Some people jump right out of bed and start the day running. I’m not one of those people. I need at least one coffee before leaving the hotel room, usually followed by two or three more to get the day started.
And Fayetteville has awesome local coffee shops to fulfill that need.
I was surprised by the coffee scene. I knew there would be a few local coffee shops because even the smallest destination has one or two these days. But I was surprised at the coffee shops’ impact on the community with freshly roasted beans, charming locations, and friendly staff.
It was a great way to start every day of my visit to Fayetteville. Keep reading to learn a little about each coffee shop, where to find them, and what to expect when you get there.
Map of Fayetteville Coffee Shops
How to use this map: Click the icon in the top-left corner to open the Map Legend, then click on any of the legend items to display more information. If you have a Google account, click the star beside the map’s name to save this map to your account, then access the map from your smartphone during your trip.
No. 01
Beans and Things Coffee
Beans and Things Coffee opened in 2018 to “provide gourmet coffee to the community.” The folks at the locally-owned coffee shop source beans from around the world and roast them fresh in their facility about fifteen minutes from downtown Fayetteville.
The commercial space features a tile floor and drop ceiling with brightly colored walls. Moderately comfortable metal chairs and wood tables are good enough for about an hour sipping on your favorite coffee drink. The menu includes drip coffee, espresso, lattes, tea, and it features an entire lineup of fresh fruit smoothies. The Peanut Butter Cup Mocha is particularly savory.
5554 Yadkin Road #3162, Fayetteville, NC | 910-491-2683 | www.beansandthings.coffee
No. 02
The Coffee Scene
In 1996, Kiki and Peter Mains and Victoria Stout opened The Coffee Scene in a gorgeous building on Morganton Road five minutes from downtown Fayetteville. Roasting their beans and grinding them fresh for each coffee served guarantees a bold flavor. The menu includes drip coffee, espresso, lattes, iced coffee, smoothies, pastries, and a few sandwich options.
Inside the modern retail space, mocha-colored floors are covered with comfortable wooden tables and chairs. A curving metal staircase leads to a second-floor studio with plenty of tables for getting some serious work done. But if you’re just there to relax, try one of the comfortable sofas or armchairs.
3818 Morganton Road, Fayetteville, NC | 910-864-0555 | https://thecoffeesceneinc.com
No. 03
Cumberland Coffee Roasters
Juan Guadalupe started roasting coffee in his garage in 2011 and selling the beans by the bag. Business was good, and by 2014 he opened Cumberland Coffee Roasters in Hope Mills, a town about twenty minutes from downtown Fayetteville. Sourcing beans from the world, Guadalupe roasts them daily in his small shop just feet from where visitors can enjoy a fresh brew.
His menu includes drip coffee, pour-over, French press, specialty lattes and frappes, and smoothies. At the front of his narrow shop, a black leather sofa and armchair are inviting to casual visitors. Large tables with comfortable wooden chairs are spread along the wall to the back for the remote workers.
3109 North Main Street #107, Hope Mills, NC | 910-534-1950 | www.cumberlandcoffeeroasters.com
READ MORE: 12 Things to Do with a Weekend Getaway to Fayetteville, NC
No. 04
Dolce Aroma Coffee Bar
Elizabeth’s Pizza is an authentic Italian restaurant that began in 1987 in Wilmington. Since then, the franchise has expanded to four locations across North Carolina, including a restaurant in Fayetteville. But when the local restaurant was built in a shopping center in Fayetteville, it also included a coffee shop.
Next door to the pizza restaurant, Dolce Aroma Coffee Bar offers savory espresso and latte drinks. The lattes are flavored with 1883 syrups, a brand that started in the French Alps in, you guessed it, 1883. The coffee shop also offers amazing baked items like cheesecake and muffins to go along with your coffee.
1800 Skibo Road, Fayetteville, NC | 910-487-0588 | www.elizabethpizzaskibo.com
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No. 05
Leclair’s General Store
One of the top coffee shops recommended by locals in Leclair’s General Store – yes, a general mercantile store. After two decades working in “visual merchandising,” Patrick Leclair moved to Fayetteville and opened a store that mixes retail, antiques, artwork, and for good measure, he put a coffee shop and wine bar in the corner.
Choose your own mug from the wall when ordering a fresh drip coffee, espresso, or latte. A small table inside the large window is a comfy place to sit, and there are more tables and chairs outside. It’s also perfectly acceptable to walk through the retail shop browsing their wares – just keep in mind that everything you see in the store is for sale.
1212 Fort Bragg Road, Fayetteville, NC | 910-491-1060 | http://leclairsgeneralstore.com
No. 06
Rude Awakening Coffee House
In 1999, Bruce and Molly Arnold bought a derelict building in downtown Fayetteville and saved it from demolition. After an extensive renovation, they opened the Rude Awakening Coffee House.
A neon sign beckons visitors, hung in front of Art Deco-style glass blocks above the shop’s entry. Inside, a long countertop is covered with baked goods, sales racks, and the all-important espresso machines. A few tables are scattered inside, but the hidden gem is tucked away at the back of the shop – an atrium surrounded by tall brick walls and filled with tables, chairs, real plants, and lots of natural light.
227 Hay Street, Fayetteville, NC | 910-223-7833 | www.rudeawakening.net
No. 07
Vagabond Café
Like many other people, Nancy Ramos moved to Fayetteville because her husband was in the military. In 2017 – six months after someone gave her an espresso machine that sat in her garage – Ramos opened a mobile coffee cart. Exactly two years later, she opened Vagabond Café in downtown Fayetteville.
Ramos sources coffee from around the world, roasts them locally, and grinds them fresh for every coffee served. The menu, written on a chalkboard hanging above the pastry display case, includes drip coffee, espresso, lattes, iced coffee, nitro brew, and cold brew. The coffee shop has sitting hidden behind the counter with lots of tables and chairs, and even more seating outside on the wide city sidewalks beneath the shade of giant market umbrellas.
108 Hay Street, Fayetteville, NC | 910-710-5200 | www.vagabondcafe910.com
