Beautiful, cozy black-owned bookstore / cafe that makes for a wonderful study spot. They have a great selection of pastries and unique coffees / teas! Great vibes :) read more

Rofhiwa Book Café - people sitting in the library - Bookstores Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Vet chill place. I found this lovely coffee shop on accident and I am glad I did. They have amazing are and wonderful cultural books for kids and adults. Please go chill and drink coffee and eat a pastry I can't wait to go back! read more

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Stopped through this Rofhiwa for the first time to do some work. It's a cool lil Café and bookstore. Sitting is available indoors and outdoors which is great. The outdoor patio is seasonal though. Definitely a spot I'd visit again and frequently if I lived in the area. Black and queer owned. read more

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Atmosphere: Rofhiwa Book Cafe is a bright, cheery coffee shop stocked with selections from Black authors. There are only a few tables inside, so you may have to get lucky on busy days if you're hoping to get some work done there. Service: Our barista was kind and enthusiastic about providing recommendations! Food: We ordered an English Toffee Latte, which was delicious! The toffee notes came through perfectly without being too sweet. Overall: Rofhiwa Book Cafe is a gem in East Durham definitely worth visiting! A great spot to meet up with friends, read, or study. read more

Rofhiwa Book Café - English Toffee Latte - Bookstores Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The staff was kind and welcoming. My boyfriend and I both enjoyed our chai lattes. The place is spacious, but seating is limited. It was raining, so we couldn't sit on their patio. We were lucky that another customer left right after we ordered, so we were able to get a table. As we waited for our orders, we got to browse the small book selection by black authors-- a good place for book and coffee lovers. read more

I have so much for love for Rofhiwa! Rofhiwa is an independent, Black-owned bookstore/cafe in East Durham. As a book and coffee lover, this place is truly a dream come true. When you first walk in, you're faced with the cafe part of Rofhiwa (which is where you also check out the books). They have both coffee and tea so there's something for everyone. Not to mention, they carry pandesal from Bad Oven so you really can't ask for more! Turn left and you'll see walls of books and a couple of gorgeous sofas! In addition to the two sofas, they have several small tables (ideal for two; window side seating is a connected bench) as well as outdoor tables. If there's a specific book you want, you can submit a request on their website. You can get the books delivered or pick them up in store (you'll get an email once your order is ready for pickup). During my last few visits to Rofhiwa, I've found everyone I interacted with to be friendly and pleasant. There is no private parking lot but I never have trouble finding street parking nearby. They're open all days of the week except for Sunday so you can stop by before or after work, or start your weekend here on Saturdays! read more

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I know nothing about the coffee. I carry my 6 pound service animal on my body. She's with me all the time. Never been turned away. I keep the paperwork with me. THEY WOULDN'T LET ME IN WITH GRACIE. I tried to show the paperwork, they wouldn't let me. NO DOGs. Even 6 pound Gracie. Yes upset me. All I wanted was to grab a drink and leave. read more

Rofhiwa Book Café - Gracie sad! - Bookstores Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Black owned book cafe? Say less! We came here after my friend saw about it on IG and this cafe is so cute. The location is in a cozy corner of town. Once we stepped inside you could just feel the warmth and hospitality of the business. It was pretty busy for a Saturday, but we didn't mind the small wait. One of the owners was working behind the counter and kindly introduced herself and told us a bit more about the business. We only stayed for a bit to look at a few of the books and grab a drink, but there were lots of cozy places to hang out and I even saw blankets! Can't go wrong with that. If you'd like to see a video of the location, I made one that's featured on tik tok @reloadedree read more

This little shop is where the East Durham Bake Shop used to be. They offer a curated selection of adult and children's books by, for, and about African Americans. We enjoyed our iced chai lattes and chocolate chip cookie. My wife also found a science fiction book by one her new favorite authors and purchased it. The vibe is very open and friendly, and a group at a nearby table was chatting and doing work on their laptops. Their coffee and pastry selection is not huge, but it doesn't need to be. Some places have too many crazy options (I'm looking at you, Starbucks). I hope the community will support this local black- and queer-owned business. read more

