There are plenty of faceless chain coffee shops and tasteless brews around, but so many cafés, pop-ups, and bespoke coffee roasters along the Cape Fear Coast are so much more than that. These coffee afficiandos draw a community around them, offer charming character and care passionately about the java. So whether you're looking for beautiful latte art, ethically sourced beans, or fun, one-of-a-kind beverages paired with a sweet treat, here are our favorite spots to get your caffeine fix and listen to java tunes.
By Chris Martin
Q & A with Keli Wilson, Owner
What Makes it Unique?
A Brewed Awakening isn't your typical coffee truck. We are 100% mobile and enjoy having the ability to bring the coffee to the people. Something that makes us stand out is offering our signature brew and pre-mixed signature drinks in half-gallon and gallon sizes - so our customers can grab and go and enjoy the convenience of just a shake and pour to enjoy their faves anytime, anywhere. The heart of our tasty drinks is our cold brew. To be enjoyed cold or HOT, you can have that smooth brew hot too! Folks love the versatility and often admit they may even be "addicted ." We have lovingly been dubbed the local coffee dealer. We love getting folks their "fix" and providing the pick-me-ups everyone needs.
The Coffee
We pride ourselves on brewing top-notch cold brew. And then using that cold brew as the star of the drinks we create. We aim to curate the smoothest and best-tasting brew on the eastern seaboard while educating folks on the benefits. For instance, most folks need to realize that you can also enjoy cold brewed coffee as a hot drink. Another little-known fact is that cold brew has more caffeine than your typical coffee and espresso. We work with local roasters to source the freshest, highest quality, and fair trade-certified beans. Those beans are where the magic starts, so we prioritize finding, using, and selling the best! Of course, you can also grab a bag of our private-label whole beans or ground coffee to brew for yourself!
The Flagship Brew
We call it The Lumberjack. Imagine having coffee while eating your maple syrup-drizzled stack of pancakes. It's not just a drink... it's the experience in a cup.
The Sweet Treat
It's hard to beat having a muffin or cinnamon roll in one hand and coffee in the other!
Essential Coffee Tunes
Q&A with Amy Heggen
What Makes it Unique?
The people. Our customers make us want to do our best. Our baristas love to create tasty drinks with a variety of syrups that we make in-house. And our neighborhood community is growing and full of unique and incredible businesses. We are also a dog-friendly location and have a drive-up window to make morning commutes go smoothly.
The Coffee
We serve several single-origin roasts worldwide for our drip, iced, and cold brew coffees. In addition, we have crafted a 4 regional blend for our espresso that is well-balanced and smooth.
The Flagship Brew
We have an iced espresso tonic with lemon and honey that is light and refreshing for our spring seasonal menu. Or our matcha is incredibly popular - each season, we make a special around it to keep it surprising.
The Sweet Treat
We have an amazing relationship with a bakery in our neighborhood - Golden Dawn Bakers. They make vegan and gluten-free options in a variety of flavors. The menu varies based on what is in season. Popular choices include blueberry or strawberry cornmeal muffins. Also, they make so large cookies you can share or save them for later! Those come in chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin. And I really like the rice crispy treats too.
Essential Coffee Tunes
Q&A with Jessica Horne, Owner
What Makes it Unique?
We are a family owned & operated community-based business. Not only is Bodega an unassuming location to grab an amazing cup of coffee, but it is unique in that you can also grab lunch, dinner, wine, and dessert while you are there! Our refurbished retro espresso machine also matches the story of restoration behind Bodega.
The Coffee
Our brewed coffee and espresso drinks come from either Luna Cafe or Vigilant Hope. We also sell individual bags of coffee to our customers provided by Blue Cup Roastery and LC & VH. They all pride themselves on having high-quality coffee from curated beans and roasted locally.
The Flagship Brew
Our Mocha latte with steamed oat milk is a crowd favorite.
The Sweet Treat
We have endless baked goods & desserts to satisfy any palate! An assortment of muffins, pound cake, cookies, pecan pie bars, smores bars, caramel cookie bars, chocolate-covered pretzels and Oreos, banana bread, zucchini bread & expresso brownies. Vegan & gluten-free options are always available.
Essential Coffee Tunes
The Lumineers, anything 80's and Latin music (We are a Bodega, after all).
Q & A with Rodney Robbins & Tara English, Owners
What Makes it Unique?
Brooklyn Cafe is a small family-owned coffee & donut shop. Our donuts are my grandmother's recipe passed down through generations. They are original cake-style donuts with a special mashed potato ingredient. We also make from-scratch beignets. We are very pet friendly and have a doggie wall full of pics. My father's favorite is his Willie Nelson wall. He is a true fan who loves telling stories and playing Willie's music.
