Wake Forest Coffee

Great non chain coffee shop in downtown wake. Friendly service with nice selection of coffee as well as delicious baked goods.

Update 2015: Decided to give this place a second chance and I went to this place for a basic cup of coffee. It had a lingering bitterness. Im a bit of a coffee snob and know that this excessive bitterness comes from either the coffee being burnt or there being a problem with the amount or grind of coffee used when brewing. Maybe the place is only good for people who like flavored, sugary coffee drinks.

Lovely, quiet place downtown with great customer service and wonderful tasting coffee. Also nice selection of bakery goods, if you are into that. Frequented mostly by students — I was the only person over 25 in there I think. My only negative was that there were only two small tables outside. Although there is some other seating up and down the block (on public benches and the like), more outside seating would be nice. Parking can also be a challenge — there is a small public lot nearby but it is almost always filled up.

Good coffee and bakery!

I went in this past weekend with a relative and we got pretty basic drinks. And they both were horrible! I’ve gone here before and have never been too impressed but not turned off enough to never come back. I cannot fathom spending more money on plain coffee that has some weird syrup flavor. I would rather drive to Sola or Jubala or even well bean. I will say that their baked goods looked worth trying.

I am not a coffee drinker, but I love this place! If you have a sweet tooth, you simply MUST try the white hot chocolate. Heaven. In. A. Cup. They also have delicious smoothies. Once you get past the smoking teenagers that are often sitting outside the door, the atmosphere is lovely and a great place to get some work done. I also love that they have books and games in there. Staff is cool too.
My only sort-​of-​negative:
When you order tea, you just pick a tea bag and they give you hot water (like most coffee places). I could easily do this at home so I rarely order tea. (Side note: if there are any tea snobs out there, try going across the street to The Olde English Tea Room. They’re awesome.)

I needed to meet up with some clients for my job. Last time I was in this area, I went to the Starbucks by Wakefield. It was small and busy — hard to conduct business in. I asked a local friend for recommendations and she steered me here. I have definitely enjoyed my experience. It is bigger than the aforementioned Starbucks and has great atmosphere. There is fun art on the walls that looks local. The music was great too: Mumford and sons, etc. Great find. Also, downtown Wake Forest is charming! Thanks for a good hot chocolate and a good environment. I plan to return.

Nice place to wile away the time. I’m not a coffee drinker so not here for their main product line. The owners are a blast and are good people. They have a good selection of warm drinks in winter and cold in summer.

Great cornerstone business in downtown Wake Forest. I have nothing but positive thoughts about this place.

Seems to be a popular place for students to hang out and study or meet up with friends. Beverages were ok but not the best. Prices are about the same as Starbucks. Barista/​cashier was friendly enough. Enjoyed the eclectic selection of artwork up and downstairs. Coffee shop has an off smell that makes it hard to sit and enjoy your beverage. Unable to connect to WiFi.

Went here to meet a friend who had suggested grabbing an iced coffee. The barista was very friendly and the coffee was delicious.

I tried Wake Forest Coffee for the first time Sunday evening. We were in the neighborhood and my hubby brought me here for coffee and dessert.
I am normally a simple coffee and espresso/​cappuccino drinker, but I wanted something sweet and ordered a peppermint mocha. It was very tasty, but I wish it was a bit stronger. It needed more coffee, but it was still good though.
The dessert selection was disappointing, looking more like sad remnants from earlier in the day. My hubby ordered a little apple fritter and I ordered a large brownie. We had a chuckle the next day when we saw what looked like the exact same fritters and the exact same brownies at Sam’s club. Oh well.
So, 3 – 4 stars for coffee, but 1 – 2 stars for dessert.
The young barista behind the counter was professional and nice.

Felt like I should update my review for WFC since it has been quite a while since the last review.
I love that this place is still thriving in Wake Forest, and they have been able to tailor the crowd to more of a paying crowd. As I mentioned in my previous email, you used to have trouble at times even coming into the place for all of the kids who just came to hang out. Now, not sure how they did it, but I can actually come in for coffee, a smoothie, and a bite, and sit down to work, or have a small business meeting with someone, without feeling like you were in the minority. It’s still a great hangout, but now it is just different… more inviting.
They are actually looking into bringing organic milk into the mix which is great. They currently have soy and almond milk as subs, but just hearing that Albert is considering it for those who are more conscious of wanting to use organic products, says a ton about him wanting to make his customers happy.
Now with the larger sidewalks, sitting outside is also a nice option. I disagree with George H… I think this place has TONS of charm. Maybe you have to be a Wake Forest resident to appreciate that, but then again, I think just opening your eyes, sitting and letting the town be around you, is what is so great about this place.

I really want to LOVE this place… but really when i think of going here’s it’s only b/​c we’re walking in front of it and i decide to grab a coffee and give it another try.
I use to love fru fur coffee. When it comes to fru fru, (add a bunch of flavors and only have a hint of coffee flavor) they do a great job here!
*interject a warning: everyone’s taste buds are different, this is my personal experience, but go give it a try yourself before passing judgement. But if your taste buds taste what mine taste, then we can be coffee shop buddies!*
But i’ve turned into more of a dressed down coffee person in the last year or so. Coffee and milk with a touch of sugar. You can really tell if a coffee is good when there’s no flavor to cover it up… and this coffee… i just don’t like it. To me it has a burnt flavor. A lingering bitterness that good coffee does not have. I’m not sure if it’s the roast or the kind of coffee that i’m not digging, but either way i give the basic cup of milk and espresso a big ol’ 1 star. sad day, i know!
But as far as space to hang out, friendlyness of staff, and fru fru drinks, I’d give it 4!
So if you’re in downtown wake forest and want to hang with some friends, go here, and if you get a simple espresso and milk with a dab of sugar, I’d love to know what your taste buds think!

