Wake Forest Coffee Company

Wake Forest Coffee Company is one of the longest-running independent coffee shops in Wake Forest, NC — a family-owned coffeehouse that has operated since 2008 from a two-story historic building constructed in 1919 in the heart of downtown Wake Forest. The 106-year-old building itself is a genuine piece of Wake Forest’s historic White Street district architecture, giving the coffee shop a distinctive character that most newer coffee chains simply can’t replicate.

The venue’s community mission — to foster friendships and strengthen community ties through the daily rhythm of a neighborhood coffee shop — extends into every aspect of the operation. The upstairs loft provides a quiet workspace and an intimate gathering space above the main floor, and the full menu includes traditional coffee drinks, smoothies (including a signature strawberry-banana smoothie topped with whipped cream), and fresh-baked goods that rotate throughout the day.

Be sure to check out the pictures below to get a feel for Wake Forest Coffee Company before you go — or to relive the visit after.

The 1919 Historic Building and the Upstairs Loft

The 1919 building is a genuine piece of Wake Forest’s downtown architectural heritage — over a century old and preserved as an active community gathering space. Constructed as Wake Forest’s downtown was taking shape around the historic Wake Forest University campus (which then occupied the town center before the university’s 1956 relocation to Winston-Salem), the two-story structure carries the same early-20th-century character that defines much of the historic White Street district.

The upstairs loft is one of the venue’s genuinely distinctive spatial features. Unlike ground-floor-only coffee shops, Wake Forest Coffee Company’s second-floor loft offers visitors a quieter space for focused work, small meetings, book clubs, or intimate conversations — separate from the ground-floor foot traffic yet connected to the coffee shop’s warm community atmosphere. That two-story layout is genuinely unusual among Triangle coffee shops and gives the venue functional versatility beyond the typical single-floor model.

The Coffee Program, Smoothies, and Fresh-Baked Goods

The Wake Forest Coffee Company menu spans the full range of traditional coffee shop offerings — with lattes, espresso drinks, drip coffee, and specialty seasonal beverages anchoring the coffee side. Beyond coffee, the venue offers smoothies (including the signature strawberry-banana with whipped cream, a regular favorite), teas, and other non-coffee beverages that broaden its appeal beyond coffee purists.

The fresh-baked goods rotate throughout the day, giving morning visitors a full breakfast option and afternoon visitors a lighter snack to pair with their coffee or smoothie. That combination of a substantial coffee program + smoothie menu + baked goods gives the venue a genuine all-day appeal, particularly for downtown workers and remote workers using the upstairs loft as a workspace.

The friendly staff, free Wi-Fi, and family-owned ethos round out the daily experience — creating the kind of neighborhood coffee shop that Wake Forest regulars build weekly traditions around rather than treat as a one-time stop.

Good to Know

Location: Heart of downtown Wake Forest, NC (in the historic White Street district)
Building: Two-story historic building constructed in 1919 (over a century old)
Opened: 2008 (one of the longest-running independent coffee shops in Wake Forest)
Ownership: Family-owned
Coffee program: Traditional lattes, espresso drinks, drip coffee, and specialty seasonal beverages
Non-coffee beverages: Smoothies (including signature strawberry-banana with whipped cream), teas, and other options
Food: Fresh-baked goods rotating throughout the day
Amenities: Upstairs loft for quiet work or intimate gatherings; free Wi-Fi; friendly family-focused staff
Community ethos: Mission-driven, family-owned coffeehouse focused on fostering friendships and strengthening community ties
Hours: Check the Wake Forest Coffee Company website for current hours
Best for: Downtown workers looking for a regular coffee stop, remote workers needing a quiet workspace (upstairs loft), families and friends gathering for casual coffee catchups, and visitors curious about Wake Forest’s historic downtown architecture
Pair with: A broader Wake Forest food and beverage day exploring the town’s concentrated craft brewery scene, plus outdoor recreation at E. Carroll Joyner Park with its wonderful Great Depression-era pecan grove, or the sprawling Falls Lake State Recreation Area just north of town

A Wake Forest Highlight

Wake Forest Coffee Company is the kind of stop that stays with you for the sheer historical character of the space. Occupying a 106-year-old two-story building at the heart of downtown Wake Forest — from an era when the original Wake Forest University campus still dominated the town center — the coffee shop functions as a genuine piece of Wake Forest’s historic architectural fabric integrated with an active community coffee culture. That combination of architectural heritage and daily neighborhood coffee routine is genuinely rare in Triangle coffee shops.

The upstairs loft rounds out the appeal. Between the family-owned ethos, the signature strawberry-banana smoothie, the rotating fresh-baked goods, the quiet upstairs workspace, and 17+ years of consistent operation as a downtown Wake Forest community anchor, Wake Forest Coffee Company has become one of the most consistently rewarding coffee stops anywhere in the town — a place regulars build daily rhythms around rather than a one-time destination for visitors passing through.