Everything about Sumaq is a 5/5! The food was amazing, the pastry was great, the coffee was…read moredelicious. The inside of the store is adorably decorated. Fresh and clean with so many big windows, but also a back room if you want a quieter, slightly darker area. The service was great and they were very helpful in any questions we had. It feels like it's in a random part of town, but definitely worth the drive

spent some time in Charlotte the other day and decided to check out this little cafe for a quick…read morelunch. While I looked online I was surprised to learn that this place tries to stay in touch with their South American roots, so obviously I wanted to try it out! On the menu I saw plenty of drinks from coffees to matchas to chais and lemonades as well. Apart from that there were other options like baked goods and sandwiches. Once I got there the place was actually very packed but there was still plenty of room as well. There was also an outside patio for those who wish to sit outside rather than inside. The vibe was giving woodsy and green. So it felt very bright and welcoming in the shop. The staff was nice and took care of me quickly. I ended up ordering their pesto flatbread. It took a couple of minutes for me to get my order but nothing too long. The flatbread was overall really good. It had arugula, pesto, cheese, prosciutto, and cherry tomatoes on top. It was very filling as well. I would def recommend this place if you're in the Charlotte area! I will say that the prices might not be the "cheapest" but I think it's worth it.

I quickly stopped by the Dilworth location of Dolce & Amaro on my way out of town, on a nice…read moreSaturday morning. If you're unfamiliar with the area, as I was, it's hard to find, but it's definitely a hidden gem. It's located within a beautiful brick shopping area, surrounded by other places to eat & shop, but it's in a cove area which leads to a courtyard. Again, hidden gem. It's so cute & cozy. There are 2 tables inside, and a few outside, which would be perfect on a nice day. The service is great, seems to a family run business. Everything looks soooooo delicious, it was very hard to decide. I narrowed it down to a small Lobster Tail pastry, which is essentially a deliciously stuffed croissant with Italian sweet cream (my guess) with a strawberry on top. It was the best pastry I've had in a long time. I also ordered the carrot cake, which is a favorite of mine, and it was good, not the best ever, but it's ok, the Lobster Tail made everything ok. Lastly, I had the Biscoff Latte. As you know, you'll see either a Biscoff or a Cookie Butter Latte everywhere you go these days. This was my third go at a variation & maybe my favorite. They have tons of yummy pastries and a great selection of cakes. I'll definitely be back.

I saw that it was listed on a sign at 101 W bldg but when I called to ask how to enter. The guy…read moretold me it was inside the building twice. Obviously I already knew this but I asked him how does the public get in and he mumbled something and hung up on me. Disappointing since I just returned from Italy and solely interested in Italian bakeries, Italian restaurants and Italian delis. I will cross this one my list

Authentic French Patisserie. Superb coffee. Small comfortable dining area awash with natural light…read more Desserts delicious and artistically beautiful but limited. I had the lemon tart ($10) and a Coffee Americana ($4). Nice place for a dessert splurge. Very friendly service.

Chez Marie is a bright, charming little patisserie at one corner of Sharon Corners shopping center…read more The blue and white ambiance lends a decidedly French air to the place, with its half-dozen or so tables inside and another four or five outside. The inside was immaculate and beckoning, with a two-sided display of the offerings and a shining espresso machine behind the register. The workers bore welcoming smiles and a a polite, inviting nature. All of that is the reason I give this patisserie three stars instead of two. While some foods are still a mystery to me - barbecue I can just take or leave, mostly leave - I know coffee and I know baked goods. The croissant I sampled was dry, implying unkindly that the flaky pastry dough was either formerly frozen or not fresh, and while croissants aren't exactly the moistest pastry to be found, the idea behind making them is kneading and rolling in a lot of butter, which I truly could not taste. What a disappointment. And somehow, somehow, my latte, albeit freshly prepared before me, was lukewarm when I took my first sip on the way to the car. How is that even possible? At the last minute, I asked for caramel to be added to my drink, but that was imperceptible too. I'd forgotten to ask for it to be half sweet, so I guess that was a blessing in disguise. When you stop by a bakery late in the day you sort of pays your money and takes your chances, but I visited just before noon. No crowds either. Disappointing all around, though again, the ambiance invites lingering. Cute bistro, lovely people, but - and I cannot believe I'm saying this - I'd have done better at the nearby Starbucks if all I wanted to do was get a latte and pastry. As the French would say, domage.

Do a monthly "craft meetup" with friends and we are always looking for new spots around town to…read moremeet. I didn't know what to expect since this hidden gem is located on a church campus but such a great experience. It was a Saturday morning, I was anticipating a super crowded/busy place but the morning ended up being super sleepy. I brought a laptop to work on travel planning as my "craft." Super easy to park, connect to wifi and grab snacks and coffee from the wonderful barista. For a while, it was me, the barista, another gentleman (working solo) and two ladies catching up in one of the many tables to catch up at. When my friends arrived, we were able to push two tables together to have enough chairs and table space since people brought diamond paintings, cross stitch, and coloring workbooks to work on. It was a lovely time. A group of ladies did come in later and started playing mah jong. Toward the end of our meetup, folks were coming in with flowers, dresses, and tuxedos in preparation for a wedding happening later that day. Overall a great place to meetup. There's a nice group/conference room that looks like it could be reserved for larger parties, but most of the tables were for two people... three 4-tops and then a couple of other tables with more lounge chairs (for groups of 4). I have an older laptop so I'm stuck looking for power, there were a couple tables situated close to outlets and then a large wrap around bar in the center that I spied a few outlets but not all the seating had access to power.

