The Daily Planet Cafe

I’ll start this review with something positive. The coffee & breakfast choices are amazing! My coworkers and I usually visit The Daily Planet two or three times a week (sometimes more!) since we work right next door and we’re usually always met with employee’s who are happy to serve us. Wes always asks if we want our usual coffees while we place our breakfast orders. The chef who usually works mornings, Roy, is the sweetest, always has a smile on his face and makes the best scrambled eggs (you’d think those would be easy to make, but I only order them if he’s working).
However, this morning a coworker and I walked over early to get breakfast and coffee. We were about 5 minutes early and they weren’t open yet. Wes was kind enough to open the door and let us in out of the cold. We knew we couldn’t order yet, so we just waited by the door until 8. When it was finally time to order, we walked up to the register where Wes and the General Manager, Leanne Diemel, were standing. Wes was trying to get the register ready and she said something along the lines of «That’s not how you do it, sweetheart» to him with a condescending attitude. She never greeted us or told us good morning. My coworker and I ordered coffees with our breakfast and instead of making them, she just stood there with her arms crossed like she was annoyed. So, in turn, my coworker and I stood there waiting for our coffees. Something we’ve rarely ever done. I’ve been coming to The Daily Planet for about two years now and this was the first time I’ve seen her. She didn’t seem too happy to be there.
I work part time in a very popular restaurant downtown and have never had a manager act that way to an employee. Managers should be willing to help out their employees when they need it. I don’t think pouring two cups of coffee would have hurt her this morning. I understand people have rough mornings, but her attitude was unprofessional.
Again, this was the first time I’ve seen her, so hopefully she won’t be making appearances often. Thanks to Wes for letting us in early on a cold morning and for the hospitality we’re shown by the employees every day when we stop in.

Vegan and vegetarian friendly, I got a Berry salad with out the blue cheese, it was a large bowl of spring mix lettuce, sliced strawberries, blue berries some carrots and cucumber, with a light rasberrie vinaigrette. I also got the veggie quesidia, without cheese, or the chopolte sour cream, it was a large spinach tortillas filled with sautéed zucchini, yellow squash, onions and red peppers, with a small garnish of shredded lettuce, red onion, tomato.
Not tried: The veggie burger is made there it is black bean and they use egg as a binder.
Meat lovers they have a nice thick burger
Good thin french fries and deep fried tader tots.
Condiments are on a bar with straws, napkins and fountain drinks.
Also You can order food on line so its ready when you get there.

By far for the price, worth the stop. Selection is amazing. My Caprese was fresh and delicious

This is a great for a brunch on a sunny morning with good choices of sandwiches and omelettes. The breakfast burrito and French toast are always a good choice to order and they have pretty good shrimp.
The places is spacious, with seating both inside and outside (so you can have your canine family accompany you). The staff is courteous and you will never feel rushed.
I have gone back there a multiple times and not been disappointed.

I was at the Museum of Natural Sciences and didn’t want to leave the vicinity of the museum for lunch (because there is A LOT to see at this amazing museum, so I definitely wanted to return after satisfying my hunger!), so I came here because it is the closest source of food in the area (aka within walking distance).
3 Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwich, $ 5. Not much to say about this; it’s as simple as it sounds. It is literally 3 different types of cheeses in between 2 slices of multigrain bread. The cheese tastes awful. Don’t order this. However, I will say that the grill marks look fantastic!
Grown Up Mac & Cheese — Unlike your typical yellow cheddar mac and cheese, this mac and cheese is covered in a white cream with slow-​roasted short rib, red and green bell peppers, caramelized onions, and topped with a few sprinkles of cheddar cheese for $ 8. It’s a little too soggy, and I could do without the bell peppers, but overall, it tastes good!
Vegetable Quesadilla — This quesadilla tastes great! It includes roasted farmer’s market vegetables (including spinach and mushroom), cheddar, salsa, and cajun sour cream for $ 7. Of the 3 dishes I sampled, I’d recommend this one!

The Daily Planet Café is a gem. A diamond in the rough. A needle in a haystack. A quality fast food spot tucked away in a location easily accessible by two gastronomically underserved populations: beleaguered museum-​going families and long-​suffering state employees from nearby government buildings on the periphery of downtown Raleigh’s food orbit.
There’s just so much to love about this place. The menu selection (and daily specials) are on point. The food is appealing in that straightforward, good-​n-​greasy manner you come to expect from a grill joint, but with superb culinary flourishes (the delicately flaky tempura, the infused aioli, the lovingly caramelized onions) that demonstrate the care with which the lead chef develops the menu and operates his kitchen. The fried items are fried clean, without that old-​grill-​oil taste typical of other institutional snack bars. The ordering and pick-​up process is relatively quick and efficient, even during the insanity of lunch hour.
The folks at the museum have accomplished a rare feat– hosting a quality eatery in an environment where they have a natural monopoly and lack any real incentive to provide good food. I say more power to ‘em, and more business for that matter.

