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Undercurrent Coffee

4.3 (71 reviews)
Closed • 7:00 am - 9:00 pm

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UNDERCURRENT COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Undercurrent Coffee

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Reviews With Photos

Strawberry matcha latte
Aashna K.

Ordering matcha makes me nervous because it can taste grainy, but this place blew me away!! I got the strawberry matcha latte with almond milk. They mix the strawberry with the milk first so it tastes more uniform and then HAND WHISK the matcha! This was not grainy at all or have that weird grassy flavor that matcha can have. My friend got an iced coffee from here (not pictured) but also loved that. They were also so fast in making the drinks and helped you answer any questions before ordering. Definitely stop by next time you're in optimist hall!

Sofia H.

Best Matcha latte I've had in months. I sub to almond milk and no sugar add honey and was perfect. The ambience is inside the Optimistic Hall which I love however this time around they were busy and the lines moved way too slow for a coffee. It took 20 mins just to order and another 20 to get it. They could use an extra hand. Service slow but friendly.

Baked Goods
Tori P.

This shop is located inside Optimus hall. There is plenty of parking all around the building. Just keep an eye out as some parking must be paid after 2 hours. We visited first in the morning The staff was friendly and ready to help. They offer a small, but classic selection of baked goods and nice variety of speciality drinks. For this visit I tried the Chai latte with vanilla flavoring and almond milk. Caution: the add-ons (milk type, flavoring, etc) add up quickly. I also tried a Blueberry muffin and it was delicious. It was a little expensive, but overall, I enjoyed it and would visit again.

Strawberry matcha
Courtney S.

THE STRAWBERRY MATCHA THOUGH!!!!!!!!!! Goodness gracious, I wish this was a permanent menu item vs seasonal because it is delectable. I could drink one every day. Their matcha is so rich and smooth, and paired with the sweetness of the strawberries - a match made in heaven! Undercurrent also has some of my favorite avocado toast renditions, and they switch it up slightly at every location. Love this place!

Cinnamon Roll Latte
Siran T.

Gem in Optimist Hall and one of the best coffee place in Charlotte. The seasonal menu is always creative and attractive for various flavors. Worth try - no guarantee that you would like all of them, but promise to fulfill your curiosity. They do offer light food as well. For something as an official meal, there are other options in the food hall as well.

people walking through a coffee shop
Isaiah G.

We were in a market and they had this coffee. When I ordered the coffee the guy barista was very helpful. I ordered a latte. The service was fast did great coffee art. The coffee was good one of the better ones I've had in this area. Overall I had a good experience.

Jon L.

My first time to Optimist Hall and had to check out this shop. I was very pleased to learn they had some Ethiopian beans, boom! Good flavor, it was just kinda luke warm though, check those temps! Very friendly Staff and some great bagels too!

Honey lavender matcha
Jillian M.

Located in the infamous Optimist hall, Undercurrent has to be my favorite place for matcha/coffee! They have yet to disappoint me, not to mention the service is quick and friendly. My go to is their matcha latte with almond milk, but Today I tried their honey lavender matcha. So delicious! I love that they change/add to their menu often, I always find a new drink to try every time I visit. Definitely recommend when you visit the one of many vendors in this fun space.

Cortado
Peter M.

As an homage to my Yelpy pal, Bruce K., I ordered a Cortado. According to the Bible (aka, Wikipedia), "a cortado is a beverage consisting of espresso mixed with a roughly equal amount of warm milk to reduce the acidity. The milk in a cortado is steamed, but not frothy and "texturized" as in many Italian coffee drinks." I would have just said delicious. Easy, peasy service and expertly crafted, my Cortado was a happy end to a perfect afternoon at Optimist Hall. "Give 'em a whirl" and order up your cup of happiness.

toast +
John H.

Normally I have just gotten a quick grab-and-go coffee from Undercurrent, but I had more time this Sunday and got to experience some of their food. I ordered the avocado toast and added an egg. It was delicious. Early on Sundays, Optimist Hall is usually pretty sleepy (with the recent news and pandemic, it was extra empty). But it is great to have a place like Undercurrent in a food hall. Their staff are super friendly and quick. The food items do take a little while to get together, but the coffees and lattes come out at a good pace. I've never seen a huge crowd cluster around their place in Optimist Hall. Sharing the space is a benefit for Undercurrent since there are many different seating areas, tables, desks, outdoor space... you can pretty much grab your delicious snacks and coffee and bring them to wherever your heart desires. The food stall is decorated with modern flare with the marble tile, herringbone pattern and open shelving. It feels like a nice kitchen to hang out in. Small pastry case, but packs a whole lot of variety. I noticed they carry vegan options. My avocado toast was vegan until I added the egg to it, but I am sure it is just as good without the egg.

