Last time I left a review here was right after the craziness of COVID, so I thought it deserved an update. It has changed a lot since then and I have grown to love coming here. Of all the coffee shops in the area, this is the place where I see community happening the most. I'm not gonna lie, I'd rather have a latte from Jubala or Sola, but Nora has a lovely environment. (I just wish they'd make homemade syrups ;)) I love the fact that they get baked goods from local bakeries and support local through what they sell. The ham and cheese croissant I had recently was shwae. It's just a great place for hang outs, doing work, reading, or simply enjoying some dank coffee and pastries. I'll keep coming here as long as I'm in the 919:) read more

Really enjoyed the coffee here and egg sandwiches as they let you customize it your own way. The coffee was great and the inside is perfect for enjoying with family. The staff were friendly and patient as I did take my time ordering. read more

NoRa Cafe - Egg Sando - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

great ambiance and vibe!! what i LOVE about NoRa is there's PLENTY of room to sit- it's not like a cafe that's overcrowded and all squeezed together. there's a small separation between people who want to dine and talk and people who go to do work. there's staff was SO SO SO SOOOO kind!!! constantly on the floor cleaning up, making sure peoples orders were right, and leaving compliments. first time here and definitely not the last! read more

NoRa Cafe - cold brew with sugar free dark chocolate , raspberry, and oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I believe service can make a place stand out or not stand out and the service that I received from T was so warm, so thoughtful, and super friendly beginning from when I ordered a delicious Cafe Au Lait and even remembering my name after I had spent two hours at the café and noticing that I was standing by the doorway, waiting for the rain to pass through and all of a sudden T shows up with an umbrella after shouting my name to help me be able to get to my car without getting drenched, even offering a bag to put my shoes in! My guest and I already thought Nora Cafe was exceptional (our first visit) and T took it to another level of kindness. Thanks to T, I was able to make my next meeting without being late or drenched. Thank you so very much for having such a considerate heart! We'll both be back to Nora Café with other folks we know in our circles! read more

Busy local coffee/tea shop. Great place to meet friends for a cup and conversation or get some studying done. Nice patio seating.

I came by after dropping my dog off for an early morning vet appointment hoping to get a coffee and a keto box that I saw mentioned in a previous review. Got the coffee, but the staff had no idea about any keto options not could not make any suggestions as they were clueless what that meant. Since it was a bit busy I decided to just take my coffee with heavy cream and go somewhere else for food. That's when I discovered no heavy cream just half and half or CoffeeMate not-legally-cream. Somewhat disappointing since I had read the response to said prior review and one of the responses was that they would make sure to stock heavy cream. That review was from some time ago so maybe they just stopped offering keto options. Those things being said, the staff was friendly and the coffee was good. Nice atmosphere. Plenty of seating. I might have given it more stars if I could have tried the food. It looked good, just not what I am eating. read more

Love this gem of a cafe! It's spacious and right next to a bookstore. I've not ordered anything I didn't like from this cafe. Highly recommend their coffee cake and lattes :) read more

NoRa Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The service was only outdone by the quality of coffee. The staff were friendly and helpful to this first timer and didn't steer me wrong with the Honey Bee specialty latte. Not to mention, they had "beeper buddies" (pictures of the staff's pets) on your order pager which I thought was a fun and original detail. The coffee was well balanced unlike many cafes (God forbid Starbucks) that douse their coffee with sugar. My croissant to filling ratio wasn't exactly to my liking but the quality was great and the customizable toppings was a standout. Definitely recommend a visit! read more

NoRa is my fave coffee spot in the triangle. It has a very trendy and hipster vibe. The coffee is local. The food is local and very delicious. And it feels just like home. This is a frequent spot for me and I've been fortunate enough to try many of the menu offerings. I absolutely love their specialty lattes. You can't go wrong if you're looking for a treat. And the breakfast sandwiches are yummy too. They have vegan/vegetarian options! And the English muffins are the best I've ever had. They source from many local vendors so those in the area may be familiar with many of the products. There's also plenty of comfy indoor seating and covered outdoor seating. Be sure to stop in soon! read more

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Awesome study spot- fast wifi, plentiful seatings, and there are even a few "study rooms" at the back. Also love the seasonal drink options (big menu for seasonal drinks, great for non-traditional coffee lovers). Parking is easy since it shares plaza with food lion. read more

NoRa Cafe - Killer Bee Latte! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

