First time coming here and was pleasantly surprised. They were out of bacon when I ordered a bacon, tomato, and cream cheese bagel, but the cashier recommended another menu item that was similar and made with bacon cream cheese, which was great. The flat white was fantastic, and I could tell the specialist in coffee beans, so I bought some for home as well. The staff greeted several customers by name and exchanged inside jokes. With the great food, coffee, and general vibes, I can see why so many people are regulars here. read more

Bean Traders - Flat white with bagel sandwiches - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

**This review is for the new location in RTP** I absolutely love this shop for coworking. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. And they have a variety of drinks and food. For drinks you can choose from coffee, tea, matcha, milkshakes, or smoothies. For food, you can choose from bagels, waffles, oatmeal, yogurt, or pastries. I enjoyed the sunshine hunter bagel and the e sunshine daydream smoothie. My smoothie was delicious and made fresh, but that bagel was everything! The staff was Beth friendly and helpful as it was my first time there. I'd absolutely return in the future. read more

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My friends and I met for breakfast on Valentine's Day morning at Bean Traders. We were lucky to get there before the rush (around 10). It's located a couple of doors down from Sprouts grocery store. There's plenty of seating and it's a cute place. I loved it immediately. They have an extensive beverage menu to include smoothies, coffee, hot chocolate, as well as several food options. Their waffles & bagel sandwiches seem to be their big hits! They also have baked goods, many from Ninth Street bakery. I ordered The Elvis Bagel sandwich (Peanut Butter, Bananas, Bacon & Honey) and a hot Brown Sugar Latte. Both were sooo good, made perfectly. I also ordered a pumpkin muffin to go (it's from Ninth Street bakery) and ate it the next day. It was absolutely the best muffin. I'll be back soon. read more

Bean Traders - The Elvis Bagel (peanut butter, bananas, bacon & honey) Brown Sugar Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

WOW! Where to begin. This is probably the best coffee shop I've ever discovered in my many trips and coffee shop stops. When I visit any new area I love to try a coffee shop and this is hands down my favorite. We were visiting from out of state and found this place from looking for house made syrup coffee shops. This place has a long list of flavors that are ALL made in house. It literally doesn't get any better than that. The shop was extremely busy, yet every staff member was friendly and efficient. Every drink I saw looked so good, and I even heard a couple people after sipping their drink make note of how good it was. Their pastries are delicious and I can only image their waffles and food items are as well. I got an iced mocha and it was genuinely the best one I've ever had. So much so I had to get in line for a second and make it a point to stop again before heading home. I saw a man I assume to be the manager and he was great- greeting everyone, quick chats with his regulars, all while being slammed and making quality beverages consistently. There is plenty of seating inside and golly I want to come back so bad. Never close!! read more

Bean Traders - The best iced mocha in the world - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Always an amazing cuppa and bagel!! The baristas are pleasant, even if they are slammed. And the vibe is still kinda hippie, even tho they are more mainstream now. read more

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The food and coffee are always fantastic. My favorites are the Cool Cat bagel, which is always loaded with cream cheese and cucumbers, and the iced Carmella, which has a delicious, rich, and smooth caramel flavor. The service is always excellent! I have seen several staff members stay for a long time and interact with regulars. It's comfy, casual atmosphere with lots of indoor and outdoor seating. They are very popular so it can sometimes be a bit of wait for your order. You may still have to wait some even when ordering online during the weekends. This has not kept me from coming back though; it's too good! read more

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Great coffee spot in Durham with tons of seating and yummy options. I tried one of their fall cold brew drinks and it was so tasty along with a cinammon role and some iced banana bread! Absolutely will be coming back! Seems like a great spot to do homework or chill at when you don't want to be at home. read more