What a great little coffee shop! There are dedicated parking spaces in the church lot for Higher…read moreGrounds customers (except for Sundays), and once parked, you then follow the signage around the building to the entrance. There's ample seating, and on the Wednesday late morning that I stopped in, a smattering of folks were quietly working. The pastries are displayed along the counter, and there's also a chalkboard with their empanada offerings. I got a pineapple-stuffed pastry stick, pan de bono (cheese bread), and guava & cheese empanada to go with our iced brown sugar cinnamon latte & iced vanilla latte (both with oat milk). I love the tropical/Colombian touches to the food offerings, and they were all delish! I especially enjoyed the empanada since it was served hot with a flaky crust and perfect amount of filling. Highly recommend coming in if you're in the area and looking for a caffeine + sweet treat boost!

Really enjoyed my visit here. The location is great, with plenty of parking, which makes stopping…read moreby easy. The space itself has a really cool industrial vibe and offers lots of seating both inside and outside, making it a great spot to hang out or get some work done. Their menu has a lot of great options, including seasonal drinks. I tried the Split Decision latte and loved that it wasn't overly sweet, it had a great balance of flavor. The breakfast burrito was also fantastic and made for a really satisfying meal. Overall, a great coffee shop with a welcoming atmosphere, good food, and well-crafted drinks.

Platform Coffee is for sure one of my favorite coffee shops! I love the food options because they…read morehave great breakfast items and great lunch items. Recently I went for a meeting and tried their avo toast and yogurt bowl. Both were delicious and different. As simple as avo toast seems...a good amount of places don't get it right. But Platform is now my fav avo toast in the city. The bread was crunchy but not too hard and everything was so flavorful and paired well. The avocado was perfect too! The yogurt bowl was simple yet delish!!! On another trip I tried one of their matcha drinks and really enjoyed it too. I never have an issue with parking or finding a spot to sit.

Was visiting family during Memorial Day weekend, and we met up with a friend in town at this lovely…read moreTurkish Cafe in the university area of Charlotte, NC. Loved the vibe and the decor. It's a very happening spot for young and old, families and friends, people looking to work, and others just there to chill and relax. The line was out the door for the duration of my time there, but do not let that deter you. They have ample space to handle the crowd and it's well staffed with people constantly walking around helping and answering questions. Service is fast and everyone is so nice. They have a variety of seating arrangements which makes it great for large or small groups. This may sound like a lot is going on, and it is...but at the same time it's very relaxing and chill. You place your order at the counter and I'm telling you, they have a great variety to choose from. My party shared some chicken flatbread, a Caprese style appetizer(not its name), and sweet potato cheesecake. Whe all enjoyed some coffee made to order for our liking. We even ordered some pistachio and dubai chocolate desserts to go. Everything was superb! We sat and talked for hours and just soaked in the environment. I had such a great experience and I'm really looking forward to dining here again.

This is my "GO-TO" spot whenever I'm entertaining out of town guests or just a meetup with local…read morefriends. I've been for morning coffee when it's not as busy and late at night weekends during it's busiest times. Finding a parking space is challenging, especially on weekends. But once you step inside Vavela's you forget all about that because the vibe catches you instantly. The music, upbeat yet relaxing, transports you to another place and time. As soon as the doors open it's impressive! Seating is welcoming and abundant, be it at a table, on sofas or a grouping of comfortable chairs. When you walk up to the counter to order they have all of their drinks and deserts chilling and on display. And there are a lot of them! I don't know if they are made from scratch or premade, but I've had about 6 different kinds and each one was better than the next. All delicious! On my last visit we got our coffees, shared chicken flatbread, a tomatoe/cheese appetizer and sweet potato cheesecake and EVERYTHING was delicious!!!! They always have a lot of servers and they bring your order to your table. Because it stays busy I notice they have to constantly be on top of cleaning the tables and floors and often people will grab a seat before the staff has a chance to clean the area. But they overall do a good job staying on top of it. I highly recommend Vavela for a group meeting, or if alone, bring your laptop, your studies and get some work done while grabbing a bite to eat...and a Latte.

Such a nice coworking space! Blueberry matcha was divine (texture was great- not chalky like some…read moreplaces serve it) and the avocado toast was seriously one of the best I've had... I mean look at all the garnishes! Whatever toasted crumbles they put on top absolutely complete it. They also add some sort of chili oil so it has good flavor. The baristas are extremely lovely as well!

Wow I've been wanting to go to this coffee shop for a while and am so glad I chose to come here…read moretoday. The space is beautiful with natural lighting. There is plenty of parking available too. I spoke with the friendly barista and he shared more about the store and roasting process. I'm somewhat a coffee snob and I am definitely coming back here. I tried the Ethiopia pour over and it had a nice finish - smooth and not too acidic.

This is my favorite cafe in Charlotte. Amazing coffee, pastries AND banh mi featuring freshly baked…read morebaguette. Try everything. It's all great. The pistachio latte. The chocolate croissant. Stellar!

If there was an option to give 10+ stars, this would definitely be the case. I have passed this…read moreplace often but honestly never stopped because I'm usually flying down the road. This particular time I was able to take a good look due to traffic slowing down and read the sign so I pulled in the parking lot to read some reviews and check out their menu. I went in and decided on the bulogi banh mi and a white chocolate mocha. The bread was beyond ridiculously good. It was perfection, nice crunch on the outside and soft on the inside. Both were soooooo good. Also got a strawberry cream cheese pastry to go which was just as good. And the atmosphere is absolutely adorable in there. Some people were on laptops, I brought a book in to read while enjoying my items. Everything was so good I had to go back the very next day. I will definitely become a regular since it's so close to home and work.