The other day I was walking to campus and noticed a change in the landscape. Caribou Coffee is closed! To be specific, the Caribou Coffee on East Franklin Street closed, but the Caribou Coffee on West Franklin Street is still open. This sudden closure of a long-standing student hangout and study spot inspired me to look around at all the other café options we have in our area.
Coffee shops are a staple of most college towns, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community is no exception. A simple Google search — or better yet, a stroll around campus down Franklin Street and onto Main Street in Carrboro — reveals a plethora of coffee shop options for students, faculty, and staff alike. Our little slice of North Carolina is a virtual coffee shop metropolis!
After realizing there were so many to choose from, I spent a couple days informally polling folks around the Student Wellness office to see what their favorite spots were in town. There were no clear winners, but lots of great options to choose from. Check out some of the results below!
When asked who has the best cup of coffee, drip for drip, folks around our office suggested checking out:
Open Eye Café (Carrboro)
Joe Van Gogh (Chapel Hill)
Jessee’s (Carrboro)
When asked what’s the best place to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee, including atmosphere, people, and ambiance, our staff likes to frequent:
Caffé Driade (Chapel Hill)
Oasis (Carrboro)
Kipos Greek Taverna (Chapel Hill)
This is just the tip of the iced-coffee iceberg! There are so many great spots to choose from on campus, in Chapel Hill, and in Carrboro. Let us know your favorite spots in the comments section!
So the next time you are looking for a quick pick-me-up, a savory latte, or just a nice place to relax, study, or hang out with a friend, consider one of our local area’s great selection of coffee shops!
For more information on the health benefits of coffee and other caffeinated drinks check out one of our old blog posts, “Coffee – Good for You?”
For more information on the history of coffee and coffee houses around the world, check out this interesting article from the BBC, “Coffee and qahuwa: How a drink for Arab mystics went global.”
UNC Healthy Heels 