Centrally located downtown - this place needs more hype PR. The cutest dining area, I love a repurposed space. Everything here is reasonably priced and delicious. All of the workers are very laidback and kind - I love their monthly specials and that they serve their in house items in mugs and glasses. Huge applause for their grilled muffins, chai lattes, and raspberry chocolate crepes. LOVE the mission behind this place also, if you're in the neighborhood and you're spending the money anyways, why not do it somewhere with a purpose? 5 stars, no notes. read more

Great coffee and tasty pastry. The atmosphere is very much college student, study cafe.

Love this place. They have a great nonprofit business model. Trying to spread awareness of the slave-like working conditions of the coffee bean industry. My only complaint is their almond milk is not tasty. I wish they would use Pacifica Barista Almond milk. It would improve the taste immensely. Also, some of their baristas need practice with making lattes but I love their enthusiasm for the mission, and they treat everyone so sweetly. Great place to work or meet up with friends. A must place to visit if you want coffee. read more

Surprising, even for me that I have never reviewed Freedom Cafe because I've been going here for years. Until Covid hit we were regulars at the Wednesday night open mic, an area hotspot for students and singer songwriters to show us what they can do. The freedom Café is a nonprofit whose proceeds go towards stopping human trafficking. A serious social issue that is on the rise in the United States, it comes in many forms ranging from forced labor to sex trafficking. There is an extensive menu for a Cafe of this nature , including many different types of coffees, pastries, and crapes. The crêpes options range from sweet to savory. I've tried both and can recommend them without reservation. If you want some good coffee, good food, good atmosphere, and lots of other amenities, choose The Freedom Cafe and put your money where your mouth is. It's a good cause, there's nothing to lose and everything to gain by dropping a few bucks here. read more

This is one of the community gems that not only a wonderful visit, but also a hub to so much good in the community. The setting is warm and relaxing and the vibe is welcoming. The food and ethically sourced coffee and tea are excellent - you can tell this is a passion project for the staff. It's great place for a quick coffee or snack, a relaxing place to unwind as well as a great meeting place. If you haven't visited, do yourself a favor and check it out. read more

I grew up in Durham but no longer live there so always love to stop in to see what's new in the "business district". This time I needed some tea on my way out of town so decided to try the freedom cafe. The spot is fairly large with a good amount of seating and interesting art. I appreciate the mission and there is also a board where customers can pin up other companies with good eco and worker friendly policies. I'm not a coffee person so I always love when a shop has an extensive tea menu and freedom cafe delivered! They had a page of teas and a variety of tea lattes. They also said they could make any of their teas into a latte which is great. I tried the almond joy tea latte which actually was less sweet than I expected based on the name but tasty. I also tried a chocolate chip scone which I thought was good and not too dry (which is usually my issue with scone.). I would definitely return and try out other tea lattes next time I'm in town! read more

I live right by and go here most mornings. Friendly staff that make the coffee just right! Also a great atmosphere to do school work or chat with friends. read more

Excellent food, beverage and service. The proprietor is passionate about high quality beverages and food while working towards solving social problems and being thoughtful of fair trade and sustainable products. High ceilings, with a light and airy feel it is a pleasant space and has live music regularly and also doubles as a great place to socialize or get some work done. Asking what is good for coffee or tea can yield some surprisingly wonderful beverages. A diverse coffee and tea menu is unique for town and beverages are remarkably consistent. Always on my radar when I want a hot beverage. read more

Best coffeeshop in the Seacoast. Insanely good coffee (rivals cups I've had in Italy) brewed in one of 4 hipster-approved methods for optimal flavor & delicious teas of all kinds from White Heron. Everything is ethically-sourced, and by a reasonably-priced suggested donation that goes toward ending human trafficking. Cute ambiance with tables & chairs and couches in a spacious, sunny, casual room and nice coffeeshop music. Staff are friendly volunteers. Not many snacks available (chocolate bars, and a few baked goods) but they don't seem to frown on you bringing in your own snacks/meals if you buy a drink from them. Highly recommended. I rarely go to any other cofffeeshop. read more

They use high quality, fair trade ingredients. I like their matcha latte and Americano. I would like to try more of their other drinks and fair trade chocolates! So excited that this place is nearby. read more

This is the perfect venue for a screening and discussion event. The atmosphere is relaxed, the space is comfortable, and the drinks are excellent. The staff is welcoming and they know how to set up the space to suit your event. This is a true community space, and we are so lucky to have this right on campus. read more

If wondering around Durham on a cold day like We did this little tucked away caffee with a mission is a great stop to sip on some yumm hot beverage and warm up with a strong statement while supporting a rather sore cause affecting countless people around the globe in our time: human trafficing and exploitation. I had their masala chai tea which was delightfully spicy and creamy and got to hang out for a moment in the great space this organization put together. It is a volunteer run space and i am beyond happy to see what keeps students nowadays busy: taking peaceful and practical action against injustice. When i was there, there happened to be a tea tasting from https://aeratea.com, a brother&sister company with a great purpose: all their teas are ethically sourced in a personable fashion assisting the communities where they are sourced from. Their teas are a delightful range of fine black to white pure leafs. A profound sensual journey. And the owners them selves are great people to chat with on a profound level. I highly recomand this space for a great relaxation moment and some time to educate ones self from a crew of wonderful people. read more

Seek this hidden gem out and support their cause! It's not just great coffee but all profits go to charity. The coffee is made to order and tastes like coffee should taste. Not that crap you get at Dunkin' Donuts. Seriously, go here and try it out. The cafe itself is a nice place to relax or meet a friend. It's never crowded and you can sit there with a good book or have a conversation without crowds around you. read more

Coffee shop with a mission. They were out of caffeinated coffee when I went. Work on a "suggested donation" pricing scheme, cup of coffee was $2.00 which seems reasonable for raising money for charity. They freshly grind their beans for every cup then use an aeropress to make the coffee. read more

This place is great. It's the perfect spot to stop and relax with a cup of tea or concentrate on some work with a cappuccino. I was really impressed with the selection of teas and the knowledge/effort that goes into brewing each different kind. I love that the freedom cafe supports such great causes with their mission to end human trafficking in addition to bringing the best of local suppliers to a great community space. Awesome people. Awesome café. read more

This place has surprisingly good coffee. And it's a nonprofit that all of the proceeds go to stop sex trafficking. The people are polite, it's clean and there's even an open mic. I didn't try a pastry but they looked delicious. The other cool thing is that it's all suggested donation. So I got an iced coffee, and it was suggested I pay $2. I gave $5 but still it's nice to have the price optional. My only tip is when giving iced coffee... Put it in a plastic clear cup with a straw top. I got a regular to go hot coffee cup but with iced coffee...which was weird to drink out of. read more

Great coffee and atmosphere. Local products and specialty brewing methods. Run on volunteers and proceeds go to an important cause. Check it out. Location is a little hard to find but it's worth finding! read more