The Optimist has been my favorite coffee shop for years now, and their coffee always hits the spot. But the other week, i went in and decided to try some of their food for the first time. I have celiac disease and requested gluten free bread, and the 2 employees behind the counter said they had it. I didn't feel good after eating it but didn't think much of it until today, when I requested the same, only to be informed that they do not offer gluten free bread and they haven't as long as the employee has worked there. I was disappointed to hear that my go to spot had made this mistake and given me food i had marked as an allergy. I hope this information helps the employees gain awareness about allergens and to prevent this from happening to others. read more

I absolutely love the Concept... it's like a botanical garden coffee shop .. I didn't have food but the menu looks tasty.. I had a lavender latte that was flavorful.. Service was A1..and supportive of VETS offering a military discount which I love when local establishments do... I'll definitely be back... read more

The Optimist - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Great meetup spot for coffee and pastries! I arrived after lunch time so there were no sandwiches available. The staff is nice, the atmosphere was quiet and there is outdoor seating. Will try again because the menu looked really good! read more

not sure what happens here but every time i order coffee here it tastes different despite it being the same order. i got a coffee i did enjoy from here once, but the last two times it has been terrible. tasted like burnt pond water. read more

I'm new to the Oakwood/Mordecai neighborhood so I really wanted to give The Optimist another chance and I have gone pretty consistently over the past couple of months. Unfortunately they still don't quite meet the mark for me to justify spending a premium price for coffee to go. The ambience is nice and welcoming inside so I can see it being a good study or work space. Pebble ice isn't really my favorite to see at coffee shops but I understand how expensive it is to update ice makers. Nearly every iced latte I've had here has gotten watered down almost immediately because of having the smaller ice cubes in a smaller cup. Instead I think they could really benefit from moving all iced drinks up to the 14 or 16 oz cups so they can pack more ice in. Their espresso sometimes seems burnt and other times ok. Their drip coffee and cold brew are good for a quick fix. Haven't had too many of their food items but so far so good. read more

This is my first time at this business. The parking lot was super easy to get in and out of and there was a ton of spots. As soon as you walk in, you are transported into a jungle of delicious foods and coffee smells. There are plants everywhere! As a plant enthusiast , this is my favorite place because the music was very relaxing but not too loud so you could have a conversation. It was super easy to order and pick up my white hot chocolate. I was able to get recommendations from the cashier that was checking me out. So great job with the service! They were also holding another event with another business to sell more rare plants. This is a great spot to come and relax or work or just hang out. I do wish the space was a little bit bigger because it seemed a little bit tight with all of the decor in such a small place. read more

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I loved this cute lil coffee shop in Mordecai! My friend and I got some great breakfast sandwiches with coffee and enjoyed the outdoor patio on a cool spring day. Staff is friendly and there's a lot of seating / parking. Kitchen takes a little while with food, so make sure you have time to spend here before ordering food. read more

Coffee is great! The breakfast sandwiches were very yummy but very small for the price. Cute indoor space, a little bit limited on seating options when over half of the tables are people sitting alone on their computers for hours at a time on a Saturday morning. read more

I really enjoyed the coffee at The Optimist. The roast was darker which I prefer. I had a seasonal drink. The syrup with present but still allowed the coffee to shine. Inside is super cute and moody. It's a great place to meet up with friends or to study read more

Quaint little coffeehouse offering a large coffee menu and tea options. They also offer adult beverages, and specialize in mimosa flights. They have plush seating, inviting you to stay a while. They offer games to grab and take to the table to play with those you're there with. The staff was friendly and open to suggesting menu items. They have a breakfast and lunch menu as well as deserts. read more

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While out and about on 'Date Day', spouse and I stopped here as plan B due to unforeseen circumstances at our original choice (plumbing problems). Iced Vietnamese Coffee nicely done in that the traditional sweet condensed milk did not overpower the bold brew. Per spouse, his latte was 'very good'. Wanting a light snack we split The Easy with Turkey and a carrot cake muffin. Plan B gets an A ! read more

