Highest-rated cafes in Raleigh, according to Yelp
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's 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 Enlightenment, cafes would regularly entertain the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, 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 empire, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute. Unsurprisingly, Boston's London Coffee House opened in 1689, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Later on in Philadelphia, Merchant Coffee House, also known as the City Tavern, would host the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere, as well as witness an early reading of the Declaration of Independence.
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, as well as one of the first to use a La Pavoni espresso machine. 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 part of our personal landmarks, so where have others gone to find their refuge or perhaps their perfect dose of caffeine? Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in Raleigh using data from Yelp. Rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see if your favorite spot made the list.
#18. Balcazar Bakery
- Rating: 3.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 2014 Catskill Court Raleigh, NC 27604
- Categories: Bakeries, Desserts, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Cafe Carolina and Bakery
- Rating: 3.5/5 (146 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 401 Daniels St Raleigh, NC 27605
- Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Another Broken Egg Cafe
- Rating: 3.5/5 (480 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 160 Park At N Hills St Ste 127 Raleigh, NC 27609
- Categories: American (Traditional), Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Hereghty Heavenly Delicious
- Rating: 3.5/5 (104 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 2603 Glenwood Ave Ste 123 Raleigh, NC 27608
- Categories: Desserts, Bakeries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#14. First Watch
- Rating: 4.0/5 (47 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 631 E Six Forks Rd Ste 100 Raleigh, NC 27609
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, American (Traditional)
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Coffee & Crepes
- Rating: 4.0/5 (381 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 315 Crossroads Blvd Cary, NC 27518
- Categories: Creperies, Gluten-Free, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Fiction Coffee
- Rating: 4.0/5 (11 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 4509 Creedmoor Rd Ste 104 Raleigh, NC 27612
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#11. The Daily Planet Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (101 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 121 W Jones St Raleigh, NC 27601
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Moomoocha
- Rating: 4.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 1350 5th Ave Ste 250 Garner, NC 27529
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Relish Craft Kitchen & Bourbon Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (850 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 5625 Creedmoor Rd Raleigh, NC 27612
- Categories: Southern, Cafes, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#8. First Watch
- Rating: 4.0/5 (503 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 6109 Glenwood Ave Raleigh, NC 27612
- Categories: American (Traditional), Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#7. First Watch
- Rating: 4.5/5 (82 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 4035 Lake Boone Trl Ste 103 Raleigh, NC 27607
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, American (Traditional)
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Union Special
- Rating: 4.5/5 (90 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 2409 Crabtree Blvd Ste 102 Raleigh, NC 27604
- Categories: Bakeries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#5. SoBol - Cary
- Rating: 4.5/5 (12 reviews)
- Address: 8204 Tryon Woods Dr Ste 112 Cary, NC 27518
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Acai Bowls, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#4. The Optimist
- Rating: 4.5/5 (85 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 1000 Brookside Dr Ste 109 Raleigh, NC 27604
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Raleigh Raw
- Rating: 4.5/5 (243 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 7 W Hargett St Raleigh, NC 27601
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Kombucha, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Union Special
- Rating: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 401 Fayetteville St Raleigh, NC 27601
- Categories: Bakeries, Cafes, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#1. A Place At The Table
- Rating: 5.0/5 (171 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 300 W Hargett St Ste 50 Raleigh, NC 27601
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
