The Third Place

The Third Place is aptly named for the sociological concept that, in addition to the home and the workplace, “third places,” or social epicenters, are essential to building community.

This Five Points landmark, which stands beside Lilly’s Pizza, is the coziest of Raleigh coffee shops. Its warm interior, marked by Oriental rugs, rust-red floors and marigold walls, and shaded, spacious patio combine to create a “third place” perfect for all seasons. You can study in one of the booths under a reading lamp, lounge on the plush couch that faces the window, or mingle outdoors with the smokers, where chairs and ashtrays float freely from table to table.

The Third Place serves free wireless, an assortment of teas and Larry’s Beans coffees, baked goods (including vegan muffins) and a long menu of in-house vegetarian food. Especially tasty are the Plethora sandwich (hummus, sprouts, spicy mustard and other veggies on toasted wheat), which comes with chips and fresh salsa, and the homemade black bean burger.