Where to Work Near-ish Duke Campus, Ranked Masterlist
May 2022
If there’s one thing I’m gatekeep-y about, it’s finding local cafes before everyone else I know does. Now that I’ve graduated Duke, I decided it’s time to share my amassed knowledge and opinions (and anecdotes no one asked for). At the end of this post, check out what I think is the BEST cafe to do work! Note: this guide is focused on which cafes are the best to be productive at.
Disclaimer
All the places mentioned below are local places (i.e. not a certain franchise that begins with ⭐). I strongly encourage the reader to check them out in person and form your own thoughts about them. At the same time, you can support some cool local businesses! Relevant sign I found in Miami:
I am literally begging you to stop going to Starbucks
Also, I didn’t visit these places alone. I went with Craig, who you should actually ask about specialty coffee. All photos are taken by me. The vibes rating is entirely my opinion, which may not mirror yours.
Quick Links
Table of Contents
List By Alphabet
Boba Baba // Cha House // Cloche // Epilogue // Everlou // Foster Street // Fount // Guglhupf // Heirloom // Jetplane // Liturgy // Meeple’s Brew // Namu // Oak House, The // People’s Coffee // Perennial // Press1
Top Tier
🔥 Liturgy Beverage Company
Durham Food Hall, 530 Foster St Suite 1, Durham, NC 27701 // website, instagram
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
- Many tables of varying sizes, on the larger end (you can sit anywhere in the Durham Food Hall)
- Rectangle, square tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
- Aesthetic: finely tuned coffee
Note: This shop is in the Durham Food Hall. Street parking may be difficult, but there’s a parking lot nearby.
Bonus: We went to a coffee tasting event they hosted, and it’s clear they really care about coffee. Highly recommend their seasonal menu. I’d also recommend grabbing dinner at the Napoli Pizzeria.
📰 Press Coffee Crêpes Cocktails
359 Blackwell Street, Durham, NC 27701 // website, instagram
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
- Good amount of sizeable tables
- Rectangle tables with rounded edges
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
- Aesthetic: wood with green accents, European-inspired
Note: If you want to do work here, ONLY go on weekdays. On weekends, it turns into a busy brunch-only place (no pulling out laptops to work). But on weekdays, it’s pretty roomy.
Bonus: Their crêpes are really, really good. Mostly everything else on the menu is great too! On weekend brunch days, they have hash brown waffles, which I’ve never seen anywhere else.
💗 Heirloom Coffee Tea Kitchen
219 S West St, Raleigh, NC 27603 // website, instagram
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
- Good amount of sizeable tables
- Rectangle tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
- Aesthetic: wood with a few pink accents, plants, vaguely Asian
Note: I had this saved in my “Want to go” for a while, but I never ended up going until this year. (To be fair, it’s in Raleigh, and the drive there sucks a little bit.) Worth the trip.
Bonus: They serve Laos/Taiwan/Japan-inspired dishes that are pretty tasty. There’s also a collection of Asian beers and wines!
🍵 Cha House
318 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 // website, instagram, facebook
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
- Good amount of sizeable tables
- Rectangle tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
- Aesthetic: bustling but clean boba shop
Note: Mostly UNC students here though since it’s in Chapel Hill, but worth the trip. I used to take the RSX every weekend to come here.
Bonus: Possibly the best boba in the area. I often get the taro matcha or strawberry matcha. (The taro is made with powder, but to be honest I don’t mind.) They also serve delicious Taiwanese-style snacks and rice plates. I’d recommend the cheese/egg green onion pancake and the thai chili chicken.
🎍 Namu
5420 Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard, Durham, NC 27707 // website, instagram, facebook, twitter
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
- Many, many tables of all sizes
- Extensive outdoor seating (in a garden, surrounded by bamboo, or on a patio)
- Rectangle tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
- Aesthetic: eclectic indoors, in-nature focus outdoors
Note: I would come here to work on weekdays - there are so many tables to choose from, including square wooden ones all the way to long picnic benches. Saturdays are very crowded, and the parking lot does not lend itself to easy parking. Their coffee is mid, though.
Bonus: They serve Korean-fusion dishes that are pretty good. There’s also a variety of beers, ciders, etc. on tap, if you’re into that.
🌳 The Oak House Durham
126 West Main Street, Durham, NC 27701 // website, instagram, facebook
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
- Some medium, small size, tables, one long table
- Rectangle tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
- Aesthetic: just good vibes
Note: It’s not a huge space since it’s in downtown Durham, but I’ve never had trouble finding seating. Open super late (10pm on weekdays)! No food, but they welcome bringing food from other restaurants in.
