Hayes Barton Cafe & Dessertery

In the battle of upscale diners in Raleigh I have to give Hayes Barton the win over Poole's Diner base on my most recent visits. I think the food was better at Hayes Barton and a much better value. Both the crab dip and the chicken pot pie were wonderful.
We were slightly disappointed in the dessert though, looked great but the cake was a tad dry for my tastes.

It is a staple in Raleigh! Their wedge salad is second to none. Consistently good supplementing their menu with great specials. Always save for dessert with a variety of specialty cakes. Reservations advised or you may have to wait. Parking around neighborhood can be challenging. Highly recommended

This is such a cute place to dine or indulge on a sweet treat! The atmosphere is a fun retro cafe setting. The menu items are great. Food and service is terrific. The desserts are AMAZING! This place is perfect for all occasions whether it is a date night or a family fun night. I highly recommend reservations.

A must dining experience in Raleigh! Frank's tomato pie (seasonal) is one of the best things I've ever tasted, amazing! Be sure to try a slice of cake! Thank you for the incredible service and hospitality!

I had a wonderful experience at Hayes Barton Cafe & Dessert. The food portions were generous, and I was particularly impressed with the Meatloaf and Chicken Pot dishes – they were amazing! The host, Frank (possible owner), was very personable and made the dining experience even more enjoyable. I also appreciated the 40's theme of the restaurant, and it was touching to see how they honored my father, a Vietnam veteran. It's a place with great food and a warm atmosphere. Highly recommended!

Such a cute establishment! Don’t be like me who accidentally walked into the pharmacy at the very front. Walk around a little and you’ll see a door covered in stickers with well deserved accolades. Their food is hometown delicious and their staff were prompt and friendly with service. The cakes slices were HUGE. A single slice is pricy but I can eat off it for two meals, easily. 10/10 would recommend a pit stop if you’re in the area or would like a slice of cake!

A fantastic Cafe that makes great meals! I would highly recommend stopping in, even if it's only to get cake. I had the tomato pie, and beef stroganoff. The service was incredible, and the meals were great. The cake is incredible though, I tried the chocolate pecan, lemon blueberry, and banana pudding. There wasn't a bad option.

Always a favorite spot!! The best food, service and desserts are to die for!!!👌. Burger joint by day, fine dining at night with white tableclothes and a great menu. We've done both many times finally taking the time to write a review!! 😋 Carrot Cake and Key Lime Pie is always a favorite my friends got the chocolate raspberry cake and was in heaven.

I've been here a handful of times, and each time has been a wonderful experience! I highly recommend the salted caramel chocolate cake and the tomato red pepper bisque! 🤤

What a terrific restaurant, especially for a special occasion! The food here is mouth wateringly good, as are the drinks. Of course the real stars are the desserts. I had a slice of their apple caramel pie, and it was heavenly. Come hungry!

If you haven't tried Hayes Barton Cafeand Dessertery , you must. This super eclectic diner is decorated with memorabilia from the 1940's and has such a great atmosphere! The staff was super nice and the restaurant was clean. The food was so delicious! We got the:

Beef Stroganoff - Egg noodles, filet tips in a mushroom sauce,

Heirloom Tomato Pie - Buttery pie shell containing heirloom tomatoes and cheese, filet, and green beans

NC Fish Stew - Grouper, clams, shrimp, scallops, succotash, heirlooms, bacon, and house stock. 👌👌👌

And for dessert... Their famous cakes. The pictures here do not do it justice. We got the lemon blueberry with Cream cheese icing, the banana pudding and the chocolate pecan pie. All to die for!!!

Give it a try if you are in the Raleigh area!

This place was such a hidden gem! Took my team here while traveling for business and we each had something different. Crab cakes, quesadillas, crab dip, and filet were all delicious. We finished dinner with a slice of Biscoff cake and it was delicious! Definitely stop here even if it’s just for dessert!

So much to compliment ...
The atmosphere hits you when you walk in ... A classic soda fountain vibe takes you back in time. You can't get too far inside without the cakes grabbing your attention (which are amazing).
The dishes all have such cool and unique names, and the food is even better. Who knew meatloaf could be so good?!?
Service was great too, with everyone we talked to was nice and willing to answer any questions.
We'll definitely be back to try something new. Both entrée and dessert!