My absolute favorite neighborhood coffee place! Cozy vibes, friendly staff, and amazing coffee/food. My personal favorite is the iced butter pecan latte with a spinach and feta croissant. And don't forget to check the cooler for the pimento cheese! My personal favorite is the smoked Gouda and bacon! Yummmmm read more

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Came here back in January (2022). Goal get some good coffee and lunch while I work. Came here around noon. It was semi packed but I found a nice spot to get some work done. A lot of people there were doing work, so great spot for it. Just come with all electronics fully charged or come earlier in the day to find a spot with outlets. Wifi was good, which is always a plus. Staff were nice. Gave great recommendations. I haven't been back; however, I do recommend friends and colleagues to go when needed a different setting to get some work done. read more

NoRa Cafe - Love the setup. Books and Coffee. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

NoRa (for North Raleigh) Cafe has a great feel to it...fun and quirky decor, people sitting at tables chatting or working on their laptops. I treated myself to a Latte and it was delicious. Their glass display case is full of a tempting array of baked goods. Chris and Lyn were friendly and courteous servers, and the whole staff appeared to work very well together. Definitely worth stopping in to NoRa! read more

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This a local gem that you will be glad you visited. They have the best coffees and sweets. I usually will meet friends here after dropping kids off at school just because the atmosphere and vibe is so comfy. I love that they will promote local bakers and house their items. I love that they use a local roaster for their coffee. The best are their lattes, which are created by staff and customers. Most of their drinks can be served hot or iced. And if coffee isn't your thing, come in the evening and try their beer and wine. read more

The baristas are always so so sweet! And the food is delish! I love how many lattes they have to choose from!

The coffee shop in all of the triangle. The staff is incredible and wonderful to speak with. Always helpful and smiling. Coffee is very tasty and so are the pastries. The only coffee shop we go to. read more

Love love love this Cafe! Coffe, tables and books! The lavender honey latte was exceptional! Quick service. Very nice patio seating area. read more

The first time i went here with my friends and son,the coffee was nice and hot So i took my wife and ordered the dark chocolate mocha with mint. I had requested extra hot, but was cold. It was made good , but giving one star for not making it hot . Not acceptable as it destroyed whole experience! read more

I have been to this tea/coffee shop twice. This 2nd time was a much better experience. The service was great. Plenty of places to sit (tables, couches and outside seating). And they stay open later than most tea places. Great place to catch up with a friend, meet someone or knock out some work. I'll definitely be returning. read more

Love Nora for a quick breakfast sandwich! Their English muffins are so fluffy- probably the best I've ever had! I usually get an English muffin sandwich with egg, Gouda, and vegetarian sausage and it's always spot on! Their coffee is also delicious. Love the outdoor seating on a nice sunny day or just quickly running in for a pick-up order. Will come back over and over again! It's definitely our go-to for a quick grab and go breakfast! read more

I tried NoRa for the first time today when a friend chose it for a lunch out and I loved it! I did not get any drinks, so I can't say anything about those, but I got food - a bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado sandwich with side salad and a ham and cheese croissant. The sandwich... oh, the sandwich! It was everything I hope for in a BLT. Crispy bread, lots of crispy thin bacon, a big slice of tomato, crispy lettuce, and a healthy smear of mayo. This one had avocado too, which made it extra special! I was expecting just greens as the salad (and was told by my friend that they sometimes just give you greens and sometimes more), but my salad was lovely spinach, strawberry, and pepita salad with a sweet and tangy balsamic vinaigrette. A pickle too! I ate every bit of it and it was amazing. I had the croissant later in the day and while it was not the very best ham and cheese croissant I've ever had, it was still very good. Rich, meaty ham and cheese, a thick layer of croissant. It was just a touch denser than my preferred croissant, but I would happily eat another too. It was darned tasty. Overall, I was very pleased with this meal and will be going back next time I'm in that part of town! read more

NoRa Cafe - BLAT with salad side - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I'll admit that I don't venture outside my "bubble" much these days but when I heard that I could pick up some special edition Valentine cookies. Their lavender bee latte was exactly what I didn't realize I needed today as well. The store has an amazing amount of space inside to sit, an outdoor patio that on a nice day seems to be the place to be. Will return 1000%. read more

NoRa Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I love NoRa Cafe! Their menu is perfect for lunch, breakfast, or a cup of coffee. I've been here for all 3! The owners are awesome and the staff is always so helpful and kind! Very cool vibe for relaxing and chatting with friends or getting a little work done. Now, they've even opened a used book store next door to expand the reasons to stop by! read more