Bonus: Lots of alcohol. :)
Worth Visiting
✈️ Jetplane Coffee
810 North Mangum Street, Durham, NC 27701 // website, instagram
Working: 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
- Some medium/small size tables
- Mostly circle tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Note: I would come here to read or work on an essay since there’s no Wi-Fi (on purpose). Lots of people from the community come here, so if you want to avoid students, here’s your place.
Bonus: They also have food! In the beginning of their opening period, they were in a temporary location (next door), and the owner said the goal was to create a “coffee shop disguised as a restaurant”. Not sure if live jazz on Sunday still happens, but that was very enjoyable.
💙 Foster Street Coffee
530 Foster Street #2, Durham, NC 27701 // website, instagram, facebook
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
- Many medium/small tables
- Rectangle tables
- Reservable conference room!
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Note: I would put it higher on the list if it wasn’t so hard to find a table. It was a great working space, but now it’s so crowded since everyone comes here now. Coffee is not great. Open late, which is nice!
🍫 Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews
109 East Franklin Street #100, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 // website, instagram, facebook, twitter
Working: 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
- Some small, medium tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Note: Pretty hard to find table space. I “accidentally” spend $$$ buying books in here, as I usually do in local bookstores. (My excuse is I’m supporting local businesses…) Coffee isn’t great, but it’s not primarily a coffee shop anyway.
Bonus: Amazing book selection with focus on BIPOC and minority authors! The churros were fresh and amazing.
👥 People’s Coffee
7831 NC Highway 751, Suite 100, Durham, NC 27713 // website, instagram, facebook
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
- Some nice size tables, one long bench
- Rectangle tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
- Aesthetic: hip, clean
Note: Come here for work and then do some shopping at Southpoint, which is right next door.
Bonus: I haven’t tried their breakfast menu, but the waffles look really good.
🌺 Perennial
401 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 // website, instagram
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
- Some small tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Note: Closes early (2pm weekdays, 3pm weekends). It’s also right across from Cha House in Chapel Hill.
🍞 Guglhupf Bakery Cafe & Biergarten
ADDRESS website, instagram, facebook, twitter
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
- Some medium tables, one long table
- Rectangle, square tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Bonus: Amazing baked goods, especially the danishes and macarons. If you want bread, I’d buy it here.
💜 Everlou Coffee Co.
506 North Mangum Street, Suite 102, Durham, NC 27701 // website
Working: 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
- Few small tables
- Circle tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Honorable Mentions
🎲 Meeple’s Brew
9545 Chapel Hill Rd, Morrisville, NC 27560 // website, instagram, facebook, twitter
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
- A few very large tables
- Rectangle tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Note: You can pay $5 to have access to the massive selection of board games. Fun place to hang out with friends who like board games, but it’s a bit far.
👨 Boba Baba
12102 Bradford Green Square, Cary, NC 27513 // website, instagram, facebook
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
- Some large tables
- Rectangle tables
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Note: Their boba is good; it’s just quite far. If you make a trip to H-Mart, this place is close by.
🔔 Cloche Coffee
721 Broad Street, Durham, NC 27705 // website, instagram
Working: 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
- A few small tables
- Circle tables, four bar seats
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
- Aesthetic: lots of plants
Note: They have a wide selection of teas, which is great. When this shop was newer, they tasted really good, but later they dropped significantly in quality. It’s also always super crowded, probably due to its location.
Bonus: I’ve seen a good amount of people bring their dogs!
The Crown Jewel
⛲ Fount Coffee + Kitchen
10954 Chapel Hill Rd Ste 109, Morrisville, NC 27560 // website, instagram
Working: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
- Lots of big tables
- Good amount of outside seating
- Rectangle, square tables (some circles outside)
Vibes: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
- Aesthetic: wood and clean white countertops, many plants
- Staff is extremely friendly (you can easily converse with them)
Note: I found this place by accident when I was taking part in the DukeEngage Durham program during my freshman summer. I went to the government office next door to get my UK Work Visa (the program took place in Durham, NC and Durham, UK), but on the way I peered in what looked like a really cool cafe. I promptly saved it in my “Want to go” list in Google Maps, but we didn’t get the chance to go until junior year. We loved it so much we would Uber there every week before I brought a car. Almost nothing could’ve stop us from going to our weekly Fount trip. Partly why I left my Fridays class-free is to go to Fount (the other reason is self-explanatory).
Bonus: Pretty much the entire menu of food and drinks is delicious. I would recommend anything on the seasonal menu.
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I can’t believe it ends at P. ↩