Joe Van Gogh

Joe Van Gogh is a solid choice for a caffeine fix if you're in the Durham area, though it may not offer the quintessential coffee shop experience. As a newcomer to Durham and a Charlotte native, navigating your options can be challenging due to the limitations based on location. While Joe Van Gogh is decent, it didn't particularly stand out during my visit.The service was commendable, with one barista handling the counter efficiently despite the crowd. They were friendly and attentive, maintaining a positive demeanor throughout. However, the experience felt like the bare minimum expected in a coffee shop.In terms of ambiance, the layout is functional but a bit cramped, especially behind the bar. Minor cosmetic issues, such as uneven tiles, might pose accessibility concerns for some customers. This is worth noting, as these factors could affect the overall comfort of the space.For food and drinks, I rated it a 3.5 out of 5. The iced orange blossom latte was pleasant but didn't quite capture the essence of "orange blossom" as I had anticipated. Unfortunately, I arrived after the kitchen had closed, so I couldn't sample the food. On a positive note, the shop offers a range of dairy alternatives and gluten-free options.Overall, while Joe Van Gogh is a decent stop, it may not be the best option if you're seeking a standout coffee shop experience.

Atmosphere: A local favorite, Joe Van Gogh has a cute, welcoming interior. Our favorite place to sit is in front of the large windows on the bar chairs. Service:The baristas have always been friendly and served our drinks quickly. Food: We've tried their iced vanilla latte and matcha latte. Their iced vanilla latte has a perfect balance of sweetness and espresso flavor. The matcha latte was a bit watered down for our liking, so we'd probably stick with their coffee options in the future. Overall: Joe Van Gogh is in our rotation of favorite cafes in the Durham area. Their iced vanilla latte is worth getting, and the environment to work/study is lovely!

Really cool local coffee spot in Durham. This place was packed when we went which is a good sign. They have a decent amount of indoor seating and some places to sit outside as well. The coffee was decent however the cheese biscuit breakfast sandwich we got was outstanding. This I feel overshadowed our drinks. The servers are friendly and ambiance is what you'd expect from a coffee establishment. I'd come back to this place.

This Joe Van Gogh location is our go-to coffee shop because of proximity. When we first moved to the area, my wife searched Google and Yelp for a good local coffee shop near us. Joe Van Gogh was the winner. My wife, who's the real coffee aficionado between us, likes this place. She comes here way more than me. Everything I've had from here has been good to great. Needless to say, it gets my recommendation if you're looking for a solid local coffee shop.This location opened in late 2015 in the Woodcroft Shopping Center ( https://www.yelp.com/biz/woodcroft-shopping-center-durham ), not far from Southpoint and the Durham-Chapel Hill border. We always enter this shopping center from the back, via 54. We often park in one of the to-go spots, right outside the entrance, because we're usually stopping by before hitting the road and/or running errands.Our favorite things to get are the hot and iced lattes with macadamia or oat milk and the iced matcha latte, also with macadamia or oat milk. For the hot and iced lattes, our favorite flavors have been orange blossom and rose cardamom (seasonal). We've also tried the nitro cold brew (yummy). Joe Van Gogh roasts their own coffee and the seasonal syrups are made in-house. Expect to spend about $7-8 for a 16 or 20 oz cup after tax and tip.Enter your phone number at checkout to earn loyalty rewards points which get you discounts on future purchases. Free savings just for being a repeat customer.We've also purchased bags of coffee here and at the Whole Foods in Chapel Hill (mostly here). We've gotten the Red River Blend, Sea Turtle Blend, and Ethiopia Sidamo. The bags cost around $14-16 each. At Joe Van Gogh, the staff can ground the coffee for you in-store. At Whole Foods, we grind it ourselves. One cool thing about Joe Van Gogh is if you buy a bag of coffee, you get a free cup of coffee. They usually have two different types of hot coffee brewed and you get to choose one of them for your free cup.In general, Joe Van Gogh coffee is high quality and tastes good.I haven't tried the food here, but my wife has. She's had both the London Fog Scone ($3.50) and the weekend special Biscuits & Gravy ($8). She said both were tasty. Service has always been great. The staff is nice. We've never had to wait long for our coffee.As for the coffee shop itself, it's a typical cafe. It's spacious with a variety of seating -- bar, table, outdoor (covered). The Wi-Fi speed has been decent.At the time of writing this review, Joe Van Gogh has two locations in Durham (this one and one on Broad Street near downtown) and one location in Chapel Hill (Timberlyne Village shopping center). My wife prefers this location to the Broad Street location because this location is bigger and has easier parking.Fun fact: Joe Van Gogh is served at UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus. My wife likes to get it when she's working there.

Love this place! Super inclusive and they're pretty intentional with the environment. They have eco friendly products and also different trash compartments depending on the type of waste. A great area to study or catch up with friends, they have plenty of seating inside and outside. I appreciate the music they play that is just in the background, alongside the hanging plants, LGBTQ+ friendly. They also have a nice little selection of goodies you can buy too.I got the iced matcha latte with whole milk, it's what you would expect it to taste, can't really go wrong. I also got the garden frittata with a side salad, I love the shishito peppers (these aren't spicy) and the kick of curry flavor that adds to the depth of it. Paired together with the garden salad with what I assume to be lemon and olive oil dressing, it goes really well together. Will have to come back to study again and try their other goodies!

I got a cold brew and my friend got a matcha latte. The drinks were really good. The menu was extensive and there were many milk alternatives which is always a bonus. The service was fast and the staff were friendly. The ambiance was super relaxing and a lot of costumers were working with their laptops.

Solid stop for solid coffee and limited (but tasty) breakfast options. Friendly staff and clean venue!

Matcha latte was great. I got a lemon poppy seed scone which was not bad but wouldn't get again.

Came here for a coffee the other day and ended up loving this place. I got one of their specialty lattes (rosé cardamom latte). This coffee was absolutely amazing with hints of rose and cardamom really bringing it all together. I also got the sandwich pictured and it is pretty much a tomato mozzarella sandwich BUT with the roasted red peppers which really added a great flavor. The bread was also great and loved it. The vibes on the inside were good with plenty of open seating both inside and outside. They also have coffee beans you can take home if you're interested. Staff was friendly and not too long of a line. Plenty of parking and reasonably priced as well. Overall, I enjoyed this coffee shop and will be back for sure to try some of their other drinks and food!

Honestly, not much to say about this place. It was plain, my food was served cold, and my drink was mediocre. I wouldn't go back.