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Love the coffee here, but hate the popularity that makes your coffee take longer than usual. That's my whole review in a nutshell, seriously. We love checking out local coffee houses and this one is great but I had a feeling when we checked the reviews that it was in an accessible spot next to other businesses and I was right. Bean Traders is located in a shopping mall type location so there is plenty of parking but it also means it's busier than most. I know you have to wait for quality coffee but this wait was long for that. And this is not the staffs fault! They were running around getting it done back there slinging pucks, making espressos and carrying giant containers of water back to the station (for some reason?) So if you're in a hurry and want more than black coffee, I'd hit up your number two spot first. But if you're on a casual hangout with your friend then the wait won't even be noticeable really. The staff were awesome and the atmosphere is calm but more busy and louder than other coffee joints. They have a lot of places to sit and a larger ordering area in front of the baristas. The coffee tastes like a darker roast which is different from most coffee places we visited. We like the dark roasts better. We will be back when in town again just with a better game plan, to sit and enjoy Bean Traders while we share ideas for our day! read more

Bean Traders - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Nice spacious interior, but the experience at the register wasn't great. The staff were somewhat helpful, but I felt rushed to pick a drink and there was barely any variety for specialty drinks. It felt like I had to either make something up or choose from a few suggestions off what seemed like an old menu. Not the best first impression. Hopefully the coffee itself is better than the ordering experience. read more

Visited bean traders coffee for the first time to try their seasonal items and I loved the salted banana cream pie latte. It was flavorful, not overly sweet and I tasted the espresso, such a great balance. The staff were all pleasant and the coffee shop is very spacious, great for working or meeting friends, they also have a large parking lot. There was about a 20 minute wait time for drinks but it was not a big deal. read more

Bean Traders - Salted banana cream pie latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

As someone who tries lots of different coffee shops, this spot is great! I ordered the BCT bagel and a cortado and my friend had a maple oat milk latte. The espresso is good quality, no complaints. The bagel is simple yet so good. They are very generous with the cream cheese, but you can always scrape some off if it's too much. It was a little busy, but there was plenty of seating around 10am on a Thursday. Just be prepared to wait in line and wait a little bit for your food/drinks. The staff were super sweet. This is a great spot to meet a friend or get work done :) 10/10 recommend read more

Bean Traders - BCT bagel, iced maple oat milk latte, almond milk cortado - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Nice coffee spot. Found a whim in search for matcha latte. Is was great. Wish the menu was more visible nor obvious. Only reason I knew to order that was because I saw it online. read more

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I've been going to Bean Traders since I first moved to south Durham in 2015. It has such a charming and colorful interior, lots of outdoor seating (does fill up quickly on a beautiful day - this place is hoppin'!) The more I go to BT, the more I love it. I love that I can order ahead on their website and my coffee is ready for me to swing by and pick it up before I commute to work. (This is my insider tip if you don't want to wait in line) I love the seasonal menu items they put out, but you can't go wrong with a vanilla latte (the best in Durham? Very likely.) I've always gotten incredible service, the food is delicious, I've literally never been served something I wouldn't rave about. Everything is Better with Bean read more

Bean Traders - Iced Vanilla Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Open early with great coffee and great pastries We were looking for a place to grab a quick bite early before hitting the road, and Bean Traders exceeded our hopes. Service was super friendly and efficient, even early on a Sunday morning they had enough staff that nobody was having to do too much, and they all clearly knew their business. We just had plain drip coffee, so I can't vouch for anything fancy, but the drip coffee was fine. Pastries were all excellent, especially the scones, which had a great crumb and weren't overly dry, the two cardinal sins of mediocre scones. Hghly recommended! read more

Hands down the best coffee (and baked good) in Durham! The owner, Dave, is on the espresso machine daily and his staff reflects his attention to detail. Always busy, but never slow...the coffee and food is consistently amazing. Cool vibe with tons of indoor and outdoor seating. If you are in south Durham, stop in. You'll see what I'm talking about. read more

Bean Traders - Chocolate Habanero Latte, Chocolate Latte, and a Beignet! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Such cool options - some uniques options. 10:30 on Sunday - little bit of a wait for a Phunky Monkey Coffee (espresso, banana, PB, chocolate) - absolutely worth the wait. Note: They did not tell me that it came out the other side of the cashier. read more

