Cafe Carolina and Bakery — Restaurant in Raleigh

My sister and I used to work here a looooooonnnnnggggg time ago! like 2013-2014. I came to visit from Charlotte and thought it would be nostalgic to come here for brunch. The Sweet Potato Buscuits are still delicious but the potatoe casserole was not as good as I remember nor the friendliness of the staff...I was really disappointed. The pickup area is impossible to see from the ordering area in this new location and no one told us where to go or what to do after ordering, no smiles or light conversation like we always did when we worked there. The line was usually out the door for hours but it was light and quiet at 12 noon! That was strange to me! But I did enjoy not being in a long line. 🤭🤭 It was clean, beautifully decorated, lots more seating indoors and outdoors! I saw several dog bowls outside meant to be filled with water and left there for the next dog, I assume. Which is ABSOLUTELY perfect for families with dogs. There is a private seating area as well that can be reserved, I believe. The bakery area is smaller though and the presentation was very bare and lacking tha special "Cafe Carolina touch!" Disappointment came over me when I saw 2 cupcakes on a 3-tier display, that would have never happened in my day....we kept that place stocked! And beautiful! I didn't see the infamous community board filled with art from kids and adults, posters, business cards, etc. I'm not sure if they are trying to rebrand but this is not the same place. It's missing that special something. However, its great for just a good place to eat like Panera Bread or something. Great but...

The atmosphere of the new location lacks the cozy charm of the previous one. While I understand they had to relocate due to lease issues, the new space feels like a blend between a hotel lobby and a high-end restaurant. However, the use of plastic cutlery and single-use side plates and cups makes it feel rather cheap. I think upgrading to proper utensils and plates would greatly enhance the ambiance and coherence of the restaurant.

Regarding the food, it was passable, but the pricing seemed expensive for what it was. Paying over $30 for a waffle, French toast, and two sides of potato casserole felt unreasonable, especially when the waffle tasted like one you can make at a hotel's breakfast buffet. Additionally, the lack of egg options other than scrambled led me to suspect they may be using powdered eggs. While these aspects might be acceptable at a lower price point, they felt mismatched with the upscale atmosphere and prices of the restaurant.

The service model is similar to Panera Bread's style of ordering at the counter and cleaning up after oneself. This felt incongruent with the restaurant's new modern atmosphere. However, the staff taking orders are very kind!

Overall, I feel the old location’s atmosphere fit their business much better than the new one. I think in order to make the new location work, some changes to the food quality and plates/...

Highly disappointed in the new location. Incredibly inefficient and a pain to get into. Parking does not appear to be designated with the exception of signs how to get to the elevator. If that alone hadn't been such a pain to get in and out of I would have just turned immediately around. Upon waiting for the elevator, I had to find my way thru some lobby to a counter where a very unenthused and unhappy lady took my order. I highly recommend the signature salad as it is a lot for the price you pay, and they (usually) don't skimp on the toppings.. this one did however need to be cut up because the leaves were just huge. What I will not recommend is the 1 note- tomato "chili" with beans. I asked for a cup and without a word ended up charging me almost EIGHT DOLLARS for a bowl. Wooooo!! Ain't NO chili from a counter worth $8 in my world... $22 dollars cash ((cuz they charge you MORE for using a card)) for a salad and chili.. I could've gotten a quality steak dinner at Texas Roadhouse with a salad and chili for that price!! So without being told, I have to move over into the next room/area where they call out your order. You stand there awkwardly amongst those eating at their tables waiting to be called. Cringe. All around, big disappointment and won't be returning to this...