Highest-rated cafes in the Hilton Head Island area by diners
Highest-rated cafes in the Hilton Head Island 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?
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Hilton Head Island 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 Hilton Head Island 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!
#14. Duck Donuts
- Rating: 3.9/5 (346 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 890 William Hilton Pkwy Ste 70 Hilton Head, South Carolina
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Lowcountry Produce
- Rating: 4.1/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 71 Lighthouse Road Unit 510 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Carolina Coffee & Crumbs
- Rating: 4.1/5 (211 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101 Pope Ave. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Cinnamon Bear Country Store
- Rating: 4.2/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 149 Lighthouse Road Ste F Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Nonna Maries Gelato
- Rating: 4.2/5 (169 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1000 William Hilton Pkwy Ste G-1 Hilton Head Island,, South Carolina
- Categories: Gelato, Coffee & Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Watusi Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (778 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 71 Pope Ave. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Hilton Head Social Bakery South
- Rating: 4.4/5 (67 reviews)
- Address: 1018 William Hilton Pkwy Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Sweet Al's Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 1 North Forest Beach Drive Unit 1A Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#6. The Grind Coffee Roasters
- Rating: 4.4/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 1 Sherington Drive Ste J Bluffton, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#5. C'est Bon
- Rating: 4.5/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 71 Lighthouse Road Ste 318 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Gelato, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Java Burrito Company
- Rating: 4.7/5 (873 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1000 William Hilton Pkwy Ste J6 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Hilton Head Social Bakery
- Rating: 4.7/5 (361 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 17 Harbourside Lane Bldg 1 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Custom Cakes
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Odd Birds
- Rating: 4.9/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1536 Fording Island Road Ste 107 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp
#1. School Grounds Coffee
- Rating: 5.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 203 School Road Daufuskie Island, South Carolina
- Categories: 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.
