Restaurant
Unclaimed profileThe Coffee Bar at The Durham
Durham, NC · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
The beverage program at The Coffee Bar at The runs from morning coffee to evening cocktails without a weak category. Eight cocktails, priced $12–$17, lean on rye, cognac, rum, mezcal, gin, amaro, and coffee-infused Campari. Wine covers sparkling, white, rosé, and red by the glass and bottle, with named producers from France, Italy, Spain, Oregon, and California. Beer stays largely North Carolina–focused, and the spirit-free and CBD/THC sections are more than an afterthought.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Coffee Negroni, made with Apollo coffee bean–infused Campari, Beefeater gin, and Carpano sweet vermouth. The with Martell VS cognac, Mt. Gay rum, tawny port, and Bénédictine, is the house signature. For a spirit-free option, the Ruby Spritz uses Lyre's Italian orange, lime, soda, and falernum.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Anyone who wants a full beverage program in one place: cocktail drinkers who care about coffee and amaro, wine drinkers looking for by-the-glass range, beer drinkers who prefer North Carolina breweries, and guests who want spirit-free or CBD/THC options with named ingredients.
- When should I go?
- The beverage menu is built for a morning-to-night gathering place, so it works for coffee earlier and cocktails later. The cocktail list, wine by the glass, and spirit-free section are all available as part of the same program.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails are $12–$17. Wine by the glass is $10–$12, with bottles $40–$48. Beer is $6–$9, with one 750ml cider at $36. Spirit-free cocktails are $5–$9, and CBD/THC drinks are $12–$14.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The cocktail list uses coffee-infused Campari and amaro in signatures like the Coffee Negroni, A Better Amaro, and Bitter and the Bean. The wine list is compact but global, and the beer list is largely North Carolina–focused. The spirit-free and CBD/THC sections are unusually developed for a restaurant beverage menu.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Eight named cocktails with specific spirit and modifier ingredients, priced $12–$17. The list covers rye, cognac, rum, mezcal, tequila, gin, amaro, vermouth, and coffee-infused Campari, with coffee and amaro signatures like the Coffee Negroni, A Better Amaro, and Bitter and the Bean.
Menu strengths
- — Eight named cocktails with specific spirit and modifier ingredients are listed.
Standout selections
- — Coffee Negroni — Apollo coffee bean infused Campari, Beefeater gin, Carpano sweet vermouth, orange twist — $13
- — The — Martell V.S. Cognac, Mt. Gay rum, tawny port, Bénédictine, Angostura bitters — $14
- — Smoking Grass — green tea infused mezcal, Lunazul blanco tequila, Carpano dry vermouth, lemon, green tea cardamom, grapefruit bitters — $17
Pricing: $12–$17
Wine
The beverage menu includes a Wine & Beer section with sparkling, white, rosé, and red wines by the glass and bottle. Wine list spans sparkling, white, rosé, and red with named producers and regions, including France, Italy, Spain, Oregon, and California. By-the-glass pricing is $10–$12, with bottles $40–$48.
Menu strengths
- — Wine list spans sparkling, white, rosé, and red with named producers and regions.
- — Wine by the glass is $10–$12; bottles are $40–$48.
Standout selections
- — Prosecco — Mirabello, Veneto, Italy NV — $10/40
- — Chardonnay — Colline aux Fossiles, Roussillon, France 2021 — $12/48
- — Pinot Noir — Valdoret, France 2023 — $10/40
Pricing: $10–$12 per glass; $40–$48 per bottle
Beer
The beverage menu includes a Beer section with eleven named beers and ciders. Beer selection includes lagers, IPAs, kolsch, hefeweizen, amber lager, pilsner, golden ale, cider, and one non-alcoholic IPA. The list is North Carolina–focused with named breweries and styles, priced $6–$9, with one 750ml cider at $36.
Menu strengths
- — Beer list is North Carolina–focused with named breweries and styles.
Standout selections
- — Ponysaurus 'Tell the Truth' Kolsch — 5% | NC — $7
- — Resident Culture 'Universal Mind' Hazy IPA — 6.5% | Charlotte, NC — $9
- — Red Oak 'Noble' Pilsner — 4.9% | NC — $6
Pricing: $6–$9; one 750ml cider at $36
Nonalcoholic
The beverage menu includes a Spirit Free & CBD section with spirit-free cocktails and CBD/THC drinks. Spirit-free cocktails are priced $5–$9; CBD/THC drinks are $12–$14. Dedicated spirit-free and CBD/THC sections with named ingredients include a non-alcoholic spirit option (Lyre's) in a cocktail.
Menu strengths
- — Dedicated spirit-free and CBD/THC sections with named ingredients.
- — Includes non-alcoholic spirit option (Lyre's) in a cocktail.
Standout selections
- — Ruby Spritz — Lyre's Italian orange, non-alcoholic spirit, lime, soda, falernum (contains nuts) — $9
- — Pear Shrub — pear, honey, soda, local sage — $6
- — Modern Alchemist — 'Jungle Bird' Boone, NC 5mg THC/5mg CBD — $12
Pricing: $5–$9 spirit-free; $12–$14 CBD/THC
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