My wife and I come here for almost all of our life “wins” - graduating, birthdays, promotions, birth of our daughter, etc. The food and service are both fantastic. They’re well known for their large, decadent cakes - consider ordering that before your dinner if it’s a busy night so they don’t sell out of your choice! I get the steak every time and I swear it’s better than almost any of the places in Raleigh known for their steaks. Make sure you make a reservation or get there early!

I cant say enough good things about this place, from the delicious desserts to the incredible home cooked meals they serve. The meatloaf with gravy and mashed potatoes exceeded my expectations. Eve was very attentive and helpful when we dined in at the bar and the atmosphere is so nostalgic… we felt right at home. The portion sizes are perfect too :) This is our new favorite restaurant in Raleigh!

A+ experience. Great food. Would come back here again for sure. Get the crab dip (or sausage dip), the meatloaf and a slice of cake!

This place is phenomenal. I have lived in Raleigh for 4 years and this is hands down our new favorite restaurant! The food is delicious and the portions are plentiful - do not let anyone tell you otherwise! Eve was amazing and we appreciate the wonderful service that was provided upon our visit! Ps - save some room for dessert :)

By far the tallest cake slices in Raleigh! More apples than I’ve ever seen crammed into one slice of pie!

Features wonderful 50s diner vibe with very knowledgeable waitresses, who clearly take great pride in explaining the care and ingredients that went into each confection.

Dessert for your eyes includes more classic black-and-white “old Hollywood” pictures than you could possibly appreciate in one visit.

We will be back for sure, thanks ladies :)

Do you know that exciting feeling when you've lived in a place for a while but discover a new hidden gem? Tonight some friends suggested we check out Hayes Barton for an epic slice of cake. We've been in Raleigh for nearly 2 years - How had we never heard of this place before?! The unassuming Hayes Barton Café & Dessertery is a 1940s-themed diner and cake shop that feels like an institution, yet it's only been serving up food since 1998. Named after the Hayes Barton neighborhood, which includes the nearby Hayes Barton Pharmacy opened since the 1930s, this place has a laundry list of homemade cakes dished out in huge slices in a cozy space that will have you yearning for days gone by. We got a slice of the blueberry lemon cake to share! It was good, not too sweet and the portion was enough for us to have some and take some home. If you live in the Raleigh area or visit, check this place out or take a friend or family visiting from out of town. It's sure to give you all the nostalgic feels.

Additional tid bits you should know:

1. Parking is street parking which can be a challenge, if you have an appointment to meet here, do give yourself time to find a parking space and walk if needed.

2. While it was recommended to us to go here for cake, it does appear that there are a number of people dining in for a full meal. We cannot speak to the quality of food outside of the cake in the present review. However, due to the small space and myriad of diners, it was quickly packed at 8:30 on a Saturday night. If you are going to just get cake, you can get it to stay or go. Line up in the queue for the cashier at the cake counter to the left upon entering. The line moved quickly and we got our slice of cake in a to-go container. However, by luck, in no time, a small table freed up and the host was happy to sit us and provide water and proper place settings for our albeit short time devouring our slice of cake. If you come with a larger party and are hoping to be seated, you may face more obstacles in your pursuit.

3. You know this is a good place because speaking with the people in line, they had all been there before. One man who was buying cake said he lives across the street and has gotten cake many times. He recommended the coconut cake.

4. The actual list of cakes fills an 8.5 × 10 piece of paper, however, when we were there many options were blacked out. We still had easily between 7-10 options, so we aren't sure if we were missing any of the more spectacular cakes. All this to say, do be prepared that they may run out of something!

5. It's *not* THE MOST AMAZING CAKE you've ever had, but it's pretty darn good and, moreover, the whole thing is an experience- enjoy it!

One of my absolute favorite places in the triangle! Always delicious food, friendly staff, fantastically decorated, and I adore the music! Desserts are a whole fabulous deal, and many come in just to pick up their favorite slice of pie or cake to go. I recommend getting your dessert to go, even if you plan to eat it there, because it's going to take you about three days to eat it anyway! The host (manager?) even opens the door for you in a suit/tie that gives this classy joint the introduction it deserves. It's a well-run business all around, and it's always a joy to come here! Just make sure to make reservations; it's in high demand!