So glad my sis scoped out a few spots to enjoy on some down time while in Raleigh. First stop - Blackbird Books & Coffee for some morning lattes and bookshop shopping. Perfect choice! This shop is nestled into the small streets of DT Raleigh in a charming way, like a corner in Diagon alley. It's walking distance from a park and many eateries. We all ordered pastries and lattes, then shopped for stickers and books. There's a table near the front and some more in the back by the cafe. Fun, curated collections of books and zines that we really appreciated. My hot oat matcha latte was delicious and so was my amazing cheddar scone. The baristas and owner were incredibly nice and friendly. It set the tone for a great day in DT Raleigh. read more

See all

I took my husband and son here around 9am on a weekday and it was easy to find parking, the coffee shop was so cute and the service was amazing! I loved that they had a variety of books on their shelves to meet a wide range of interests. My personal fave is fantasy + I loved that the even had a small children's shelf. So thoughtful! I ordered the butterscotch chain and oh my gosh--DELICIOUS! Would definitely pop in again. read more

See all

My friend and I love a good book store. And we were on a book search and stopped in here. This bookstore was kind of small and there was a lot of people in here. We wanted to get a coffee, but it was very crowded so we were not able to stop and enjoy the space because it was busy. It was hard to figure out a book because most people were enjoying the coffee space, but it seemed like a good place for a lot of people to enjoy. Personally, I like a roomier space for browsing for books. read more

See all

Nestled down in a quaint little road in the city is Blackbird. Filling the queer bookstore niche tends to be tricky but Raleigh offers enough base to pull it off and the combined effect is a lovely little coffee shop with a decent amount of seating and even the occasional event hosted. A heavy focus on newly published material and the iced latte is pretty good. An alright spot to spend 20-30 minutes abiding or even long for a conversation with someone in an accepting space. read more

Blackbird Books & Coffee - Storefront - Bookstores Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Blackbird has the most lovely inclusive and inviting vibes - loved stopping by here before heading out for the day and we would've stayed all day! The book selection emphasized authors from minority backgrounds like female, queer, and bipoc! They have set it up beautifully and there are reads as well as little knickknacks and games at each corner. The drink selection is also super fun, we went with the strawberry shortcake latte - which was so up my alley and did not disappoint! - and the vanilla latte which was the perfect flavor as well. read more

See all

as an avid book collector/reader this was PERFECT for me on this trip! The cafe in the back was an AMAZING bonus!! They offer alternative milks so everyone could try the perfect combo of their flavor lattes. I got a small hot Winter Special: Cinnamon Bun w/ oat milk 100/10 (perfect balance of sweetness) and my mom got another Winter Special: Frosted Mint Mocha w/ almond milk 10/10 ("not too minty and not overpowering just right on point")!!!! & I picked up a staff rec poetry book and some cute stickers read more

See all

Lovely little bookstore and coffee shop. Coffee and tea selection is plentiful. Nice staff and welcoming atmosphere. Monthly events to check out. We will be back. Support small businesses! read more

Blackbird Books & Coffee - Small Business Saturday at Blackbird - Bookstores Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Blackbird Books & Coffee is a great, locally owned bookstore that also serves up amazing coffee! They have a small but nice selection of popular books and they host a lot of cool events every single week like book club meet ups, poetry slams, and local author signings. They even have seasonal coffee menus. It is a very welcoming, inclusive, and cozy space for all! read more

I was in town briefly for a wedding and so wanted to get the chance to visit a coffee shop ! I selected this one because it was in the historic part of downtown and I felt it may have good aesthetics - which it did ! I also liked how it was part bookstore, and although I did not get any books, I took photos of book covers that I wanted to look into. I also forgot my wedding card in my AirBnB, an this coffee shop had some cards so I bought one to replace my original wedding card. I also ordered their seasonal churro latte and a spinach and artichoke scone. I wish I would have asked for the scone to be heated up, as I personally like savory pastries when they're warmer. In any case, the food was okay. The service was friendly, on the coffee shop end and on the bookshop end. Overall, I would recommend this place ! read more

See all

We got one of their specialty lattes (I just can't remember the name of it now!) and browsed the shop on a Saturday morning. Cutest little bookstore, best natural light, and great selection of books! read more

See all

Really love this spot! Super kind baristas and staff. Very welcoming space. Plus a bookstore! read more

Blackbird Books & Coffee - Dirty chai latte - Bookstores Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

Super cute coffee/book store on a quaint street in Raleigh. Love their selection of books, a good representation of what is popular right now amongst readers. Decent coffee shop as well that has a selection of cookies, coffees and tea. Came for a writer's event that was nicely populated! read more