Brooklyn Cafe weaves together Ollie Jean (Mother and Grandmother) and Willie Nelson's Texas roots and heritage. Both are from near Smith Bend on the Brazos, Abbott (Willie's hometown), and West (home of Czech Texans). The cafe has become a meeting spot for locals and visitors alike who come for a respite from their day, enjoy good conversation, and treat themselves to our fresh fare daily.
The Coffee
We brew Central American or African fairtrade beans. We use a local roaster for our beans which is important to us because we try our best to use local resources.
The Flagship Brew
"Old Willie" combines house-made cold brew coffee and black tea. We also have alcohol-based coffee drinks such as the "Drunk Irishman."
The Sweet Treat
My grandmother's mashed potato cake style donut, New Orleans style beignet, or a savory or sweet Texas style kolache.
Essential Coffee Tunes
Q & A with Hana Q, Manager
What Makes it Unique?
There are a few things that make Cheeky Monkey unique. First, I’d say it is our specialty lattes. We’ve got some really fun ones like French toast, S’mores, and a Pumpkin latte called the Fall Festival that is on our menu all year round. We also roast all of our beans in-house, which is pretty special.
The Coffee
We use a blend of Brazilian medium and Papua New Guinea dark for our drip coffee and cold brew, which is truly amazinggg! It’s the perfect mix. And for our espresso beans, we’ve got a 3 bean blend that’s pretty unique and makes the richest espresso.
The Flagship Brew
Cheeky Chai latte and our Banana’s Foster latte. The Cheeky Chai is made from scratch in-house and is unique and so tasty. The Banana’s Foster is special because, well, it’s got banana flavor in it! Some people are hesitant, but it is really so good and our most popular specialty drink.
The Sweet Treat
We offer a variety of pastries for our customers, including some vegan and GF options from Cravings. But we also love our bagels from Round Bagels & Donuts, and the coffee cake is to die for!
Essential Coffee Tunes
We like to keep it chill at Cheeky. Usually, we’ve got either Ben Howard, John Mayer, or some classic coffee house jazz to invite those cozy vibes.
Q&A with Katie Rochelle, Owner
What Makes it Unique?
Coffee Haven is unique in many ways! Our shop itself is a little different from your typical brick-and-mortar. We're almost like a "tiny" coffee shop! Our drink menu offers fun and creative drinks that change monthly, so you never know what your new favorite beverage may be. We also serve more than just coffee; we serve kindness and our community too. We're really big on partnering with others in our community in whatever capacity to serve, give back and just do good.
The Coffee
We currently offer a medium roast house blend for our regular drip coffee and cold brew with notes of apricot and dark chocolate. Our espresso is a signature blend with equal parts of dark espresso and espresso Vienna, a lighter version of dark espresso with less oil and body. These two blended together to create the perfect blend of body and acidity to create that perfect shot you love. This is also available in decaf. Our beans are also roasted locally by our friends down the road at Java Estate.
The Flagship Brew
Our Fruity Pebbles latte, for sure! This fan favorite will give you a moment of nostalgia with the fruity but subtle sweetness with every sip. It is topped with, of course, fruity pebbles for a fun and bright finish. When cereal meets coffee, it's a beautiful thing and a must-try.
The Sweet Treat
We serve a variety of baked goods because what's coffee without a treat?! Our baked goods flavors do change seasonally, but you can find an assortment of muffins, apple/cherry turnovers, apple fritters, danishes, filled croissants, and cinnamon rolls, and we must remember the cake pops. We would like to add a selection of gluten-free bakery items as well.
Essential Coffee Tunes
Q & A with Dacia Zimmer, Owner
What Makes it Unique?
We serve our coffee from a renovated 1990 Sunchaser RV. We did all the renovations ourselves, so we knew every inch of the trailer and tailored it to our needs. For example, we designed the trailer to have a drive-through capability, making it more convenient to get your favorite coffee. We also offer walk-up and pop-up services depending on the need of our customers. I've always dreamed of having a coffee business, and now I have one. Cool Beans, right?
The Coffee
We get our beans from a local roaster in downtown Wilmington called Cheeky Monkey. We make our own cold brew, tea, and lemonade. We even offer espresso drinks, Boba teas, and seasonal beverages.
The Flagship Brew
We have 2 drinks that stand out and are very popular on our trailer. My personal favorite is a red velvet cake coffee served in your favorite coffee style and topped with sweet cream. It's so delicious you almost forget it's a coffee, not a cake. My boyfriend's favorite drink is banana foster coffee, also served with your favorite coffee style (cold brew, espresso, or drip) syrup flavors, cream, and topped with some cinnamon and sugar. It's a toss-up about which is the #1 drink.
