While the staff may not be the friendliest, the drinks and the atmosphere are most definitely worth it! This is a great place to go to anytime of the day, although I enjoy going at night. One thing that I do not like is the fact that it is not in town, so it is not as easy to walk to as other places in Carrboro/Chapel Hill.
Review Source:Had to negate some stars here on account of a few things. After four recent visits over the course of five months I have to note:
1. Driade has now hired some incredibly dead-eyed folks who bumble around and take quite a while to make a simple beverage (latte) even when you are the only one there. When you recieve the beverage, it is bitter. Frankly, unacceptable for one of the more pricey lattes in the triangle.
2. They make you pay for the Internet.
Driade, what are you doing? Please train your staff again to smile, make eye contact and at least PRETEND to be okay to be alive. Also, maybe retrain about how to pull a drinkable shot. Also, why am I going to pay $4.50 for a bad latte, and then PAY FOR THE INTERNET?
Until things shape up or return to previous stellar standars I'm going to stick with Open Eye.
My choice for coffee in Chapel Hill. The location is a little inconvenient (read: you have to drive/bike or bus to get here) but it's worth the trip. Â Located above an arboretum, Driade serves up terrific coffee in a beautiful, idyllic location off East Franklin St. Â Go when the weather is nice and sit outside. Â Can't think of a better place to enjoy the outdoors, a good book or newspaper and superb coffee. Â Ample outdoor seating. Â Thumbs up.
Review Source:What a beautiful setting for a coffee spot! I had no idea this place was tucked away in such a prime location, right off E. Franklin Street. While the place itself is quite small, there's ample outdoor seating and you feel like you're in the middle of the great outdoors. I've only been once, but the service was warm and personable. The coffee itself was delightful and well made. I'm so happy to have found this quaint little spot, which I see myself frequenting from now on!
Review Source:I love this place. This is my second time living in this area, after a break of a couple of years, and I'm really glad to be able to frequent Caffe Driade again. I've never had a bad experience, and I really like the outdoor seating. If the weather is bad and everyone's forced inside, it can get a little cramped and loud, but that's not really the fault of the establishment.
For those who have never been there, be aware that you can pay up front for a refill on your coffee, and if you order a larger drink, it'll come in a glass with no handle, so you'll probably need to use a sleeve.
I wanted to be able to write a better review about this place, but there are too many strikes. I just stopped going because the staff always seemed like I had just ruined their day by coming in for a drink. If I asked a question about something on the menu I was typically met with a huffy, disdainful response. You're serving coffee, dudes. It's good coffee, but get over yourselves.
The atmosphere is cool, especially the outdoor seating, but would it kill the owners to do a little house cleaning every so often? The increasing dust above customer's heads in the caffe is pretty gross. The sanitary grade is impressively low for how small this place is and for how pompous they act about their establishment.
If you do go try the Driade Shake. It's pretty tasty.
This is a very quaint cafe nestled back among the trees. During the warmer months, its beautiful outside and you can enjoy some time sitting outside on their large patio. There's quite a bit of parking and you don't have to worry about the huge crowds you might find at a larger chain coffee shop.
Review Source:Edgy. Cool. Quiet. All words I'd use to describe the Indy coffee shop Caffè Driade.
The atmosphere (the most important part of a coffee shop) is palpable, in a good way. The light, airy feel and dark lighting made it easy for me to retreat into my own head and write this. The smell of coffee and the outside air mixing is uber relaxing after my long weekend with the family. The hip Euro pop playing in the background is delightful and I feel myself swaying back and forth to the beat. Soft voices makes sure silence is never achieved and I welcome it. No one wants total silence I think. This place walks a fine line between ambient and distracting noise, but never crosses it. The indoor space is small but not cramped allowing you to find a little nook to plug in and enjoy a latte.
