On a recent business trip, I stopped by The Kraken to grab a coffee for my wife and something…read moredifferent for myself. The building is fantastic. It's incredibly inviting, with a fun theme and a beautiful mix of mid-century leather furniture and warm wood accents that make you want to hang out for a while. The young lady who helped me was an absolute 10 out of 10. My wife enjoys a very specific type of iced coffee, and I always get tongue-tied trying to explain it because not every coffee shop can recreate what she's looking for. She listened, understood exactly what I meant, and absolutely nailed it. She was genuinely friendly, patient, and a pleasure to deal with. She also talked me into ordering some sort of creamy orange, dirty coconut concoction that I'm fairly certain I could never successfully order again...but whatever it was, it was phenomenal. I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a general rule, I don't tip at places where you order at the counter. I've always felt tipping is reserved for servers who are taking care of you at a table. But exceptional service deserves to be recognized, and the friendliness, knowledge, and genuine hospitality I received earned them a well-deserved 20% tip. If you're looking for great coffee, a unique atmosphere, and people who truly enjoy what they do, The Kraken is well worth the stop. To those about to nosh, I salute you!

A cool and unique coffee shop with a nice modern vibe inside. It's clean and modern and the staff…read morewere very friendly. The drinks were delicious and didn't disappoint. Over all very pleased with this place.

Cute little coffee shop that has been a part of the community for 25+ years. The service was spot…read moreon. There was a food amount of coffee and drinks choices.

Super busy and super crowded on a Tuesday morning. I did manage to get a table and eventually, I…read morewas able to get to the front of the line for a coffee. Just a simple drip and that was more than okay today. Wifi worked well, the seats were comfortable and it was nice to watch the constant flow of customers as I blasted out emails. [Review 884 of 2025 - 4307 in North Carolina - 24441 overall]

This place seemed kinda cute so we stopped by to check it out. It was pretty empty inside but the…read moreemployees were clearly stressed out about something. When my wife asked for assistance, the elderly employee just walked past her. I was able to get help from the younger girl leaning against the counter but to be honest, it seemed like neither of them wanted to be there or help us so we just fended for ourselves. There was a big stage to one side, but nothing happening there so the kids just sat there and waiting for us adults to finishing perusing. There are lots of alcohol and coffee options but nothing stood out as a must have so we ended up not getting anything. We were pretty hungry, but there were no food options except vending machine type food, so we were out of luck. Be sure to grab a seat inside and enjoy the nursing home quality heat levels. There are more seats available outside but the smell of the full trash cans scattered is around was rather unpleasant.

Blue 42's Brewing Barn is the kind of place you stumble upon and instantly want to tell everyone…read moreabout. I stopped in while heading down to OBX, in search of a decent latte or frappe, and was blown away by how much more this place offers. Not only did I get a delicious Java chip frappe, but there was also live music playing, great vibes, and a surprisingly wide selection of goodies for sale. It's a cozy, small-town spot that packs everything a tourist could want. The woman running the show was doing it all, from expertly pouring drafts to crafting my frappe with care & she did it with a smile. It's rare to find a place that balances beer, coffee, charm, and community all in one. Whether you're craving a cold brew, need a break from the road, or just want to soak in some local flavor, Blue 42's Brewing Barn is the perfect pitstop.

Took a little Sunday drive after church on a beautiful day to find a little coffee and bite to eat…read more Landed here and enjoyed fresh coffee, an oat milk latte, and bacon egg & cheese bagels. Owners were friendly, accommodating, and kind. They have some outside tables if you happen to have your pup friend along.

I forgot to take food pics because I was hungry and inhaled the golden brown biscuit with bacon,…read moreegg and cheese. Tastes great and not greasy. The grits were awesome! Creamy and some cheese added in. Finally, the coffee was phenomenal! Fresh ground taste hit the spot. We will be back!

