Crema Coffee Roaster & Bakery — Restaurant in Cary

Creama is one of those cafes that you almost want to hate because of how awesome it is. They're located in the same shopping center off of High Horse Road as H-Mart (kind of easy to see from the street but difficult to see Creama). Much like one of my other favorite coffeehouses/cafes in the Triangle area - they have some type of desserts that are ridiculously good (which is on par with their coffee!).

Coffee: Five Stars (*)

They roast their own beans here, how much better can you get? I'm frequently purchasing one or two bags of their coffee beans to brew over a week or two's time. They have various different blends, roasts, and they are more than willing to help you find one that fits the need of your coffee-loving friends/relatives (apparently, someone went in here to find beans for me and they helped them find the same blend I always pick up - pretty accurate to me!). If you're purchasing shots, drinks, and the likes, you're not going to be disappointed. Their coffee and other drinks (hot chocolate, Chai latte, etc) are absolutely amazing. There are no punches pulled here at Creama.

Desserts/Bakery: Five Stars (*)

My biggest complaint about Creama's bakery is that they rarely ever have enough to last the whole day. Yes, they're that good. Their bakery focuses closer to the Asian-style of bakeries (flavored buns/rolls, sweet bread, etc) than that of most bakeries in the area (other than the freshly opened H-Mart). We did get our Christmas/Holiday cake from Creama and it was a hit (there wasn't a single person that didn't want a second slice - it was creamy and delicious). It was a bit of a worrisome adventure, as it's a cream-based cake and we took it all the way down to Florida with us (thank you, coolers - for saving this cake).

Environment: Four Stars (**)

This is the type of cafe that you will want to study or hold quick get-together for business conversations. The main issue here is the lack of space. Creama is working with a limited amount of space as it is - then throw in the roasting machine, the displays, and so on. You end up with a small amount of space for people who wish to sit and dine-in. During non-crowded/busy times, this is a blessing. You'll see that most people won't be sitting down and they're grabbing something quick (coffee, usually, of course). On weekends, it'll be congested and you'll likely either have to dash to save a seat for yourself and friends (if there's any available) or you may find that you need to sit outside.

Outside of this one issue, the overall environment of Creama is pretty relaxing.

Staff: Five Stars (*)

Among it all, Creama's employees are well-rounded. All of them are friendly and relaxed with what's going on around them. They know how to make coffee, that's for sure. The baristas are fully equipped to make practically anything you throw at them; even when it doesn't make much sense (like my "extra four shot s'mores latte" - which my sanity is often questioned over). The owner is pretty nice and will help out those who need assistance in the wake of being in middle of a cafe with so many choices/options.

Overall: Five Stars (*)

You can't go wrong with going to Creama. While I have another favorite in the area (Apex, at least) - this is where I go when I want "real" coffee (the beans, the Asian...

When this shop opened several years ago, I tried to frequent it to support their business. It did not take me long to realize this was a bad idea and I took my business elsewhere. The owners are arrogant and express sense of entitlement. A total lack of respect for their customers. Each time I went in, they complained to me about other customers and whined about how little respect they were given by the customers.

So, I took my business elsewhere. No problem...until...

This morning, as I waited outside for seats to become available at my kid's Karate studio next door, the owner came out to complain that I was drinking my own coffee from home outside his coffee shop and wanted me to "move along". He didn't even suggest that I come in and try some of theirs. I told him he was rude and began to walk away - he proceeded to follow me down the walk to explain to me how I was wrong and to justify his behavior. He continued this even after I told him I no longer wanted to discuss with him. All of this in front of his own customers!

I can't think of another business that I am unwilling to frequent due to rude owners with a sense of entitlement. Their coffee is decent, but most places can make a decent cup of coffee. These owners seem to think we owe them our business.

Try "It's a Grind" right across the street. Very courteous staff focused on making the customer happy and they make great coffee. ...

This is one of the premier coffee shops in the area.

The espresso con panna was a perfect balance of ristretto sweetness and roasted flavors. The caffeine content is spot on (I felt a pick me up, but did not get jittery like some coffee shops cause.) It is not common to find a shop that roasts their own beans and that is a big draw here. You are truly getting a unique coffee and unlike some self-roasters, the art is well understood by the Crema team resulting in a coffee that is roasted but not burnt as some other self-roasting establishments tend to do. I am happy to see a crowd here as they definitely deserve a strong following and the space would be very amenable to a meet up or as a workspace. I have not tried the baked goods, but can attest to the wonderful presentation and appeal. I asked for the Espresso to be pulled longer as a Lungo and the staff was very knowledgeable and did exactly that. I try to offer balanced reviews, but I don't have a criticism. I will add that I would love to see the site offer a "coffee roasting experience (with tasting)" every so often. This would provide a unique date experience that isn't currently available in the area and may introduce new people to the shop and the unique nature of the shop. This was my first visit, but I definitely plan to return on a...