I’m going to be in the minority here, but this place was about as basic as can be. The coffee is fine (hard to mess that up) and service was friendly, but that was about it. The pastry selection was minimal and the décor was pretty plain.
I like it, of course, because it’s on White Street and adds some action to the downtown Wake Forest area. We need more of these places staking a claim to White Street, I just wish this one had a little more charm.

A hot meeting spot in the Forest just got a little hotter! Not only great coffee but friends to the local artists! Bragging on the shop owner encouraging a chalk artists to display his art outside the shop! The upstairs of the shop now hosts artists working on their art right in front of you and has a large space for meetings. Downstairs has always had a space for local artist check it out! Go enjoy the coffee… tea!!! Hang out meet a friend or two then walk around this friendly little town!

I really want to like this place. The few drinks I’ve had from there were okay at best. I had an iced dirty chai, and an amaretto latte. The staff was nice enough. They were quick on the drinks. The crowd was mostly high schoolers, even though it was a week day. I’ll give this place a few more times. Hopefully I’ll change my mind on the place.

The Best White Peppermint Mocha I have ever tasted! Ok it is the only White Peppermint Mocha I have ever tasted so… I’m not sure if I like the Coffee Beans so I’ll have to go back and get something I’m more familiar with (I’m just learning to drink coffee) I know very little about Caffeinated Beverages, so…
Visiting the COOL Outside Patio which looks like the surroundings have been recently Bombed from the Destruction of «construction»… The «Construct» looks like it has a way to go! Still Imagine what people in other areas of the World (I’m not picking on anyone) have to go through when these things happen and a real Warlike situation happens and partially Destroys sections of street of your favorite hangout, you still go! Right! This is only part of the Cool factor outside, though it adds to it! Lookalota! YesT! Vavid!!!
Walk up a few stairs or Ramp to the just above «street level» and you are Downstairs! If the Patio did not get me this would! It is a cool place to see me and my Super Turkish Girlfriend (I’m PROUD) could hang out with the Locals or whoever these people are! This place IS a Lookalota!!! Brother of David! Vavid!!!
My Girlfriend said «Hey Jungle Boy! Do you want to go upstairs?» YES! There is an upstairs??? Upstairs is cool and wait, are we interrupting a Chess Club!!! I have never been to a place where everyone (almost) is playing Chess! Cool! Four Tables, Eight guys playing 10 minute Chess Games!!! Only in the Movies? No! This is the coolest thing I have experienced in Wake Forest! We watch two rounds… Each table has a timer (I do NOT know Chess) and as soon as you move you hit your timer, stopping your timer and starting your opponents and you can win by letting your opponent time-​out! It is entertaining because it is so fast paced, even though I know very little about Chess!
Metropolis has nothing on this! This place is so Cool I would go back even if the Coffee sucked, I would find something I liked!
3-​5-​2013 Second Visit for me and us
My Bride and I got something even better than last time… The Outside and Streets no longer look like a War zone, Looks Great!
June 2^nd Friday «Art After Hours» We and our friends J & E got Coffee and Dessert at the End of the Event! Maybe the Coffee is NOT one of the Best, I’m still learning!

What a cute little place! I went in with some friends because one of them wanted a dessert of some kind and I knew that WF Coffee had a dessert counter.
My friend got a GIANT brownie, and while I didn’t try any of it since she bogarted the whole thing =), she seemed to really enjoy it. They also offer ice cream in addition to their coffee creations. I ordered a decaf, sugar-​free carmel latte and it was über tasty! I generally only splurge on coffee creations every now and again because they’re generally ridiculously priced (ahem, Starbucks), but I didn’t feel like I was being held up at gun point when she told me my total for the latte… always a nice feeling.
WF Coffee also has free wi-​fi, as mentioned by others, and several tables inside to sit and enjoy or hang out with friends. They stock the Independent Newspaper, the Twisted Vine Wine Shop is upstairs (which I didn’t peruse… yet), and the staff are super friendly! I highly recommend trying WFC… I definitely plan on going back in the near future!

From the outside, Wake Forest Coffee (Company) looks a bit like those hole in the wall coffee shops or places you find in lackluster small towns. Not much going on, regular metal tables on the outside, simple store front. You know, that kind of place.
However, never judge a book by its cover, and this stop on my Old Faces New Places tour, was to prove that saying right.
Boasting free Wifi for all who enter the doors, WF Coffee is a bevy of cultural enjoyment. With a urban yet down home indoors feeling, complete with local artwork decorating the walls (many of which are quite good) the place feels like somewhere you could come everyday and see new & different people while reading a dozen of your favorite novels.
And the coffee is quite good too. Or at least their concoctions are! I had a Dirty Chai and did not know Chai and Expresso could mesh so well. I will have to try their coffee and report back if its local or sustainability produced (fair trade, etc) to see if WF Coffee is really the cream of the crop in little visited Wake Forest.