Dulce Cafe

I love this place. The lunch menu is good, but the deserts are AMAZING. The only thing I've tried and wouldn't recommend are the macaroons. They tasted stale...like they had been sitting out for days. The pistachio eclairs are soooo good. The coffee eclairs are good. I've tried a few of the little cakes and they were all delicious. I've tried the BLAT sandwich and the chicken salad sandwich and they were good, but if you go here, you HAVE to try the deserts. Coffee drinks are fine too. I'm not really a coffee drinker, but my husband got one before and I tasted his.

Dulce Cafe in Durham is a great place for brunch, lunch and dinner or to get coffee and some of their amazing pastries and cakes. For sure a hidden gem! ( their birthday cakes are pricy but sooooo good:)
I have been coming to Dulce for business lunch meetings or with friends and family, for years , and we never have had a bad experience. The food is delicious and fresh. The deserts are out of this world (the deserts are kind of pricey, but they are some of the best in our area). The photos I am sharing have been taking during different visits to Dulce Cafe.
The cafe is wonderful for kids and adults alike.

I love the treats here. It's a feast for the eyes even if you don't have a sweet tooth. I have tried the salmon bagel also, and expertly crafted to not slide apart while eating. The local art on the walls is great to see as well. It's pricey though (what isn't?) and the staff isn't especially friendly, but the service is good.

I started stopping here going on two years ago. The french toast, yogurt parfait (they use honey so it stays together), breakfast sandwiches & wrap, an amazing array of different desserts, candies, and cookies. It is one of the better mochas in the area. The staff is very friendly and know a lot of their customers by name. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.

The confections in the dessert counter are jaw droppingly beautiful! There is an expansive variety of goodies and it was so difficult to choose between them. We ended up getting "la poire" (the pear looking one), the Persian love cake, and the midnight forest to go. Oh, yeah, and a black drip coffee which tasted sour, I'm guessing it was brewed at way too hot a temperature. But, back to the main reason we came: the desserts! They were very tasty! The pear was so pretty and had a potent pear compote sandwiched between a butter tart shell and a smooth cream. I liked it a lot. The Persian cake had a delicate pistachio flavored moist cake and a silky buttercream frosting. Haven't tried the midnight forest cake but it looks delectable. Can't wait to come back to try the breakfast.

The woman at the front counter was a hot to interact with. And packaged our items with care.

The parking nearest the cafe was very busy and we had to park a couple buildings down in the same complex.

My go-to for baked goods in Durham! Their red velvet cake variations are very tasty, & their scones are a consistent hit!!

NEGATIVE: I agree with some of the reviewers here about how the customer service needs some brushing up.

Great place for coffee or a quick lunch. Outdoor seating is available, so bring your dogs! When we sat at an outdoor table, I will hold the dogs and my wife will go in. my wife asked what I wanted, and a nice lady busing the next table, told me what they have!! Very nice! They even brought out treats for our 2 collies! We will definitely return!! I bit on the expensive side, but well worth it.

PERFECT. The best food start to finish. Deserts to rival my favorite (Tidal in Seattle). Most delicious panini of my life! Wonderful people as well.

It's a hidden gem of a cafe. From the moment you step in, you are welcomed by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and pastries.

Their pistachio eclair and smoked salmon sandwich are absolute masterpieces. They have a selection of mimosas, too.

This cafe is a hidden gem! Lots of indoor space and outdoor tables. Great desserts, coffee, and as I recently discovered paninis. The chicken and basil panini was really tasty and good sized and included a salad and pickle. The side salad and housemade vinaigrette dressing was better than expected. I recommend their chai tea also.

BEST LITTLE CAKES EVER! My favorite place for lunch lately. Delicious sandwiches and soup, as well as coffee, mimosas, and other drinks. Beautiful glass case full of cakes (1-2 person size) and cookies, macarons, eclairs, muffins, and other delectables. Do yourself a favor and take yourself here for brunch or lunch! Meatloaf sandwich is my fave!! 🤤 Can’t go wrong with any of the cakes either but I always love the carrot cake and chocolate cake. ❤

We stopped by for lunch and the menu had a nice selection of lighter fare. We ordered sandwiches with side salads. They both came out quickly and were warm and delicious. The staff were very friendly and helpful although they seemed busy. We will have to come back another time to try the patisseries.

Dulce cafe has the cutest dessert!!! 😍 I have tried the pear and the pistachio so far. They are so well made and delicious at the same time! Not overly sweet and have good balance of the fillings! Highly recommend!

Great variety of delicious and beautiful pastries. It's one of my new favorite places. They also have dog treats that my dog loves!

I decided at the last minute that I wanted a small cake for my birthday. I didn't want to have a huge cake sitting in my kitchen for a week guilting me into eating it and totally blowing my diet. I saw this place mentioned in a foodie group on Facebook. It was the perfect solution. They had several slices of cake and small individual size cakes. Everything in the case looked amazing. It was so hard to choose. I ended up getting an assortment- one Fun Guy, one Black Forest slice, one huge carrot cake slice and one chocolate eclair. Everything was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend Dulce for their rich, yummy and original desserts. I think my favorite was The Fun Guy. The staff was kind and helpful. Covid precautions are being taken. All staff and customers wore masks. Plenty of close parking. I think the prices were reasonable for the high quality and good portion sizes. They also sell chocolates and other food which I've heard is excellent but I've yet to try anything else. I'll definitely be going back.

I absolutely love this place, and have been coming back for years. They have the best desserts, delicious panini's, are fairly priced, and the staff has always been very accommodating and courteous. I often recommend this place to Durham friends and clients, and have always received great feedback. One of Durham's hidden gems for sure.

Absolutely delicious meal and the employees were so kind to my spouse and I and delightful to our dog. Even gave us treats for him! Highly recommended the smoked salmon bagel.

The most tasty and interesting bakery in the triangle. I dont personally like their coffee drinks as much as other cafes, but I believe that is really preference and not quality. Their drinks are high quality and well made.

Their food is as good as their desserts. The French toast is better than most fancy dine in breakfast places.

This shop was a treasure during high covid lockdown, and now that we can dine in I look forward to their outdoor seating.

The staff here is amazing and will learn your name if you swing by enough. The food and pastry quality is consistently very high. I've come here literally once a week for the last year and I've never gotten a bad treat.

Solid unassuming restaurant just north of South point mall. Fantastic pastries and sweets. The carrot cake is amazing! They have great coffee, fast service, and tasty sandwiches. This is the kind of place where customers are remembered and welcomed back.

Definitely give this place a spot!

I had the scrambled egg and cheddar sandwich with bacon on a brioche bun. It was delicious and large enough to share (although I enjoyed every single bite myself). The pastry display looked tempting. I will be back for a sweet treat sometime.