35 Best Cafes in Durham

“I got the Greek omelette with light feta spinach and peppers ! It was amazing ! Great lil spot!“

“Best goat vindaloo i’ve ever tasted“

“Loved the friendly atmosphere and dog friendly“

“Looking for lunch one day and thought I would try Cafe Meridian. One time is all it took. My new favorite lunch spot. Everything I have tried is tasty. Tried the Fiesta chicken. Would eat that daily! Yum.“

“Román is a Gem! He loves what he does and you can really taste it! He sources local treats that he tries and loves! He answered every question my husband throw at him and we loved hearing his process on how he makes his tea! The Tea is AMAZING! It will ruin sweet tea because it is that good! His lemonade is equally amazing! We will be adding this place to our snack stop list!“

“If you have not been to Pipers you are missing out! Need more delis dedicated to great food and great service like this but I doubt they could do it any better. No matter how busy this place gets lines move fast and the food is worth every minute. The staff remembers you and makes you feel right at home. Best tuna sandwich best chili just best everything when it comes to lunch. Take it from a foodie go get you some Pipers in the Park!“

“A great local coffee shop with both classic and creative drinks. The staff were super friendly to answer my questions. The Turkish coffee sounded good, but I ended up ordering a baklava latte, which was excellent. Just enough sweetness with great flavor and small bits of pistachio. The space is inviting to stay for a bit. I’ll definitely be back!“

“A must stop for vegans! Almost all desserts and drinks can be made with non-dairy milk, including oat and coconut condensed milk. The matcha limeade, strawberry matcha, coffee jelly, Thai tea, and douhua are excellent. The owner CeCe is also incredibly nice and the shop is so cute and comfortable. An absolute gem in Durham!“

“I placed a pickup order one morning while on vacation in Durham a couple of weeks ago. The baristas were friendly, the place was nicely decorated and clean, and my order was almost ready by the time I walked through the door. Thanks so much for the delicious waffles, chai latte, and açaí bowl! My fiancé and I enjoyed having some special extras for his surprise birthday breakfast and a refreshing late-night movie snack.“

“Friendly staff and great food. Was worth the wait.“

“I went to Juicekeys for the first time this week and went two days in a row! I got the Protein Shake smoothie bowl and the Green Delight. The staff was very accommodating in changing the bowl toppings to my preference. Loved the atmosphere too! Great all around and am looking forward to coming back when I’m back in Durham.“

“Had a great experience here ! Taylor was a great server , will definitely be back and will be asking for her !!“

“Found this near our rental. Love the biscuits and the donuts are even better. They get crowded so prepare for a wait but it’s worth it in the end.“

“I stopped by Parker & Otis yesterday about 25 minutes before closing and didn’t realize they stop making sandwiches at 4:00. I was honestly crushed!

The man behind the counter was incredibly kind and apologetic. He told me about a few other options and mentioned there was one sandwich left in the case. I grabbed it—and it was excellent!

I wish I had asked his name. He had brown hair and a beard and was wearing a green and black shirt. Whoever he is, he was absolutely the best. Customer service like that really makes a difference.

Great food and great people—I’ll definitely be back! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“A whole vibe for sure . Loved JJ. Will be back“

“My favorite coffee shop in Durham hands down! They have the yummiest coffee flavors!!! I love walking in to one of their new flavors of the season! It’s always something new and refreshing-combos I’ve never tried at other shops before!!! It’s so fun and I’ve never tasted a limited time drink I didn’t absolutely love. The staff is always so friendly and there’s always many people studying/working in their comfortable seating area. Big windows with lovely natural light with comfortable and relaxed decor. I really enjoy coming here !!

Edit: over a year of coming here and the quality of the staff and drinks remain the same: fantastic! My barista was so kind when she realized my drink was made wrong and quickly remedied it with no fuss. They hire some really great people here!!!“

“This place is wow. Amazing beautiful deserts. Always fresh. Paninis! Unusual for NC as well, great selection. And the custom croissant sandwich I had today with egg, ham, tomatoe and lettuce was warm and heavenly. Also love the pictures on the walls.“

“The BEST coffee shop that I have ever visited. Great drinks plus very friendly staff. 🥰🥰🥰“

“Lo mejor de lo mejor , buen servicio , excelente limpieza , la comida exquisita ?.“