The Optimist - The Easy with turkey, carrot cake muffin, iced Vietnamese coffee, hot latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

It's a five star review! I just love this little place. Sad I didn't visit until a month ago. Previously I got everything to go (their iced coffee with apple cider is so good!), but was working from home today so I got a hot drink. I think it was a honey nut latte or something. Good, but I'll probably do something different next time. The egg, cheese and sausage sandwich was sooo good! I was surprised as I feel like a lot of coffee places give you soggy, squished food. You can sit inside (limited right now, but it didn't feel squished), and there's also a cute patio in the back with tables and chairs. Props to the always super sweet barista, Maryann, who asked the right way to spell my name! Little things go a long way. read more

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The Optimist is my favorite spot to work remotely. Their satirical interior designs and eclectic seasonal drinks are a breathe of fresh air! They have an extensive breakfast and lunch menu, and a plethora of tables to choose from, with indoor and outdoor seating. You'll most likely be joined by one or two plants at your seat. Check out this great spot for all of your digital nomad needs. Bonus: next to the cutest Bodega!! Cheers read more

The Optimist - Lavender white mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

It's been a while since I've reviewed a place, and just like the percolation of a delicious brew, The Optimist brought that creative side back! The register is right by the door, which was a little jarring on a Black Friday, but Maple greeted me warmly and with a smile. As I looked over the menu, I had a short chat with her, and was treated with kindness while rewarded with knowledge. I got a parfait, yogurt bowl, and two of their specials. The Stacey and the Cherry on top, which were perfect for what we were expecting. A silky iced latte with notes of vanilla and honey. I'm SO IMPRESSED with the cherry on top. Usually cherry "flavoring" can be jarring in a hot coffee, but the cherry and coffee mix together like two loves on their first dance. Did I mention the space is very well done, with a great vibe for socializing, working, or just writing a Yelp review. I love the plants, and thoughtful touches throughout the space. Regardless of how you felt walking in here, you'll feel a bit more optimistic walking out read more

The Optimist - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Awesome place on all counts! Warm and efficient service, delicious menu, hip customers. Loved! read more

The Optimist - Delicious! Hulk Smash and Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The cafe is really cute and I love the area it's in. Service took a little long but that's understandable for a busy Sunday. The cappuccino was okay, I might be biased though because I just came from a trip to France where their cappuccino's were different. The English muffin was good though! read more

The Optimist - Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This place has a light, welcoming ambiance. You walk in to the ordering area, I was quickly attended to, and chose the Bourbon Sweet Potato Latte. Sounded totally strange to me, it was the special for the day. My drink was made quickly, It was amazing. I sat and looked up things to do in the area. It was a nice and comfortable place to sit for an hour. It was family friendly, they had board games for guests. Merch was available. read more

One of my favorite places to work at while in Raleigh. There's a great selection of food and beverage and the music isn't so loud either. There's plenty of seating and there a parking lot that's easy to get in and out of. read more

The Optimist - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I loved the comfortable and safe vibe happening at The Optimist. Everyone orders at a counter at the front and the person taking the order wore a mask. There was limited seating to help w social distancing. We sat on the back patio and it was very relaxing. I like looking at the plants to get some ideas on gardening for myself. We had the Monster Smash and it had just the right balance of flavor and a smudge of heat. We split it and it was delicious. I will definitely come back! read more

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Been here 4x and I love it so far! Great food AND great strong coffee! The iced coffee almost tastes like cold brew even. It's walking distance, so my only fear is that I'm going to make this place a daily habit! read more

The Optimist - Pancho Villa - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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A beautiful eccentric, eclectic vibe! Great decor, natural energy, yet modern! Great place to catch up with friends, or other quick encounters. Food and coffee was delicious. Parking was not ideal, but I went during morning rush. I can't wait to go back again, even to just sit type content for my business! read more

