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hand picked restaurants

Wake up and smell the morning coffee. In Cup A Joe, Chapel Hill. Motivated by a raw passion to concoct the most authentic flavours of coffee and make them available to discerning palates, this coffee shop remains true to its calling - beginning with the freshly roasted coffee beans from Joe Van Gogh Roastery in Hillsborough, NC, to the baristas who have the intuitive capacity apart from in-depth training to add signature touches to every cup of espresso drink. A close rapport with farmers ensures a menu of high-quality coffees from around the world. The sunrise, gold rush and Ethiopian decaf are among the best-selling coffees, but a host of other equally tantalizing options make your choice rather difficult. Custom whole bean orders are also available with a selection of organic, fair trade and shade grown coffees.

The coffee shop comes with a full-fledged espresso bar and serves delectable pastries and other goodies sourced locally, along with coffees. Writers and creative people looking for an inspiring space will love Cup A Joe as much for its free wireless internet facility as for the superb coffees.

Jujube is a welcoming little Chinese restaurant in Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill. The setting is made alive by half drawn bamboo shades, rich tropical hues, walls with photographs of Asian streetscapes and a buzzing open kitchen that creates dishes described as being rooted in the flavours of China and Vietnam, distilled, and whimsically refined with western sensibilities.

The food is composed of traditional and innovative fare true to the spirit of Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine. The lunchtime menu includes pork and shrimp dumplings, salad rolls, spicy oyster mushroom soup with coconut milk, chilli, lime and cilantro; Vietnamese grilled beef and toasted guglhupf sandwiches, and dishes such as blanched noodles with spicy yellow chicken curry, coconut milk, carrots, and lime.

In the evening, feast on starters of crispy tempura prawns and okra with tomato, followed by lemongrass grilled hanger steak with cucumber salad and spicy peanut sauce, and sign off with roasted banana ice cream with chocolate or vanilla crème brûlée accompanied by a St. Supery Moscato 4.