32 Best Cafes in Raleigh

“We ordered the Christmas take home Meal and it was superb!! Everyone raved about the freshness. The Prime Rib was delicious and the vegetables were very tasty and the rolls and pies were the best! We will be ordering for all the Holidays meals in 2025!“

“best pastries ever! so good!“

“What an experience Sola is! A family farm to fork style coffee & plates place. Fresh ingredients with a smile. If you’re a local, you go to Sola! Great patio and place to meet for a quick business zoom call or a fun place to meet a gf for coffee!“

“This place has the best cappuccinos and egg, sausage, cheese biscuits. Great service, friendly staff, bright and cozy ambience. I love coming here!“

“This is one of our favorites in downtown Raleigh. But our waitress Liz was nowhere to be seen. She took our order. We didn’t see her again for an hour and a half. I had to chase somebody down from the kitchen to get me lemons for my water, which I ordered in the beginning, I had to get silverware and napkins off another table because those were never placed, and I never got a refill on my coffee. The day we were there it was not busy. There was no excuse for the poor service. I did click on here that I do recommend them, but I do not recommend the waitress Liz.“

“The food is delicious and the presentation is beautiful. If you have not tried First Watch please treat yourself soon😊“

“Amazing local spot. Great atmosphere and coffee drinks!!“

“Awesome service, Jawari (sp?) was so helpful and personable. He gave me more info about their products and was a nice calming presence. I got the Granola Crunch smoothie and he recommended adding blueberries. Great recommendation and a very well-made smoothie. Delicious! I will be back.“

“I'm thrilled that they moved close to us. it's a great place to go alone and read or write. Raleigh Writer's Group meets there and the owner is very accommodating. Healthy foods and delicious drinks. Friendly staff.“

“Great family breakfast spot. Can’t eat enough bacon. Thanks Lathaniel for being a wonderful server!“

“The food at First Watch is always delicious and Justin is an excellent server!“

“Love coming to this small coffee shop! The drinks are always amazing and the staff is great!“

“casual friendly good vibes and music. Eats too.“

“Super tasty and the staff was on point! Highly recommended!“

“Great food and great staff!“

“DELICIOUS! Nothing average about this lemonade! All real fruit, no syrup! So many different flavors & even sweetener substitutes! LOVED the seasonal green apple cider lemonade!🍏🍋🤪“

“When visiting from Ohio Zest is always a welcomed visit. Our lunch was amazing and the store was stocked with great gift ideas!“

“I stopped in for coffee but then saw the menu and ordered the egg white, spinach, and feta wrap. Yum! Very surprised with one of the best dirty chai lattes I’ve ever had. I’m so glad I stopped in and will be back to try the açaí bowl that looks amazing!“

“listen. this isn’t your run-of-the-mill museum dining experience, ok? I got a fried chicken sandwich that was delightfully crisp, paired with a tangy slaw and a bit of a kick. It was better than your average fast food chicken sandwich, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and size of the portion. Also, the environs are awesome with an airy vibe and large windows for views onto the street. The gift shop is just a stones throw from the dining area, and even when it’s busy it doesn’t feel crowded. The plates and cutlery add to the quality of the experience. Now, I will say the only person who spoke to me was the cashier and the employees don’t seem necessarily thrilled to be there, but it didn’t dampen my experience. Good spot for a bite either before or after a museum visit, definitely recommend it!“

“701 Cafe is great food at a great price, served-up by very friendly staff. Even though I dont work in the building anymore, I drive back frequently for lunch.

Vegetarian options: Tabouli, Hummus, Grape Leaves

Dietary restrictions: vegetarian options“

“This is one of 2 really good cafes at the museum of science in Raleigh. The museum is free and it is great having these cafes on site for lunch so you don't have to leave and interrupt your museum visit. The museum is so big that we took 2 days to visit and explore it so we ate at this cafe on our second day and the "Daily Planet" cafe on our first day. Both places are very good, convenient, reasonable prices, and friendly staffed. We enjoyed trying both places and the Acro cafe has really healthy and kid friendly choices as well. Yes, we would eat here again and will visit the museum again someday.“