Short version: My first experience with The Optimist was OK, but not stellar. A long delay with receiving my food order, the latte not tasting like what I was expecting, and the apparently bland taste impression of the English muffin on the sandwich left me wanting more when/if I visit them in the future which I hope to do. I'd say 3.5 stars this time. The Deets: I had the opportunity to try out The Optimist recently after a visit to the barber in the area. I dropped by to have a late breakfast with some coffee. I ordered at the outside window so I could eat outside at one of their tables out front. I decided on getting The Basic sandwich (consisting of either a Michael's English Muffin or a croissant, fried egg, cheddar cheese, and can add sausage or bacon for 50 cents more) with choosing the English muffin and adding sausage. I also ordered a skim latte to enjoy. This drink was presented pretty quickly, within normal time. I asked if they had Splenda, but they stated they did not have it and offered another sugar alternative (Stevia In The Raw I believe). I could not quite place it but the latte did not have the normal taste I was used to with a sweetened hot skim latte when I sat down later to enjoy it with my sandwich. Anyway, I stood back and waited for my breakfast sandwich to be brought out to me. And I waited, and waited more. Another customer was taken care of in this time and I was beginning to get worried by the then long wait. Finally someone came out to inform me that there was in his words a "mishap" and that my breakfast sandwich was being made presently, coming out shortly. I was glad to be updated, and appreciated it. Once breakfast sandwich and coffee both were in hand, I sat down outside to enjoy them. My first bite of The Basic sandwich however left me with an impression that it was a bit bland. As I took further bites, the flavor of the egg, cheese, and sausage came through a bit and more enjoyable. I think in the future I will enjoy this sandwich more with a choice of croissant for bread as the English muffin didn't have a lot of flavor to it. I left with a full stomach, and even though I had a lot longer than expected wait this one visit, I do think I would try The Optimist again in the future to see if I have a better result...as I think they would be so near 4 star level at least if things had gone smoother, but for now I think they are around 3.5 stars for this encounter. read more

The Optimist - The Basic: Michael's English muffin (or choose croissant instead), fried egg, cheese, added sausage...hot skim latte with it. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Tiny servings of both coffee and food (avocado toast). I had one of the special drinks which was a latte with strawberry and rhubarb puree and did not enjoy it. Lots of space inside however if you are looking to have meetings/work with friends. read more

Ordered the Nutty Irishman and the Three Amigos. Oh my word...that coffee was flat out incredible and the tacos blew my mind. So full of flavor and made my morning. Can't wait to return. read more

I absolutely enjoy coming here either as a hangout spot, to study, or to work on my own personal projects. The caramel apple cider is delicious and I highly recommend it! I haven't tried the food yet, but I do enjoy the pastries! The staff are amazing and friendly people and I trust them to make my experience wonderful. read more

What an absolutely abysmal experience at this coffee shop, absolutely ruined my day. Everything about this place was "mid" at best; the only good thing it has going for it is the interior space which seems like a good place for studying or working on your computer. I ordered the avocado toast and the Hamazon sandwich and wow was this a disappointment. The avocado toast was 1 slice of the thinnest sourdough I can imagine (that when toasted was essentially a cracker) and maybe half an avocado smeared on the top with a few pieces of arugula - lacking flavor and sustenance...for $10.50. Next was the Hamazon sandwich (ham, cheese, honey). Again, the folks here at the Optimist must think we are in the midst of world war 2 and are rationing our food with the way they constructed this sandwich. Now you get 2 slices of sourdough and 3 slices of what appeared like your average grocery store ham slices cut so thin you can read a book through it. What bothers me so much is not only the wartime rations, but the simplicity of this sandwich - it literally looks like something you'd trust a 6 year old to make on their at-home sandwich press, not something from a cafe and certainly not worth $12.50. As far as service goes, it's a mixed bag. I interacted with 3 people, 2 who took my order and couldn't care less if you lived or died, and 1 person who brought me my food and was very nice. Honestly, this place has potential but not if they continue cheating our their customers. Stop serving toddler sized portions for adult sized prices. read more