The real magic is outside though. I arrived around twilight and grabbed a table outdoors. It was absolutely magical to watch the sunlight fade to dark around me. The string lights on the lower patio give enough light to see clearly, but still remain dim and muted. It's pure serenity down here, I'm all alone. The upper patio has better lighting and it's more alive up there. I moved to the upper one because I like the noise.
I can't comment on the alcohol because sadly, I'm not of legal drinking age. My latte however, is heavenly. It's just right. ^_^
I hate the burnt taste of Starbucks. This tastes like real coffee, but has a creamy, rich quality about it. It goes down smooth, leaving a pleasant aftertaste and warms me from the inside-out. It was gone before the first paragraph was written haha. I'm left wanting more.
The staff is friendly and efficient. Greeting each guest enthusiastically, moving skillfully on autopilot. There were three people ahead of me and I had my coffee in under 10 minutes! Wow, that's what I call service!
The only issue I had is that wifi isn't free. It's 4 bucks an hour! If you plan on coming in to get some work done online, be prepared to really shell out or pay 6 bucks for the day. It's not a huge issue, but I don't get 3G inside so it makes it hard for me to do much of anything. :p
On a final note, I could spend hours here. The coffee is so so, but time seems to slip by faster than I can blink. I love it here and I'm definitely coming back at least once a week. This is your best bet for a place to unwind or get some work done without the distractions of the workplace. I'd give it a 4.7, but I'll round up. :)
This place is adorable in every great way. Â Cozy, tucked away from the bustling thoroughfare that is Franklin Street. Â
I've never actually stayed here and hung out. Â I usually just grab a coffee and treat then roll out. Â The staff here is wonderful, and a touch friendlier than the staff at its sister Open Eye. Â
Something about this place makes it look like it's not TRYING to be something out of this world but, because of that casual attitude, it makes it unreal. Â I have full intentions to come park it here one weekend and see what happens.
I have nothing bad to say about the quality of their drinks, but as a destination coffee shop rather than a carryout establishment, there is much to be desired in atmosphere.
This is why I would not recommend Caffe Driade to fellow students. Â In addition, it's ridiculous to charge for WiFi in 2012 - I found out this fact after purchasing coffee and a pastry. The price is not trivial either. Â $3.95/hour was enough for me to cut my losses and go elsewhere.
The Cool Factor gets Five Stars! Â You have to be here... see for yourself... I took photos!
Cozy inner Dinning Room! Â If you are around some people you like or admire you will like the tightness to these quarters, if not move to the Totally Winterized Front Porch or...
Front Patio or... Tables on the side...or check the Back Patio or...If you love communing with Nature you can be further in the wilderness, carefully walk down the stairs from the back Patio to the Lower Patio which has a bunch of tables and a bench even futhur in the woods!
The Coffee (I have only had one so far) gets really close to four yelp stars or maybe better, Better than most of a similar kind! Â I'm just learning all these Drinks and i'm starting to think it has more to do with Beans when I'm finding something I'm crazy about! Â Â
This place is so COOL... I'll be checking out more Coffee and the Tea looked very good too! Â All the Patios to relax and enjoy!
Need a good strong cup of coffee? Â Then find this place and grab you a cup! Â This is a great little place hidden off the road. Â If you didn't know to look for it, you wouldn't find it. Â While you're walking towards what looks to be a shack in the woods you might think to yourself....should i leave breadcrumbs? Â do i hear banjos playing?! Â where's my compass?....did i just see a man with a hook in the woods?!
but don't worry, all is well! Â this is a great little place to get yummy pastries, and a good cup of stout coffee. Â Take a few mins to walk around the building and you will find seating hidden everywhere in the woods! Â there are patios in front, beside, behind, and down the hill behind this place!
To find this place, pull into the parking lot beside Focal Point Art Gallery (looks like a white house) and look for something that looks like a little shack in the woods behind it..
This is a very quaint, quiet place to get a nice stout cup of coffee. Â Something different than the same old chains you find up and down Franklin street. Â Support local!
