Monday, May 7, 2012

Caffe Driade

What it is: I have been curious about this little spot ever since I saw a S. Durham Moms Meetup on the calendar there a while ago.  I wondered what about this place made it kid-friendly, and you know this Stir Crazy Mom, any place for munchies that has kid appeal is great for me!

So, one afternoon last week we headed on over.  It looked cute when we drove up and was set back beautifully in the trees.  However, when I walked in to the cafe, I thought we were in trouble.  It was tiny inside, there was no menu on the wall, and very few pastries in the display.  We found a chocolate croissant for the boys and beverages for the adults and headed out back.  Then, I breathed a sigh of relief.  They had a lovely patio out back and some stairs leading from that patio down into the woods to a second level.  This level also had tables and chairs and a little room for the kids to wander.

We also discovered that a lot the pastries were brought in from Guglhupf, one of our Durham favorites, and their deliveries are on Friday.  Since we were there on a Thursday afternoon, the pastries were more sparse than usual, but regularly, they have more goodies to munch on including bagels, vegan cupcakes, granola, pastries, and more.  Even though we didn't have many pastries to choose from, our chocolate croissant was delicious and quickly devoured by the boys.  I don't drink coffee, but their Italian soda was refreshing and delicious.

Most importantly, my friend and I sat, talked, and enjoyed our beverages while the boys could hop down from their seats when they got twitchy and explore the woods.  We also saw other kids there, one whose mother brought lots of fun books to look at while they sat in the woods.  From our spot on the lower patio the kids could play and not disturb the patrons on the upper levels.

What we liked: We loved how we could go enjoy a beverage and treat and let the kids explore without disturbing the studying and chatting coffee house patrons.  In addition, the patio in the woods was quite beautiful and it was a peaceful place to eat and drink.  Oh, and they also offer wine, so you can also enjoy a glass at Caffe Driade if you would like.

What we would change: As we said, the pastry selection was a little low, but I think that was just a result of the day that we stopped by.  In addition, as with any coffee house, you must be courteous of the other patrons, and while they kids can explore and play a little, wild rough-housing would be too much for this particular location.

Website and other important information: 

Website: http://caffedriade.com/

Address: 1215-A E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Hours: Monday-Thursday: 7am-11pm, Friday and Saturday: 7am-midnight, Sunday: 7:30am-11pm

Photos: 


(A little cardinal who joined our snack in the woods)


(Looking back up at the cafe from the lower level)


(A view of the lower patio from above)

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