6 Coffee Houses you Need to Visit in the High Country of North Carolina
Waking up in the High Country with the bright sunshine rising over the Blue Ridge Mountains mixed with the cool, crisp air is an amazing experience in itself. Add a cup of freshly brewed coffee from one of the local shops and you are sure to have an awesome start to your day. The area’s local cafes are not just a place for the warm, tasty wake me up, though. They are great places to meet friends, have business meetings or just relax and catch up with your day. Whatever your vibe, I invite you to discover some of my favorite local coffee places across the High Country.
Higher Grounds
Higher Grounds, located in New Market Shopping Center in Boone, is a quaint, eclectic shop serving freshly brewed house and daily specialty blend coffees. If sweeter coffee drinks are, your thing, try the Frappes and Espresso creations. My favorites are Cinnabon and Crème Brule Lattés. They also have “grind your own beans” for your Higher Ground brew at home.
Espresso News
Espresso News, a long-standing local favorite, is located in downtown Boone on Howard Street behind Footslogger’s. They feature fair trade coffee beans roasted in small batches daily making for a great cup of joe. When strolling through downtown Boone, stop in and grab your favorite brew, take a seat in their 2nd floor seating or grab a seat outdoors to get the perfect view of Boone and a great local experience.
Hatchet Coffee
Hatchet Coffee, another local favorite in Boone, is located beside Center 45 Climbing and Fitness on Den Marc Dr. The shop started out as a small roaster, selling their own coffee beans packaged on site. Today, their space includes their famous roasted coffee beans but also an expanded menu of Nitro brews and specialty coffee drinks with several of their own seasonal creations and a menu of breads and spreads and my favorite – avocado toast.
Local Lion Espresso Bar and Homemade Doughnuts
Local Lion Espresso Bar and Homemade Doughnuts is the place to go for the best homemade doughnuts in Boone. The doughnuts are made fresh daily with a variety of glazes and fillings. But you can’t have doughnuts without a cup of fresh brewed coffee. The coffee starts with their own roasted beans and is served any way you like it and the best part – they have a drive through which sure helps when you don’t have time to sit and enjoy on their covered patio.
Bald Guy Brew
Bald Guy Brew is a great coffee shop new to downtown Boone but not new to the area. They started out in Valle Crucis until the shop was destroyed by fire several years ago. They have stayed strong as they found a way to start over while keeping their values intact. They focus on empowering coffee growers through sustainability practices and proudly serve organic coffee beans roasted and brewed daily. Delicious coffee and specialty coffee drinks with a conscious. Bald Guy Brew is located across from our own 828 Real Estate near the Boone Fire station. They also have a sister location in the Martin House on Main St. in Blowing Rock.
Talia Espresso on King
Starting out in Wilkesboro, Talia expanded into their Boone location across from the Turchin Center in February 2020. An easy walk from Appalachian State University’s campus and downtown, you will find an exciting menu of espresso, and espresso-based drinks and lattes. But these aren’t just any coffee drinks, these are handcrafted by weighing the ground espresso to the perfect weight and pulling through the Italian made la Marzocco espresso machine, so the espresso flavor is at it’s best – never sour and never bitter. And if you have never tried the cold foam you are missing out! I can’t get enough of this shop with its warm and friendly atmosphere and great coffee served warm or iced, depending upon my mood for the day.
