We stopped in after a tour of UNH since we needed to recharge our batteries. Since the dining hall was closed, we walked to Main Street and found this place. As a coffee snob for many years, my wife and I thought the coffee here was outstanding. We had the iced toasted almond coffee, the iced caramel vanilla coffee, and the iced hazelnut coffee. These flavored coffees were not from the sugary pumps like you would get at your national chains but instead from the actual flavored beans. What a huge difference in the taste. We all had medium sizes which was plenty and it came to just over $9. The service was good and friendly. If my daughter goes to UNH, she will be a frequent customer. Then again, so will we. Pat the cat. read more

The staff talk badly about customers in front of other customers...? Calling customers bitches, especially a male employee, really bothered me as a woman. As someone who works in service: humble yourself, please. I enjoy the coffee, but I won't be purchasing anymore. read more

This was the place to be in the early 2000s. Now it's dark and filthy. When I'd last stopped there in September, instead of leaving a review, I mentioned to someone who appeared to be the owner that the place looked like it needed a little love. Now in late January, there are still fall leaves on the floor, which clearly hasn't been swept or mopped in months, if not years. Crumbs everywhere. The sprinkler above the service area appears rusted and out of code. Many of the coffee beans are out, and the baked goods don't look fresh. In the filthy bathroom there's an open bag of Charmin in the middle of the floor, where someone couldn't even be bothered to remove the toilet paper rolls and stock them. My Macchiato was mostly fine, though the beans tasted a little old, and it had no kick (I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine, and that's why I went there). Something is very wrong. I'm surprised health inspectors haven't shut it down yet. There is competition in town, and this place needs a serious reboot to stay in business. read more

This coffee house is awesome! Right on the UNH campus. The young lady (coffee barista} was friendly and knew how to make a cup of coffee. I think her name was Livy. When we walked through the door we were greeted with a smile. We will return when we're in the area. read more

I ordered a latte and it was just not good. I don't consider myself a huge coffee snob but something was not right about it. The atmosphere is not pleasant. It is dirty and dingy. There was trash and crumbs all over the floor and the bathroom looks like it has never been cleaned! Do not waste your time going here. Take your business elsewhere. read more

A classic on the seacoast not to be missed for the morning brew.Highly recommended for tasty coffee

After catching some breakfast at Young's Restaurant next door, I decided that I wanted a cold brew coffee from here. I could not read the writing on the thermos as it was fading on all of them, so it took me a while to find which one was half & half. The cold brew I ordered was pretty good! Next time I'm in the Durham campus district, I'll come back here for some coffee and maybe breakfast. read more

Breaking New Grounds - Funny tip jar. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, New Hampshire

Truly a delightful little coffee shop. Excellent coffee & they serve yummy muffins & pastries as well. Try the morning muffin - - it's quite tasty. They also sell one of my favorite indulgences by the front register; dark chocolate covered espresso beans. :) Friendly staff, and an excellent variety of flavored coffee beverages as well as healthy teas for all you non-coffee drinkers out there. I'm a fan of yerba mate & was delighted that they offered it since it's not as common as green/white tea. They have wifi & a few outdoor tables. I also dig that they keep the place super clean. read more

Breaking New Grounds - menus on the wall - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Durham, New Hampshire

I hate to say this, but this is the worst cappuccino I have ever had in my life. You would be better off with a nespresso machine. It's a shame that people spend their hard earned money on this. Do better read more

Nice and centrally located coffee shop. Not a huge selection of bakery items but all tasty. I had an Americano and it tasted great. Nice staff. Recommended. read more

I was so excited to be reunited with one of my favorite coffee shops in New England. But when I finally arrived it was just so sad. Remembering the location in Portsmouth how amazing it was. So clean and lots of room an amazing display case. To a hole in the wall not. Lean at all. The waitstaff being young and not professional at all. Really broke my heart. I couldn't even order a coffee I was so sad when I walked in the door and was just blown away how downgraded it is now. I just ordered a tea. read more

BNG is the best. Their brewed-in flavored coffee is great - especially Hazelnut & Pumpkin (in season). I also come here to fill up on coffee grounds for home brewing as they have a wine variety of international beans from Central & South America. Cool place in downtown Durham with a nice laid-back coffee shop atmosphere. Love going here & supporting local any day of the week over the Aroma Joe's & Dunkin' chains. read more