Dionah T.

Came here after work for an afternoon pick-me-up. Optimist Hall is going to be amazing, so I wanted to check out their coffee at a time that may not be as busy. I ordered a brown sugar and vanilla latte. I ordered an iced latte but after watching the gentleman make it hot with so much care... I figured "eh, go with it". It was amazing and the perfect treat to a rainy day afternoon. If you follow Optimist Hall on IG, they have a map for parking but you shouldn't need it... there's plenty. Plus, Undercurrent Coffee opens early (7am, I think) for the early risers/runners in the area. Hope to see you there!

Lavender latte
Kristen C.

Simply put, this is a great coffee shop! I ventured into Optimist Hall, and I'm so glad that I checked out this spot. The menu has all of the classics as well as some unique drinks as well. I ordered off the seasonal menu, and got the lavender latte. Not only was the quality of the coffee great, but the lavender flavor was superb. A nice touch was that they even added a piece of lavender to the top. The barista working was super friendly and gave great recommendations on which drinks to order. The location within Optimist hall is wonderful. There is plenty of nice seating, and it's a beautiful spot to sit and sip some coffee.

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4 years ago

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6 days ago

Nice selection of drinks and a seasonal menu. Staff was friendly. Would like to try other locations to see but my cortado was tasty.

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1 year ago

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

Absolutely perfect cup of Joe anyway you like it. I love their creativity with specialty coffees

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1 year ago

The cashier was super friendly, and the coffee was made quickly. Very delicious! A bit overpriced for my liking, but still a worth it.

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

The coffee and the ambience is one of my favorite in Charlotte. I'll be back every time I visit Charlotte.

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6 years ago

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Ask the Community - Undercurrent Coffee

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4.9
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Qahwah House was such a cool coffee shop! As a history and coffee nerd, I can honestly say that I…read morethink that this was the first time that a coffee shop made me smarter. That's because they had a huge map outlining the historical trade routes that coffee beans were transported on, as well as an homage to some of the patrons of coffee cultivation. They backed up these historical displays with great customer service, a solid cup of coffee, and a truly mesmerizing ambiance. I've been to so many coffee shops in my life, and Qahwah House was the first time, if not ever, then definitely in a long time, that I felt like I experienced something unique. I loved it. Overall, I loved Qahwah House, and I'll assuredly be back as soon as I can. I'd also recommend it to anybody looking for something new to experience!

First off, the Turkish coffee is amazing! Never burnt, which is my biggest complaint at some of the…read moreother coffee places nearby. But not here! It's fresh, made to order, and a huge serving. I don't even drink the whole pot because that's just too much caffeine for me lol. I also really loved the savory pastries they have, very complimentary to their coffee. The service is very kind and they give you a buzzer to easily come pick up your order when it's ready. The ambiance was great the last time I went in. They had wifi available if I needed it, but it wasn't overpacked so I could work a bit when I first came in and then was able to still hear my friend when she came over. It has nicely spaced tables so you aren't as boxed in as you are in some of the other coffee places in this area. Overall, my favorite place to grab a Turkish coffee in Charlotte. Yummy coffee, nicely spaced tables, free wifi, good service, and not overly packed. My go-to coffee spot in Plaza Midwood!

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CocoBean Coffee

CocoBean Coffee

4.6
(25 reviews)
8.1 mi

I stopped by this coffee shop expecting caffeine, and instead got... an experience? The coffee was…read moresomehow both exactly what I needed and not at all what I thought I ordered. It tasted like focus, with subtle notes of questioning my life choices--in a good way. The atmosphere felt like a place where time either slows down or speeds up depending on how long you stare at your cup. The barista seemed to understand my order before I said it, which was comforting and mildly unsettling. I left more awake than when I arrived, but not entirely sure if it was because of the coffee or the existential clarity it provided. Either way, I'll definitely be back, unless I already am.

I'm a sucker for a pick me up after adulting and was in the mood for a coffee or milk tea. I am…read moreglad I came because CocoBean is both cute and cozy. The area was clean and the cute interior makes for a good social media photo op. The menu has good variety and explorative flavors that encourages repeat visits. I got a Mango Milk Tea and was not disappointed. It gave a Mango Lassi vibe and was very refreshing. My only downside was the bottom of the drink tasted gritty and had a white residue left at the bottom. Also, I initially wanted the drink with light ice and this was my first encounter at a shop that charges extra for light ice (45 cents). Not a huge deal and I understand that companies incur more costs for light ice or no ice. Maybe I could justify the additional charge for getting the drink without ice, but I still wanted ice---just not a lot of it. I just would've like to have been told about it or seen some signage about the additional charge since the toppings and other add ons are listed out. I could've missed where it was listed out, but I don't think I saw anything written out. Nonetheless, after a few healthy gulps, I was sad that the drink was gone. I would come back to try other items.

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The Grounds Bookstore and Cafe

The Grounds Bookstore and Cafe

4.7
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Love this place!!! Decided to meet up with a friend for coffee (well tea for me) and she suggested…read morethis place as 'the perfect spot'. And it was. I read through some of the other reviews and I want to set the record straight. Yes, it's inside a church but there is a separate entrance. Yes, there are Christian books but also other genres. Yes, the coffee is very affordable BECAUSE all the staff are volunteers. No one is getting paid and they LOVE what they do. All smiles and great service. The proceeds go to local and global missions of the church. Win, win all the way around. The place itself is very spacious. Two levels. The seating areas are comfortable and far enough apart you can have some semiprivacy if you need it. My friend who brought me says she comes here all the time to study (she's in college). All of the staff knew her by name. (love places like that) I'm not a coffee drinker so I can't really speak to the coffee (although my friend says it's pretty good). I am a tea drinker though and they have a variety of flavors, some refresher juice drinks, a few pastries. Please support. Every now and again if you're thinking of getting coffee or a pastry, choose them. Why not? Do some good for the community through others who are committed to giving back.

I love this place! This is my go to spot to grab a comfy place to sit get my work done in peace and…read moregrab a delicious blueberry Matcha. Hidden gem!

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Lottie's Cafe

4.4
(104 reviews)
1.0 mi

Staff was very friendly and the service was fire, place is lit. Latte's and matcha were really good…read moreand the food was also splendid. It's also women owned!!! Shoutout women

TLDR: Cafe vibes that are good for if you are planning on hanging out in the cafe, bad if you are…read moretrying to get your food and go. The atmosphere was nice, it has the "work on your laptop or catch up with friends" cafe vibe. Somewhere you can hang for several hours and sip and coffee as you work/talk. I don't think I was the target demographic for this cafe sadly. I ordered a BE&C on a bagel. I originally had planned to go to a more "bagel-focused" shop, but they were closed. That's where I feel I was not the target demographic; I was looking to just order a bagel on my morning commute. I should have noticed the atmosphere/vibe of the cafe and realized that this was not going to be fast. It ended up taking over 30 minutes from the time I paid to the time I got my food (genuinely, I looked at the time my credit card was swiped and compared it to the time it was when I got my food). Now, I will say, if I had ordered coffee and brought a book, the wait probably wouldn't have been too much of a bother. The staff was really friendly, and the bathrooms were also very clean! The bagel was not my favorite bagel, but it was on par for a non-bagel-focused coffee shop. It wasn't bad by any means, but I would not order it if you were wanting "real" bagel. Edit: owner made a good point regarding the wait and was correct that I did not notice the disclaimer regarding the wait! I updated the rating to reflect my newer perspective.

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Vavela Cafe

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4.1
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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.

Vavala is a total gem. I had an internal battle over getting dessert, so I went with the Chicken…read moreAvocado Panini instead it was absolutely outstanding! My husband, however, has no self-control, so he got the Chocolate Strawberry Croissant lol. Both were 10/10. Even the matcha was so aesthetic and delicious! I know some people mention the prices, but honestly, it's spot on. I'd much rather pay for high-quality food and a gorgeous atmosphere than spend the same amount on something mediocre elsewhere. Plus, the service was fast and everyone was so nice. My only regret is not taking a dessert to go! I'll definitely be back.

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Cozy seating area.
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Undercurrent Coffee - coffee - Updated June 2026

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