Blackbird Books & Coffee - Fall themed latte - Bookstores Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I mean five stars off the bat since it's an adorable independently owned bookstore and books are my favorite thing. We need more bookstores in the world! Extra bonus points because they also serve coffee and tea. Coffee, tea, and books?! Sign me up!! I went in during their opening week and the place was hopping. I was surprised to see every table taken. I was hoping to grab a drink and stay for a bit, but was happy that so many folks were excited to support them. As far as books go they have a small but very well curated variety. Chances are if it's a fairly popular book or a new release getting a bit of traction, they will have it. They had a log of inclusive book options as well. They organize everything in a super easy to follow and browsing friendly way. The tea menu is interesting and goes beyond just your standard selection. I also saw they do a crochet and book night and I'm sure they will add more events as they settle in to things. They are located in city market. Parking can be hit or miss over here, but it's downtown so there are plenty of options. I look forward to visiting again soon! read more

See all

Great local biz, great specialty coffees! Great local biz, great specialty coffees! Great local biz, great specialty coffees!

Such a cute little place with a neat idea- books, coffee and tea! Perfect place to warm yourself up and curl up with a good book. We came by for drinks and got to check out their varied selection of books. Coffee was awesome and at a good price. Highly recommend. read more

Blackbird Books & Coffee - Books - Bookstores Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

Today is my aunt's birthday and the recent 6th anniversary of her passing away from ovarian cancer. I decided to recognize her today by going to the location of her first business, MeMe's Boutique. To see that this location is now a bookstore brought tears to my eyes. My aunt would love it and as an avid book reader and a lover of coffee, I love it too. I spent about an hour there and though the space hasn't been MeMe's Boutique in a long time, the energy of community and connection was exactly the same. The staff at Blackbird was kind. The space was buzzing with joy and people connecting, which we all need right now. I will definitely consider coming back in the future for some of the cool queer friendly events. But I thought in honor of her and how this space has evolved to be everything she would want, why not share with those who drop by. read more

Blackbird Books & Coffee - Bookstores Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

Hands down the worst drip coffee in Raleigh. Book selection is small and just ya fantasy and bestsellers, so if that's your thing you might like that part of it. read more

Beautiful cozy coffee shop/bookstore, great selection, adorable merchandise, and the best chai I've ever had!

How has this bookshop been around for about a year and I just found it? Blackbird is an adorable bookshop in City Market in downtown Raleigh. I saw it while stopping at Unleashed. I realized quickly this bookshop was a good fit for me based on the book selection and menu. Blackbird sells a variety of new books emphasizing female, queer, bipoc, and indigenous authors and topics. The genres range from fantasy, sci-fi, poetry, and romance to non-fiction. I recommend Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust. The book selection is organized in the front of the store and along the left side. There are tables and chairs on the right and a counter in the back. In addition to books, they sell coffee from Black & White Roasters and tea from Arteao and Rishi Tea. I decided on a modified version of a seasonal beverage, a blackberry "iced" chocolate. The Videri chocolate definitely overpowered the drink but it was still delicious. Overall, a lovely place to enjoy a tasty drink along with a new book! read more

See all

Fantastic spot offering some great coffee and books. While personally I feel the book selection was a bit limited for a "bookstore", the options available were extremely well curated. The interior was clean and cutely decorated and the coffee was quite good. Pricing for the drinks was fair and the staff were very friendly with efficient service. Seating was plentiful for small groups and overall the environment offered a great area for a casual meetup and drink or even getting some work done. Would definitely recommend. read more

Blackbird is going to be a standard go-to for me after visiting for the first time yesterday! It's a cute bookstore with a coffee bar where you can get a wide variety of lattes and tasty baked goods. There are a bunch of two-top tables for seating to read a book you've just bought, or open up the laptop and enjoy your drink while it's hot! The staff is really friendly and helpful, and the WiFi is excellent. It's also in a really cute part of downtown with ample 2-hour street parking (some free on the weekends). Give it a go! read more

I came to the area to check out the plant store nearby and stumbled upon this bookstore and coffee shop. Instantly loved it. The salted caramel latte was to die for and the golden milk latte was great as well. read more

Blackbird Books & Coffee - Salted caramel latte in foreground and gold milk latte behind. - Bookstores Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Hands down the most welcoming cafe in Raleigh! Be and Hannah are radiant people who have a talent for creating community. The events they cultivate are worth checking out. The sweet treat and coffee combo is unmatched and I always leave happy. Give blackbird a try if you are looking for a new local spot that makes you feel part of something special! read more

interesting place, was super busy when i went there! this is definitely the perfect coffee shop for a very specific person (not me). everything was nice though. got an iced strawberry shortcake latte. didn't like the book selection much - filled with newer books.. like i said - the perfect place for someone!!! read more

Love this bookstore! Has good vibes, a selection of books that I'd read, and yummy coffee. I tried the macadamia nut latte iced and it was good! This would be a place I'd love to come work at but their seating is limited. read more