Super dirty and dingy. Saw the employees coughing, wiping their noses, etc. then making bagels and coffees without washing their hands. Ick! Coffee was ok. They only serve coffee and pastries and by 1 on a Sunday they were basically out of all pasties. read more

Classic. Classic. Quality. As a UNH alumn, it's been a nostalgic favorite for the last 8 years or so. Whenever I'm in the area I stop by. I recommend a cup of hazelnut and a toasted sesame bagel with veggie cream cheese. read more

This is a very busy place! when I walked in, there was absolutely nowhere to sit. After resigning myself to go sit outside in the (gorgeous weather and) wind, I ordered a soy latte and got a pastry. Luckily, right after I seated myself outside, I spied someone inside packing up and did my best hover to get the space. Finally, then, I was able to try my drink. The soy latte was fantastic, perfectly foamed, with a deep, rich flavor. Unfortunately, the lemon poppyseed biscotti would have been better left in the case - it was kind of "scented" with lemon, and basically lacked taste. How sad. And of course, while eating that I noticed the vast array of other pastries I could have eaten. Boo! The only other downside to this coffee shop is that the internet is kind of slow and crappy, probably due to the sheer number of people using it. read more

Sadly this establishment is dirty and the coffee and iced tea are overpriced and underwhelming.

4.5, really, but what the hell... I love their house-roasted coffee and their vanilla lattes. I love that I can sit for a long time buying a house blend with a refill so I can work on my creative writing shit. I love that it's in Durham, which is a lovely little college town. I just wish that whoever cleans the bathrooms in the morning and in the evening wouldn't use about two-thirds of a can of cleanser in each. If you don't get headaches smelling and tasting the chlorine, more power to you. I'd really rather be able to taste your coffee and maybe a bagel while I write. I've actually gotten pretty damn sick a few times because when it was packed the only seats were in the back, and the chlorine cleanser smell traveled aaallll the way to the back. read more

Great coffee. Good place to go when your in a rush. Service is quick and all staff is very kind and accommodating.

I LOVE this coffee shop on campus! They offered great coffee while following social distancing guidelines for myself and my Bumble BFF! Great coffee and atmosphere read more

A great little coffee shop with lots of nooks and crannies that one can sit at. The atmosphere is probably the best feature of this coffee shop. read more

Let me say that the coffee is great. After that....well not so great. I ordered a brownie for a snack. It was $2 for a hockey puck! I exchanged it for a cookie. That was like eating a frisbee! The place was filthy and had no selection compared to the Portsmouth location. Go for coffee but that's it! read more

B rad told me that this joint had tasty concoctions, even better than *bucks. I trust that guy, so I was up for sampling a warm caffeine beverage at this cute little coffee shop on the UNH campus/downtown of Durham. B selected an iced coconut mocha latte style coffee drink. I was impressed with this choice. It was a nice combo of flavors, although the mocha did settle a bit on the bottom. Since B rad is a man(boy) he opted for no straw, so perhaps the flavors would blend better when sipped through one. That is how I would roll. They have other tasty sounding combinations as well, like banana mocha and raspberry mocha. However, as I am trying to move away from coffee (addiction) I selected a classic standby, a hot soy chai latte. This can often be a test for a coffee shop and I think Breaking New Grounds passed with a solid B. The spice was nice, not too overpowering, good level of foam, good non-tongue burning temperature. I enjoyed it. We also decided to partake in a sweet to go along with our bevs. There were some biscotti, cookies, and an interesting looking rectangular item. The chap at the counter said it was a snicker cheesecake bar. Okay! The total for our treats was less than 9 smacks and they were served by the pleasant young staff promptly and politely. We took a seat at one of the tables inside. B rad unwrapped the cheesecake bar and went at it with a plastic knife. He took a slice and placed it in his mouth. The look on his face was intriguing, a slight head tilt, some cocentration, a solid poker face. And then his review, "it tastes like nothing." Agreed. It had no discernible flavor, certainly not of snickers or cheesecake. I am fascinated when an item full of flavorful ingredients combines in a way that removes all the taste. So strange. We still ate it anyway. :) read more

BNG has all the makings of any coffee shop with a few extras and an indy feel. The service here is great, and the prices are very reasonable. There are a variety of beverages both iced and hot, as well as a long list of teas. What I like the most is there is a special bucket to dump any excess coffee in case you want more room. It's a relatively small cafe but there are some nice tables and couches. They also have gelato, which earns this place the 5th star in my book. read more