Caffe Driade is a decent coffee shop. I have never been blown away by the coffee or their coffee drinks. The pastries have always looked a day old to me. But this is a fine place to grab a cup of coffee and chat with friends. For this you must sit outside, which offers ample seating. I hate the atmosphere inside the shop, I do not mind that its small. But it is one of those cafes where everyone just sits and stares at each other, afraid to even cough. That type of quiet atmosphere annoys me.
Review Source:Don't go here! Â Why? Because it's my favorite coffee shop in perhaps the entire world and I want to keep it a local secret for as long as humanly possible. (Disclaimer: not that I've been everywhere in the world and visited every coffee shop, but I have seen my share of coffee shops both foreign and domestic.)
Their coffee is top-notch. This place makes my favorite mocha, ever. Hands down. They don't use cheesy syrups or flavorings, so yes, your mocha may take a little longer to make than Starbucks or Caribou or whatever. But rest assured that you are getting espresso, steamed milk, and no-sh*t cocoa powder instead of watered-down coffee, scorched milk, and flavored syrups loaded with sugar and/or artificial sweeteners. The staff are nice (I have my favorites) and I've never found it too crowded, but then again I almost never go on the weekend. I'm usually there at "odd" hours - 10 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon, 8 in the evening on a Tuesday.
The coffee is excellent, but the fifth star goes to the building and surrounding outdoor seating areas. I believe it was once a residence (?) and it's tucked back in the woods. It is simply the most peaceful place to sit and sip a beverage and ponder the leaves and the sky, to watch the people or read a book. You just can't beat the ambiance here. In fact, whenever I get restless after a vacation, or I feel down, I just come here and sit for a few hours. Makes me feel better every single time.
I like the location a lot, the staff was nice, and great coffee/tea/beer options. I was happy to see all fairtrade coffee.
I understand the need for a smaller coffee shop to charge for wireless, but I thought the rates could be more reasonable (they were $4/hour, $7/day or $13/month as of summer 2011).
Oh Driade, you have raised my bar for coffee places for forever. Â No matter where I live, I doubt I will ever find a coffee shop as pleasant as you.
Outdoor space is perfect (with multiple sections to sit in), solid drinks, love the bread and jam for breakfast (but they only have it on the weekends, so that's not cool.) Â I love whatever iced tea they've made that summer day, and love the hazelnut steamed milk for the winter months. Â
Complaints are that the inside area can get so crowded during the winter or weekend mornings, and the service can be slow when crowded. Â Driade itself is not the most warm place, it can be intimidating if you've never been there before, but just power through it and you'll grow to love it.
Very nice outdoor seating- Â I don't know if they do wedding receptions but damn it would be a great spot for somebody's hippie Chapel Hill wedding.
Anyway- the pastries and desserts looked delicious - I had a chocolate ganache tart thing and my friends had an enormous fruit tart. They have a decent selection of wine. Coffee looked great too. The tea selection looked amazing. Of course I'm boring and had some sparkling water and a tart. Next time I'll go back for wine with my love.
I got to hear some great guitar playing and saw a raccoon walk behind where he was playing and then back beside the cafe- so you really are in the woods.... (see pictures I posted for the place).
I'm not a big fan of the crowd this place attracts. People "too cool" to smile or pry themselves away from their hipster articles  on their itouch. But whateves- I will be back and sitting far from the "cool" people.
The espresso is just smooth and delicious. Â My favorite-tasting coffee drink in this area, no doubt. Â And I like the tucked away wooded setting a lot.
BUT! Â The only thing that keeps me from giving it a 5 is the equally horrendous service here. Â Wow, wow, wow. Â I really feel like the baristas care very much about the quality of their brew, but as far as the time it takes to whip it up, it's painfully long. Â I once waited on the weekend for 40 MINUTES to get my latte. Â The fellas just couldn't grasp the simple concept of taking people's names with their orders when the line was as long as it was and people had no idea whose latte or double espresso was whose. Â So lots of confusion, lots of angry customers ready to snatch and run for their fix!
