After my experience at multiple Donut shops across the U.S I would rate Northern Lights Bakery one…read moreof the lesser experiences. To get straight to the point, the donuts are dense and not worth the wait/price. The worker was manning the cashier and putting donuts in boxes although she did have gloves, the gloves didn't seem to be getting changed. Not sure if some people down south have taste but the line to this place was long. There were flies everywhere. Although the staff were nice, they are understaffed and not clean. This place is another beach vacation money grab to travelers. Update: Found a baked in hair in one of the glazed donuts. Never Again DO NOT waste your $.

There will be a line. That's because it's worth the wait. The line moves pretty quickly tho. The…read morebiscuits are good (pre-made and nuked upon order). Tasty nonetheless. Wife said on of the donuts she tried was the best she'd had. The blueberry coffee cake was very nice. Not overly sweet. My wife loved the coffee as well. Only outside seating so mostly to go style. Mini golf right outside. Check them out!

The barista was very personable and kind, making you feel very welcome. The latte was solid…read more Definitely on the pricier side. Organized and clean.

My go to when I'm in Corolla every year! I come almost everyday. Coffee is always good and staff…read moreare super friendly. They've offer a bunch of small local snacks to buy that are really good too! I believe it's owned by the same folks that own La Dolce Vita so I'm not surprised it's good! Cool modern coffee shop vibes.

Continued 5 STAR LOVE AND ADMIRATION for Kind Cup coffee shop and its very cool, eclectic…read morecollection of handmade jewelry, home decor, art pieces and clothing housed inside (you would never guess all that's inside the shop unless you ventured in!). Kind Cup, first and foremost, is an indie coffee spot that has amazing (strong, not wimpy weak) coffee and latte drinks, a (usually well stocked) display case of baked goods (get there early in the busy season else the pickin's will be slim!). This time, I had the butter cake and it was delicious and complimented my flavored latte brilliantly. Staff is always friendly and amazing! Don't be in a huge rush when you go there and be sure to head out back - there's a beautifully manicured and cared for garden area with some seating and tables sprinkled around the grounds to sit, sip and take it all in - giving faraway feel vibes. I posted a bunch of new pics and vids this visit (including of the garden area) so check them out and see what the inside is like as well as a cool vid of the pretty garden area. I would recommend coming here (when it's not too hot lol) to stroll around the entire Historic Corolla Village. You can truly spend a day here - at least a few hours / half day - just park your car ANYWHERE - plenty of parking in the historic village and just start strolling. Everything is walkable and it's so easy to explore the area. Hit the tiny Corolla Village BBQ shack for great pork bbq sandwiches $10 (top off your sando with their coleslaw yum!), check out the famous Corolla lighthouse and stop in to the lighthouse gift shop, visit the maritime museum, stroll by the beautiful yellow painted Whalehead Club mansion, browse the Island Bookstore, visit the Wildlife Education Center / Museum or just be lazy and bring a chair and a book and camp out on a grassy spot overlooking the sound. The Kind Cup though should be your first stop to grab a latte and a pastry! Can't get much better than that! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Just ate the best muffin I've ever had in my life on the way home from obx. Thanks to The Kind cup!…read moreEverything bagel muffin with cream cheese inside- everything bagel spices on top. Perfectly baked. Coffee was on par too. Great stop. Cute art offerings and souvenirs too. *sorry no muffin pic, I inhaled it like a seagull with a french fry. *I believe this is a special recipe from one of the locals. Chefs kiss!

This place was amazing!! Amazing coffee good vibe nice and friendly staff and very helpful. Every…read moretime I visit OBX I'll be coming in!

Admittedly, I didn't love my spinach and feta pastry so I asked to exchange it for something…read morecheaper I might like more. The staff was super understanding of this and offered me other options which made me much happier with their service. Super cute and cozy cafe overall. Would come again!

Lighthouse bagels is one of the many highlights on our vacation in Corolla. My family was hyping up…read morea trip to lighthouse bagels leading up to our vacation and we stopped in the first morning we were here. Be sure to get here early as it's always busy! The French toast bagels are next level, but you can't go wrong with any of their menu items. They have cold brew coffee, too!

