I have been recommending this place to all my friends since I went. The desserts and drinks were on point. For what your getting the prices were also amazing. read more

From beginning to end, my Bittersweet experience was great. They have really mastered the art of customer service in a busy environment. The door man was very friendly and let us know that he would get us sat in about 10/15 minutes. When it is busy, you do have to wait outside. It was chilly but I understand that this is beyond their control given the design of the space. My partner and I ended up sitting at the bar which was so much fun! Watching the bartenders do their thing was a show in itself. These guys really have the art down. Though we were waited on by the bartender, I never felt neglected. He got us our two drinks and desserts right away, while still running the drinks for every one else. The Irish coffee was delicious with a little kick and the coffee liqueur cheesecake was to die for. This is a pricey spot, but is well worth it in my opinion. The quality of people watching and quality of cocktails are spot on. I will be returning soon! read more

Bittersweet is one of my favorite places in DTR! We have been here many times, all during different times of the week and variations of how busy they are. Usually on weekend nights there is a line out the door to get a table. However, I have never really felt rushed even on busy days. My favorite is the S'mores Sundae. It's delicious! My husband usually goes for the ice cream sandwich which is also very very good. Last night I went in and wanted something small so I asked about the cupcakes which are usually by the window and not on the menu. They had a cinnamon carrot cupcake, which didn't seem like the decadent dessert that I was hoping for. However, the bartender basically convinced me that it was delicious and I needed to try it. I'm glad I did because it was soooo good! I was going to share but told my husband to get one for himself cause I was not sharing mine. One suggestion I would make would be to showcase your teas a little better. My mom wanted tea with her cupcake but she didn't see it on the menu (whereas the coffees are clearly listed). It wasn't until later that I saw the tea tins up at the bar area. Maybe it is on the menu and my mom may have not seen it, but highlighting it could be beneficial since there are many people who are not not coffee or alcohol drinkers that would be very happy about the selection. read more

Cute modern interior and the quality of the deserts and coffee are worth the price! My hubby & I split an Irish Coffee and The Derby Pie - splurged $2 for ice cream:: also worth it! The waiter was super helpful & friendly. read more

Absolutely in love! Had a Laura Palmer with the Vanilla Creme Brûlée and they were both to die for! Cocktails were amazing all around and not too expensive for the quality and taste, compared to most places downtown. Extremely kind staff as well as very sanitary. I loved sitting at the bar and watching them prepare desserts! Can't wait to go back! read more

Accompanied friends for after dinner drinks...had a wonderful time. Great drinks and sweet potato pie! Pie was full of flavor with a wonderfully flaky crust. read more

My friends and I were looking for a place to satisfy our late night sweet tooth. I jumped on Yelp in search of a place to solve that unyielding craving. I ran across Bittersweet and said oh, this sounds good. After browsing the online menu, this was decided upon as the winner. This place was easy to find, which is great, even though my GPS tried to have me arrive in the middle of the street. We entered and were very pleased with the decor, the lighting, the seating, and the size of the night crowd. There wasn't the big, hey welcome, but I get it, it's late and there is a cool reserved vibe going on. We pick our table and the waitress greets us promptly with glasses of water. We breeze the menu again, hear about the specials, and proceed to order. Two of us order the Key Lime Tequila Pie and our friend ordered the S'mores. Our desserts arrive fairly quickly and we proceed to offer each other a taste before we dive into our succulent offerings. The S'mores is really good, the best part is the almost smoky like texture of the marshmallows, it gives you the nostalgic feeling of campsite. The homemade ice cream is heaven. I wasn't too fond of the brownie component but that's not my thing so I won't deter anyone else from it. The Key line is more like a parfait that is beautifully built by graham crackers, key lime pudding, and a delectable mousse which is where I'm guessing the tequila is wonderfully hidden. Is your mouth watering? Mine is again. I would recommend this place for your late night craving for amazing desserts. My friends and I will be back and even if they can't go, I'll be here enjoying something different off the menu. read more

