In a 1900s farmhouse, this coffee bar — named for our state bird — adds flavor to the Great Smoky Mountains through espresso and local art.
22 Needmore Road
(828) 488-5394
cardinalcoffeenc.com
Named for the town’s mill history, Papertown Coffee now serves locals their choice of caffeine in a cozy setting. photograph by Charles Harris
For 115 years, the local paper mill defined Canton. Though it closed three years ago, its legacy lives on through the nickname “Papertown.”
457 Main Street
(828) 492-0993
papertown.coffee
Rocky River Coffee has been rooted in Harrisburg for more than 20 years — a steady presence, like its namesake river flowing nearby.
4350 Main Street
(704) 455-5615
rockyrivercoffee.com
Like the tool it’s named for, this roastery and café celebrates mountain craftsmanship.
150A Den Mac Drive
hatchetcoffee.com
In a 1906 Colonial Revival known as Double Oaks, this neighborhood shop serves up locally roasted coffee and community.
204 North Mendenhall Street
(336) 223-4686
boroughcoffeegso.com
In the early 1900s, Chatham County was known as the “Rabbit Capital” for its cottontails, then a dinner-table delicacy. Today, they’re a mascot for the NC Arts Incubator’s coffee shop.
223 North Chatham Avenue
(919) 799-7729
thechathamrabbit.com
This shop is named for William T. Jones, a freedman who, in the late 1800s, owned one of the South’s most successful buggy factories.
201 South McNeill Street
(910) 722-2076
buggytowncoffee.com
Inside this wood-wrapped roastery and shop, the buzz of Capital Boulevard fades, leaving you cozied up in the land of the pines.
1614 Automotive Way
(919) 592-7796
pinestatecoffee.com
On the Scuppernong Riverfront, you’ll find coffee as rich as the local “blacklands” soil, which the owner’s father once farmed.
107 South Water Street
(252) 394-9008
blackdirtcoffeeandcafe.com
Early birds line up at this 31-year-old shop for coffee and pastries — which, during late summer, include muffins made with the island’s famous figs.
226 Back Road
(252) 928-7473
ocracokecoffeeco.com
A cake first made in Depression-era kitchens using household staples now helps us savor the season, no green thumb necessary.
From woodsmoke to salt air, certain scents carry memory, tradition, and comfort across North Carolina.
Visit a renowned writer’s home, catch a show, and wander Little Rainbow Row with our springtime guide to Flat Rock.
Across the Carolina coast, silvery strands offer texture, shelter, and quiet wonder.
