Coffee Houses with outdoor seating? (Durham, Cary: high school, company, traffic)

[NC_newcomer]

A variant on NRG's theme:

Are there coffee-houses with good outdoor seating? There's a Caribou Coffee in Cary on Maynard, and the seating is, well, directly on Maynard.

I'm looking for a place to hang for a couple of hours on Saturday or Sunday morning, read the paper, may be play with my laptop and surf the 'net...

Anywhere in the Triangle -- it's a good excuse to explore other towns!

Dog-friendly outdoor seating is a plus (according to my dog)!

[saturnfan]

Starbucks North Hills. Most Paneras.

[NC_newcomer]

Thanks.

How about non-national chains? Are there locally owned coffee-houses wiht great outdor seating? At least Caribou is a NC company.

Starbucks is a little lacking in character.

[burch ave]

I believe the Broad St. Cafe in Durham has outdoor seating, especially during warmer months.

[sbanawan]

Cafe Driade in Chapel Hill is my absolute favorite in the entire triangle. Hell, maybe the entire state. The setting is phenomenal. The coffee is among the best around. They play great music. If it weren't 20 minutes away from me (30 in traffic), I'd be there daily. The only downside: no free internet. Gotta pony up some dough. That's alright by me since I'll just read or write instead.

There's also Shade Tree Coffee on Erwin Rd. in Durham. Also very good coffee, but the setting isn't nearly as nice.

[suncat]

I've been to Helios Coffee a couple of times, and I liked it. It's in Glenwood South.

[frogandtoad]

Originally Posted by sbanawan

Cafe Driade in Chapel Hill is my absolute favorite in the entire triangle. Hell, maybe the entire state. The setting is phenomenal. The coffee is among the best around. They play great music. If it weren't 20 minutes away from me (30 in traffic), I'd be there daily. The only downside: no free internet. Gotta pony up some dough. That's alright by me since I'll just read or write instead.

Exactly what I was going to say. Cafe Driade is the absolute best for this! Tucked away in the woods with outdoor seating out front, on the sides, out back, down some steps to a clearing in the woods and an eclectic group sitting around...about as far from Starbucks (mentally) as you can be.

[findingmesomeday]

Originally Posted by sbanawan

Cafe Driade in Chapel Hill is my absolute favorite in the entire triangle. Hell, maybe the entire state. The setting is phenomenal. The coffee is among the best around. They play great music. If it weren't 20 minutes away from me (30 in traffic), I'd be there daily. The only downside: no free internet. Gotta pony up some dough. That's alright by me since I'll just read or write instead.

There's also Shade Tree Coffee on Erwin Rd. in Durham. Also very good coffee, but the setting isn't nearly as nice.

I second that. I don't live in the Triangle but I asked here for recommendations on good coffee in Durham/Chapel Hiill for my husband when he was interviewing. Cafe Driade kept coming up. My husband went to check the place out and LOVED it. I think he took about 12 pictures of the place!

He also said the coffee was excellent. This coming from a native PNWer who can be mighty picky about his coffee.

[DanielChang]

Originally Posted by NC_newcomer

Thanks.

How about non-national chains? Are there locally owned coffee-houses wiht great outdor seating? At least Caribou is a NC company.

Starbucks is a little lacking in character.

Mr. Toads in Preston Corners has outdoor seating.

[findingmesomeday]

Originally Posted by jinxor

Mr. Toads in Preston Corners has outdoor seating.

Thank you for mentioning that! I was reading this thread and trying to remember the name of the place in Cary I stumbled upon last June when I was interviewing. There was a high school band playing there that night and I called my son (he's in 2 bands) because I thought they were pretty good and I wanted him to hear it!

The place is in an outside mall type area but there is quite a bit of outdoor seating. Good coffee too!