The hardest part about moving to a new city is finding the best coffee shops to write at! In Nashville, I absolutely loved Red Bicycle and Barista Parlor. I tucked myself away in a corner and typed away.
When we moved to Charlotte I spent most of my days at Caribou Coffee and Not Just Coffee. I wrote Falling in London and For the Love of Gingerbread between the two of them!
Before we even moved to Raleigh, I started building a list of coffee shops to visit. Though there are still SO many more to go, here's where I've been so far! I have to say, as I was creating this list, I couldn't believe all I've check out for only being here two months!
Sir Walter Coffee- Also in the heart of downtown Raleigh, this always comes highly recommended. They have a lot of unique coffee offerings. I haven't been enough times to try them all yet! If I was planning a short writing session, maybe an hour or so, I could see myself snagging one of the outside tables at Sir Walter Coffee on E. Davies Street.
42 & Lawrence - The location of this is a plus. It's walking distance from Moore Square Park and City Market. I enjoyed their cold brew while taking a stroll through the park and snapping some photos. This would definitely be a place I'd go to grab a coffee for a writing sprint on the grass of Moore Square Park.
Jubala Coffee in Lafayette Village - Talk about inspiration! Lafayette Village is a French inspired shopping center and it really feels like you walked into a completely different country once you step foot there. Jubala has a great flash iced coffee that I usually get. Sometimes I'll change it up to an iced vanilla latte. Both with oat milk of course. This is one of those place where I can't wait for fall weather. I want to bring my blanket and relax on the grass with cup in hand for a long writing session.
Heirloom Brewshop - This coffee shop has is Asian inspired in both coffee and design. It has a beautiful aesthetic and great coffee. This seems like more of a conversational atmosphere than a writing atmosphere. I definitely see this as a place to bring visitors before showing them around downtown. Idle Hour Coffee - This was a cute coffee shop in a quiet area of Raleigh. I don't think I could see myself writing here, as the tables are limited and I would fee really bad taking one up, but a great spot to enjoy a Sunday morning cup.
Cup A Joe - I liked the variety on their menu. Some of the more fun drinks they couldn't do dairy free, so I didn't stray from my cold brew. Not an ideal writing spot as it's just an in and out place, but still good coffee.
BREW Coffee Bar - This was a space I could totally see becoming a regular writing spot. I saw a lot of people working with their computers. Their cold brew was also pretty darn delicious.
SOLA Coffee Cafe- This place was packed when we went on a Saturday. Such a great atmosphere! Definitely one where I would gather with friends as opposed to writing, but maybe on a weekday. I'll have to check it out. I loved the outdoor space and not to mention the photo opportunities. Outside of SOLA is the "I Believe in Raleigh" mural and an old fire truck.
This blog is a work in progress! If you have any suggestions on other coffee shops in Raleigh to check out, let me know!