For richer or pour over, Raleigh’s coffee shops are what keep us going in the morning. Our city ranks among the top coffee cities in America thanks to factors like cafes per capita and the price of beans.
The City of Oaks has no shortage of masterful baristas, aromatic roasts, and foamy lattes. But if you’re having trouble deciding on a spot, gather some brews clues with our guide to 40 of the best coffee shops in Raleigh.
Pro tip: If you need to refine your order, review the different kinds of coffee before stepping up to the counter.
Roasts to boast
321 Coffee, multiple locations | This coffee shop — employed by those with intellectual and developmental disabilities — roasts its own blends, including an NC State collaboration.
Benelux Cafe, 402 Oberlin Rd., Ste 118 | Go for the Raleigh-roasted beans and Belgian waffles. Bonus: This shop was recognized by the Guinness World Records team for having the World’s Largest Coffee Bean Mural.
Black & White Coffee Roasters, 327 W. Davie St. | Located inside Videri Chocolate Factory, this roaster was founded in 2017 and its beans are used at many Raleigh shops.
Cup A Joe, 3100 Hillsborough St. | For the past 30 years, this coffee company has been roasting beans in-house. Pro tip: Wednesdays are “Wired” featuring tons of caffeinated deals.
Jubala Coffee, multiple locations | This fan-favorite coffee shop roasts its own beans at its North Hills location and is set to open another cafe in downtown.
Larry’s Coffee, 1509 Gavin St. | This organic, fair-trade roaster has a space to try just about every bean they roast.
The Left Hook Coffee, 927 W. Morgan St. | Enjoy small-batch roasted beans in the back of Gussie’s during the day. Plus, the bags feature the owner’s boxing grandfather.
Pine State Coffee, 1614 Automotive Way | Open since 2019, this cafe is located inside of Runologie and serves on-site roasted coffee.
On-the-go joe
Bad Cat Coffee Co., Morgan Street Food Hall, 411 W. Morgan St. | This cat-themed cafe offers crepes, bagels, and fun caffeinated drinks.
Crema, 421 Fayetteville St. | This cafe has been caffeinating City Plaza for over 10 years — pair your morning coffee with a breakfast Reuben.
New World Cafe, 4112 Pleasant Valley Rd., Ste. 124, Raleigh | Order an açai bowl with your Counter Culture or Black & White Coffee — plus, there’s a drive through.
Rebus Works, 301 Kinsey St., Ste. 2 | Records? Check. Pantry essentials? Check. Cool events? Check. You can do it all at Rebus Works with a high-quality latte in your hand.
Quarter Note Coffee, 3700 Glenwood Ave., Ste. 150 | This coffee cart-turned-shop offers quick pick-me-ups and pastries by The Blue Ox Bakery.
Plenty of outlets and internet connection
BREW Coffee Bar, 2310 Bale St., Ste. 106 | Bring some friends to co-work with in this relaxed environment — BREW is also known for its hot chocolate, cortados, nitro cold brew, and drip coffees.
Deja Brew Coffee House, 5001 Falls of Neuse Rd. | A nice quiet place to get some work done, this North Raleigh cafe offers specialty drinks like the iced red velvet latte and pastries.
The Optimist’s vibe is unbeatable.
Photo via @theoptimistraleigh
The Optimist, 4509 Creedmoor Rd., Ste. 104 + 1000 Brookside Dr., Ste. 109 | The Creedmoor location is the perfect WFH escape, complete with a conference room for meetings, and plenty of outlets, and Brookside’s “local haunt” isn’t so spooky. Pro tip: Make sure to say “hi” to the shop’s resident skeletons.
Global Village is an NC State student hotspot.
Photo via @globalvillagecoffee
Global Village Organic Coffee, 2428 Hillsborough St. | Serving organic coffee and tea along with syrups made completely in house, this spot has been a Raleigh staple for over 20 years.
Sir Walter Coffee, 145 E. Davie St. + 555 Fayetteville St. | This downtown barista bar features creative seasonal coffee drinks and craft cocktails. Plus, there is plenty of seating inside and on their outdoor patio.
Perfect for a date
Giorgios Epicurean Market, 2020 Progress Ct., Ste. 150 | This local gem is inspired by European markets and offers bakery-fresh pastries and a great espresso in an eclectic space.
Get a taste of what Idle Hour has to offer.
Photo via @idlehour_coffee
Idle Hour Coffee Roasters, 1818 Oberlin Rd. St. 103 | The epitome of cool — drink your in-house roasted coffee and snack on delicate treats under the disco ball at this funky Oberlin spot.
Little Native, 426 S. Person St. | This cozy 400-sqft industrial-meets-earthy cafe would serve as a romantic setting.