“My family and I recently celebrated our daughter's birthday at Pullen Park and catered our food from Pullen Cafe, combined it was a phenomenal experience. Dave, facilitated everything prior to the party offering everything needed for a smooth and enjoyable experience. Dave was extremely generous with the food. The pizza was perfectly fresh baked, with a crispy crust. Each slice was perfectly balanced with toppings and cheese, leaving us craving for more. The Caesar salad was equally delicious. What truly sets Pullen Cafe apart, however, is the impeccable service. The staff went above and beyond to ensure that every detail of our celebration was taken care of. In summary, our experience at Pullen Cafe surpassed all expectations. We highly recommend Pullen Cafe to anyone looking for great party food, smooth and easy transaction. We can't wait to return and create more cherished memories at this hidden gem.“

“Such a great learning environment with lots of stuff to do and see. My Grandson is autistic and they have special days where he can interact with others on the spectrum.“

“I have always had a great experience at First Watch 💓 So refreshing to see excellent customer service on display and a priority! Food was delicious and served quickly ✨ This is definitely our go to restaurant when we have guests in town 😍 Thanks First Watch!“

“Met Jess today! What a kind friendly soul! Very willing to accommodate extra requests. Give her a raise! The food was fresh made and delicious! Tucked away and hidden, I almost don't want to review because I don't want share a secret great spot for breakfast and lunch, but here I am! Great job David Leach and Holly Hopkins. Keep doing this great fresh food! Thanks!“

“Nestled in an business office complex, you may not see it at a glance. I only stopped because it was close to my hotel. Went there for lunch and the line was out the door. Well worth the wait. I had a gyro sandwich that was to die for. Mostly sandwiches, panini and wraps. They do have a special of the day that could be rice with a protein. Everything looked amazing. They do have in-dining tables. Very nice Spanish speaking ladies that are very quick and helpful. I will be back.“

“Discovered a new FIVE STAR spot for breakfast and lunch! Following a workout at Healthtrax, we stopped at JARA Cafe located on the first floor at 8300 Health Park in North Raleigh. The Black Bean Kofta wrap, California Baja Turkey sandwich, and home-made cookies were awesome! Can't wait to try their expresso, cappuccino, baked goods, breakfast dishes, and more lunch surprises.“

“Great experience inside store until trying to exit after paying for my items. Woman at the door was verifying receipts for one lady and was holding up 6 others from exiting. I went through the second lane to leave and she tried to block my cart. I showed receipt and said she needed to move out of my way. You need two colors for receipts. One for cashier assistance and the other for self checkouts!“

“The best hospital food I've ever had. I know that's not saying much since the hospital food stereotype is not good, but Café3000 is really different compared to some of the other more generic ones I have visited. They have a Bores Head theme deli where you can make some great sandwiches. The hot grill section is always serving great food cooked fresh in front of you while you wait in line. I suggest the pancakes for breakfast, they are the bomb dot com! If you find yourself at the open grill for lunch or dinner, I would suggest the hot dogs (A.T.W. of Course)!, and every day is a different theme for mainly the employees but serves everyone. I really enjoy Chick-fil-A day, nothing g beats being in a hospital for respiratory failure and your wife is able to bring you a chicken sandwich with some Chick-fil-A sauce and one of their catering brownies! Thanks Café3000 for making my stays in the hospital feel a little more at home!P.S. If you actually read all this thanks and I am not sure if I used the correct spelling or not with the word course in my piece so I flipped a coin and it landed on heads so I went with the "U" instead of the "A" lol.“

“excellent healthy food! friendly staff and cool atmosphere. my new favorite place.“

“Love this place! I don't drink coffee, but their hot cocoa is lovely and the whipped cream tastes real and they don't skimp on it. Service is super fast and friendly. They have a microwave so you can heat up your food as much as you want. Lots of refrigerated options, the sandwiches and wraps are a little pricey but very tasty. And the cinnamon rolls, oh my GOD. Heaven, seriously just go treat yourself to a giant gooey cinnamon roll. I have tried so many different cinnamon rolls in my life and these are some of the best ever. This place is the best part of Centennial.“

“Textiles pjc always the best one i go everyday for years spend more $than i ever shld or want to know been to all on campus so i can say this with full confidence food drinks always good no wait no excuses if the is a problem they fix it. Especially one particular employee there i have actually followed them around for years from one pcj to another b/c they r so professional and good at their job and i know if she is there its a good pcj to be at .i Wish other pcj on campus would take a note from them and make thier pcj a better place too.“