Great place to sit and have a snack after a couple hours exploring the gardens. Lines were not…read morelong, depends on when you go though, prices are typical to most parks and events. Small variety of food options but you'll find something you enjoy.

Lovely view Great service from those taking orders and…read moredelivering food Wonderful food with interesting specials

I've never had Honduran food and Esmeralda's Cafe has been on my list forever, so decided to order…read morein from here! Got the: - Baleada con Salchicha (beans, cheese, cream, avocado, huevos en torta, hot sausage): Simple but delicious! Really liked the subtle spice of the sausage and chewiness of the tortilla. - Pollo con Tajadas (fried chicken, fried green bananas, cabbage, pico de gallo, cheese, alderezo sauce, jugo de pollo, encurtido): Wow! Definitely recommend this- the combination of flavors and textures was amazing. One piece of feedback would be to package the components of this dish separately for takeout orders. However, even with it all coming together, the plantain chips did not get super soggy so this is relatively minor. Also, this held up surprisingly well when re-warmed in the air fryer. Large parking lot, casual ambiance, fast service. 9/10 would recommend!

Extremely fast service, and very cute space with positive energy. I would return for another iced…read morecoffee in the future.

The cutest little coffee shop!! There's been a buzz brewing about this spot so we had to get out…read moreand check it out. Not a lot of parking out front so they allow parking next door at Kings gr but they kept a line of folks. Yes it moved, don't worry. Fresh pastry variety was quite impressive. The goodies were: Vietnamese coffee donut & creamsicle donut from Red Start bakery. An apple pop tart, & blueberry cheese danish also caught my eye. Yes I got them all. There was more but a guy gotta have limits. But I'll just they were mmm mmm good. I'll have to get the donuts again. There is limited seating, and a children's play area which was so cool. I'm hard pressed to not get my jolt of Java so I got a cortado with a drizzle of caramel for a little sweetness. LOVED the flavor, would've loved it if a little hotter. My son-in-law got the Mexican Coke, vanilla espresso. It was cold and amazing as per him. My wife's latte also needed to be hotter. I'll cut the barista a break as she was a one woman show.

Omie's is a small hidden gem in Durham. This place has the best truly espresso/coffee forward…read moredrinks in the triangle. You can tell the quality of the drink and beans Omie's is high quality as soon as you taste it. I absolutely loved their fun and creative seasonal menu. I ordered the pumpkin pie brown butter latte, and it was so tasty. Normally, I have to ask coffee shops to reduce the sugar, but this drink was perfectly balanced. In addition, Omie's sells baked goods to complement your drink. There was a selection of tasty treats to pick from. One of my friends got a HUGE cookie, which looked absolutely delicious. As a fair heads up, parking and inside seating areas are limited. However, Omie's has done the most to maximize the space to make it a cozy place to sit. Pro tip- there is a little more seating to the left of the bathrooms, and there are several comfy spots interspersed throughout. Come for the good coffee, good vibes, and lovely service staff. I definitely know that I will be back!

This is now my favorite coffee place to visit in Durham! I had a lovely time here with a dear…read morefriend. It's such a cute place, lots of comfy seating, the breakfast sandwiches are absolutely delicious, and the coffee is superb. Service was wonderful. We got the Jebena coffee and shared it, and the setting was so beautiful. Will definitely be coming again.

Perfect spot for a flavor-packed lunch break. If you've had Goorsha's food, it's the same delicious…read morefood, just repackaged in clever ways, as sandwiches (panini) and bowls. We tried the Gojo panino (chicken, roasted red pepper, sauce) and a protein bowl with chicken, tekil gomen (cabbage, potato, carrot), fosolia (green beans & carrot), and beet salad. The food came out super quickly (there were only a few other folks in at the time). While the panino was tasty enough, I would recommend/reorder the protein bowl more. The portioning is super generous on the bowl: the bottom is layered with injera, and the scoops of protein and sides are massive. I ate my fill and still had leftovers to take home. They also have coffee and pastries, though we did not try that on our visit.

Mad Hatter is an iconic establishment in Durham. On the corner in the Whole Foods shopping center…read morenear the Duke campus. I moved back to the area a couple of years ago and came here for the first time after many years. It hasn't changed much which is good. Order at the counter and get a number and they'll bring your food to you. The bakery case has lots of delicious choices including large cookies and scones. Service is fast and friendly. I got an avocado toast. I prefer fresh avocado to the creamy kind that comes out of a package but the bread was good as was the presentation and generous fruit garnish. I got an iced tea but I'm sure their coffee is good. It's kind of noisy because it has that industrial, almost cafeteria type vibe but it's a good place to go alone or with a friend because it's so consistent and reasonably priced for the portions.

Warning, this reviewer strives to tell it like it is and use more of the scale than just four…read moreversus five. Ambiance is great. This is the place or one of the places to see or be seen. Nice facility layout, both indoor and outdoor seating. Hard to separate service from the quality of the food. These are where they fell short. Have been here several times over the years and the food was served in poor condition. Clearly the worst of all of our visits. Toast and eggs were room temperature upon delivery. We noted that servers were of a different caliber than in the past. Hopefully just the shift that we visited a Friday morning. Coffee good, not stellar. Bottom line of fun place to be and eat or enjoy socializing. Just the service and food did not keep up at least for this visit.

Food is great, hash browns were insane…read more Good service, cool ambiance. Coffee was dece

The cutest new cafe in the American tobacco district. The food was absolutely delicious. I got a…read morebagel with egg and sausage on it. The morning bar was very sweet but so good. The toasted marshmallow coffee was my absolute favorite. 1000/10 recommend for a breakfast date or breakfast with a friend. Lots of space and more of an order and sit and enjoy your meal kind of place.