I was so excited to try a new spot, However I stood in line for over 20 minutes and not one single person was helped in line at the window. And there was at least 15 people in line. The workers inside kept looking at the line, but never even approached the window. I will never go back. read more

....but I dream about this breakfast sandwich!!! Coffee is awesome, people are sweet and the food..... delish!! Atmosphere is so comfy. Clean and welcoming!! I work from home and spoil myself on Wednesday by coming here and working all morning. It gets busy around 8:30 a.m. but I'm always willing to share my table. People, food, coffee!! Doesn't get much better than this!! read more

The Optimist - Ooopps.....meant to take a picture before I ate it!!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I was finally able to try this cute little coffee shop while running errands in the area. I decided to go with my usual iced Americano but switched it up a bit by trying their homemade mocha syrup. They have several milk options for whatever your preference may be. It was the perfect pick me up to get me through the morning. I also ordered their McOptimist breakfast sandwich with bacon. You will absolutely need napkins for this one! It was almost like a bacon, egg and cheese French toast sandwich, made on the most perfect (locally made!) English muffins. That plus the coffee kept me going all the way to dinner - really filling. Everything was clean, everyone wearing masks, and there were plenty of tables to space out. I will most definitely be back! read more

The Optimist - It's salty, it's sweet, it's messy, it's awesome! The McOptimist - absolutely love! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I just moved to this area of downtown Raleigh, so in my search for a new local café, I stumbled upon the optimist while I wanna wander with my friend Caroline. This great little café is tucked into a small strip mall, in the heart of the residential neighborhood of Mordecai. I ordered the caprese sandwich and added turkey, accompanied by the "respect your elderflower" signature drink (non-alcoholic). If you look up the menu online, what you see is not necessarily what you get: the breakfast menu is only served until 11:30 AM, but luckily they have a lunch menu that is not advertised online on their website that will more than satisfy your hunger! The sandwich was absolutely incredible, and I will absolutely be going back to get more! They drizzle the entire sandwich with some sort of balsamic dressing, and are very generous with the turkey portions. I was somewhat disappointed to see that no chips came with a meal, despite the sandwich being at a relatively high price point (about nine dollars). I had very high hopes for the elderflower drink, but to be completely honest, while it was refreshing, it tasted like a basic ginger soda. Despite that, the drink was good for cooling down in this sweltering NC summer! What I Had: Caprese Sandwich (add turkey), Respect Your Elderflower drink What I Recommend: Caprese sandwich with Turkey Parking: there's a decent sized parking lot right in front of the café, and if it's full, there's plenty of street parking around as well! read more

The Optimist - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Yes!!!!!! I'm so happy to have The Optimist nearby. They took over the old Fig location and opened in the middle of a pandemic no less. They have made the best of things with easy online ordering and a convenient outdoor pickup window. They even added some nice neon signs to jazz it up. The barista was super friendly and everyone was masked up. I saw on Instagram their most popular item was the strawberry mocha so I figured I'd give it a try. You guys, so, so good. I would bet plenty of money that they make that strawberry syrup in house with real strawberries, no fake artificial strawberry taste here. You can tell they carefully chose all their ingredients, it was the perfect combo of strawberry, chocolate, and coffee-- not overly sweet and nothing artificial about it. I also liked the strawless cups they used and I'm a big ice person, their ice cubes were great (weird, I know). They sell these local cookies that I am definitely trying next time AND Layered Croissante. Layered Croissante is my personal love affair business in Raleigh so I'm happy to see them here as well. AND they just started serving up breakfast sandwich on said delicious croissants on the weekends. You can't order those online though, you have to head on over early and pray they haven't sold out yet. They also have some delicious sounding non-coffee drinks. If you are a fan of the starbucks coconut milk based dragon/pink drinks I think you'll love their options even more. Bottom line, I'm excited to frequent the Optimist many more times and you should head on over and support this local business. read more

