The Old Pinnix

For one of the most charming and historically rich café-and-bar stops in New Bern, NC, The Old Pinnix is a real treasure. Set on Hancock Street in Craven County’s county seat, this beloved café and bar beautifully combines historical charm with modern sophistication in a building with deep New Bern roots — once home to the Pinnix Drug Store, founded in 1913 by William Maple Pinnix. After a 30-year pause in commercial use, The Old Pinnix opened in 2023 to bring the storied space back to life, with creative craft cocktails, signature gourmet toasts, an inviting apothecary-themed setting, and one of the most genuinely warm welcomes anywhere in North Carolina. Click on the pictures below to get a feel for The Old Pinnix before you go — or to relive the visit after.

W.M. Pinnix and the 1913 Drug Store

The story of The Old Pinnix begins with Mr. William Maple Pinnix, who founded the Pinnix Drug Store in 1913 — the same era when other New Bern landmarks like the Stanly Building (now home to The Chelsea) were taking shape. The original Pinnix Drug Store began in a residential home on the current lot, but in the 1930s, Mr. Pinnix tore down the home and built the current building, running his pharmacy out of the same section that today houses The Old Pinnix.

Years later, Mr. Pinnix sold the pharmacy to his business partner and another employee, with one important condition: that they would maintain the Pinnix name. That commitment to continuity is part of why the name remains so beloved in the community today, more than a century after the original drug store first opened.

A Community Gathering Place Through the Decades

The Pinnix Drug Store wasn’t just a pharmacy — it was one of the most important community gathering places in early-20th-century New Bern. According to a 1914 article preserved by the New Bern Historical Society, the Pinnix was one of only two locations in New Bern where citizens could check up-to-date sports scores, especially baseball results. Workers from the local sewing factory would come on their lunch breaks to catch up on the day’s news, grab a sandwich, or enjoy a cold drink at the soda fountain.

The drug store also has its own quiet Pepsi connection — kids would come with their parents to enjoy what locals remembered as “the best vanilla Pepsi in town,” drawing yet another thread between The Old Pinnix and the broader Caleb Bradham–era New Bern legacy that runs through the Birthplace of Pepsi just a short distance away.

Perhaps most remarkably, the Pinnix was the first and only place in New Bern during this period that would extend store credit to women for medications and other necessities. In an era when women’s financial autonomy was severely limited, the Pinnix made a quietly progressive contribution to the well-being of the broader community.

From 1993 to 2023 — A 30-Year Pause

After decades of continuous service, the building sat vacant from 1993 until 2023 — a 30-year pause that left a long-empty space at the heart of a once-bustling community gathering spot. In 2023, two pairs of friends brought the building back to life as The Old Pinnix, preserving the historic name and bringing the space back to its roots as a place for enjoyment, relaxation, and socializing.

The owners — including resident foodie Dominique (“Dom”), beloved longtime New Bern bartender Natasha (renowned for her spectacularly creative cocktails and warm conversation), and their fellow partners — built The Old Pinnix around the idea of honoring the building’s history while making it relevant and welcoming for today’s New Bern community. The result is a space that feels both deeply nostalgic and refreshingly modern.

Gourmet Toasts and Creative Cocktails

The menu at The Old Pinnix has earned a reputation as something genuinely unique to the broader Craven County dining scene.

The signature draw is the Gourmet Toast — an inventive, open-faced sandwich program that ranges from morning to evening:

Sweet Morning toast — yogurt, fig jam, pomegranate, and honey
Caprese toast — fresh mozzarella, avocado, tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and balsamic
Tzatziki Chicken toast — with black olives and sriracha
The Pig and the Goat — a beloved favorite featuring pimento cheese and prosciutto
Getting Figgy With It, Mediterranean toast, Prosciutto toast, and several others
Avocado toast — beautifully prepared with high-quality ingredients
Honey-sweetened ricotta with mixed berries — a perennial favorite

The cocktail menu is equally creative, with signature pours including:

Cherry Rosemary Old-Fashioned — a standout cocktail with a seasonal twist
Dragonfruit Basil Smash — fruity, herbaceous, and visually stunning
Minty Cherry Mojito
Coconut Spice Martini
Cranberry Passion Sour
Orange Clove Tequila Sour
Spicy Bloody Mary — praised by reviewers as one of the best they’ve had

The bar also serves a diverse selection of teas, fine wines, and craft beers, making The Old Pinnix a flexible stop throughout the day.

