A Local’s Guide to Coffee in the Sandhills
The Sandhills aren’t known as a coffee destination — and that’s part of what makes it good. No pretentious pour-over bars with 45-minute waits. Just solid coffee in comfortable spots where you can actually sit down, breathe, and start your morning right.
Here’s where we go, depending on the mood.
Pinehurst
BRIM Pinehurst — Café & Dessert Bar
The newest addition to the village, opened late 2025 in the historic Outpost building next to the Given Tufts Bookshop. Owners Daniel Gironda and Miah Magno have deep roots in Pinehurst — Daniel’s family has been part of the local food scene for decades, and Miah runs the meal prep company OTG Fresh. They import their espresso from Italy and use Cactus Creek for drip coffee. The NY-style bagels come from Delucia’s Bake Shop in Seven Lakes, and they’re legit. The space is bright and comfortable — Daniel says he wants it to feel like “Pinehurst’s living room.” Fair warning: a few locals think the sandwich prices run a little high. But the coffee and pastries are solid, and the gelato is worth a stop in the afternoon.
Agora Bakery + Cafe
More bakery than coffee shop, but the coffee is solid and the food is the real draw. Family-run by co-owner Ginny Tran, tucked inside a historic bank building in the Village of Pinehurst. The spinach pie is excellent, the macarons are a local favorite, and the Brunch Crêpe with scrambled eggs, bacon, and Gruyère has a following. If you want coffee with a real meal, start here.
Southern Pines
Amor Ciego Coffee Co.
This might be the best coffee in Moore County. The owner is from Colombia, makes all her syrups from scratch, and bakes the pastries herself. The guava cheese croissant alone is worth the trip. Reviewers consistently single this place out — 4.9 stars on Google with people calling it the best coffee they’ve had in North Carolina. The peach clove latte and cinnamon roll latte are popular picks if you want something beyond a standard order. Small, cozy space on Pennsylvania Ave with big windows and a calm atmosphere. Dog-friendly too.
Swank Coffee Shoppe
A Broad Street institution with 390+ reviews and a 4.7 rating. Swank is part coffee shop, part gift store, part neighborhood hangout. Owner Lisa has built something that feels genuinely welcoming — dog-friendly, local art on every wall, eclectic jewelry and gifts mixed in with the espresso machines. The scones are the thing to order, especially the Green Goblin. Outdoor seating on Broad Street is great for people-watching. Multiple reviewers say they came once and kept coming back every morning of their trip. That tells you something.
Java Bean Roasting Co.
They roast their own beans on-site, which you can smell before you walk in. If you care about the craft and want to know where your beans come from, this is the spot. Reliable, no-fuss, good coffee without a lecture.
Maisonette
A little French-inspired café tucked into Southern Pines. More about the experience than the caffeine — pastries, light bites, and an atmosphere that feels like a small town in Provence. Great for a date morning or a slow Saturday when you’re not in a rush to be anywhere.
Trade Craft Coffee
The newest addition to the Southern Pines coffee scene and a welcome one. Trade Craft is veteran-owned and roasts their own small-batch beans, which puts them in rare company around here. They ran as a mobile cafe for years before opening this brick-and-mortar spot just minutes from Pinehurst, and the loyalty they built on the road clearly came with them. Worth the stop whether you’re caffeinating before a round or settling in with a laptop for a while.
Worth the Drive
Cactus Creek Gourmet Coffee — Aberdeen
Most visitors skip Aberdeen entirely, which is a mistake. Cactus Creek roasts locally and supplies beans to other shops in the area, including BRIM. Good coffee, laid-back spot, and a nice reason to explore a town that doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Five minutes from Pinehurst.
Buggy Town Coffee — Carthage
About 15 minutes north in the small county seat of Carthage. If you’re exploring the wider Sandhills or just want to see a proper small-town square, Buggy Town is a solid stop. Nothing fancy, just good coffee in a friendly place.
Crossroads Coffee Company — Vass
A little further out but worth knowing about if you’re road-tripping through Moore County. Community-driven, locally roasted, and the kind of place where the owner probably knows your name by your second visit.
The Short List
Best coffee: Amor Ciego Coffee Co.
Most welcoming: Swank Coffee Shoppe — you’ll feel like a regular on day one.
Best with food: Agora Bakery + Cafe — come for the coffee, stay for the spinach pie.
The sleeper: Cactus Creek in Aberdeen — supplies half the area’s coffee and most people don’t even know it exists.
Ready to stay local?
We have homes in both Pinehurst and Southern Pines — no resort, no crowds, just a real place to come back to after a good day.
