Budacai

What a fabulous dessert shop! Perfect place to grab an after dinner cocktail and dessert and…read moreconveniently located near St Roch Oyster Bar which is where we had dinner. Service was top notch with friendly folks greeting you the moment you enter the doors. Our bartender was so sweet and so welcoming. Had me a $10 Paloma cocktail that was just right and went to town on dessert. Everything was just delicious. Fresh made whip cream, perfectly balanced sweetness with the desserts and cute atmosphere. Loved my first time here and it won't be my last!

Bittersweet has amazing desserts and drinks. I've been several times and each time I enjoy what…read moreI've had. A solid go-to is their s'mores sundae which is sooo good! The chocolate brownie is thick and rich, but not too sweet, and the marshmallow cream is divine, especially with the ice cream. A lot of their drinks and gin based, which I'm not the biggest fan of, but I always find something I can enjoy. The service is great and relatively quick, and everyone I've met there is kind and willing to help. The inside is a bit small, so smaller crowds are better and it does tend to get crowded later in the evening and on weekends. The outside street sitting area is nice too and hopefully will be fully fixed soon. Overall a great places to stop for drinks and desserts after a nice meal! And the menu rotates seasonally so you'll always have the chance to try something new!

Chai espresso martini

Derby Pie and Gin n Tonic

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Pecan pie

Heirloom Brewshop

4.4(239 reviews)

0.5 mi

I searched up this cafe and wondered why I hadn't tried it before, until realizing that I'd…read morereviewed it five years ago. I like to try new places, but I think a checkin after five years is due. And credit to this place for surviving the COVID era. I got good service on a holiday with a walkthrough of my tea options. I got a nice tofu plate for breakfast with a bit of vegetables, and a strong white tea for a rounded, vegan-friendly, and tasty breakfast. This was a win, and while I no longer live in North Carolina, who knows maybe I'll find myself back in the area again.

Oh my god I've been twice and 10/10 both times…read more I've gotten the orange Bundt cake and omelette on mango sticky rice AND the dirty earl grey - which changed my life. Amazing staff Sooo many outlets! Great spot to work

Interior of entryway

Cruller with ice cream and chili oil

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@_thencfoodie_

Lucky Tree

4.3(166 reviews)

3.1 mi

We had some time to kill and were looking for a non-chain coffee spot. This one was close by and…read morehad great reviews. So we decided to give them a try. We had a little difficulty finding it. GPS brought us to the parking lot behind the building. There isn't clear signage to direct you where to go. We managed to find our way up the stairs and into the building. There are a number of businesses located inside. Lucky Tree is super cute. It's set up to encourage working, with plenty of charging spots all around. There is a variety of seating, from long wooden tables to smaller individual areas. We ordered a chai latte and golden milk latte, both with oat milk. Both drinks were good. Fyi there is a separate entrance from the side that takes you directly to another smaller parking lot.

I decided to try this out for a quick coffee stop while in town for a conference. The service was…read morefriendly and quick! I tried the breakfast bagel bites, which were soft and warm. I loved the cheese on top! I was not a huge fan of the flavor the almond flour gave them but it was not overpowering. I would probably get them again! They had a lot of options as far as specialty lattes but I am glad I went with the Vanilla Maple. I was worried that the maple flavor would be too much but it complimented the vanilla well. The inside was VERY well decorated, and I would've loved to stay and do a little computer work! I could see myself coming by and sitting down for a quick brunch, meeting up with friends, or staying for a work session.

Cool light fixture made of bottles

Front of building

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Ordering counter

Sir Walter Coffee

4.1(257 reviews)

0.1 mi

I was downtown and was on a break. Needed a quick break so I popped over to Sir Walter for a quick…read moreiced coffee and a bagel. This bagel was nice and soft. It was good. The cream cheese was good, I think it had dill or chives in it. The smoked salmon was very yummy. Now this pickle and these pickled onions could stay wherever they came from. The pickle did not have any taste and it was soft. No crunch. Same with the onions. They were full of vinegar taste and soft. The coffee was good. Just like coffee. Now the Carmel Apple Macchiato was like a Carmel Apple, Sweet. I got mine with Almond milk but I had to go back and top it off with more milk it was full of Carmel. I didn't taste any apple flavor but it was good but really sweet. I did taste the espresso. I think for me if I had this much but with more milk or less Carmel it would have been better. They sit on a corner but you enter on the side kind of. They have seating inside and out. They are quiet until 12 then start playing music. You can bring your laptop and do a little work or read while having lunch. The staff were really friendly. The bathrooms are clean and gender neutral. Give them a try not just a coffee spot they have a bar as well.