Rofhiwa Book Café - Bookshelves - Bookstores Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Very cozy bookstore cafe with great lighting and ample seating! There are 4 tables inside, as well as two comfy looking couches. The latte I got was pretty good -- it wasn't too sweet, and the coffee went down very smoothly. The barista was kind, and the staff seems to know their regular customers really well. The vibes in this cafe are just amazing, and I will definitely be back! read more

Rofhiwa Book Café - 12oz iced vanilla latte with almond milk - Bookstores Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

A minimalist and curated space with excellent coffee on a cozy corner. Rofhiwa also has an extensive selection of books by black authors in their independently owned Afrocentric space. It's beautiful. I would highly recommend this space for people looking for either a good book or a good cup of coffee or tea -- you can't go wrong! read more

I was so happy to stop by this beautiful space while in Durham! I love bookstores and I was really looking forward to visiting this one. Before I visited I'm not sure I realized that their selection is more curated & is made up of Black books only, but it was a welcome surprise and introduced me to several authors I had never seen before who are now high on my to-read list. I do wish the shelves were labeled with genres, but I enjoyed perusing them as-is and ended up buying more books than I anticipated I tried the iced vanilla latte which was delicious! There is nice seating in here too, both couches and tables, and I'd definitely return to get some work done here. read more

Rofhiwa Book Café - a bookshelf full of books - Bookstores Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Such a cool little coffee shop with a relaxed vibe. Most importantly the coffee and chai were fantastic!! read more

Rofhiwa Book Café - Bookstores Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

This is a really special spot and I'm glad I was able to check it out this weekend. It's a beautifully curated space with so many fantastic and beautiful books by Black authors. They have all the genres and all the age ranges so there is something for everyone. You can grab a beverage at cafe and peruse the books or grab a table to hang for a bit. I tried the chai latte and it was excellent. The decor and furniture is all very unique and celebratory. Highly recommend stopping in! read more

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Hi LOVE this cafe!! Sam is so sweet and makes the best london fogs :) It is the perfect place to unwind and do some homework. The atmosphere is so welcoming and friendly. I will definitely be returning. read more

This is my favorite coffee shop in Durham. The atmosphere is relaxed, the coffee is terrific, and the staff are upbeat and charming. I get my morning coffee here on my way to work, and I often think about sticking around longer, the couches and tables look so inviting! I'm so thankful we have a great shop like this one in east Durham. read more

THE BEST CHAI IN DURHAM! And dare I say the triangle? Yes, yes I do. So grateful that this beautiful coffee shop made its home in our neighborhood. In addition to feeding us with their delicious drinks, they have also fed our minds with an incredible book selection and community events. read more

Rofhiwa Book Café - The best outdoor patio to enjoy your drinks! - Bookstores Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I moved from Durham, however I drive here almost every weekend just to visit this place! I love the coffee, tea, and pastries, but above all the Afrocentric books and atmosphere! This is my go to for studying and grading papers... Keep doing your thing, Rofhiwa, I love you! read more

This is definitely a hidden gem in Durham! Not only do they have a wide variety of books by BIPOC authors, but they also make excellent coffee. I highly recommend getting an ice caramel oat milk latte from Rofhiwa. Everybody that works there is always super helpful and friendly every time I go! read more

Great coffee, cool staff, dope books. Also amazing location. I've had all the coffees and they are all tasty

Gem of a place.. smallish but excellent collection of books, super helpful staff. Will try a drink next time after I hadn't just had a huge latte! High recommends. read more

Nice environment, friendly staff. Very bright and clean. Coffee (I got an oatmilk latte) was delicious!

Great coffee, lovely space with lots of natural light, and beautifully curated collection of books. I bought two children's books and my godchildren love them! Thanks for having almond milk! read more