“Definitely one of my favorite spots! Would recommend to anyone.“

“Mixed feelings. Ordering on line was easy. Ordered 3 plates of French toast with eggs and sausage. Arrived and only had to wait a few minutes for my food. I asked for butter and was told they are all out after she looked in the fridge. I was disappointed because I like my French toast with butter. It’s a rare treat. When I asked how could a breakfast establishment be out of butter she then stated “we only include it if you ask”. Sooooo...I’m asking now? Also, there was no option to request butter on line. Every restaurant where I’ve ordered waffles, pancakes or French toast has just included butter. On the positive, the portions were large and the French toast was good. I did not like the way the eggs were made - scrambled with cheese just placed on top instead of mixed in.“

“🥪 One of my favorite lunch spots in RTP! It's small so get there early. Deep menu, great specials, and free cookies on Fridays! I kind of wish they were open on weekends so I could share it with friends who don't work nearby weekdays.“

“I ordered catering several weeks ago for my aunt’s 80th birthday party. I knew that some of the guests would be vegetarian, vegan or gluten free so it made sense to me to order from Saladelia. I ordered 2 Mezze Platters, 2 Lebanese Tapas Platters and 2 Fruit Platters. They delivered right on schedule so it was so easy. It was presented beautifully and the guests raved about the food and the fact that vegetarian and gluten free folks were considered. I will absolutely be ordering from Saladelia again!!!“

“Omg First time stopping in. I had to call back to rave about the customer service and the food. I will definitely be back .. One happy Customer..“

“This cafe has a calm vibe that’s hard to find lately. I came around noon and got an americano plus chocolate brownie. The brownie tasted homemade instead of overly processed like many places. Seating was limited during lunch rush, but a staff member quickly cleaned another table and helped us settle in.“

“Went in this morning for some coffee (delicious African coffee btw) and was greeted by Amma, the owner. What a lovely lady! I wish I didn't have to hit the road because that was the kind of place I'd want to hang out at for hours.

I didn't get to try it, but I heard her Smoked Salmon Salad Sandwich was one for the books. If you're in the area, definitely stop by this little gem!“

“We ordered bagged lunches for a field trip. The communication from the cafe was excellent through the entire process. The food was ready when we arrived and each bag was labeled with the names and orders from the spreadsheet that I sent. The food was delicious and the service was fantastic.“

“I just got back from Asia for two months so paying five dollars for a cup of coffee to me is absolutely ridiculous.

But the place is fine. The people are nice. It’s just jaded coming back to the states. After experiencing Vietnam/Japan, it’s all downhill…“

“What y'all don't know is that the OWNER is an actual culinary GENIUS. So when you mix a genuine love of coffee (and flavors) with formal training, you get this amazing experience from Blackology Coffee Company. Definitely worth a try. I recommend 5/5 (or 10/10). Shout out to this Black Woman Owned Business!!! Proud of you LA! You've been planning this since we were little.“

“I'm a lover of crepes and smoothies so I love this place. If you have a sweet tooth, a Nutella crepe with banana and/or strawberry is the way to go! for more of a savory dish, the chicken pesto crepe is my favorite. I also love the smoothies- all 3 flavors are delicious!“

“The food is ample reason to frequent Saladelia. But now that their new location is so beautifully landscaped there is even more reason to frequent Saladelia. Not only is the outside dining area bordered by planters with a variety of lovely, interesting plants but the area adjacent to the parking lot is also attractively landscaped. Thank you Saladelia for providing your customers with such delightful surroundings! Susan June24, 2023“

“That have a great deal of food“

“I had lunch on February 16 at Southpoint. That’s my location for 10 years. I have always gotten good service and food. On yesterday the food was not great. The pizza was over cooked and the bread pudding was burnt on top. I didn’t want to ask to do it over because I didn’t want and ( i will fix her attitude as I have heard formal cooks talk about.“

“Twinnie’s has quickly become one of my favorite eateries at Duke! I come here at least once a week and it is always a pleasure to see the team. Special shout out to Jack who never fails to make my day! He is so kind, fun to chat with, and full of great recommendations. The food is top notch (cafe style entrées and drinks); seriously everything here is delicious. I’d recommend trying the daily specials or the classic Chicken Pita. Also, the seasonal pumpkin latte is back! I just drank it for the first time today and it won’t be my last. Check out Twinnie’s for good food and good vibes :)“