Lucettegrace, 235 S. Salisbury St. | This cafe is reminiscent of an authentic French patisserie and features beverages like café au lait. Pro tip: Order a lunch box with your brew.
Morning Times, 10 E. Hargett St. | Order a house-made bagel and iced coffee before heading to the upstairs art gallery and sitting area — or, snag a spot on the streetery.
Press Coffee Crepes Cocktails, 400 Hillsborough St., Ste. 108 | We can’t get enough of Press’s flavored lattes and crepes of all kinds.
Purr Cup Cafe, 210 Prospect Ave. | Make a reservation for the cat lounge to meet and cuddle adoptable floofs or sip on your coffee in the cafe. The menu is 100% vegan.
Best bites
Black Ivory Cafe, 3080 Wake Forest Rd. | Located inside of Shaba Shabu, this sushi-area-turned-coffee-shop sells coffee roasted by Larry’s Coffee, boba, and Asian breakfast.
Drift Coffee & Kitchen, 3510 Wade Ave. | Originally hailing from Wilmington, this eatery serves beachy bites like a smoked salmon benny, chia pudding, and a protein breakfast bowl.
Hereghty Heavenly Delicious, 2603 Glenwood Ave., Ste. 123 | Grab a fresh baked croissant or scone to enjoy with your Joe Van Gogh coffee.
Iris Coffee Lab, 725 Tucker St. | This hip hangout features seasonal lattes like bourbon + butterscotch. We also love their menu of sandwiches featuring Union Special Bread.
Boulted Bread, 328 Dupont Cir. | This craft bakery and stone mill has been making fresh baked goods for nearly a decade — but don’t sleep on the coffee offerings. We like to pair the everything croissant with a latte for a perfect morning pick-me-up.
Sola sources local and fresh organic ingredients — this spread says it all.
Photo by @solacoffee
Smooth Joe Coffee, 5321 Tin Roof Way | This coffee house roasts its own beans and has breakfast, lunch, and pastry options.
Sola Coffee Cafe, 7705 Lead Mine Rd. | This family owned cozy neighborhood cafe has served Durham-roasted Counter Culture Coffee and fresh food in Raleigh since 2012. Pro tip: Snap a pic with the “I believe in Raleigh” mural on the back of the building.
Specialty drinks
Heirloom Brewshop, 219 S. West St. | This aesthetically-pleasing, Asian-inspired coffee shop’s beans originate from South America and Africa.
La Horchateria, 2261 New Hope Church Rd. | Nosh on traditional Latin drinks + sweets with an American twist like the oatchata and tres leches lattes.
NoRa Cafe, 12333 Strickland Rd., Ste. 100-102 | Enjoy a specialty latte like the chocolate turtle in this warm, inviting space. The shop uses Carrboro Coffee Roasters’ beans.
42 & Lawrence, 134 E. Martin St. | Founded in 2016, this downtown cafe offers specialty caffeinated drinks like cinnamon toast crunch and lavender cloud cold brew.
Chapel of Bones, 658 Maywood Ave. | Housed at the former site of Volume 11 Tavern, this coffee lounge and extreme music venue debuted in 2024 offering java, cocktails, wine, craft beer, and live music events. The menu features “gore-met” drinks that play into the shop’s heavy metal vibes; try the Mochadeth or Flat White Noise & Black Metal.
Where to write your novel
Blackbird Books & Coffee, 323 Blake St. | Sisters-in-law Hannah and Bre Brunswick built this safe space in City Market for folks to explore new reads, drink specialty coffee, and mingle through events.
Lucky Tree, 3801 Hillsborough St. | Founded in 2015 by twin sisters Amanda and Ashley, this coffee bar is inspired by the sisters’ neighborhood treehouse... step inside and you’ll see why.
The Third Place, 1811 Glenwood Ave. | Established in 1994, this coffee shop is owned by David Benson — the artist that designed the acorn for the New Year’s Eve acorn drop. The shop is fueled by Larry’s Coffee.
Be the barista
Shop our favorite coffee essentials to turn your house into our city’s next great coffee destination.
- For a French Press that lasts, avoid breakable glass options and opt for stainless steel — this Secura French Press is highly rated and comes in multiple colors.
- Bloom pourovers like a pro with elegant gooseneck design of the COSORI Electric Gooseneck Kettle.
- These double walled glass espresso cups or these handmade ceramic espresso cups will set your home cafe apart.
- Hide coffee stains under espresso makers with this absorbent drying mat that sucks up coffee drops like magic.
- For the sleekest coffee accessories imaginable, shop the Fellow collection for coffee bean grinders, kettles, and carafes.
- Ready to go all in? The Breville Barista Espresso Machine is a best-selling espresso machine that makes coffee shop-worthy lattes, cappuccinos, and espresso at home.
