**Editor’s Note: Saint & Co. closed in April, 2019**

Two brand new cafes opened in Durham this fall. Saint & Co., which is an all-day cafe/bakery/eatery, took over the former corner lot on 9th Street where The Pie Hole was formerly located. People’s Coffee, which opened in South Durham, is more of a traditional coffee shop with a strong focus on local products. Learn a little more about each spot before visiting for yourself…

Saint & Co.

Saint & Co. owners, Jonathan St. Hilaire (baker/chef) and KT Ward (manager/owner), came together after meeting on a hotel consulting project, and decided to bring their extended experience in the restaurant and pastry world to Durham. “When we came across this space on 9th Street, we immediately visited Durham and loved it, the economy, and we felt that the people here would love our concept.” says Ward.

They also loved what was going on with the farming of organic, non-GMO, high quality ingredients in North Carolina. Almost all of the different flours used at the bakery are from Lindley Mills in Graham and Carolina Ground in Asheville.

The cafe, which used to be the former location of The Pie Hole, is the kind of place you can hang out at all times of the day: to study or meet up with friends, pick up lunch on the go, or visit for a casual dinner. They serve coffee, breakfast pastries, or toasts in the morning, and after 11am you can enjoy the full menu, which includes pizzas, appetizers, sandwiches and salads until closing. Everything is made in-house with ingredients from farmers they trust. There is also a full beer and wine list, espresso drinks all day, and a rotating selection of organic house-made lemonades. The current cocktail on tap is the “Cool Hand Luke:” Tito’s Vodka, elderflower liqueur, cucumber juice, lime juice, and rosemary simple syrup topped with a little tonic.

In South Durham, People’s Coffee was designed and developed by Jordan Wells, who spent the past six years in the specialty coffee industry, along with the owner of Town Hall Burger and Beer, David Sadeghi.

David’s goal was to provide something different than his other restaurants…something more personal and unique in an area that needed it (near Southpoint). People’s aims to become the “go-to” neighborhood coffee shop and is making a strong commitment to supporting relationships with local businesses. “We’re using Black & White Coffee Roasters based in Wake Forest, choosing them for a couple different reasons,” shares Wells. “One being that no one is using them in the same capacity that we are in Durham; another is that they are sourcing excellent coffees and have consistently impressed me with their ability to scale a brand new business and retain new and interesting coffees at all times. Lastly, I have known the owners Lem and Kyle for at least four years now, and Lem’s approach to the industry really inspired me.”

People’s is currently partnered with Strong Arm Baking Co., offering assorted pastries and a small grab-and-go menu that is vegan and gluten-free, including overnight oats and chia pudding. The grab-and-go menu and cold-pressed juice offerings are from Cold Off The Press, located on South St. in Downtown Raleigh. In the near future, they are planning to offer some breakfast sandwiches, toast options, and salads as well, making it the perfect morning and daytime spot. *Photos courtesy of Saint & Co. and People’s Coffee