Their sister cafe, Open Eye, has the same great espresso and tea and the same awful turn around time for drinks. Â That location is a lot busier it seems and the wait just plain sucks. Â But it's fine if you have all the time in the world and don't need to be anywhere in an hour or so. Â They are just not the places if you want to grab and go or to have your drink right away and then sit down with it.
I've only been here once as it's a bit of a hike for coffee from Durham but I can tell you...it's worth it. Â The atmosphere is perfect and actually reminds me of a little coffee shop that my wife and I went to in Estacada Oregon. Â Super cool little spot tucked back in the woods. Â
We went at night, ordered the French Press and sat outside on the screened-in porch. Â Perfect place to go for a chat, sit down with a coloring book or just to have a nice sniff of coffee-filled air. Â They are also dog friendly! Â We'll definitely be going back often.
Review #21....I can smell you Yelp Elite and you smell glorious.
The patio at Caffe Driade is just stunning. Â I've been here twice now to take engagement portraits: we start on the patio platform with the magical, warm-colored fairy lights, then make our way down the Bolin Creek Trail when, in temperate months, is alive with butterflies, squirrels, deer, and other creatures. Â Glorious. Â Around 6:00 p.m. in late spring exists what photographers refer to as the Golden Hour: perfect, warm light, that compliments everyone, and makes everything seem that much more magical. Â Here light filters down through the treetops, casting the vivid green color of the canopy across the forest floor.
In addition to the patio down the stairs behind the cafe is the regular patio just outside of the cafe itself, plus lots of small tables inside, for when it's too hot or too cold or too whatever to sit out of doors. Â The coffee from the award-winning Carrboro Coffee Roasters is exquisite. Â Mmmm, and their fresh lemonade! Â Perfect on a warm spring evening. Â I enjoy a bottle of Duck Rabbit Porter, as well, and their baked goods---choose from colorful macaroons, mocha ganache tortes, fruit tarts, buttery croissants, and others---are simply delicious.
Take advantage of their free wifi and read, write, study, grade papers, etc., here. Â No pressure to leave if you're not buying cup after cup after cup of coffee; the staff are friendly and relaxed. Â And there's always great music playing.
The place is slightly hidden from the road: look for the small golden-brown sign on its wooden post out front, and pull in to the gravel parking lot to park.
I have kinda an internal struggle going on about whether I should give this place two stars or three.
What drags them down so much is a variety of factors:
1) The rudeness / brusqueness of the staff. Admittedly, we came on a particularly crowded, sunny day that was trying really hard to be Summer's last gasp, so the line stretched well out the door. However, the guy taking orders really seemed to have some serious 'tude, maybe because of all the people? I don't know. He just rubbed me the wrong way, and the other baristas seemed harried and slow to produce orders. MONEY CAN BE EXCHANGED FOR GOODS AND SERVICES, but I didn't get my service money's worth. Quit being hipsters and smile when you take my goddamn order.
2) The tables outside are poorly designed metal contraptions that feel as if they will blow away if you sneeze on them. Or spill all your drinks if your friend's daughter shakes them slightly (this kinda happened a lot), or if your foot accidentally catches one of their thin legs (your foot will most certainly do this). Plus, the legs are in kind of a triangular configuration--think of "Animal Farm" but tables instead of anthropomorphic farm critters: Four legs good, three legs bad. Also, there are big gaps in the paving stones upon which your chair rests, making for some very unstable seating arrangements if you move slightly.
3) The health rating was an A, but it was a low A (92.5). I think I know why. The ceiling above the main area where you place your order is covered with this super awesome-looking rusty steampunk-esque found art sculpture made of scrap iron, wheel frames, and big clockwork gears. And it looks like it has never, ever been dusted. There was particulate matter the size of chinchillas hanging from it, right above where they serve you the coffee. I think people were also bringing their dogs inside, but that's totally cool with me, because I'm not a health inspector.
