As a long-time Raleigh resident, it’s been fun watching Dix Park slowly come to life. First came the wonderful Gipson Play area. Then came the Dambo trolls, and now finally, Flowers Cottage Coffee and Park Bar! While Dix Park already had the House of Many Porches for beverages, Flowers Cottage is a great resting spot and offers a city view on the west side of the park. Here’s why you should visit and what to expect!
Flowers Cottage Coffee and Park Bar, Raleigh – Location, Interior
If you’re out and about, exploring the popular Dix Park in Raleigh, you’ll quickly come to realize that the park is BIG! At over 300 acres, whether you’re exploring the Big Field, hunting down the Dambo Trolls, or cooling down at Gipson Play Plaza, you might find yourself needing a break and refreshments. The new Flowers Cottage Coffee and Park Bar offers another resting spot on the opposite side of Dix Park, not far from the sunflower fields and Mother Long Tail (Dambo troll). Parking is available in a gravel lot across Umstead Drive; just hoof it on over to the tidy, white building with black shutters. Pull open the door, and you’ll find yourself immediately in a living room-type seating area with an assortment of small tables and chairs. To the right, you’ll find the main bar area in a bright and sunny room. It’s all quite cheery inside, a perfect spot for a bit of peace, quiet, and air conditioning.
Flowers Cottage Coffee and Park Bar, Raleigh – Menu, Food
Flowers Cottage serves up coffee drinks, beer, and wine at reasonable prices ($5 to $10) for park visitors. While the drinks are served at the bar, there’s also a short snack menu that you can order online through Toast. Scan the QR code, and you can order up soft serve ice cream, chips, candy, and more non-alcoholic beverages. Service for those items comes at the blue doorway for what’s called the Snack Shack! It’s out by the back patio entry area. Once you’ve got your drink and snack, head on out to the main patio and grab a seat!
Flowers Cottage Coffee and Park Bar, Raleigh – View, Conclusion
The main patio at the Flowers Cottage is fantastic! Large and spacious with a great view of the Raleigh skyline, you’ll usually find a smattering of people relaxing, studying, and playing with their children. To the right, you’ll find a quieter section of the patio that leads down to the greens area. Wifi is available at Flowers Field if you need to get some work done. Covered in fieldstone and a multi-level seating area, completes the seating options. After you’re done, you can head out this way to get back to your vehicle or explore further- cool!
Overall, it’s great to see Dix Park continue to grow and offer lovely amenities like the Flowers Cottage. Despite how new it is, this little haven has been discovered, and you’ll find it is usually pretty busy. Note that during the summer, the cottage is pretty well-exposed, and it can get really hot out on the patio. You’re probably better off visiting in the afternoon when you can get a bit of shade to protect yourself. But I can’t imagine a better way to while away some time, relax, and enjoy nature as the world passes by on this patio. Also, if you’re looking for the new Orange Mechanical art installation, you can find it about 50 yards away from the Flowers Cottage. So what can I say, but I’ve enjoyed all my visits to the Flowers Cottage. It’s a wonderful respite and option to get some fresh air while doing some people-watching. And yeah, a swirled cone of soft-serve can be pretty convincing!
Flowers Cottage Coffee and Park Bar
2105 Umstead Dr., Raleigh, NC 27603
919.996.3255
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