The 5 Best Cafes & Coffee Shops in Raleigh

Raleigh’s coffee scene has grown well beyond the grab-a-cup-and-go routine. The city’s best cafes have become neighborhood gathering places: somewhere to work for an hour, catch up with a friend or make an excellent pastry count as breakfast.

1. Jubala Coffee

Jubala has become one of the names most closely associated with Raleigh’s modern coffee scene. Serious coffee is balanced by an approachable cafe atmosphere and food worth ordering even when caffeine isn’t your primary objective. It’s the kind of place that works just as well for a quick espresso as a slow Saturday morning.

2. Morning Times

A downtown institution on Hargett Street, Morning Times feels unmistakably Raleigh. It’s convenient, unfussy and has long been a go-to for downtown workers, students and weekend wanderers looking for coffee and something to eat.

3. 321 Coffee – Downtown Raleigh

321 Coffee pairs a welcoming downtown cafe with a bigger mission: the company creates meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Add well-made coffee and an easy downtown location and it’s a Raleigh stop worth knowing.

4. NoRa Cafe

NoRa has the cozy neighborhood feel that can make a coffee shop part of your weekly routine. With plenty of character and a menu that encourages lingering, it’s a particularly good north Raleigh option when you’re meeting a friend or settling in with a book.

5. The Left Hook Coffee

A smaller operation with plenty of personality, The Left Hook is the kind of independent coffee shop that rewards getting away from the most obvious downtown stops. Come for the coffee; return because it starts feeling like your neighborhood cafe.