Bean Traders - Note: Right side for shakes, food and cold drinks! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I go here once a week! My favorite coffee shop in Durham - here's why: 1. Amazing coffee - their pumpkin spice latte is the best I've ever had, their mocha is made with chocolate milk, and their flavored cold foam on top of cold brews is out of this world 2. Super friendly staff 3. Great pastries 4. Great indoor seating set up for working or catching up with friends (SO many tables) + outdoor picnic tables 4. Also love that it backs up to the greenway, try grabbing your coffee to go and taking a stroll! read more

Stopped by for a coffee midday and everything about this establishment is TOP TIER!!! I got the Carmelo which was fantastic and the entire staff was so kind and had the most beautiful energy. Give them a try read more

Awesome coffee shop and they also have a delicious assortment of pastries as well. My favorite coffee drink is the Funky Monkey. Service is also fast and reliable as well. read more

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Wonderful place. Great food and excellent coffee. I loved the Elvis - Bagel, banana, bacon, peanut butter - So good. Chill vibe to hang or just get your takeout. read more

My favorite activity on a road trip is finding a cool local coffee shop along the journey. If you're with me on a trip we will find one!! I searched for half an hour and landed on Bean Traders. As soon as we pulled up I was like YEP this is the spot. It was packed to the brim with people which is always a good sign. The food menu was vast so choosing was hard. But man was it good! And the best part? The staff. They were all so friendly and happy to serve us even when slammed and busy. See y'all next time we're in the area!! read more

good coffee, good vibes. Behind the copy-pasted strip mall exterior is a really charming coffee spot with a decent bit of character. Can't complain about the espresso drinks, and when I got a bagel it was decent, though a little barebones for the price. read more

Went in today and was told that my iced mocha was going to take 45 minutes for them to make. Numerous people and I asked for refunds and left the store. The staff was nice, just very understaffed. read more

Bean Trader is definitely a local gem! Our go-to drink is the chocolate habanero -- a perfect blend of rich and spicy. The staff is always friendly, and we love the spacious seating both indoors and outside. Great spot to relax or catch up with friends! read more

Excellent service! Recommend! Hopping! Lots of different bagel spreads as well as many desserts!

The bagel was really really good, but the line was long. Rush-hour was around 10 AM.. the coffee and frosted coffee was yummy. Here is the updated menu. read more

My favorite coffee shop on plant earth. I don't live here anymore but this is always one of my hilights when I come back to The Triangle. The roaster is unmatched, as is the selection. These guys are Fair-Trade. You can feel good about all aspects of your purchase. This place is busy AF so clearly others share my opinion. read more

Bean Traders - The giant barista bar and bakery - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I got a cold brew coffee and matcha to see if it was good and it wasn't. If you want good quality matcha or coffee go somewhere else I'm saving you the time. Didn't try their food so that might be good but as a coffee spot. It's not it read more

Great coffee. Amazing pastry selection. Lots of indoor seating available. Friendly staff. Highly recommend.

Gets busy on Saturday I guess due to the run clubs but line moves pretty well. Plenty of seating. read more

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Visited my hometown and wanted local coffee. So glad I came in. I ordered online and waited a small amount for pickup. I ordered a seasonal drink coconut macaroon cold brew, where! Delish. I will be back. Please patronize local coffee read more

My friends rave about this coffee shop, so I was glad I got the chance to try it out today. They warned me that there would be a line, and they were right! There was a line almost out the door the entire time I was there (a few hours), but it seemed to move relatively quick. The workers were all very friendly and considering the line, the coffee didn't take too long to come out. I loved the atmosphere there, and that there were plenty of indoor and outdoor seating options. The coffee was decently priced as well, although it was a bit hard to tell what syrup flavors/milk options were offered since it wasn't clearly outlined on the wall menu. Regardless, I had a great time here and will definitely be back! read more