Looking for a cozy place to start your morning on the weekend? Sir Walter is the perfect spot…read more Cozy seating. Great coffee. Delicious Breakfast items and baked goods! Next time you're looking for a good coffee spot, stop by Sir Walter.

Coffee or Cocktail

Breakfast burrito

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The Bar at Sir Walter Coffee

Iris Coffee Lab

4.4(160 reviews)

1.0 mi

For this week's edition of coffee shop Saturday, I chose Iris Coffee Lab. It's a block away from…read morethe Glenwood South area, located in a little neighborhood of condos, apartments and small businesses. There's plenty of seating inside and outside. There is street parking with a couple of garages nearby. I ordered as soon as I arrived and sat inside to enjoy my vanilla latte on a very hot afternoon. The service is good, everyone is friendly. The latte was perfect, strong and hot!!! It's busy and somewhat loud inside, but great for catching up with friends or working.

Note to future self: please don't come back! I've been here once before and I think we tried the…read morecherry marzipan, and this time I got an iced vanilla latte with just regular milk. Pretty blah. Lexi you can make better coffee at home. Just stay home. Staff were very nice and space was open

Atmosphere

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Interior

Morning Times

4.2(695 reviews)

0.1 mi

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)

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!

Front counter

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Upstairs seating

Bad Cat Coffee

4.0(63 reviews)

0.5 mi

The absolute best chai latte I've ever had. Usually they aren't sweet enough but I got this iced…read morewith a pump of vanilla and it was perfect. It's right at the front entrance of Morgan Street Food Hall. The menu was a little chaotic lol just a hand written paper but barista was super friendly.

No reason to write a review and waste your time, when the picture will do the work. I ordered their…read moreburrito and this is what I got.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Bagel

Coffee booth

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Black and White Coffee

4.6(77 reviews)

0.4 mi

Stopped by Black & White Coffee while looking for a cup of coffee downtown. I noticed that there…read morewas a coffee shop located in the local Videri Chocolate shop. Parking can be a bit tricky here as the coffee shop is located in the heart of downtown Raleigh. The vibe inside this coffee shop is bright and open. I ordered a caramel latte which was excellent and the latte art was also a nice touch. If you are trying to work remotely there isn't much seating available here. If I'm in the area again I'll definitely be stopping by black and white coffee for a cup of coffee.

The best coffee in Raleigh. Amazing coffee. I parked in the paid parking for the building and it…read morewas free with a voucher from the coffee shop. The coffee is amazing. I got a bag of coffee that comes with a free 12oz drip brew. The drip brew was amazing. They have a rotating menu for the espresso and drip. I ordered a latte and unlike most places you could actually taste the espresso which was amazing. The milk was perfectly steamed. The seating inside is minimal so don't come with a family of four or more unless you want to sit outside. The outside patio is in the shade for the most part. The service was excellent and quick. Amazing coffee. A must visit if in the area.

Entrance of the main road

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Interior

Sonder Coffee

4.3(93 reviews)

11.4 mi

What a cute and fun place to get breakfast! This was my first time at Sonder, the inside is cute…read moreand the workers were all very friendly. I've seen their coffee flights online and they always look delicious- spoiler, they are! I tried the mint chocolate chip, banana pudding, frosted animal cookie, and coconut lattes. The only one I thought was just okay was the coconut, the flavor was fine but something about the shaved coconut toppings and syrup didn't do it for me. The other three, however, were delicious! The frosted animal cookie was my favorite by far. I'd love to come back to try the other two flavors! I also tried the Sonder Smash- it was so tasty!! It's an English muffin with pesto, cream cheese, sausage, and an egg (I took off the tomato). It was super filling and delicious. I highly recommend! Overall- great spot with fun drinks and food. I recommend!

Sonder is a cute coffee shop in Wendell that I've been to twice now but unfortunately, it just…read moreisn't a favorite of mine. The first time, I got the banana latte, which was good. On my second visit, I tried an iced coffee flight, but unfortunately, the coffees were very watery and lacked much flavor. The service also hasn't been the best during either visit. I really wanted to love Sonder, but based on my experiences so far, I don't think it's somewhere I'd go out of my way to visit again.

Iced blue matcha

Berry salad at Sonder Coffee

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Canned lattes. These are made in house to enjoy on the go.