The only reason this place gets one star is because I just saw an employee leave the restroom without washing his hands and return to the kitchen. Disgusting. read more

This place has the worse service. It was my birthday tonight and I passed up dessert to come to bitter sweet. I waited outside it was not clear if the indoor area was open we were next to be seated and I asked if the inside area was open and the waitress said no her hands were full so I held the door as she laughed at me and said ohh you don't have to hold the door for me lol! But thank you. I said well your hands seemed full and I thought it would be rude for me to close it as you were walking out. Then she said do you want to sit down? We were waiting for a heated table and were offered one with no heat the only one with no heat. I figured since we were the only ones waiting we would sit until a different one was open and as soon as I sat down a heated one was open and I asked to move and was told someone was taking it they walked up as soon as I had asked! I'm sorry but the service is awful. Don't offer a table with no heat in the middle of December when it's 32 degrees out... I should have said no thank you I would like a heater but I was rushed and pressured and I regret that I gave into that.... read more

Cupcakes and hey wine selection! How have I not heard of this place sooner? How is this the only place like this? They need to have cupcake bars everywhere! I had the cinnamon sugar cream cheese cupcakes and it was absolutely amazing. read more

Just went there tonight for the first time and we were so impressed. We only had desserts and they were delicious! My hubby had the carrot cupcakes and rated it a 10 and I had the s'more which was out of this world! We will definitely be going back there. Thanks read more

Came here for first time tonight. Yummmm!! Wish I had visited here sooner!! Had thin mint cocktail and the smores sundae and then also Irish coffee. Bartender was very friendly and knowledgable ! Will def be back and recommend to everyone ! Delicious coffees, cocktails and desserts... Need I say more??? :) read more

Bittersweet - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

What a refreshing place to grab a wonderfully crafted cocktail or homemade sweet treat. Great atmosphere, awesome service and quality food & drink. read more

Really enjoyed the Smores here. It wasn't sickly sweet and it was the just the right amount of dessert. We had an out door table, and our waiter was kind enough to usher a bug to another location. read more

Bittersweet - This is their version of a Smore Sundae. Toasted marshmallow cream with a brownie, ice cream, and graham cracker dust. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Delicious. Great staff. Wonderful summertime spot. It's great to be able to walk up and order from the street.

The salty chocolate chip icecream sandwich was RIDICULOUS . Go get it tonight, not tomorrow, not the next day. Awesome!

(First, I am not a big drinker so I came here for dessert. The drinks may be amazing here and I would not know it.) Overall it was fine but for the prices I wanted more than just fine. If I wanted desserts that were standard I could find them somewhere else for half the price. read more

I was on a cupcake tour of NC and this was our 1st stop. Seriously? I don't get it. Madonna loves these so of course I was going to adore these cupcakes. Maybe an "off" day. We all tasted Red Velvet. The red was so bright, so red makes me think it was food coloring, not beet juice for coloring and sweetness. The cake was dry, almost stale. read more

Holy crap! The banana rum cheesecake is amazing! Also had the Gimlet - equally great! Strong drinks, delicious dessert! Service was good too! Definitely will go back :) read more

This place is a must for a date night or girls night out. Desserts are decadent and delicious. love the cocktail selection and thursdays bubbles and cupcakes special. sit at the bar and have the creme brule ! read more

Visited Bittersweet for my little sister's birthday with my parents in tow. Everyone was carded at the door (Saturday night around 9 pm- not sure if they card at the door always or not). I had the Espresso Martini and it was wonderful. Shared the S'mores dessert and it was equally delicious! Fun ambiance too- they were playing older classics. read more