I used to work at BNG for two years in college and still love that coffee shop. Even though I don't live in new england anymore, I find myself craving their ethiopian or kenyan coffee-- all roasted on site! It's always full of college kids [duh.... it's a college town] but I like how the locals go there as well. The owner is a very nice guy who's done a great job of setting up a nice little coffee shop! read more

Best coffee place. Their variety is amazing and the staff are very friendly and helpful with helping you make your mind up... Great place to chill out and people watch... read more

Good coffee run by college students. Never had an issue with quality or price. But nothing about this business stands out to me. especially in the early morning or weekends when overrun by college students. A solid cup of coffee and a solid, quite atmosphere. read more

One of my favorite places to grab some coffee or tea. The staff is friendly and even though they can tend to get really busy, it never takes away from the quality or service. read more

BNG is where the home is. great place to catch up with old friends. getting school work done, or even just reading the daily paper.

Breaking New Grounds is a great stop in for mid studies or pre partying coffee on campus. The coffee is great and there is a great selection of flavors. I had to avoid the hipsters and hippies but that was not too bad! Great place!! read more

A large coffee shop, usually filled with UNH students, but open and friendly to all. Their coffee to stay comes with a free refill, so it's a perfect place to sit and work. They have a variety of flavored coffees and syrups to add, and teas. Plus a large selection of take-home bags of beans that they roast in house. The seats up in the big window are beautiful and very sunny. I really enjoying working here. Don't forget to get a stamp card. Check it out! read more

I miss BNG so much. So cozy and inviting, and the pervasive smell of coffee beans is the greatest. The coffee isn't the greatest, but it is good and they always brew a few blends at a time so you have a few choices. Luckily their selection of whole beans is sizeable, and if you take some home, grind them properly and brew it a little stronger... Excellent. If they have Tanzanian Peaberry, go for it. read more

Great, cheerful service. A cozy place to sit and cuddle up with your laptop, chat with a friend, or get hot coco with your kids.

I love this place! The place is so cozy and warm and even though i havn't tried the coffee myself all my friends say its good. I will probably go back and try some coffee before to long and tell you guys about it. read more

I have been going to this coffee shop since it opened. In my opinion, it is not as good as it once was. If you want just a cup of coffee or tea, that is great. If you want an espresso drink, your mileage will vary. Back in the day, the espresso drinks were consistent and good. Now, they are sometimes fantastic and sometimes a complete waste of money - like, dump down the drain waste of money. At $4 to $5 per, that can be disappointing to say the least. The gelato is very good, but expensive. The baked goods are generally pretty good, but also expensive. If you are a college student, your experience and expectations would be different than mine. I am just a community member looking for a good espresso drink. So, that is why it only gets three stars. read more

Great atmosphere for studying or kicking back with a cup. The coffee is not Starbucks quality but is drinkable. Coffee places in college towns are cool. Super fast and free internet. I did not have the food but they had a lot of fresh baked goods to eat. The tea is delicious. read more

The best fresh ground, fresh brewed coffee! A great locally owned busines. A wide variety of coffee and teas. The prices are very reasonable. The staff are friendly and fast. If you want corporate coffee and attitude you should go elsewhere. If you want local and honest than you can do no better than Breaking New Grounds. read more

I always buy the toasted almond iced coffee (even in the tundra of New Hampshire) and a bagel with Sriracha cream cheese. The coffee here is my favorite next to Starbuck's. Additionally the Sriracha cream cheese is a mildly spicy topping that adds a unique and appetizing kick to the perfunctory breakfast bagel. The atmosphere is laid back, although crowded at times, but an excellent spot to socialize or work. Usually filled with college students, it is welcoming to all with friendly customer service and comfortable couch-seating. read more

Disgusting Burnt Coffee. I came here via the positive reviews however the coffee is just gross. I tried to power through and just drink it but I gave up half way through a medium it made me feel so sick. I LOVE coffee and wanted to try this none chain shop but sadly GO ANYWHERE ELSE if you value your tastebuds. read more

I always hit up Breaking New Grounds when I take a trip up to UNH about twice a year to visit my college roommates! We still rock our oversized hoodies and sweatpants 13 years later. The heavenly delight iced coffee is amazing. Leave a little extra $ for the students. It felt so nice to help them as they work towards their dream as I was able to establish such great relationships and a love of learning on campus. read more

Such a disappointment!! The coffee is absolutely horrible it has been burnt every time I've gone. I just got a cappuccino and had to throw it out because it was so burnt. So sad because the actual place is so cute. read more