NoRa Cafe

4.5(208 reviews)

9.6 mi

Just wanted to take the time to clap for the staff here…read more I've only been here twice now. But both times the service was SO fast. I came here on a week day and it was packed but the kitchen seemed steady. Their service is very stream lined with pagers for food orders. There is a lot of seating but it also seems to be a place where a good chunk of people come to work. They have a library inside as well and the books at the time were all $3 ea. Today I came and it's a Sunday. As expected they were SLAMMED. Line to the door of people waiting and line to the door of people ordering. I still got my coffee in less than 5 min. People waiting on food were getting theirs in similar time. The staff was killing it! They have a large selection of baked goods (lots of laminated dough), fast casual breakfast & lunch, and a huge coffee menu. They also have gluten free options for food and about a dozen gf/df baked goods. They said they have separate prep space and changed gloves for gluten free food but it's a shared oven. I didn't have any issues though. To who ever is managing your kitchen and staff, you're doing a great job. To the staff, hats off Highly recommend this place for a light breakfast and good coffee, or just a good place to hang out on your laptop.

Needed a latte for my drive home, I got the chocolate turtle decaf latte and it was delicious. It…read morepaired chocolate, pecan and caramel to make the perfect road trip drink. The space was packed on a beautiful Friday morning. A lot of people working and connecting over coffee. The library space was super cute too! I snapped a photo and sent it to a colleague for a potential event venue in the future!

Iced vanilla oat latte and rosemary olive English muffins with bacon and pimento cheese - lifewithhanny

S'mores latte + Michaels English muffins breakfast sandwich - lifewithhanny

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"Chicken Salad Sandwich"

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Dave A.

7 years ago

Budacai is BADacai. First off, the management - Went on a slow Friday night and the owners/management were anything but welcoming. They were more focused on serving their friends beer than greeting us upon entering/leaving. We sat to the side and waited for our drinks as if we were to be purposely excluded from the 'popular' crowd. Very awkward considering my wife and I were the only other party in the store. (I will say the cashier was very friendly.) The drinks - didn't finish them. The boba was poorly made. Horrible. The green milk tea was so-so. The black tea was very unpleasant. Low quality, no doubt. I'd never purchase a drink from here again. Food - didn't try the food. Perhaps it is good. But based on my experience with everything else, I'd bet it is not. read more

Thomas L.

7 years ago

I don't usually write reviews but this place is AMAZING. We saw the reviews and decided to give it a try and it did not disappoint. I had the dragon fruit and my friend got the vietnamese egg coffee. It was the best bubble tea I've ever had and I've lived in California and Taiwan where there's bubble tea shops at every corner. It had a great aroma of tea and dragon fruit flavor with chunks of fresh dragons. The vietnamese coffee was equally impressive. The egg foam had the perfect amount of egg, cream and sweetness. It was perfection as it mixes very well with the traditional vietnamese coffee layer on the bottom. Can't wait to be back to try other flavors. read more

James H.

136

3 years ago

"Recently visited Budacai for some boba tea and it was a delightful experience! The ambiance is cozy with a modern twist, making it a great spot for hanging out with friends or for a casual date. The menu offers a wide variety of flavors and the staff were happy to recommend their favorites. I tried the Jasmine Milk Tea with tapioca pearls and it was perfectly balanced - not too sweet with a refreshing jasmine aroma. The pearls were just the right texture, chewy but not tough. Prices are reasonable for the quality you get. Definitely coming back to try more flavors!" read more

Qú M.

5 years ago

you guys are lucky i'm even giving you 1 star! i wanted bulgogi fish soup!! not beefy greasy fatty steak slabs!! what the hecking frikking balls?! unbelievable! i will not be shopping at budacai again!! read more

Baye S.

7 years ago

I love this place! I came with my friends and we all ordered different drinks and they were ALL good! I will definitely be back

Vivian B.

7 years ago

Very nice place. Service was very good and the food was great!!! I would highly recommend trying this place!!!!

Keelie B.

5 years ago

This was some of the best boba I have had. You could really tell that it was fresh and not made from powder.

Javier M.

6 years ago

service was amazing, and food/drinks are delicious. love to go back every once in a month

Gregory D.

162

4 years ago

The food was amazing, the perfect portions and flavors was lovely! I highly recommend

Jack S.

7 years ago

Great Tea & Coffee! Recommend the Vietnamese egg coffee

Budacai - asianfusion - Updated September 2026

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Cha House - Cary

4.4

(167 reviews)

First time here. Stopped in to try a tea and got the peach one. Very good! Not too sweet and…read morerefreshing. I ordered the bubble waffle as well. It was ok. Nothing I'd probably get for myself again but my grandson would probably love it! Service was good, not busy, fairly quiet. Clean bathrooms. Would go back to try some of the other teas.

Big fan of the iced strawberry matcha and the lychee milk tee is pretty good. Best matcha Ive found…read moreso far around Lochmere/Cary. Always has a good amount of cafe diners and the staff is cheerful and friendly. Indoor and outdoor seating. Delivery available via DoorDash and have gotten a few times.