4) Their Wi-Fi shows up as an open network, but when I tried to access it, IT WENT TO A PAY-BY-THE-HOUR site. Really? This is the tactic of hotels, not coffee shops. I expect free Wi-Fi with my caffeinated beverages. HULK SMASH.
Now for the GOOD stuff:
1) The sylvan setting, concealed in copses of evergreens and shaded by mighty oaks (or something; I'm bad at tree identification) is really, really nice. The main coffee shop is kinda tiny, so everybody sits outside. Plus, they have a giant metal buffalo.
2) The coffee and pastries (from Guglhupf) were universally praised by everybody I was with. I got hot chocolate and a perfectly-cooked chocolate-chip cookie, which was super good.
3) This last one is purely circumstantial, but I was there on a very nice, sunny day with a lot of friends. The warm fuzzies from that alone warrant that probably-undeserved third star.
I would probably go back, but only with a group, on a nice day. It's a great place to have leisurely conversations, but I'll stick to other, friendlier coffee shops for my regular custom.
When my friend swerved onto a gravel road, wrapping around a vacant building, I knew we were going somewhere cool: Caffé Driade. Apparently the vegetation-filled back area connects to a UNC-affiliated trail; I would've looked for it were it not nighttime.
We both ordered soy chai lattes, which were delicious without sweetener. However, the baristas were standoffish and unappreciative of our business, oozing too-cool vibes. I don't know why, since they pour coffee for a living.
Despite the unwelcoming attitudes, we found a table out front, where a Latin band played songs like "Chan Chan" and Old Crow Medicine Show's "Wagon Wheel."
Caffé Driade's whimsical setting compensates for the huffy staff, I suppose.
Caffee Driade has pretty good coffee and drinks. Nothing too spectacular and that memorable.. other than the designs made on lattes!
The best thing about Driade is the location--next to woods...with lots of outdoor seating. In the winter, this is problematic, but they add extra walls on the porch so there is more seating than just in the tiny indoors part of the shop.
What I don't like..is  (1) that when I first moved here they didn't have chai for months, and said they didn't know when they would have it, etc. Which unnerved me because I was going through a chai phase. (2) the metal sculpture on the ceiling above the baristas always has spiderwebs and grosses me out.
Caffe Driade has one thing that most other Chapel Hill coffee shops do not have: Â seating next to the forest.
Check out those trees. Â They're awesome. Â And the squirrels. Â Squirrel! There's nature here, and chairs. Â Those Avatar blue dudes would love this (of course, then they'd want you to leave because you're just going to pull up their tree or something while singing "Colors of the Wind" with the fairy people.)
It's the perfect way to spend a nice cozy afternoon, with a book in hand and a coffee mug (or nice beer based on what you're in the mood for). Â Driade never seemed like a hopping coffee shop to me. Â It helps that there's so much outdoor seating and that it's significantly away from whatever happens to be going on over on campus. Â But it is a nice place to unwind and relax, or catch up with friends, away from reality.
The variety of food and drink is good, but really, this place is about the scenery, and the scenery is quite nice.
4- for setting
4- for coffee
3- for it being my high school reunion most of the times I walk in.
When I was in high school, I went here almost every night it seemed and drank coffee until 12:00am with my friends. Â I don't know how in the world I got to sleep after sucking this stuff down, but we always had a great time. The staff is great, but I was always slightly annoyed when live acts came in because they drew a crowd. Â Now I go in here as less of a local and I see more and more Carolina students in here. Â Gone are the days where we could take up all the benches in the front, or the tables in the back...sigh.
I *really* like this place. It's got a lot going for it....great local coffee, great baristas, awesome atmosphere and weekly live music. Â They're open a bit later on weekends, but they do feel a bit isolated from the rest of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. While Open Eye Cafe has a better location, I prefer my caffeine addiction here. And if you catch them early enough, as others have mentioned already, they sell Guglhupf pastries here. Walking into the place, you feel as though you're venturing into the warm cozy home of a friendly neighbor...small spaces, open patios. Since it's down the road from us, we've biked it here easily in the past.