The Sweet Treat
Definitely coffee cake. Our mini cakes are a hit with every beverage we sell. But our coffee cake is a #1 seller.
Essential Coffee Tunes
Q & A with Leah Jackson, Owner
What Makes it Unique?
We believe Coffee is more than just a morning routine....it's a whole fun experience! From our extensive menu offering over 80 refreshing drink options to our relaxed but colorful and lively ambient atmosphere to our friendly baristas who engage with our customers and create a sense of community, we have it all! Tucked in The Cross Roads Shopping center at the corner of Kerr and Wilshire, we offer high-quality, locally roasted Java Estates Coffee from around the world. We pour love, color, and occasional luster dust into our hand-crafted beverages to make your day. Our sister store, next to us, The Vibe, offers unique, eclectic gifts to peruse while you wait for your creative coffee concoction! In addition, we have Open Mic night Thursdays starting at 6pm to showcase budding local talent in a safe space.
The Flagship Brew
Fairy Dust Latte, features Espresso, Toasted Marshmallow, White Mocha, Raspberry, and milk topped with Fairy Dust Sprinkles and our signature Coffee Iced Cubes!
The Sweet Treat
The Chick Pea Peanut Butter Blondie by Cravings. They are vegan, gluten-free, and a healthy way to enjoy a sweet treat.
Essential Coffee Tunes
Q & A with Nick Hagood, Owner
What Makes it Unique?
Pine Stand Coffee Co sets itself apart in its mission. Our mission is to create a safe environment to promote mental health in the active duty and veteran community. We use our delicious coffee as a tool to do this. And yes, this includes spouses. We only employ veterans or spouses. We have graduated three different veteran entrepreneurs through the Skillbridge program. Pine Stand was founded by me, a Veteran, and later the ownership team was rounded out with Tina and Kayla, each military spouses and the best moms I know.
The Coffee
Our coffee is roasted locally by the Java Estate company. Each bean was specifically chosen for what it was meant to be. This means our cold brew beans are different from our espresso beans, which are different from our drip coffee beans. And throughout the year, we welcome samples from roasters from all over the country to ensure we continue offering the best-tasting beans we can... Java has yet to be overthrown.
The Flagship Brew
The Chilli Vanilli (yes, it's named after Milli Vanilli). Mix a Mexican chili syrup from Pink House Alchemy and a vanilla syrup from Holy Kakow with our 5-bean espresso blend, and et voila. This sweet and smooth drink only hits you with spicy a few sips in. It's the best in the state.
The Sweet Treat
Again, we work with local bakers. No microwaved stuff here! We sell Macrons made fresh weekly by a military spouse and her small business. We've also teamed up with Baby Cakes, another local baker, to offer fat slabs of zucchini bread. It is dangerous, though and I promise you'll want to buy a few slices.
Essential Coffee Tunes
We encourage each barista to choose the music they work to the best. You will hear everything from club to country. When our three partners put their heads together, the top three songs are
Q & A with Amber Legates, Owner
What Makes it Unique?
The original concept and our daily inspiration are to provide our customers with a delicious drink and a positive and memorable experience. When Spill was in its early stages, I knew I wanted to serve tasty beverages with health benefits. Before our storefront, we were primarily a mobile coffee service for hire and pop-up events. The frame of the coffee cart was a weathered vintage truck bed, and after weeks of work, it finally progressed into a fully functioning and fully mobile coffee shop experience. Currently, the uniqueness we aim to reflect is continuously growing Spill's aesthetic. We dye our milk pink, constantly decorate and redecorate the shop, and experiment with different flavors to bring new, exciting drinks to the menu.
The Coffee
Our coffee is a Guatemalan/ Mexican blend tailored to our liking with the assistance of Java Estate and their expertise. There are so many different roasts of coffee, but the qualifications we looked for in our house roast were pretty simple. We wanted it to taste good, blend well, and contain notes that would appeal to many people. The coffee we use is a Medium roast that is bold yet smooth and has subtle notes of chocolate and nuts.
The Flagship Brew
One drink that is particularly special to me is the Bombshell. It is a latte that contains homemade rose syrup, collagen, and oat milk. When Spill began, I knew I wanted a rose-flavored drink that could be offered year-round. The floral notes of the rose syrup partnered with the visual of the pink oat milk work very well. I chose collagen based off of that partnership as well...pink, flowers, and hair/skin/nail health to promote a happy, beautiful, and healthy drink.