Dope music and vibe: Sunlight, warm lights, walls adorned…read moreWith nature's beauty. Enjoy a beer and Sandwich, side of dill salad. I'll be coming back, For coffee and flowers.

Visited Yonder Coffee inside Daily Beer Bar with a friend this weekend. It was the second Saturday…read morein January - so a pretty random weekend, but surprisingly the place was absolutely popping and so packed. There were 5-6 people waiting for a single table. After fighting for a table, we both ordered hot drinks: my friend got a latte and I ordered the rose chai latte, which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, after my friend placed her order, the barista mentioned they were "out of espresso" and offered to "top it with milk" instead and she wouldn't taste a difference. That was disappointing and felt a bit unfair that my friend essentially ended up paying for milk rather than a true latte. We also tried the Tepuy donuts, which were tasty (love Tepuy sourdough donuts!), though I wish they had been warmed up. Given how busy it was, service felt a bit rushed and less attentive than expected--understandable, but still noticeable. The space itself is nice, with a variety of table sizes, and I can tell it would be a great spot to sit and chat on a slower day. I would look forward to giving it another try on a less hectic day!

TL DR: A good choice for a quick service meal if you don't want to leave the Museum of Life and…read moreScience. Outside of the main building and next to the butterfly house and train depot on the museum campus you'll find this little cafe. Several types of wraps and salads are available as well as fountain drinks and treats. Bathrooms (with changing stations) are next to the cafe. However if you need to use the changing stations and can wait I would suggest the main building second floor for the large private family bathrooms. Don't expect anything exotic at the cafe but what is here is good and portions that will fill you up so you can enjoy the rest of your day at the museum. I used to consider it a bit over priced a few years ago until the rest of the world became over priced so now this is just normal priced. If there's no seating at the cafe and it's nice out there are picnic tables a bit further down to the right.

Sprout Cafe is the convenient and fantastic cafe on site at the Museum of Life and Science. They…read moresell drinks and ice cream if you need a refreshment, but they also sell full meals, including kids meals, that are delicious. The barbecue plate is very good. So are all the sandwiches and paninis we've tried. The sides are delicious as well, from healthy options like fruit salad and green beans to traditional fries. Indoor seating is closed at the moment, but there is a lot of outdoor seating at the front and side of the cafe. If those areas are full, there are picnic tables close by at the start of the Dino Trail.

TL; DR: A no-frills, cash or cashapp only neighborhood staple with affordable and tasty food…read more Tater Bread Cafe is a "hole in the wall" in a pretty literal sense. As far as I could tell, the whole little building was the kitchen, with a window where you stand outside and place your order. My food came out quickly; the main wait was for my turn to order. There's a menu of lunch/dinner plate options painted onto the building, and there's a little paper list of other foods taped to the window. There are some prices listed on the piece of paper, but it's not super clear how much everything costs. I got a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit and a side of hash browns, and it all came out to $8. No credit cards, so have your cash ready, or you can pay via cashapp. The biscuit was fluffy and delicious, bacon was crispy but not overdone, the eggs were eggs, and the cheese was probably some sort of Kraft single. I expected the hash browns to be fried, but they were instead maybe boiled or steamed? They were cooked with onions and some sort of seasoning - super flavorful and filling. It's interesting to see this neighborhood spot just around the corner from Golden Belt and the area around Ponysaurus that's getting increasingly developed/gentrified. As much as I liked the breakfast sandwich at Aaktun, this place is waaay more affordable!

Customer service today a 3 food EVERY TIME taste mediocre it was cool because it was convenient but…read moreafter today I'll starve before I eat anything else from them. There was a barcode on my tomato and the owner was offended that I had asked for cheese and was annoyed that I checked my food and spoke on the no cheese (that some how he didn't hear me say so I confirmed my order with my daughter who agreed I definitely asked for LIGHT mayo and cheese) he pretended not to see the BIG barcode on the tomato facing me as soon as I opened the box I had to literally point at it for him to acknowledge it. Then they took off that slice of tomato sprinkled some shredded cheese on top with HEAVY mayo and sent it back out the door with some BURNT onion rings smh never again. Customer service is EVERYTHING and this establishment showed me that if you aren't a "regular" they don't care. People wonder why I don't mind driving 2 hours away for good food well here is why.

Very cute new coffee shop! They have a small lot and plentiful Brightleaf parking across the street…read more(although you do have to pay for that lot, and they aren't able to validate since they aren't technically part of Brightleaf). I got an iced decaf americano with vanilla, which was delicious and came in a glass since they knew I was sticking around. They have a lot of seating and the whole place feels bright, airy, open and clean. They also have a cute store on the left hand side of the space that sells outdoor clothing, shoes and gear. A welcome addition to the area!

It took me more than a year of coming here to write a review for Yonderlust, mostly because I'm…read moresurprised by how much this place grew on me. Yonderlust is more than just a coffee shop--it's one of those spaces where you can easily spend an entire afternoon without realizing how much time has passed. It's a fantastic study and work spot: a mix of table sizes, plenty of outlets, and a relatively quiet, calm environment that makes it easy to settle in. It has solid coffee: Drinks here are consistently pretty good. I usually go for their Campfire Latte (a signature for a reason) or whatever seasonal syrup they're featuring, and their matcha latte is reliable too. It has actual, warm food: simple but satisfying sandwiches with enough variety to make for a perfect study snack or light lunch. I am often disappointed when coffee shops only offer cold pastries. It has entertainment: I love taking a quick study break to browse the shop's outdoor gear and clothing; it honestly feels a little like being transported to the West Coast for a moment (give me some Oregan vibes!). Service has always been quick and friendly. I wouldn't say any single thing here is the best in Durham--but together, it is special! There are many days when I find myself craving a few cozy hours at Yonderlust, followed by a quick dessert next door at Rose's.