Apothecary-Themed Decor and Welcoming Atmosphere

The interior of The Old Pinnix is a thoughtful tribute to the building’s pharmacy roots, with apothecary-themed decor including vintage newspaper clippings and historic photographs that share the stories of the original Pinnix Drug Store era. The space features diverse seating options, including comfy couches, coffee tables, and traditional dining tables, plus generous natural light that gives the interior a warm, inviting feel.

The bar program — anchored by Natasha’s creative mixology — emphasizes showmanship, layered flavors, and unexpected combinations that turn each cocktail into a small experience. Combined with the welcoming staff, the pet-friendly policy, and the wheelchair-accessible space, The Old Pinnix has earned a reputation for being one of the most thoughtfully designed cafes anywhere in eastern North Carolina.

Good to Know

Opened: 2023 (in a building dating to the 1930s, on the site of the 1913 original Pinnix Drug Store)
Address: 628 Hancock Street, New Bern, NC 28560
Founders: Two pairs of friends, including resident foodie Dominique (“Dom”) and beloved longtime New Bern bartender Natasha
Historical name origin: Honors William Maple Pinnix, who founded the Pinnix Drug Store in 1913
Building history: The original 1913 drug store began in a home on the lot; Mr. Pinnix built the current building in the 1930s; the location sat without a business from 1993 to 2023
Notable history: One of only two locations in 1914 New Bern where citizens could check sports scores; first place in New Bern to extend store credit to women; once known for “the best vanilla Pepsi in town”
Menu: Inventive Gourmet Toast program (sweet morning, Caprese, Tzatziki Chicken, Pig and the Goat, Getting Figgy With It, Mediterranean, avocado, prosciutto, honey-sweetened ricotta with berries)
Signature cocktails: Cherry Rosemary Old-Fashioned, Dragonfruit Basil Smash, Minty Cherry Mojito, Coconut Spice Martini, Cranberry Passion Sour, Orange Clove Tequila Sour, Spicy Bloody Mary
Other beverages: Diverse tea selection, fine wines, craft beers
Decor: Apothecary-themed with vintage newspaper clippings and historic photographs
Seating: Diverse — comfy couches, coffee tables, and traditional tables; natural light throughout
Atmosphere: Pet-friendly, wheelchair-accessible, family-friendly
Parking: Ample on-site parking (note: nearby train tracks occasionally block the street for extended periods)
Best for: Brunch, breakfast, cocktail enthusiasts, history lovers, and visitors looking for one of New Bern’s most quietly meaningful gathering spots
Pair with: A visit to the Birthplace of Pepsi to dive deeper into the New Bern soda fountain heritage, a dinner at The Chelsea inside another historic 1913 New Bern pharmacy building, or a stroll through historic downtown New Bern
Located at 628 Hancock Street in New Bern, NC

A New Bern Highlight

The Old Pinnix is the kind of stop that genuinely captures the deeper character of New Bern. The remarkable W.M. Pinnix legacy reaching back to 1913, the warm community history of sports scores, sewing factory lunches, and the best vanilla Pepsi in town, the thoughtful pause-and-revival from 1993 to 2023, the welcoming vision of Dom and Natasha and their friends, the inventive Gourmet Toast program from the Pig and the Goat to Getting Figgy With It, the creative cocktail menu with signatures like the Cherry Rosemary Old-Fashioned and the Dragonfruit Basil Smash, and the apothecary-themed decor that quietly honors the building’s pharmacy roots all add up to one of the most genuinely meaningful café-and-bar experiences in Craven County. Whether you’re settling in for a brunch toast with a Cherry Rosemary Old-Fashioned, sipping coffee under a vintage photograph, or sharing a Pig and the Goat with friends, this is one of the most rewarding stops you can make in North Carolina.