Tiger Sugar - Cary

3.9

(30 reviews)

I stopped by Tiger Sugar expecting to satisfy a bubble tea craving, but surprisingly, the star of…read morethe visit ended up being the Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken. Freshly fried and incredibly crispy, each bite had that perfect crunch while still staying juicy on the inside. I originally ordered it with the Original powder, which added a savory, well-balanced seasoning that paired beautifully with the chicken. While I was enjoying that, one of the staff members suggested I try the Classic Pepper and Plum powder as well. I'm glad they did. The Classic Pepper brought a bold, aromatic kick, while the Plum powder added a subtle sweet-and-tangy twist that made the flavor profile even more addictive. Both seasonings were excellent in their own way, and it's honestly hard to pick a favorite. Definitely coming back to explore more of the menu.

Ordered their brown sugar boba and mango tapioca and there was a special off the menu promotional…read morewhere we got complementary pudding. Both drinks were good and were promptly made but the star was the complementary pudding which had a crème brûlée like top! Since it's right by H Mart, I'll definitely be back

Bep Vietnamese Kitchen

4.1

(154 reviews)

The food and service is so good! You typically don't wait more than 7 minutes to get a drink if…read moreit's super busy. Other than that they are quick and sweet. I've never had a bad experience. Food is so tasty. I recommend the gyoza.

3.5/5 stars for me Service: The staff here is nice…read more Food: Some of the dishes are just alright but the pho didn't hit the spot for me as it was watery for my preference and overall prices are a little high for what you get here. I tried to get fish sauce and chili oil - the chili oil wasn't spicy and the fish sauce was just the eggroll sauce which does have fish sauce but isn't the same. Bumper but life goes on. Still glad to have at least one option for Vietnamese food in the area, hoping more will come in the Holly Springs/Fuquay Varina area over time. I didn't mind the boba there though- it was refreshing. Location is nice because it is downtown and Holly Spring's downtown is small and nice to walk around.

Feng Cha

4.4

(90 reviews)

Feng Cha is an excellent, tea forward boba tea shop. I am a big tea snob and need to taste the tea…read moreflavor over all the sugar and toppings and Feng Cha really delivers. They're one of the few places Ive been to that offers lactaid as a milk option and I truly believe lactaid is the best milk for milk teas, so I absolutely love this option. The staff is very pleasant and kind, however they weren't very knowledgeable about tea. When I asked what type of black tea they used, all 3 employees were perplexed and said "it just says black." Upon tasting it, I could tell it was Ceylon, which is one of my favorites, but I do think the employees should work on being a bit more educated on their products. The store itself was setup really great for a group of a few friends and sit and chat while they drink their tea, however the chairs and tables were definitely "used", if you will. Not falling apart but a bit grubby. Overall, the tea quality is so good and the atmosphere good enough that Ill keep going back.

Tried Feng Cha's new Ube Matcha latte for the first time, which cost around $8 with the boba at 75%…read moresugar level, and I was slightly dissatisfied. First, here are the positives: + Combination of ube and matcha give the drink a Dubai chocolate-like taste. + Fast and more friendly (compared to a few times before customer service. + Relaxing atmosphere with bright and welcoming decorations. And here's a major negative: - For an $8+ drink (including boba), the size just does not justify it. Base price without boba is around $7 but wish they included a free topping already. Compare that to Bobo Baba - which has similar price range - you just get more bang for your buck there. Would I order this again? 50% sure just to let my wife and her mother taste it for content. But me? I might stick to Feng Cha's brown sugar and mango drinks, which were more satisfying.

Anise Pho

4.3

(299 reviews)

New pho restaurant selection for the evening. I ordered the usual vegan pho with tofu. This was…read moregreat pho with all the typical veggies and perfect vegan broth with added tofu. Parking was easy right out front with no wait time. If you want a Vietnamese restaurant with quality taste and great food, this is a great choice.

We walked to Anise Pho from our AirBNB in downtown Raleigh on a cold night. I'm glad we walked,…read morebecause finding parking would have been tough- and probably would've resulted in us walking just as far. I like Vietnamese food, but the options are limited where I live- and the options for vegetarians are even MORE limited at most Vietnamese spots. This spot is different- they have a whole page of vegan options on the back of the menu. My vegan pho with tofu was wonderful, and I loved the kick from the chili oil. I also liked adding the pho toppings, and they brought us extra bean sprouts since my husband and I both love them. I didn't have anything to drink, but all of the drinks were super reasonably priced. My husband had a beer. The bar has everything you could want to drink as well as mocktails. The portions are large, and when we got to-go containers, the employees even brought us plastic bags to pack each container in, so nothing leaked on our walk home. That was a nice touch and well appreciated. My husband got a bahn mi for later, and it was also packaged well for a to-go item. Anise is a great choice for pho or other Vietnamese foods in Raleigh, and if I lived nearby, I'd be a regular here and try everything on the vegan menu.