The Sweet Treat
At Spill, we offer a selection of handheld pastries, muffins, bagels, vegan donuts, and delicious handmade treats made locally. Veggie Wagon and Cravings are the two local businesses we purchase goods from. These businesses offer vegan and gluten-free items that are delicious and health-conscious. Veggie Wagon's protein-packed energy balls and Cravings' raspberry-filled cinnamon buns are easily the fan favorites.
Essential Coffee Tunes
When it comes to music, we switch things up often. Whoever is manning the shop has aux-cord privileges, which is how we do it. Some days it's lo-fi. Some days it's rap, pop, etc., as long as it provides a pleasant experience for the customers and us making the drinks.
Q&A with Elizabeth James, Co-Owner
What Makes it Unique?
Our motto is “Elementally Good Coffee.” A lot of science goes into making a great cup of coffee. It’s complex. We start with purified water and then add pressure and heat for the right time to get the best out of each coffee bean. Everything is served in an atmosphere that makes you say, “ahhh, I am right at home.” Our customers are our neighbors, and our neighbors are a varied group that we try to make feel welcome so that great-tasting coffee is just part of the Complex experience.
The Coffee
We get our beans from Counter Culture Coffee, a Durham roaster perfecting their craft for over 25 years. They offer consistent, high-quality, perfectly roasted beans that assure us that we can make a great cup of coffee every time.
The Flagship Brew
Our latte’s are hands-down the favorite. Our customers love the well-crafted espresso shots topped with milk, steamed just right to leave that little bit of foam on your lip each sip. Of course, that’s if you can stand to mess up the lovely latte art. Our Caramel and Mocha sauces make the plain latte stand out even more. And on a hot day, they are great iced.
The Sweet Treat
We bake almost everything in-house. Elizabeth, our baker, has crafted scones, muffins, cookies, and bars that pair well with coffee and tea. Our customer favorites include Lemon Lavender Pistachio Scones, Fresh Blueberry Crumble Muffins, and German Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies. We even bake many Gluten Free items and a few Vegan. Two all-time favorites are a GF peanut butter cookie and a GF Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin that even have gluten lovers returning for more.
Essential Coffee Tunes
Q&A with Molly Prosser, Manager
What Makes it Unique?
24 South Coffee House resides in the oldest coffee shop in Wilmington, NC. We are a fully woman-owned and operated establishment that hopes to uplift our community by supporting the arts and providing a space for conversation and great coffee.
The Coffee
We have the only fully-manual espresso machine in Wilmington. It's a classic Victoria Arduino decked in the classic hammered copper finish. We carry coffee from several roasters, both local and non-local. Our espresso and cold brew beans are from Java Estate Roastery in Hampstead. We also use Smooth Press Roastery right down the street from us in Historic Downtown Wilmington, Odelay Roasters out of Raleigh, NC, and Mighty Good Coffee Roasters out of Ann Arbor, MI. We take pride in only using the best organic arabica beans and love to support small and local businesses as often as possible.
The Flagship Brew
We just debuted our spring menu. One of our favorite classics is our Lavender Bliss Latte. The latte features our dark roast espresso and homemade lavender and vanilla syrups. However, try our cold brew if the flavor isnt your thing! Our cold brew is made fresh in-house daily with our unique 12-hour brew process.
The Sweet Treat
Our baked goods are baked by local artisans like Golden Dawn Bakers and Spoonfed Kitchen. My personal favorite is our chocolate chip cookies. We also have fresh cinnamon rolls delivered every Saturday morning, and they go fast!
Essential Coffee Tunes
Q & A with Jeremy Hardy, Owner
What Makes it Unique?
Vigilant Hope Roasting is unique because “it was never about the coffee.” Years ago, we decided to start a business that would provide meaningful employment and empowerment for our friends battling material poverty while cultivating relationships. We also strive to be our best at sourcing, roasting, and brewing our coffee beans. So, yes, we want to create meaningful employment and a coffee experience that tastes delicious.
The Coffee
Recently we have focused much of our attention on single-origin/direct trade coffees from Ethiopia that rank high on the coffee scale. These coffees are highly complex, rich in flavor, and will undoubtedly be a pleasant experience to drink.
The Flagship Brew
We love just our basic but delicious Flat White. Which is an 8oz drink with a shot of espresso with steamed milk with a thin layer of micro-foam. The perfect sweetness doesn’t take away from the espresso mixed in with the milk.
The Sweet Treat
An in-house made pop tart. Ether guava or raspberry flavor.
Essential Coffee Tunes
It really depends on which barista is working. We let them pick the playlist, but it could be anything from indie rock to Frank Sinatra.