Heirloom Brewshop makes our favorite latte in the City of Oaks (we are primarily latte drinkers), but that’s not the only reason we keep going back!
Of course, people’s opinions of what makes a great cup of Joe and the space in which it is served is subjective, but it’s one of our favorite coffee shops in downtown Raleigh for a reason.
When we first moved to the Triangle area in 2004, there weren’t a lot of independent Raleigh coffee shops, but along with the growing culinary and craft beer scene, the cafe scene has really upped its game – yep, Raleigh now serves up quality coffee in cool spaces!
Grabbing a coffee is not about a quick pick-me-up, but a time to gather and connect with friends, take a moment for yourself, or sit down for a few hours and work online.
Striking a balance between serving a great coffee and delivering it in a unique and inviting space is tough, and we think Heirloom has nailed it.
Although Heirloom Brewshop offers much more than just coffee (as we highlight down below), what keeps us coming back is their top notch coffee – oh, and their space is inviting too – win, win!
We interviewed owner, Chuan Tsay on our podcast. You’ll find it at the bottom of the post.
About Heirloom Brewshop
Heirloom Brewshop is a specialty coffee shop, premium tea house, sake bar and kitchen all rolled into one. Located in Raleigh’s Warehouse District on the first floor of the Dillon Building, Heirloom Brewshop fits in with the artistic flare and creative concept of the neighborhood, by offering a totally unique concept for Raleigh.
Founded by the husband and wife team of Chuan Tsay and Anna Phommavong, both children of Asian immigrants (Taiwan and Laos, respectively), Heirloom Brewshop has an Asian-inspired menu and aesthetics.
Reasons We Love Heirloom Brewshop Raleigh NC
The Space
When you first enter Heirloom Brewshop, you are struck with how light, sleek and clean the space is.
On the left are shelves containing brewing equipment, bottles of sake, boxes of tea, ornaments, and merchandise.
Then your gaze quickly moves to the impressive wood slat ceiling overhead, a highlight of the space inspired by traditional Asian woodwork and simple shapes that we saw many times on our travels through Southeast Asia.
And then to the large, floor-to-ceiling windows that bring in that beautiful, soft natural light.
A pink espresso machine is the focal point at the bar, along with other interesting and modern brewing equipment all allowing you to watch the barista prepare your beverages, whether that’s coffee, tea, or a cocktail.
The ambiance is lovely and tranquil too. We’ve only visited during the daytime, but even when at capacity we find it very peaceful inside and much quieter than most coffee shops making for a great place to work and get creative, or chat with friends and family.
About a dozen tables, a few single chairs in the corner, and stools at the counter, plus a few tables and chairs on the sidewalk for the warmer months.
This is a space designed to be quiet and cozy, and we love the fusion of modern and traditional elements in the decor.
The Drinks
As mentioned, Heirloom serves more than just coffee, with a choice of teas, sake, beer, cocktails and wine.
From the coffee menu they offer a full coffee bar of options including espresso, latte, cappuccino, pour overs, cortado, cafe au lait, drip coffee. And non-dairy milk options of oat and almond milk for those like us!
And we love that they are the exclusive partner for Little Waves Coffee Roasters – small and independently owned roasters (and the founders of our favorite coffee shop in Durham Cocoa Cinnamon).
From the bar there’s a selection of sake, beer (international offerings including an old favorite of ours, Beer Lao, and local beers), plus cocktails and wine!
For teas, there’s an assortment of loose leaf teas from Taiwan, Japan, China and Lao.
Everything they serve is made in-house, all the flavors, and any specialty drinks they serve are always inspired by either their heritage or intentionally dedicated somehow. See the bar menu here.
The Food
Besides creative drinks, food is central to their creativity and offerings for breakfast, lunch or dinner, with gluten free dishes and menu items for vegetarians/vegans and carnivores.
On our first visit, our kids were quick to try their Mochi Donuts (made with rice flour and tofu) with a choice of flavors and serving sizes. Our kids also speak highly of their cookies, and us of their gluten free macaroons.
For Breakfast
Breakfast is a high point in our day, and we love going out to sample some of Raleigh’s best breakfasts. We’re pleased that Heirloom Brewshop has a vast breakfast menu, offering not just American classics but Chinese Food, Laotian dishes, and other Asian-inspired dishes.