I'm a new NoRa fan! I've been meaning to stop in here for a while and finally did this weekend. It's such a gem. So many creative lattes and beverages. Also a good amount of pastry and breakfast options. I opted for the garlic english muffin and the caramel/hazelnut lattee. Both were fantastic! They have a used book section for perusing and ample seating both indoors and outdoors. If you're in the mood for happy hour, they serve beverages in the afternoon as well. I loved the eclectic vibe here and can't wait to come back. read more

Fantastic. Came here instead of Fount. (Don't get me wrong I've never been to fount) but I got a better vibe on the phone. The drinks were really great. Fantastic pairing of flavors (chocolate, honey, cinnamon, hazelnut) Def a cool people watching spot. Some interesting folks here yes. :-) Free stickers too. read more

Great coffee atmosphere and a wonderful selection of baked goods from local bakeries!

Keep going back to this friendly cafe. I am now addicted to their avocado toast! Still enjoying their selection of coffees also!

My friend and I discovered NoRa Cafe yesterday when we were searching for a new coffee shop to co work at. We started our morning at Sola Coffee Cafe (because they are doing donuts on Tuesdays) but their wifi wasn't working and we had things to do. We did a quick search on Yelp and found that NoRa was close by and had good reviews. Yay! Apparently this shop has been around for a little while and used to be called Maude's Garden (?) but have since done away with the garden and are still a cafe. The decor was eclectic and fall-themed. You can see a lot of personal touches if you look around at everything - many handwritten signs and posts about community events they host every month. They sell a variety of handmade facemasks, bags of locally roasted coffee (Carrboro Coffee), books, and more. I loved the propped up book-reading skeleton, but I'm not going to lie, I thought it was a very still, bald man at least twice while I was there. Ha, anyways NoRa Cafe is located in a shopping center with a grocery store so there are plenty of parking spots which is convenient. Hand sanitizer was available for patrons and the staff were wearing their masks correctly as well! I wish I had gotten her name, but the barista with blonde hair was SO helpful and sweet. I loved her sense of humor! She recommended the Toasty Ghosty, which I ordered iced and with oat milk, and it was so good! I wish I had tried some of the baked items (which I believe are sourced from Ninth Street Bakery in Durham) but they all looked really delicious as well - especially the muffins! There are SO many seating options to choose here. They have lots of tables and chairs, a couch or two, and semi-private study nooks inside, with at least 9 or 10 (safely spaced) tables outside. Some of the tables outside are shaded with umbrellas or canopies. Naturally, I forgot to check in before I ordered so I ended up missing out on the 25% Check In Offer... so I went back an hour later and ordered another oat milk latte (this time I chose honey harvest with an extra doubleshot). I drank half while I worked and took the rest home for the next day. I enjoyed the outdoor working space here a lot. I would recommend NoRa Cafe to my friends and will likely be back again soon. You should definitely check them out! read more

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Coffee was excellent so was my breakfast sandwich. Why a lovely spot and def queer friendly. Pop into wanderlust next door. Both will be frequent hangouts for me read more

What a cute place! I got a matcha latte. The baristas were kind, the menu was large, the dining room had plenty of seats. There were lots of tables inside and outside. It was a perfect place to grab a drink and read a book or work on something. Very cute place. read more

Best english muffins ever. Coffee slaps harder than that professional slap boxer. Great bang for your buck. Staff is lovely. Can't go wrong with their sweet treats. read more

I absolutely adore NoRa cafe! It used to be known as Maude's Garden Cafe and has since rebranded as a bookstore/cafe. I love coming here because the owners are passionate about supporting other local businesses, and so everything served there - from the pastries to the coffee - are sourced from local shops. I love their knack for finding the absolute best pastries and coffees in the area! NoRa has become a Monday tradition for me - I love to come and work remotely from here as a treat to myself to start my weeks off right! If you come here later in the evening, treat yourself to incredible local beers and wines from companies like Ponysaurus! read more

