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Highest-rated cafes in the Wilmington area by diners

·Stacker

Monning27 // Shutterstock
Monning27 // Shutterstock
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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?

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Wilmington area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Wilmington 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!

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#30. Concorde Espresso Bar

- Rating: 4.2/5 (76 reviews)
- Address: 215 South Front St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Themed Cafes, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Java Dog Coffee House

- Rating: 4.2/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 303 North Front St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Drift Coffee & Kitchen

- Rating: 4.2/5 (162 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 110 Dungannon Blvd. Ste 170 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Sweet D's Cuisine

- Rating: 4.3/5 (70 reviews)
- Address: 2321 South 17th St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Desserts, Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. Sundays Café

- Rating: 4.3/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 708 South Lumina Ave. Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Acai Bowls
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Drift Coffee Shop & Kitchen Downtown

- Rating: 4.3/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 221 North Front St. Ste 102 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Blue Cup Roastery

- Rating: 4.3/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 348 Hutchison Lane Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. The Workshop

- Rating: 4.4/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 86 Waynick Blvd. Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. Port City Java

- Rating: 4.4/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5621 Carolina Beach Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Beverage Store
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Luna Caffe Roasters

- Rating: 4.5/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 608 Castle St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. The Donut Inn

- Rating: 4.5/5 (203 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1427 Military Cutoff Road Ste 101 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Donuts, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. Three Friends Coffee

- Rating: 4.5/5 (46 reviews)
- Address: 4719 New Centre Drive Ste D Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Bespoke Coffee & Dry Goods

- Rating: 4.6/5 (205 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 202 Princess St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Beer, Wine & Spirits, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Periwink

- Rating: 4.7/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 7205 Wrightsville Ave. Unit 103 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Gift Shops, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Maroon Monkey Coffee

- Rating: 4.7/5 (71 reviews)
- Address: 124 South Front St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. Drift Cafe - Wrightsville Beach

- Rating: 4.7/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 114 Causeway Drive Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. The Complex Bean

- Rating: 4.7/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2307 A North College Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Bitty & Beau's Coffee

- Rating: 4.7/5 (229 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4949 New Centre Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Broomtail Craft Brewery

- Rating: 4.8/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6404 Amsterdam Way Unit 100 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Breweries, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. IstanBulls Hookah Lounge

- Rating: 4.8/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 29 Van Campen Blvd. Unit 121 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Hookah Bars, Coffee & Tea, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Maven Coffee

- Rating: 4.8/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 3816 Oleander Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Kale Me Crazy

- Rating: 4.9/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6800 Parker Farm Drive Ste 100 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Wraps, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Adapt Kitchen and Juice Bar

- Rating: 4.9/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 32 North Lumina Ave. Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Brooklyn Cafe

- Rating: 4.9/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 706 North 4th St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Desserts, Wine Bars, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Hidden Grounds Coffee

- Rating: 4.9/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 21 South 2nd St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Cape Fear Spice Merchants

- Rating: 4.9/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 20 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Herbs & Spices, Gift Shops, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

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.

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