Some of our favorite breakfast items are their Rice Porridge (pulled chicken, shallots, ginger, scallion), and the Biscuit w/ Taiwanese Fried Chicken (with egg on scallion biscuit).
Another dish we love is Biscuit w/ char siu pork belly (thick-cut pork belly, slowly roasted in traditional char siu flavors on our scallion biscuit).
For something more simple, consider the Heirloom Breakfast Plate (two eggs, Lao sausage, nori fingerlings, shokupan toast).
For Lunch or Dinner
The lunch and dinner menu is equally as substantial as the breakfast menu. We love the Braised Pork Rice Bowl (pork belly in a blend of soy sauces, wines, and spices, served over rice with garlic-pickled carrots) and the Spicy Peanut Chili Noodles (Taiwanese wheat noodle, house-made chili oil peanut sauce, scallions, cilantro, served chilled. Vegan).
If you’re vegan, try the Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl (vegan mapo tofu with king oyster mushrooms and spicy house-made chili oil over rice and garlic-pickled carrots).
For something more filling, we like the Roasted Kurobuta Pork Belly (slow-roasted in a blend of soy sauces and wines, pan-seared, and served with chili oil and fried shallots).
Heirloom now has more of a restaurant style dinner on Wednesday thru Sunday.
Chef Joshua Young – a pillar of the Raleigh, NC culinary community serves up a delicious menu of Laotian, Taiwanese and Japanese fusion dishes with his unique flare!
We have not yet experienced it so have no personal insights or photos. But I’ve heard great things and it’s on my list!
See the full menu food here.
The Verdict: Would We Recommend Heirloom?
We always experience consistently friendly and personable service, and whether you visit alone, on a date, or with friends or family like us, Heirloom Raleigh is a cool concept that is sure to draw you back time and again.
You can have the most stylish, cozy and inviting space to hang out in, but if your coffee is sub-par we probably won’t come back often.
And vice versa, your coffee shop might be drab and a little uncomfortable, but if you serve excellent coffee, you can count on us becoming regulars!
Having lived in Thailand teaching English and traveling extensively through Southeast Asia, we never could have imagined a coffee shop that is a union of Laos, Taiwan and Japan would become one of the best coffee shops we come back to all the time! But here we are!
Heirloom Brewshop offers guests a solace from the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s currently our favorite coffee shop in Raleigh for an espresso – we love the lattes! Whatever you are doing guys, keep it up!
If you’re looking for unique Raleigh coffee spots and new things to do in downtown Raleigh, come experience it for yourself.
- Address: 219 S West St, Raleigh
- Website: HeirloomBrewshop.com
Interview with Chuan Tsay Podcast Episode
We sat down with co-founder of Heirloom Brewshop, Chuan Tsay. Listen below for an insightful conversation.
For those who may prefer watching a video of us podcasting, we filmed that for you too, which you’ll find on YouTube each week.
Here’s what we talked about:
- His background and where he grew up
- How he got into the hospitality industry
- What Heirloom is all about
- Key features of Asian cafes that influenced Heirloom
- Why he opened Heirloom in Raleigh and challenges he faced
- His unique way of introducing Heirloom to Raleigh
- What you can expect when you visit Heirloom
- Insights on starting a business in Raleigh
- Most popular menu items at Heirloom
- His favorite things about living in Raleigh
- Favorite getaway spot in North Carolina
- and so much more!
Pin To Save To Pinterest
Stay Connected to Raleigh
Join our free email community to receive free checklists, guides, insider tips, personal stories, fun finds, and the best events in Raleigh each week. We'll show you how to stay connected to Raleigh and love where you live! Join Below 👇
“Your weekly newsletter is a lifesaver for me. Yesterday we didn’t know what to do, I just check your list of events for the weekend, and we ended up in Cary at the Carolina Circus Festival. We had a great time so thanks a lot for all your good work 😊 we really appreciate you” Subscriber
Really enjoyed your review of Heirloom Brewshop! It sounds like a fantastic place to explore unique brews. I love the idea of supporting local businesses that focus on quality and community. Can’t wait to check it out myself!
Heirloom Brewshop sounds like a perfect blend of excellent coffee, serene ambiance, and cultural inspiration! Definitely adding this to my must-visit list for Raleigh.
We hope you enjoy Heirloom! It’s a local treasure