NoRa Cafe - Enjoying some excellent local coffee while preparing some law school applications! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This has turned into a regular stop for me. The atmosphere is super charming even though I couldn't care less about their sale of flowers and knickknacks. The coffee and the scene are enough for me. The seating is matched and mismatched chair and table sets throughout what may have been two different stores once. Music rings at the perfect level from mounted speakers. I've heard ranges from 80's rock to that annoying chick from the "Juno" soundtrack. And the restroom is just fine. The outside seating is okay for being outside but the scenery is all car grills from the immediate parking lot. Decorations waver between cutesy and cute, sometimes witty. Free wifi is always welcome too. And make sure to grab a rewards card. Sometimes I feel misplaced as it's a popular spot for older women and kids. Often LOTS of kids. I've been here when it was utterly overbearing with a children's party or whatever and couldn't leave fast enough. That's only one of two issues. The second is that whenever I ask a worker for a recommendation, they say they haven't tried this or that. Really? Pastries come from a bakery in Durham and they're delicious. I'm partial to the pistachio muffin. Also, the Carrboro Coffee is quite good. I usually order the iced coffee, but they sadly almost never brew from any of the coffees they have for sale. That makes it impossible to try before you buy. But I bought a bag on a whim and ended up being pretty satisfied. read more

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Great homemade English muffin sandwiches and excellent coffee choices. The ambiance is fun and local and service is friendly. read more

NoRa Cafe - English muffin sandwich with bacon, sausage and everything seasoning. One with cheddar and one with Gouda. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This might be my favorite coffee shop in the area! I got the honey bee latte with almond milk. the light sweetness from the honey was perfect. The cinnamon and dark chocolate combo was delicious and neither flavor overpowered the drink. The coffee flavor still came through and balanced the sweetness. The menu has several flavor combos that sound amazing but you can also make your own flavor combo. The lattes are a little pricey but the coffee is really good and makes for a great treat. There are a couple of tables outside that are perfect for a sunny afternoon. They also have a huge indoor seating area which in a non COVID world looks great for studying or working. read more

super cute!!! love the vibes.. its packed the whole morning so if you want a spot you have to get there early! read more

NoRa Cafe - chai latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I moved away but was in town for work and wanted to hit up my former haunts. Had a very unpleasant and off putting experience here. The staff weren't friendly at all and didn't engage in any way despite my attempts at conversation. It was very odd. I'm normally not one to write about staff but the vibes were just so off. I don't think I'll be coming back when I'm in town. Go to sola instead much better human interactions and just general vibes. read more

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I love coming here for days when I need to get out of the house and get work done. The staff is friendly and outgoing, the coffee is great, and there is plenty of seating. It's open late which is also a bonus! I will add that on rainy days it does get a bit busy, which is expected but seating does become limited. read more

I've had frequent appointments in Raleigh and have made it a habit to stop here before my long drive back home (2+ hours). I love pretty much everything about it. My first visit, I sat at one of the many tables on the patio/courtyard/sidewalk/whatever area. It was super relaxing and the people-watching was great - so many dogs! Since then I've been a handful of times and it's become my happy place. What I love: ~A huge drink menu with seasonal beverages (coffee and tea) and lots of non-dairy options ~Amazing breakfast sandwiches - if I'm feeling decadent, an egg, cheese, and veggie sausage liege waffle is amazing! ~Great variety of pastries ~Really nice people working there ~Lots of seating, both inside and out ~BOOKS!! There are a ton of books for purchase and it's fun to browse ~Minor detail but the bathrooms are nice with lots of "extras" (tampons, etc.) - it's clear they really care about their customers ~Good perks/frequent buyer's program ~Support of other local vendors - most of the items they serve and stock are local I don't love having to drive up to Raleigh and back but love having some goodies from NoRa to keep me company on the drive back. read more

Formerly Maude's Garden, this coffee shop is now NoRa -- short for North Raleigh! They even have multiple WiFi networks (all with the same password) that are named after north Raleigh neighborhoods. If you tell them yours, they'll add it. I thought this was a fun way to show local pride. This place is no longer a fairy garden shop -- now it's mainly for coffee and pastries. It sounds like they'll have even more food in the future (based on their website). The coffee comes from Carrboro Coffee roasters, and the pastries come from a handful of local bakeries. They also have Videri hot chocolate and chocolate bars. They now have a "library" meeting area that you can book for your group or meeting if needed. I came in on a Sunday morning and there were already a few people there. It felt very much like a local hangout, and was a nice departure from Starbucks (I'm definitely guilty of going to Starbucks too much). I got a soy latte and a morning bun. The guy offered to warm up the morning bun, which I appreciated! The latte was made right away and I got it quickly. The latte was delicious, as was the morning bun. I also got a sample of the peanut butter cookie, which I'd definitely consider purchasing in the future. It was chewy and fresh. I get the sense that the new owners are really trying hard to make this place great. At least one of them was there, working alongside the baristas. Overall I'm happy about the direction this place has gone in and I look forward to coming back! read more

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