The Optimist - Strawberry mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Oh, I loved this place! The coffee is tasty, and the freshly made breakfast sandwiches are DELIGHTFUL! (I recommend the "McOptimist") As for ambiance, I love the plants and the darker decor. Very modern and chic! The staff was very friendly and helpful, as well. read more

Pro: Nice cafe, nice ambiance, coffee was decent too. They even had live music on Sunday mornings! Cons: i got avocado toast and it had absolutely no flavoring. Not even salt. Just toast and avocado. I guess that's the basic description ‍ I've been here on Sunday mornings and it's really crowded. read more

A little tight inside but the back garden ambiance is lovely. The hot caramel apple cider was really good. Friendly staff read more

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Came out this afternoon to check out The Optimist which has been on my list for a while to try! What a cute little place near downtown with excellent sandwiches and coffees! The place is decorated with an array of plants and foliage amongst blue and green velvet furniture! The wood tones bring such warmth and the ambiance is laid back and inviting! I ordered the It's Nuttin Honey (pistachio, honey, milk and espresso) and paired it with The Fig sandwich which was absolutely delectable (it was an English muffin topped with fig jam, goat cheese, crispy bacon and mint leaves)! My husband ordered the Bring It On (Cheerwine, vanilla and espresso) and paired it with the Country Club which was exquisite (it was a toasted piece of sourdough topped with arugula greens, goat cheese, plum slices, prosciutto and fig jam). Please check them out if you are in the area! You won't be disappointed! read more

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It's a shame this place had to open during COVID but we're so happy they did! The Optimist is run by a husband and wife team, they are so nice and appreciate feedback. I also love that there's a window to walk up and order so there's no need to go inside during these socially distant times. I have gotten iced and hot beverages, all were great! Looking forward to trying the quiche next time, the owner was telling me about it and sounded amazing. They do only do breakfast items on the weekends right now, understandably so. It's very convenient to the Oakwood / Mordecai neighborhoods, super easy to order and go about your day. I would recommend checking their social media for updates and menu items. read more

The Optimist - Vanilla Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Come for the coffee, stay for the vibes. The Optimist is one of the coolest and most popular coffee shops in the area. They offer standard coffee, a rotating special menu of coffee drinks, non-coffee, items, and a deep bench of teas to choose from. They also have one of the best breakfast sandwiches around, called the McOptimist . It's my favorite and I always add sausage. If you stick around or drop in for lunch, you can get tasty, low-frills sandwiches and chips, plus they always have a stocked pastry case. They also have a cool selection of wine and beer and are starting to offer more after-work events for the evening! read more

I really enjoy The Optimist, and so do others as it can be difficult to find seating sometimes. However, there is some outdoor seating in the back. The baristas have been very friendly and quick with service. I have had a latte both times I've gone and enjoyed it as well as the cute coffee art. I would recommend this place! read more

The Optimist - Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Optimist Raleigh has been one of my go to coffee shops. It's got great coffee and some scrumptious breakfast sandwiches. The seasonal coffees are always my favorite to try and the staff is continuously so nice and helpful. The vibe and aesthetic is super chill and I absolutely love the decor. Biggest problem is that this place can be super busy and people tend to stay here for hours to work. Therefore, seating is really limited indoors. You have to get here early if you want to catch a seat to work or meet with your friends. Now there is plenty of outdoor seating, but as it gets colder, it gets harder to want to stay outdoors for long. Parking can also be difficult, as it is a small lot. However, if you're looking to try some incredible coffee and fresh breakfast items, swing by, grab it to go and enjoy the yumminess that is Optomist. read more

I ordered their purple matcha (maqui berry) and a regular latte! They have a variety of matcha flavors to choose from if you're more of a tea person. They also have scones, breakfast & lunch options, and mimosas! read more

The Optimist - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina