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    Black Ivory Café

    4.6 (77 reviews)
    Closed 7:30 am - 6:30 pm

    Black Ivory Café Photos

    BLACK IVORY CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Quiet
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Black Ivory Café

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    Strawberry lychee tea with mango jelly
    John B.

    This place is a bit awkwardly shoehorned in with a dinner restaurant. They have a wide beverage menu and somewhat limited food options (particularly from a vegetarian perspective). They had signs saying you'd have to buy a drink to stay there and work on a laptop, but the AC wasn't quite cutting it and I didn't feel like staying. having said that, the tea with mango jellies I ordered was strongly flavored and I was quite happy with it to start the day, so they achieved their basic goal. Many other beverage options seemed worthwhile. For those eating in, a selection of Filipino objects d'art dotted the walls.

    Chocolate latte - hot chocolate
    Ileana F.

    I love this quiet, cute cafe! The drinks are well prepared and they have a great selection of cold and hot drinks, plus boba. I've always opted for a cafe drink but want to try their boba sometime. This is a perfect spot for meeting a friend to catch up or get some quiet work done. The service is somewhat handsoff, nothing special but you get your drinks in a short amount of time and they are always good!

    Katsu Breakfast Croissant! Perfect to share.
    Toshi I.

    Located adjacent to the Shabu Shabu restaurant and by the same owner. We came in early for breakfast, so it wasn't crowded. This looks like the kind of cafe people come in to fire up their laptop while sipping their coffee. I ordered a London Fog which i don't see often at cafes and split a katsu croissantwich with the Hubs. This breakfast sandwich was a tasty mix of salty and sweet flavors. Highly recommend this sandwich for it's unique combo French/Japanese flavors. The service was friendly and we will be back for sure when we are back in town.

    Thai chicken breakfast burrito
    Janet C.

    They're hidden inside of the Thai shabu restaurant in the Ross/TJ's parking lot. Katsu chicken and waffles were very tasty with a mustard teriyaki type sauce drizzled on. Katsu was nice and thin and crispy. The waffles seemed to be made with tapioca flour? Like mochi waffles. Some shredded carrot and peas mixed into the batter. Our toddler loved it. Thai chicken breakfast burrito is nice as well. It tastes like red curry (complete with sliced bamboo, carrot, chicken, and broccoli). To be honest it was on the smaller side but maybe I'm just a fat f**k. Salad was basic ice berg with shredded carrot and a ginger dressing. Boba was decent. Flavor was pretty good albeit too sweet (brown sugar I believe) but boba was a little overcooked. Overall really tasty options and we will definitely be returning.

    Lunch specials.
    Al W.

    This was a mid afternoon visit so it wasn't crowded. Service was great! The food was so flavorful and the portion was just right for lunchtime. I'm really surprise that I never noticed this place before in all my visits to this strip mall. I will certainly be back.

    Nana's Chicken + Waffles: Chicken breast katsu on top of Nana's signature waffle f/ a trio of savory sauces drizzled on top
    Inez G.

    Popped into this place after carpool drop off for breakfast! It was such a relaxing and calm place to go after a hectic morning. I'd already grabbed coffee earlier, so I didn't try their drinks but the drink menu looked delicious! I did try Nana's Chicken + Waffles and was pleasantly surprised by their savory take on this popular dish! I'd highly recommend checking this place out - it's located inside Shaba Shabu and is a pleasant addition to the morning breakfast scene. The staff is also very friendly and helpful! Can't recommend this place enough.

    Khao soi and Thai tea latte with a shot of espresso
    Jessica B.

    This place is my go to spot for authentic Khao soi in Raleigh, NC . I love the creamy spicy coconut flavors of this dish and how well it pairs with their dirty Thai lattes. Black Ivory is such a relaxing spot and perfect for studying or just enjoying boba with friends. Their service with a smile is definitely a win in my book .

    Black ivory milk tea
    Holly K.

    What a neat addition to Midtown East! This cafe took over half of Shabu Shabu and shares an entrance with them. If you come in the morning, you'll see a closed sign for Shabu Shabu, but open sign on the side of Black Ivory. Super interesting and tasty selection of coffee, milk teas, and Asian breakfast options. I went in recently and tried out an iced mocha, black ivory milk tea, and the chok breakfast dish. Chok is a Thai Rice porridge with house made chicken and shrimp balls, shredded ginger, cilantro, crispy rice noodle, poached egg, and seaweed. It was super delicious and flavorful, it was a large portion and I could only finish half of it. The coffee was great as well and the boba in the milk tea was perfect. They have quite a few other breakfast items that I'm hoping to try on a return visit. They have plenty of tables and pretty solid wifi. A great low key place to work from. I'll be back!

    Falan E.

    Getting here was easy, and the parking was plentiful. Pleased with the welcome upon entering. I enjoyed Black Ivory cafe. Well-lit, clean, neat, large seating area, comfortable and very fitting for my afternoon meetup. The person I came here with chose this location, and I was in awe of the beautiful portraits from the beginning to the end. The services offered are order at the counter or with the QR code from your table. The staff is pleasant and responsive to all. I was overwhelmed with options and unsure what I wanted, so I chose the recommended favorite. I had the black ivory milk tea, and it was delicious. Black Ivory was a great choice. I plan to come again and try a hot option.

    hot chocolate milk art

    delicious hot chocolate, vibes are great, and the guy who made it was nice. quiet but not awkward

    Chok...yum!
    Lori R.

    The description for this new restaurant is "Coffee, Boba and Asian Breakfast". Please know that to those of us that are not in the know, this is also a great lunch, dinner option. What might be identified as Asian Breakfast to the Asian community, might just as well be American lunch. Just sayin'. If you are familiar with Shaba Shabu on Wake Forest Road near the beltline (where Trader Joe's is), they have taken the once Japanese side of the restaurant and turned it into this new experience. This is a perfect place to have a coffee drink, or in my case, tea. It's very casual. Order at the counter. Sis ordered the Chicken and Waffles, while I opted for Chok. Water is of the get your own variety in small plastic cups (ask for ice if you want it). Not wanting anything sweet, milky or coffee like, I asked for hot green tea and was rewarded minutes later with a nice fragrant pot of one. Loved it. Seating options are tables or window seats. We opted to sit next to each other at the window watching all the bad drivers try not to back into each other in the Trader Joe parking lot. Very entertaining when behind glass, lol. Note, this is not fast food. You do wait for it to be properly prepared. What came out was flat-out fantastic. I loved my Chok! It was comfort food at its best. Creamy rich broth with a poached egg (more like hard boiled), with seaweed, fresh ginger and delectable salty chicken/shrimp balls. Crave worthy! Much of the menu is Thai style burritos. Can't wait to go back and try those. Sis also very much liked their different take on chicken and waffles. Even the waffles are different, being small bubbles, some of which have peas and carrots in them. Katsu chicken pieces on top, all topped with three different sweet/savory sauces. While she really liked it, she would have loved it had it been served warmer. Management appreciated the feedback and seems very welcoming of all suggestions and eager to please. Highly recommend trying out a new Asian experience. There's real quality and care going on here.

    Jacki R.

    Loving this chill vibe in the restaurant. There are two sides, one is more coffee shop-sit down and work or have a chat with a friend. The other side is more of a restaurant sit down style. All of it is called ShabaShabu and Black Ivory. The menu is unique, with many breakfast items I have not tried before. I went for the chicken and waffle. It's a bubble waffle with peas, carrots and other things included. There a sauce drizzled over the top that has a little bit of sauce and heat, very mild. It was very different and tasted good, if savory is your craving, this is your place! I ordered a Chai Latte and it was delicious. I enjoyed trying a new place. One of the staff came over and asked how we liked our meal and for suggestions. Very clean and relaxing. I would definitely come back and sit to work and have a coffee.

    Cappuccino
    Taahira H.

    I have to be honest when you walk in you're unsure of where to start, luckily there were customer there and I asked what would they recommend and was told to try their chicken sandwich. Cappuccino was done right and the sandwich was tasty: they also have boba tea and it's a nice ambiance for working on your computer. Nice cafe lounge

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    10 months ago

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    Excellent food and popping boba drink! I had the chicken and waffle, and mango-passion fruit with pomegranate boba. Very refreshing!

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    Delicious coffee and chicken katsu croissant sandwich. Friendly service and really nice cafe space! Will be back again soon!

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    Benelux Café

    Benelux Café

    3.9
    (219 reviews)
    3.3 mi
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    I try a new coffee shop every Saturday and today it was Benelux…read more There isn't a lot of street parking, but there is an underground garage behind it, which is so convenient. It's located next to Village District. I was greeted immediately by a nice young man. I asked for his hot food suggestion, and of course he suggested the waffles! I ordered a waffle with fresh bananas and Nutella...every bite was absolutely delicious. I also ordered a lavender latte and loved it. They sell scones from a local vendor and I had a gluten free orange cranberry scone which was also delicious. Benelux is spacious and has plenty of seating. Tables, high tops and even a couple of comfortable love seats.

    This is great coffee shop with a good, family friendly a diverse vibe…read more Benelux offers a good variety of coffee drinks and delicious pastries. We ordered lattes and other pastries, and they were all delicious. I met the new owners when I stopped by, and they shared their new plans for upgrades and improvements. They own other coffee shops in Colombia, so I'm guessing those improvements will be good. It is located in a shopping plaza centrally located. If you are not from the area, the GPS will take you straight to it. There is a parking lot for the entire shopping plaza with free parking. If you like to work in coffee shops, this one gets a bit busy and noisy at times. Keep that in mind. The staff was friendly and helpful. The space is comfortable and common areas are clean. Overall, 100% recommended.

    Photos
    Menu.
    Menu.
    Benelux Café
    Benelux Café

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    Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken

    Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken

    4.2
    (274 reviews)
    3.1 mi
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    Best dang chicken is CORRECT. Please Rise, please extend your hours…read more We are firm believers that if they stay open just like Canes/Popeyes, they'll steal a lot of business. Anytime we want late night chicken, we can't find a solid place that's close by we have to drive 25-30min. We can only eat rise in the morning. It's an amazing breakfast don't get me wrong, but we really think the Cary Morrisville area needs a solid late night chicken spot. All of us have to drive to downtown Raleigh or to chapel hill for canes or 25/30min for Popeyes! You guys have better items across the board and better pricing..... Let me know if you need help finding employees! My LinkedIn is poppin sometimes and I'd love to help your team make more money. Only people that compete quality wise are Grill&go and Meat&bite but very far drive from Morrisville Thanks for my Ted talk! Oh yeah order anything, it'll be amazing. Ambiance is a fast casual window minimal indoor seating!

    Best spot for walk-in breakfast biscuits, located in Cameron Village. Great variety of menu options…read morefor signature biscuits and sides. This time I went with a custom BYO - Bacon & Egg White Biscuit, extra bacon and added a side of grape jelly for balance. Biscuit was baked to perfection, nice texture, and the egg white was my splash of health consciousness. On a prior visit I had the Sweet Country Blues biscuit which was very good as well. I enjoy the open kitchen vibe that really gives it the bakery ambience. I recommend placing your order online in advance for pickup. The pickup process is convenient using your name to unlock the box containing your order.

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    Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken
    Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken
    Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken

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    Morning Times

    Morning Times

    4.2
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    3.3 mi
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    This downtown Raleigh stop really came through when I was craving a breakfast sandwich!!! LOL…read more The staff was very friendly. Service was prompt. It's a small space but there's plenty of outdoor seating (and I believe there is additional indoor seating next door). Loved my bacon, egg, and cheese croissant! Added a nice fruit salad too. Just love the vibe of this part of downtown Raleigh!

    The morning times was a weekly if not daily staple in my life for 10+ years, after moving away from…read morethe city 3 years ago, every time I would come into Raleigh it would be my first stop and it would always feel like home seeing the same familiar faces every time. This morning, I walked in and saw not one familiar face there, and I've come to learn all the staff walked out simultaneously weeks ago. After getting to know many of the staff over the years of frequenting there, anything to make every staff member walk out at the same time has to be big enough to leave a sour taste in your mouth. Am truly sad to see such a Raleigh staple not see the value in the community their staff created. Cheers to Joe, Brennan, Brett, amber, and all of the others past a present (shout out Tim and Casey and Jackie!) for their place in our lives over all of these years! If you are looking for a coffee nearby, jubala (pendo), black & white (videri), heirloom are all great options (and sir Walter coffee and 42 & Lawrence are decent and close)

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    Front counter
    Front counter
    Morning Times
    Upstairs seating

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    Upstairs seating
    Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant

    Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant

    4.3
    (727 reviews)
    3.4 mi
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    A cute breakfast place in Downtown Raleigh that gets very busy! I came immediately after landing at…read morethe airport to get brunch on a weekday around noon. The place was crowded but there was no wait. I got seated immediately at a table near a column in the middle of the restaurant and Christy came over and asked if I wanted anything to drink. She brought me iced water and gave me time to look at the menu. I wanted to try so many things and I was too optimistic about ordering 3 things and finishing them myself. Good thing I only ordered 2 things! An order of fried catfish with home fries and one egg. And a biscuit with sausage gravy. The fried catfish was salted and well fried. It tasted delicious for my first bite! The home fries were basically cut potatoes, but they weren't very fried or flavored. I wished I ordered the side of apple sauce instead. The biscuit and sausage was good, but a bit too much for one person after eating a separate order already. Definitely bring more people so you can try more things. Also, I wished I had asked for sausage gravy on the side so I can try the biscuit on its own first as well. Furthermore, I would have more time to eat the catfish so I wasn't worried about the biscuit getting soggy. Christy came to check up on me every now and then. The place was buzzing with people and decorations so I didn't feel so alone. When it was time to pay, Christy brought me the check for me to pay at the cash register. Both Christy and the cashier were so friendly! The restaurant does have a women's and a mens restroom if needed.

    This casual downtown Raleigh restaurant has a very authentic Southern vibe. From the red-and-white…read morechecked tablecloths to the other old-fashioned decor and the Southern cuisine menu offerings, you will know you are in North Carolina when you dine here. Walking in feels like you've stepped into a time capsule from a few decades back (for those who like that retro feel - I usually opt for more modern/contemporary vibes so this was a change of pace for me). Its downtown location adds to the retro feel because it is in a quaint marketplace area with cobblestone walkways. And they serve breakfast all day which is great if you are a breakfast lover like me. They have fantastic omelets. I tried the veggie omelet and it was delicious. Service was good. We were promptly seated and our waiter appeared rather quickly too. The food was served soon after ordering.

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Brunswick stew with grilled bologna and cheese sandwich
    Brunswick stew with grilled bologna and cheese sandwich
    Outside

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    Outside
    Layered Croissanterie

    Layered Croissanterie

    4.5
    (240 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    Two days in a row I've gone to layered croissant. The layers are on point and it was fascinating to…read morewatch the bakers use a machine to roll out the layers. I tried the passionfruit mango cruffin and the brown butter crookie. Both were spot on with their flavors. The passionfruit cream was especially noteworthy for being packed with flavor and yet not too sweet. The layers of pasty were perfection. There's one spot to order, though they do a brisk takeout business. Once ordered, items come out quickly. There is some seating, and if you order to stay, then they'll bring your items to the table. The vibe is bright and semi industrial with some pastel colors to soften it up. I love the bright windows, even if you're just looking out on the car's parked right outside!

    Ohhh, I have been sleeping on this place. No longer. Visited in September 2024 and tried pretty…read moremuch the whole menu of pastries: + LKA + raspberry pistachio + butterscotch Cruffin + Plum financier + Ham & cheese + Boston cream donut + Brown butter crookie + Classic croissant + Pain au chocolat Standouts were the raspberry pistachio and ham & cheese. Also loved the filling in the financier, and the brown butter cookie was top notch. Cruffin was another highlight. Iced coffee was alright. Will get the iced purple matcha next time. This bakery is definitely born from the Dominique Ansel/Supermoon Bakehouse era, and they are executing very well. (I've had some baaaad knockoff cruffins/cronuts/croissant hybrids, but this place is killing it.)

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    Layered Croissanterie
    Layered Croissanterie
    Layered Croissanterie

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    Black Ivory Café - coffee - Updated July 2026

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