Highest-rated cafes in the Raleigh area by diners
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.
Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?
compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Raleigh area based on diners' reviews on as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Raleigh were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!
#30. Lucky Tree
- Rating: 4.3/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3801 Hillsborough St. Ste 137 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Art Galleries, Coffee & Tea, Gift Shops
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#29. Duck Donuts
- Rating: 4.3/5 (408 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 100 Wrenn Drive Ste 101 Cary, North Carolina
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#28. Sola Coffee Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (638 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7705 Lead Mine Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Donuts, Breakfast & Brunch
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#27. Heirloom Brewshop
- Rating: 4.3/5 (196 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 219 South West St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Taiwanese, Laotian
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#26. Jubala Coffee
- Rating: 4.3/5 (603 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8450 Honeycutt Road Ste 104 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#25. Bittersweet
- Rating: 4.4/5 (454 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 16 East Martin St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cocktail Bars, Desserts
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#24. The Optimist
- Rating: 4.4/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1000 Brookside Drive Ste 109 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
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#23. Tin Roof Teas
- Rating: 4.4/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 432 Daniels St. Cameron Village Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Specialty Food, Desserts
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#22. OMTea Boba & Bites
- Rating: 4.4/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3901 Capital Blvd. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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#21. Duck Donuts
- Rating: 4.4/5 (206 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8323 Creedmoor Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#20. Iris Coffee Lab
- Rating: 4.4/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 725 Tucker St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
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#19. Milk Lab - Cary
- Rating: 4.4/5 (545 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6418 Tryon Road Cary, North Carolina
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea
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#18. Cha House - Raleigh
- Rating: 4.4/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3001 Hillsborough St. Ste 108 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Taiwanese, Coffee & Tea
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#17. La Horchateria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2261 New Hope Church Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Desserts, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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#16. Cha House - Cary
- Rating: 4.5/5 (155 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1319 Kildaire Farm Road Cary, North Carolina
- Categories: Taiwanese, Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea
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#15. NoRa Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12333 Strickland Road Ste 100 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Customized Merchandise, Bars
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#14. Yellow Dog Bread Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (236 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 219 East Franklin St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
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#13. Layered Croissanterie
- Rating: 4.5/5 (240 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 911 North West St. Ste 107 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
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#12. Lucettegrace
- Rating: 4.5/5 (495 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 235 South Salisbury St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Sandwiches
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#11. PRESS Coffee Cr锚pes Cocktails
- Rating: 4.6/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 400 Hillsborough St. Ste 108 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Cocktail Bars
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#10. Paul and Jack Bakery
- Rating: 4.6/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2010 South Main St. Ste 404 Wake Forest, North Carolina
- Categories: Desserts, Patisserie/Cake Shop, Coffee & Tea
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#9. Sugar Koi
- Rating: 4.6/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 116 Kilmayne Drive Cary, North Carolina
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Coffee & Tea
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#8. Escaz煤 Chocolates
- Rating: 4.7/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 936 North Blount St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Chocolatiers & Shops, Coffee & Tea
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#7. Full Bloom Coffee Roasters
- Rating: 4.7/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 141 West Main St. Garner, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Coffee & Tea
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#6. Boulted Bread
- Rating: 4.7/5 (382 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 328 Dupont Cir Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea
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#5. Aversboro Coffee
- Rating: 4.7/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1401 Aversboro Road Ste 103 Garner, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#4. Sosta Cafe
- Rating: 4.7/5 (241 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 130 East Davie St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Salad
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#3. Black Ivory Caf茅
- Rating: 4.8/5 (62 reviews)
- Address: 3080 Wake Forest Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bubble Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#2. Esteamed Coffee
- Rating: 4.9/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 114 South Academy St. Cary, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Community Service/Non-Profit, Bakeries
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#1. Merkato Cafe' Ethiopian Food Truck
- Rating: 5.0/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 212 East Chatham St. Cary, North Carolina
- Categories: Ethiopian, Food Trucks, Coffee & Tea
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.