My only complaint...too many damn mosquitos in the verdant woods next to it!!!! I know, it's not their fault...but it still drives me crazy that I can't spend a nice cool eve outside after May and until September/October due to the friggin' vampire insects that invade my well-being and suck the life out of me.
Come here for the coffee, but if you come out during one of the mosquito infested evenings, be prepared with DEET or some other insect repellent - esp. if you're one of those unfortunate individuals that seems to attract the swarms of insects like me!
This is hands down, my favorite coffee shop in the world.
They very consistently care about their product and make me whatever my little heart desires, complete with a fern, or what-not on the top.
They carry pastries from Guglhupf, only the best pastry shop in three counties (and probably more).
They have the most scenic outdoor seating in all of Chapel Hill.
And the best part, it's conveniently located on my way to work and hard for people to find because it doesn't say "STARBUCKS" in giant letters outside.
If you're a Starbucks fan, Caffe Driade is not the place for you! Â Unique, difficult to find and very uncommercialized, you'll need a sharp pair of eyeballs to find the place. Â There's a small wooden sign on Franklin Ave and you'll need to pull in through a long gravel drive behind a garden shop. Â
Inside you'll find a small counter with all sorts of complicated espresso equipment and an expert barista ready to fulfill your caffeinated fantasies! Â The coffee and lattes are tasty and strong, they'll definitely put some hair on your chest. Â If you're not in the mood for coffee, get some tea or a glass of wine as your adult beverage of choice. Â The Driade shake is amazing but will probably put you over your daily calorie limit.
Seating inside is limited but what makes Driade special are its patios! Â You've got three to choose from including a lower patio carved out of a forest glade. Â But it's not all woods and fairies, they've also got cigars and pastries to keep you happy. Â All in all, I can't imagine going to a cookie-cutter coffee shop when you have places like Caffe Driade around. Â I came here for the first time in May 2005 and was amazed at the place then and it's still a great spot for coffee!
Driade is probably the weirdest nicest coffee shop in the Triangle if the assessment is based solely on environmental factors. Â The patio in back that overlooks Bolin Creek, and serves as a landing for the walking path that winds down into the valley, is so beautiful and relaxing it's like a meditation garden. Â The interior is gritty and raw and homey at the same time, and I love the little side rooms where you can hide out and feel like you're all alone in the shop.
The straight up coffee drinks I've had here have been presented with a great deal of pomp and apathetic circumstance, but have just not tasted spectacularly great - hence the only 4-star rating. Â However, the Driade Shake is worth the trip to Chapel Hill all on its own... Â get it, and then drink it.
This place gets high marks by combining fantastic coffee with a charming atmosphere, a definite novelty in this area. Â Unassumingly nestled down a short gravel drive off of Franklin St (just up from Sunrise Biscuits), lies this gem of a cafe where you can enjoy REAL espresso drinks, Â and a deliciously bad-for-you pastry (courtesy of Guglhupf in Durham). Â I say 'real' as it's easy to get used to the flavor of chain coffee shop cappuccinos or lattes, but believe me you are totally missing out if that's all you drink!
My first encounter with this place was on a miserably cold and rainy day, but the minute I walked up to this place, my mood brightened. Their closed-in front porch was packed with customers drinking tea and coffee drinks while chatting with friends or typing away on their laptops working on the next great American novel (well, it was probably homework, but let's live a little here). Â We ordered a couple cappuccinos and some fabulous baked goods and settled into one of the small inside tables and just soaked up all the goodness this place had to offer. Â
You would really be gypping yourself if you didn't stop into this place to enjoy a coffee, a glass of wine, or even a cigar (which they sell, but you must smoke outside) at some point. Â They have lots of outdoor seating which is perfect for those 70 degree winter days or a balmy spring/summer evenings. Â The staff was pleasant and had no problem with us lingering for quite some time. Â
Do yourself a favor, stop in and remember what real coffee is supposed to taste like.
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