’s great is that this coffee shop is sustainable in a variety of aspects. For example, they use solar collectors to heat up the floors and they use rainwater to water the garden.
Besides that, the coffee that you can get here is very delicious and I’m sure you’ll like the flavors of it.
What’s nice too is that if you like the coffee, you can buy a bag of beans to make the coffee at home.
Address: 1507 Gavin St, Raleigh, NC 27608
Purr Cup Cafe
Purr Cup Cafe is a very nice cafe in Raleigh that you should check out for sure.
This is a cute place where you can do two things. You can drink amazing coffee and see cats at the same time. So it is a coffee shop with cats.
There are two areas at this place. There is a cafe area and a cat lounge where you can find the cats.
The coffee of this place is very good and I’m sure you’ll like the flavor of it.
Besides that, the cats are very cute. You can play with them and have a great time. Also, these are cats that can be adopted.
Keep in mind that if you want to go to the cat lounge, there is limited space, and you need to make a reservation.
Address: 210 Prospect Ave, Raleigh, NC 27603
The Third Place Coffee Shop
The Third Place Coffeeshop is another lovely coffee shop. If you like coffee, you should definitely consider going to this place as well.
This is a very cozy coffee shop with a beautiful interior and a great atmosphere that will make your experience of going here a great one. Also, there are very comfortable seats at this place, which makes going there for a cup of coffee even better.
The coffee that this place serves is very delicious.
Also, what’s great is that you can get good food here. For example, you can go here for great bagels and other baked goods.
Furthermore, what’s nice is that this place features local art.
Address: 1811 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27608
Sosta Cafe
Sosta Cafe is also a great cafe to check out when you are spending some time in the city of Raleigh.
At Sosta Cafe, you can enjoy great coffee and food. Also, this place focuses on showcasing great art and there is nice music that improves your experience.
There are many great options of coffee drinks to choose from that I’m sure you’ll like.
Also, the food is incredible. For example, you can get very delicious sandwiches here.
What’s nice about Sosta Cafe as well is that there are a lot of vegan and vegetarian options. This large selection of vegan and vegetarian options is unlike the selection that you can find at other places.
Address: 130 E Davie St #1806, Raleigh, NC 27601
The Optimist Raleigh
At The Optimist Raleigh, you can get very good specialty coffee drinks that I’m sure you’ll like.
You can get a lot of different drinks here that are great to try.
Also, what’s great is that you can get very good latte drinks at this place, and these come with beautiful latte art.
Furthermore, you can get great matcha and chai tea drinks at The Optimist Raleigh.
What’s nice too is that this place serves very good food. For example, you can go to this place for delicious breakfast sandwiches. So if you’re looking for cafes in Raleigh to have breakfast, this place is great as well. Also, you can get the best English muffins at this place.
What’s nice about The Optimist Raleigh as well is that the interior is very cute. There are a lot of patterns, plants, and bright shades of blue that are great to see.
Address: 1000 Brookside Dr STE 109, Raleigh, NC 27604
Pine State Coffee
Pine State Coffee is another top spot for great coffee when you are in Raleigh.
You can find Pine State Coffee on the Automotive Way in the city.
This is a specialty coffee roaster where you can get very good unique coffee drinks. Also, there are latte drinks that are very tasty and that come with great latte art.
Furthermore, the atmosphere of Pine State Coffee is wonderful too. The place has a very relaxing and cozy atmosphere, and what’s great is that the personnel that works here is very friendly.
Another great aspect of Pine State Coffee is that they roast their own coffee, and you’ll be able to buy the coffee beans to remake the coffee when you are at home.
Address: 1614 Automotive Way, Raleigh, NC 27604
BREW Coffee Bar
BREW Coffee Bar is a lovely place that you can find in the city. You can find this coffee shop on Bale Street.
At this place, you can get all kinds of coffee drinks.
For example, you can get cold brew, pour-over coffee, drip coffee, and much more at this place.
The coffee is very flavorful.
Also, you can get a variety of delicious food items here.
For example, you can go here for avocado toast which is very delicious, there are amazing bagels, and you get a delicious sandwich with chips here.
Address: 2310 Bale St #106, Raleigh, NC 27608
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Raleigh Coffee Shops Tips
The offerings of these Raleigh cafes vary a lot. For example, some of the coffee shops have great traditional coffee drinks, while others focus more on very unique specialty drinks. Also, there are some where you can get a variety of other drinks. You should definitely take this into account when you are going with someone else that might prefer to have a different drink.
Also, the time of the day that you check out these places influences which coffee shops are better for you. For example, during lunchtime, you might prefer to go to a place that also serves delicious food for lunch.
Coffee Shops in Raleigh Map
Thanks for reading my guide to the best coffee shops in Raleigh, NC! I hope you love the cafes in the city as much as I do.