Bittersweet, I can't get enough of you. Be prepared to spend big on drinks and dessert, but you will absolutely leave happy. My significant other and I come here at least once every two weeks -- and there are certainly reasons for why we come back so often. The staff is very laid-back and consists of some of the most kind (and funny) people in Raleigh. Drinks are always delicious, and if you're a gin enthusiast, you're in for a treat as Kim and Lewis have curated an awesome collection of the stuff (which proves to be ever-growing). Bittersweet even has a Gin Club that meets on Sunday (you can opt in for a fee, hit get plenty of drinks to cover the price during that time). It's always fun to see how the dessert menu changes with the seasons, and you can go wrong with any of the choices, really. The s'mores sundae will forever hold a special place in my heart (and stomach) though. Bittersweet holds a lot of weekly specials -- Monday is 1/2 off pie, Tuesday you can get delicious tiki drinks for a discount, Wednesday is $7 classic cocktails, and $11 on Thursday gets you a gourmet cupcake (flavor changing weekly) and split of bubbly. It's the perfect place to come in the afternoon and early evening to hang out and chat with the staff, a great after dinner dessert place, and a great place to close the night with lots and lots of coffee. I guess what I'm trying to say is, why are you still just reading this review? Go check it out! read more

I got a chance to try out Bittersweet tonight when they hosted an exclusive Yelp Elite event. Bittersweet definitely did not disappoint and lived up to my expectations. A few years ago I visited a place similar to Bittersweet in another city and have yearned for a place to similar to open up locally. My prayers were answered when Bittersweet was opened. They have an amazing concept that I hope people will appreciate. Homemade fresh desserts, craft cocktails, and coffee. It can't get any better than that. The staff is very knowledgeable and each person has an expertise in each of the areas. Although I am not a coffee fan the cocktails I tried this evening were on point. Great combinations with layers of intense flavors. I am looking forward to trying some drinks off their regular menu. This evening I was able to try 2 desserts: a espresso chocolate chip cookie & mini cupcakes. Both of those items were very good and I look forward to trying some more dessert items next time I visit and hopefully after doing so this will become one of my 5 star places. Overall the space was inviting, the staff was hospitable, and the drinks/food was delicious. Next time your in the mood for some dessert and drinks check Bittersweet out. I am definitely a fan and highly recommend them! KUDOS! read more

Stumbled upon this place from the yelp reviews as we were looking for a good dessert place while on vacation in raleigh. Biggest mistake and waste of money coming here. Dessert menu has a paltry 5 items so we ordered the marshmellow brownie graham cracker dessert cuZ we saw a photo from someone on yelp and my kids love ice cream. This was the smallest dessert I've ever had and way overpriced!! $9 for a tiny brownie that was frozen and just microwaved... Horrible! We are from nyc and even our dessert places aren't this expensive and you actually get a decent size dessert. DO NOT go to this place unless you want to get ripped off and have a frozen dessert. We should've listened to other reviews on yelp that said the same thing. read more

Nice spot for a cocktail and dessert. Menu is diverse with offerings for all tastes. Desserts are pretty decadent, but there are savory treats as well. I had the day drinker, which was a bit odd but still yummy. I enjoyed the toasted almond much more. The chip which was great and definitely enough to share! Would not recommend for those just looking for a beer. Great for before or after a show at Duke Energy. read more

The place sits in the middle of the street with an unpretentious frontage. Ambiance reminds me of an old soda fountain store with a serving counter and stools, pew type seats along opposite walls, with some free standing tables. Service was casual and attentive and in spite of it being Valentine's Day, we felt un -rushed and comfortable to just sit and talk. All products were homemade and the coffee fresh brood and some exotic. Yes, I'm a coffee snob, and i like strong flavorful coffee, which is almost never served anywhere in US. I had the african blend and it was delicious. After enjoying same we jumped to dessert with an ice cream sandwich with Carmel corn and the coconut custard pie. I felt the cookie part of the sandwich was too frozen or thick to be eaten comfortably. The vanilla ice cream needs some nice crunchy but eatable cookie and was hard to eat. I would have liked to see the popcorn rolled around the sandwich, but they were more of a side. The pie center lacked the texture and taste to accompany the coconut topping and crust, and was a bit disappointing. Even with the above, it's nice to have a place where you can have good coffee and relaxed conversation, and let's face it, any dessert is a treat, so just enjoy the fact it's not frozen or mass produced. read more

