The Mad Hatter’s Cafe + Bakeshop in Durham

The Mad Hatter’s Cafe + Bakeshop in Durham isn’t just a place to get great coffee, scrumptious food, and delectable baked goods, it’s an experience. Not just any experience, but one that I recommend all North Carolina residents add to their bucket lists and then check it off as many times as possible with each mouth-watering visit!

The Mad Hatter’s Cafe + Bakeshop is the king of bakeries, and I’ll get to their sweet treats in a moment, but first let’s just talk about their food! Cafes and bakeries are always yummy, but when they have food that delights the soul and keeps you coming back for more, you know you’ve hit the magical trifecta!

The Mad Hatter’s Cafe has an all-day brunch menu that I thoroughly recommend. I like their Avocado toast and their Spicy Chicken Quesadilla that comes with house-roasted all natural chicken, grilled peppers, caramelized onion, Monterey jack cheese, pico de gallo, lime, cilantro, and sour cream. Delicious!

When I’m feeling the need to be healthier, I opt for one of their delicious salads. I have two favorites; the first is their Quiche + Arugula Salad. The second is their Fried Goat Cheese Salad. It has mixed greens, Holly Grove Farm goat cheese croquettes, cucumber, grape tomato, caramelized onion, toasted almonds, and citrus vinaigrette.

Their food menu truly is amazing. You can’t go wrong with anything on their menu but if you’re looking for something unique, I’d go with the Chipotle Spiced Fish Taco Bowl or the Wasabi Salmon Wrap. The latter has avocado, seasoned rice, Asian slaw, nori, toasted sesame, wasabi sauce, and it’s all wrapped in a flour tortilla with a side of house-made fries. Yum!

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Looking for a drink that isn’t so typical? Try their Gingerade Kombucha or their Creme Brulee Latte. I enjoy their teas, especially their Turmeric Ginger Chai and their Organic Chaga Chai that comes with a blend of chaga mushrooms, dandelion root, chicory, and cocoa nibs. If you’re looking for smoothies or frappes, then check out their Mocha Blast, Caramel Crush, and definitely taste their yummy Jamaican Me Crazy that comes with mango, strawberry, banana, orange juice, and house-made lemon sorbet. I also enjoy their prosecco mimosas and their assortment of red and white wines.

Their Bake Shop is Fantastic! Are you a fan of cakes? They offer cakes, cheesecakes, wedding cakes, and cupcakes. If you have a sweet tooth like me then you’ll enjoy their cookies, pastries, and dessert bars. My favorite dessert bars are their Salted Caramel Fudge Bars, Pecan Pie Bars, Fudge Walnut Brownies, and Key Lime Bars.

They have so many flavors of everything to choose from and one taste will keep you coming back for more! For me, their cupcakes are like pokemon - I’ve gotta catch them all! Haha! Just check out some of these cupcake flavors I’ve tried: Tiramisu Cupcakes, Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes, Cookies and Cream Cupcakes, Cafe Au Lait Cupcakes, Boston Cream Cupcakes, and I can’t live without their Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes.

Clearly I love The Mad Hatter’s Cafe + Bakeshop in Durham and, once you taste their treats, you’ll fully understand why. It’s a great place to treat yourself, but it’s also a great place to get gifts. Just look at all of the seasonal and themed treats they have… Not to mention they’ll create custom themed desserts for you. Just think of the possibilities!

Not only is The Mad Hatter’s Cafe + Bakeshop in Durham a great place to gather and enjoy some delicious food, coffee, and pastries, but their location has history!

“Our corner of Main and Broad has seen a lot of changes. In the 1920’s, this spot was the Erwin Mills Auditorium baseball diamond. In the 50’s, it became a Phillips 66 service station – that building, with its iconic gullwing design, is the same one that stands today. In the 1990’s, it became the Broad Street Diner. And in 2001, we made this location our home. We’ve been here serving brunch, lunch, and dinner and crafting delicious cookies, cakes, and pastries ever since.

Throughout the years of changes, one thing has remained true: this corner has always been a place where people could gather together. That’s still the most important thing to us. Whether you’re meeting a friend over a cup of espresso, joining colleagues here for a business lunch, or picking up the custom cake we designed, just for you – we’re glad you’re here.”

I can’t recommend this place enough. Do yourself a favor and go check out The Mad Hatter’s Cafe + Bakeshop in Durham and prepare for a delightful culinary experience while you show them A Little Local Love!