My favorite coffee shop of all coffee shops! Drinks are on point. I love anything pastry they make (especially the muffins). I buy their housemade syrup and espresso for my coffee machine at home. I also buy their pies for Thanksgiving! read more

Knowledgeable baristas and a laid back atmosphere. Bean Traders ,meets all the checkboxes for a good local coffee shop. Plenty of space inside so you dont feel bad about poping open your laptop to check some emails while you enjoy your drink. Bakery options and also people will come in and get coffee by the bag so they can grind and make at home. If you order more than a basic drink expect a little wait but I've never had it any worse than 5-10 min. A lot of outdoor seating in the strip mall if it's nice out. Parking has seemed to get more difficult especially in the area where bean traders is. Recommend parking over by sprouts and walking over if it's a nice day. read more

Bean Traders has been on my list of coffee shops to try forever & I was finally able to make the hike! I got the s'mores latte, which is seasonal, and it was delicious. It had the perfect amount of sweetness, such great depth of flavor, and was aesthetic with marshmallow and graham cracker crumbles on top. I also got the beignet muffin, which was tasty. For an extra 35 cents, they toasted & buttered the muffin. Service is great- super friendly & fast. Overall, I thought the ambiance was decent; there is a lot of indoor and outdoor seating with different sized tables for varying group sizes as well as bar seating for solo peeps. I really liked the corner table I was able to snag, to the right of the pastries counter, because it was next to a window, had great natural light, and had accessible outlets. It does get pretty busy and subsequently very loud (more so in the morning and relatively dies down by the afternoon) so I'd keep that in mind if you are looking to study here. Lots of free parking available. 8/10 would recommend when you're in South Durham! read more

Bean Traders - Beignet muffin - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I received several recommendations for Bean Traders from friends. This review marks the sixth time I came in to pick up coffee and breakfast before making a journey. Their location close to I-40 makes this a good place to get your morning started before hitting the road. Other times I come here with my neighbor to grab a bite to eat and catch up before we start our remote jobs. There's usually a line, so be patient. Four areas of the shop give you a choice on where to sit. You can sit by the counter, sit in one of two common areas that aren't as busy, or you can sit out on the covered patio. There's plenty of seating. Find what you're comfortable with. My favorite food item is their blueberry bagel. A rotating coffee selection ensures each visit is unique. read more

Bean Traders - Order at the counter. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Literally the best coffee shop ever. I was born and raised in Durham and have since moved away but every time I'm back visiting I have to make every effort to stop by! A trip to Durham isn't complete without Bean Traders. All of the coffee and espresso drinks are spot on and especially their cinnamon sugar waffles . It can be pretty busy so be sure to get there with plenty of time to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and time with friends! read more

A Durham staple! As a born and raised Durhamite I can't recommend bean traders enough! Food/service/atmosphere is all 10/10!

I like their coffee... however the wait times at this place are unacceptable. Why is there one machine that two baristas are working on it just doesn't make sense. The multiple times I have come here it's been an issue. Like 20+ minutes for one food item or a coffee. They need a manager on the floor and another machine stat!! I'm happy to wait for a local place but it seems it's not the quality that takes time, it's having not enough equipment and a barista that doesn't seem to care about wait times. (Stopping to chat with customers, other employees, etc.) The ambiance is also strange. The place is huge, and has very little light. Every time I go in I find it hard to stay because the lack of light is off putting. My biggest gripe however, is the barista today (1/5, ~12pm) who was wearing a cropped sleeveless shirt. If you've done any sort of food service you know that that is against health code. It's disgusting. This is why overall this place needs a manger on the floor because being against dress code needs to be called out. It's disgusting to have your drink made by someone with their armpits out!! I want to recommend this place, the pricing is good and the beans are good, but I would say just go with plenty of time, because you won't be getting your drinks quickly. read more

Our favorite coffee shop! All of the coffee drinks are incredible, hot or cold! They do everything the right way with great service and the homemade baked goods are phenomenal! A fun chill place to get some great coffee! read more