The place is great to go get some coffee and dessert, a great end to a girls night out. We have always had super friendly servers and really yummy coffee! read more

Went on a Friday night.....the place was so packed and noisy I felt I was constantly yelling to be heard....I mean, it was LOUD. If I go back I'll try it on a weeknight, but if its even half as noisy as it was i m walking back out. Good drink selection. Pie tasted spot-on but unfortunately the crust was pretty tough. I also visited the walk-up window once in the morning and thought the pastries were above average, and again drink was pretty good. Nothing really blew me away though. Deducting stars mainly for the unbearable noise, but I love the window idea and think it's a pretty solid place for a morning snack, or maybe a drink on a less-crowded evening. read more

I was expecting awesome desserts. What I got is no better than a pie at Harris Teeter and slow service. It was a Saturday evening and the place only had people at 2 tables. They were keeping the front door open in the cold "because people can't tell we are open?". They did close the door when we asked. For an $8 slice of pie I expected something more. My friend got the apple cobbler with ice cream. The cobbler was cold....strange...they couldn't take the time to heat it up? Just disappointing. I won't be back. read more

Forgot my dessert order, but that's alright. Overpriced on most of their offerings and under-delivered. Creme brulee that a friend ordered was under done on the top. Coffee is pretty good and reasonably priced, if you want something like that. Cocktails were a little high. It's not bad, but when you factor in the price, it's not worth it to me. read more

Yummy desserts and very friendly staff! I had the Creme Brule and my husband had the strawberry pie. He also enjoyed his Irish coffee. The place is small and gets packed quickly especially after 8pm on a Saturday. We will be back, a bit pricey but worth the occasional splurge. read more

The ice cream sandwich was perfect to share and so tasty. The cocktails are fabulous too.

Happened upon this wonderful place on a date night downtown. The derby pie was amazing and I can't wait to make it back to try more desserts! read more

We went on a Friday night. Downtown seemed busy everywhere and the Bittersweet was no different. We had eaten dinner earlier and walked around downtown Raleigh and decided we wanted a cup of coffee. We found Bittersweet, sat at the bar, best cup of plain black coffee I've ever had. Bartender said it was Counter Culture Coffee from Durham. Wife says her Latte, which was beautiful, was best Latte she ever had. We had a great time, excellent place, we will go back. read more

Great cocktails - very artisanal and top shelf ingredients! Prices around $10-13 per drink. Desserts are really fancy as well. Small space with low retro light and fun 80s-90s R&B. It is loud. read more

great cocktails and a unique selection of wine and champagne! a wonderful addition to downtown raleigh

Drinks and Dessert! Great Concept and actually good food and drinks, however, SAY GRACE AND BLESS YOUR FOOD FIRST, because the wait staff and servers DO NOT WEAR GLOVES. We sat at the bar and watch as the server prepared our desserts without gloves, wiped her hands on her apron several times and even touch a co-workers arm all while slicing our piece of pies. I wanted to scream. read more

My husband went to this place a few weeks ago. He got something that he said was good. Was going to stop in after getting our food tonight at the food truck rodeo. A lady came outside and touched me on the shoulder and told me and the group in front of me we could not be on the side walk in front of the place. We were not near the door we were actually in front of the place next door. I thought she was rude.I don't think I want to try it again. read more

I was out with a friend late night and happened to come across this beautiful oasis! Being from NC but now staying in Chicago and Cincinnati, this place has great people and music! Josh, one of the waiters is the man! The complete crew on Friday, August 21st midnight on were great! Next time I'm headed to Princeville, NC I will stop by for a Manhattan and amazing eclectic vibes!!! This spot will bring out your inner harmony. See you next time. read more

Phenomenal date night or girls night out location. Loved the Irish coffee & the ice cream sandwich. If you like carrot cake they make an outstanding carrot cake cupcake with cream cheese icing. read more