CO

3.5

(82 reviews)

I stumbled upon this sushi spot before heading to the movies and I'm so glad I did. From the moment…read moreI walked in, I was greeted with a warm "hello" and immediately noticed the beautiful decor that set the tone for the experience. I decided to sit at the bar and ordered a Mango Cart (my go-to), which was served in a perfectly chilled glass an absolute win in my book. Caleb recommended the crispy tuna and Rob suggested the Fiji salmon. Both were outstanding. Every bite was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. You can truly tell these guys love what they do. The hospitality was just as impressive as the food welcoming, attentive and genuine from start to finish. Overall, such a great experience and I'm really glad I stopped in. I'll definitely be back for date night.

The service was excellent. I was with a large party for a celebration and the server was…read moreknowledgeable and very attentive to everyone. Unfortunately my food was below average. Their version of drunken noodles did not resemble the Thai dish in terms of flavor or ingredients; thin rice noodles were used in a sweet sauce that reminded me of hoisin. Perhaps I ordered poorly. Sushi and rice dishes looked good!

Khao Sen

4.8

(94 reviews)

Love the new menus. They integrated our favorite specials into the regular menu. The pad see ew,…read moredrunken noodle and green curry are available all the time now. Friendly service, FRESH taste. Loving it!

Stopped by Khao Sen for dinner as we were in the mood for some Thai food. When you arrive parking…read moreis available in the lot behind the restaurant or parallel on the streets around the restaurant. Walking into the Khao Sen you'll feel like you've walked into a warm, intentional, and stylish restaurant. To be seated you'll first check in with the host and then be shown to your table. For drinks we ordered the mango passion fizz (mango, passion fruit, club soda) and the strawberry rose limeade (strawberry, rose, lime, club soda). Both looked nice presentation wise, but would definitely lean towards the mango passion fizz for the overall balance of flavors. For our appetizer we ordered a taste of all (vegetable gyoza, crispy krab sticks, crispy spring rolls, fried tofu, spicy chicken wings with side of each sweet chili sauce and sweet soy sauce) to be able to try most of the appetizers. Overall I would opt for the spicy chicken wings and pass on the other items. All of the appetizers were good but the spicy chicken wings were fried perfectly and had a great balance of spice/flavor. For entrees we ordered the Khao Soi (Northern Thai-style curry, egg noodles, crispy egg noodles, cilantro, scallion, pickled radish, shallots, lime) with chicken. The flavors were excellent and the chicken thigh was cooked to perfection. Almost if the chicken thigh was boiled or sous vide where it fell apart. We also ordered the Khao Pad (fried rice, egg, onion, Chinese broccoli, tomato, garlic, cucumber, cilantro, scallion) with sweet sausage which I wasn't sure if I would like but turned out to be excellent. The sweet sausage along with the flavors of the rice, broccoli, sweet onion, and egg made this dish one of my favorites. We were so full we couldn't make it to dessert but I heard the Thai Donuts with the Thai tea custard are excellent. If you are in the Fuquay-Varina area and are looking for good Thai food I definitely recommend stopping by Khao Sen. Looking forward to visiting again soon to try the other dishes.

Bowlba Cafe

4.5

(66 reviews)

Stumbled upon this place on a holiday when a lot of restaurants were closed. It is located in a…read morenice neighborhood and definitely feels like a welcoming place to eat or meet up with a friend. I saw a lot of kids walk in and families come in and out, suggesting to me that it really serves the neighborhood or community it is located in. That's a feeling I don't get at restaurants that often and I think is unique to this place because of its location. Enjoyed the flavors of the food much more than I anticipated. I particularly found the popcorn shrimp to be fried well, juicy, and have a lovely yuzu flavor. The rice to protein ratio for the Basil Rice was off but the flavor was delicious. The ramen was pleasant but not outstanding. Overall prices are on the higher side for what they serve. The service was satisfactory. Served well but the staff was not necessarily warm or friendly. Recommend it for a cute, casual date or family friendly spot!

Good food but mid drinks, unfortunately. Friendly employees. Great casual option for Asian food…read more Cute mural on the wall inside. The strawberry matcha? Was super disappointing and boba wasn't that fresh but the food really is fantastic.

Seoul Garden Cary

3.7

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