Continued 5 STAR LOVE AND ADMIRATION for Kind Cup coffee shop and its very cool, eclectic…read morecollection of handmade jewelry, home decor, art pieces and clothing housed inside (you would never guess all that's inside the shop unless you ventured in!). Kind Cup, first and foremost, is an indie coffee spot that has amazing (strong, not wimpy weak) coffee and latte drinks, a (usually well stocked) display case of baked goods (get there early in the busy season else the pickin's will be slim!). This time, I had the butter cake and it was delicious and complimented my flavored latte brilliantly. Staff is always friendly and amazing! Don't be in a huge rush when you go there and be sure to head out back - there's a beautifully manicured and cared for garden area with some seating and tables sprinkled around the grounds to sit, sip and take it all in - giving faraway feel vibes. I posted a bunch of new pics and vids this visit (including of the garden area) so check them out and see what the inside is like as well as a cool vid of the pretty garden area. I would recommend coming here (when it's not too hot lol) to stroll around the entire Historic Corolla Village. You can truly spend a day here - at least a few hours / half day - just park your car ANYWHERE - plenty of parking in the historic village and just start strolling. Everything is walkable and it's so easy to explore the area. Hit the tiny Corolla Village BBQ shack for great pork bbq sandwiches $10 (top off your sando with their coleslaw yum!), check out the famous Corolla lighthouse and stop in to the lighthouse gift shop, visit the maritime museum, stroll by the beautiful yellow painted Whalehead Club mansion, browse the Island Bookstore, visit the Wildlife Education Center / Museum or just be lazy and bring a chair and a book and camp out on a grassy spot overlooking the sound. The Kind Cup though should be your first stop to grab a latte and a pastry! Can't get much better than that! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Just ate the best muffin I've ever had in my life on the way home from obx. Thanks to The Kind cup!…read moreEverything bagel muffin with cream cheese inside- everything bagel spices on top. Perfectly baked. Coffee was on par too. Great stop. Cute art offerings and souvenirs too. *sorry no muffin pic, I inhaled it like a seagull with a french fry. *I believe this is a special recipe from one of the locals. Chefs kiss!

This place was amazing!! Amazing coffee good vibe nice and friendly staff and very helpful. Every…read moretime I visit OBX I'll be coming in!

Very good Iced White Chocolate Mocha! Friendly and welcoming staff! They have a few seats if you…read morewant to sit in and there are other shops in the same parking lot.

The biscuit breakfast sandwiches with eggs, cheese, and bacon/sausage were really good!read more

After my experience at multiple Donut shops across the U.S I would rate Northern Lights Bakery one…read moreof the lesser experiences. To get straight to the point, the donuts are dense and not worth the wait/price. The worker was manning the cashier and putting donuts in boxes although she did have gloves, the gloves didn't seem to be getting changed. Not sure if some people down south have taste but the line to this place was long. There were flies everywhere. Although the staff were nice, they are understaffed and not clean. This place is another beach vacation money grab to travelers. Update: Found a baked in hair in one of the glazed donuts. Never Again DO NOT waste your $.

Great spot for coffee and supports a great cause. My husband and I stopped here on our way down to…read moreSavannah for a quick coffee and it was worth the stop. They offer many different tasty drinks to include coffee and tea and they have some delicious looking pastries. The restrooms were clean and the baristas were helpful describing menu items. While we were there a disabled man came in and I could tell he was a daily visiter from the kind way the workers are treating him. I probably won't have a chance to stop by again but this place was great.

Very friendly staff. Excellent coffee and pastries. The breakfast burrito was fabulous. Highly…read morerecommend.

Delicious treats for all palates! The chocolate chip cookies are as good as they look! Our other…read morefavorite was the lemon bar! Yum! Over all a cute spot that's inviting with a book corner to find something to read while you enjoy a delicious coffee and pastry!

Great little shop with pastries, coffees, and refreshing drinks. Sits behind the pizza shop at the…read moreback of the corridor. They have the regular menu choices or seasonal drinks. Service was quick and friendly.

BAck for the summer and a few tips for those coffee drinkers visiting the OBX.....leave the…read moreStarbucks and Dunkin' home for the week and tell gram and gramps to ditch the Folgers and Maxwell house. Each year we try one of Morning Views beans they readily have available and while we opt for whole beans they will grind yours if you want. For this week's vacation we ordered up Woodys dark blend and Bootys dark blend because we sampled these last year and they were great. The muffins are awesome and our favorite is cranberry orange....never disappoints and we highly recommend. This place is always busy early in the AM but they seem to be well staffed with experienced crews....owner always seems to be there making sure everything runs smoothly.

Delicious coffee and some good food. Atmosphere is spot on with quick service. It's what you want…read morein a coffee shop.