Life is so busy these days. I’m working a full-time job, doing freelance graphic design, illustrating a children’s book, trying to keep up with the blog and somehow maintain a social life in between. Not to mention the frequent drives back and forth between Charlotte and Raleigh.
In all honesty, these coffee shops fuel my social life. I would stay in my apartment and work, work, work if it weren’t for coffee dates with friends.
And if we’re being honest, the coffee shops in the Raleigh area might be one of my favorite things about living here. There are SO many.
So whether you live in the Raleigh area or you’re planning a visit to the N.C. capital, here’s your guide to some of the best coffee shops around. Believe me — I’ve done a lot of latte testing for this post (no complaints here).
Cultivate Coffee Roasters
Cultivate Coffee recently opened in May 2018 in Fuquay-Varina, N.C. With a clean atmosphere, they’re serving some of the best espresso drinks and baked goods from Bestow Baked Goods. So if you’re in a cookie and latte kind of mood, I highly recommend this place.
Jubala Coffee
Jubala Coffee might just be one of my favorite coffee shops of all time. They have two locations — one downtown and one in North Raleigh. The North Raleigh location is my favorite because the shopping center, Lafayette Village, makes me feel like I’m in Paris. They also offer free espresso Fridays, but that’s only going to make you want to spend all your money on the lattes. (P.S. My mom is a huge fan of the pumpkin spice latte. Move over, Starbucks.)
Yellow Dog Bread Company
I just tried this place the other day, and I love it. It has an upbeat, airy atmosphere, and some of the best latte art around. It smells like bread, and I’m 100 percent okay with that. It’s also located right next to Edge of Urge, one of the coolest shops in Raleigh. So grab a latte (& a scone if you’d like) and go treat yourself to a new pair of earrings.
Cocoa Cinnamon
Cocoa Cinnamon is where you go when you want something different. They have one-of-a-kind lattes like the Aleppo Souk, made with homemade syrup, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon and Aleppo pepper. They also have kakawas, a raw cacao drink, and they serve churros at their Chapel Hill Road location. Plus you can’t beat the eclectic atmosphere.
Videri Chocolate Factory
Videri is an experience. Some go for the sipping chocolate, some go for the espresso, but all go for the chocolate. You can even grab a drink and walk around the factory. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to watch them cranking out their delicious truffles. Don’t forget to pick up a free sample.
Sola Coffee
The best time to go to Sola Coffee is during one of their Saturday pop-up markets. You can find about 20 artisans and designers every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s the perfect weekend activity. They also have live music Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30. So go grab some breakfast, lunch, dinner or coffee, and hang out for a while.
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