Lighthouse Bagels is one of my absolute favorite places to eat in Corolla. Honestly, this is one of…read morethe few places in the area where I consistently leave thinking, "That was actually delicious." I come here multiple times whenever I'm staying in the area, and I'll even drive from other parts of the OBX just to get a bagel here. The selection is fantastic, and I've never had a bad bagel. Everything I've tried has been delicious and worth the trip. The wait times can definitely be long, especially when they're busy. I do wish they had a better system for letting customers know when their order is ready. An order screen showing the numbers that are in progress and ready would make a huge difference. It can be difficult to hear or know when your number is called. That said, the food is absolutely worth the wait. Seating can also be competitive, but it's worth fighting for a picnic table and enjoying your bagel outside. If you're in Corolla, this is a must-visit.

This is for the location in Southern Shores that used to be the McDonald. And surprisingly, it was…read morethe drive-through! I had Been in one other time and sat inside and was impressed by the product and the service. This time I was literally turning around in the parking lot and decided to grab a coffee and see if they had a chocolate croissant. I didn't expect to be cheerfully asked if I wanted the pastry warmed up and anything specific about the coffee... The young lady was such a brand ambassador for your store. And of course, the croissant was perfect, as was the cold brew coffee. Thank you so much.

Decided to skip Starbucks and give a local spot a chance…read more Really don't understand the good reviews. My husband went in for a drip coffee. We don't usually tip for a single drip coffee, but he was feeling generous. Right after the transaction was completed, the girl behind the counter handed him a cup and pointed to a self-serve coffee area. We tipped so she could charge us, take our money, and then we could serve ourselves. To make matters worse, he said the coffee was terrible. ‍

Flavorless and pricey. Nice workers but smoothies are not good. They are not sweet and they are…read moresmall and expensive.

Cool little spot with a great acai bowl!! Came back later the same day for round ! Staff was super…read morefriendly as well!

This place is a gem! Such a lovely area and just oozes cozy coffee shop vibes. My Coffee was great…read moreflavor and Ice Cold; perfect for the hot sun. Their food is exceptional especially their biscuits ! Everyone was so friendly and I was so surprised how good service was. Honestly one of the best coffee shops I've ever been to! It's too bad there is not one in my home town otherwise it would be my daily grab. Highly recommend.

Very cute but disorganized like system. We went on a Saturday morning and the line was out the…read moredoor. I saw at least 4-5 people go in the other door and jump in line to order. We wanted to try breakfast here but there weren't any gluten free options. The coffee was pretty good and there is a bunch of nice tables outside to hangout.

Can you milk a banana? The folks at banana dog have figured it out somehow, offering an array of…read morecoffee concoctions featuring banana milk. I would have never thought coffee and banana would be such an unbeatable combo but man, what an inventive idea. Banana Dog Cafe operates out of a little mobile food truck in a parking lot. You can't miss the yellow awning (and if you do, just look for the line of people. There's a small bench nearby, but this is really a grab and go type of place. The line moved fairly quickly, and we were able to place our order and wait off to the side. I went with their signature Dixie Girl which was one of the best iced lattes I've had in my life. I'm not exaggerating. It's made with espresso, their signature banana milk, cinnamon and toffee syrup. It's sweet without being too sweet. Speaking of sweet, their menu ranks their drinks in terms of sweetness which really helps guide you in the right direction, especially for first timers. Would highly recommend stopping in if you're in the area.

Hands down the best coffee on the island! The Liffster(peanut butter and chocolate)has been one of…read moremy favorite coffees to date! Amazing setup and do NOT let the line fool you. It's 1000% worth whatever wait and the girls in there are always haulin' to get every cup out fast! Also make sure and say hello to your pups that crosses the rainbow bridge. The yellow phone does just that!

Awesome spot to get coffee and breakfast among all the books and souvenirs. Went a couple different…read moretimes and the people are super friendly. There's also fun outdoor spots to sit by the pond.

Duck's Cottage is a coffee and book shop located in the waterfront shops in Duck, NC. There's…read moreplenty of free parking in the lot in the complex, but there's limited indoor and outdoor seating. They've recently changed their weekend hours to close earlier at 12pm on Saturdays. They also accept tap to pay, but enact a % charge on all credit transactions. The ambiance inside can be described as rustic and quaint. It's really cute if you're looking to read and chill. It can get crowded as they're usually busy, but this is a great place to come if you're looking to relax. They have both hot and iced drinks with milk alternatives. The iced drinks come in medium (16oz) and large and the hot drinks come in small (12oz), medium and large. The banana cream pie latte was delicious. It tasted like caramel and bananas, paired well with the coffee, and was the perfect amount of sweet. The bumbleberry pie was okay too but the fruit and coffee combination wasn't my favorite. I'd definitely recommend coming here in the morning for coffee and browsing for books if you're in Duck, NC.