The best breakfast you can get in Raleigh
$ 6 omelette with everything including Brie cheese, spinach and meats
Great coffee
Clean up-​scale surroundings with no wait
Compared to the other choices on a Sunday morning, this is hands-​down the best!

I really want to love this place. I work down the street from DPC. It’s fast, convenient, the price is ok for a Downtown restaurant. However, the food is so inconsistent.
I first fell in love with Local Brie sandwich. It was so good. I’ve tried twice since then and they were not nearly as good as the first time. It got so greasy and stingy with bacon and chutney. The bread was not really grilled. They were bad.
I’ve also tried vegetable quesadilla for four or five times. Some are better than others but these were more consistent than other menu.
Someone reviewed the vegi burger here and I agree. it was really good. I’ve tried a Byson burger and it was good as well (but nothing special).
My biggest disappointment and the reason that I decided to take time to write a review is their NEW grass fed Angus beef burger. They were featuring burger that was made from local beef. I was suspicious when my burger came out because it was too fast. Normally I have to wait for 5 – 10 minutes when they are busy during the lunch time. However, it was ready in 2 minutes. The burger was so hard and overcooked. The bun was dry. It was worse than Wendy’s burger. I was so disappointed.
It seems like I get disappointed by the food 70% of time, 20% of time I go meh, and I get really impressed 10% of time.
I might go back there again because it’s so close to work. Otherwise, I will not bother take a chance to get disappointed again.

I didn’t have the food here, but I did have a latte (a few lattes, to be exact). A-​maz-​ing.
First, I didn’t realize The DP was based in a museum, but it is. It’s right across from that big giant globe in downtown Raleigh. Disclaimer, I’m a Jersey transplant, so excuse me if I don’t know all the right names for Raleigh sites!
I will say that my chai tea latte was really fantastic. It was with 2% milk and sugar free vanilla syrup. It was amazing. I’ve had really good chai lattes before, I’ve had really bad chai lattes before. I would say that the chai latte at the DP actually beats the chai latte’s I’ve had at Starbucks. That, to me, was kind of weird!
The food is also really reasonably priced. $ 7 for angus burger. $ 7 for 5 blueberry pancakes and 2 eggs. That’s super reasonable.
It’s VERY clean in the DP. I actually sat in the café for 3.5 hours doing work, courtesy of the Museum’s free WiFi. It’s super high speed wifi too, even during peak hours, so that was also a pleasant surprise.
Also, in my opinion, the cashiers were VERY friendly! I think I found a new lunch favorite :)

I came here after touring the museum on Super Bowl Sunday. Not a lot of folks eating, so I had the place mostly to myself. The staff was super friendly and pleasant. I ordered the chicken cordon bleu sandwich and I have to say: I think it may be the best sandwich I’ve ever had! I told one of the employees that even though I live in Wilmington, I would come back to Raleigh just for that sandwich. This place is a definite must when you’re in downtown.

What a surprise! My husband and I dropped in for lunch during a day at the museums. I wasn’t expecting much but the Epic French Dip sandwich was outstanding!!! Flavorful meat, fresh, soft ciabatta roll, horseradish mayo, cheese, savory aus-jus…DELICIOUS! For $ 8!!! My husband had the black bean veggie burger with Brie, sprouts and sun dried tomatoes… with fries and a drink for $ 10! The staff was so helpful and the manager on duty was very polite. We’ll be back regardless if we are going to the museums!

Damn! Excuse my French… I was not expecting this in a museum. What I was expecting was overpriced, bland generic food. What they have is totally different. Run by Rocky Top Hospitality, they have a lot of locally sourced items they use in their cooking (eg coffee from Larry’s Beans, Bread from Neomonde). Burgers, vegetarian items, fish and chips, fish burritos, sandwiches — quite a selection! Even Grown Up Mac and Cheese with braised short ribs, peppers and onions — so good! Yes it was busy and took about 5 – 10 minutes of waiting in line, but it was prime time on a Saturday. Off to the right is a coffee bar with everything from Chai to Lattes to some really incredible smoothies. Clean, busy and freindly staff. Nice job!!!

A good place to eat with reasonable downtown prices. When we first walked in, it was a bit confusing as to where to order from. I ordered the Carolina Cuban. Being from Tampa (where the Cuban was created) I was a little bias. It was okay, but I’d change the name to something else, like pulled pork sandwich maybe. My brother and his 2 daughters were with me and all 3 ate for $ 20. Not half bad. Kid approved too. The bakery items looked really good, fresh salads, fountain drinks, barista and good portion sizes. Good job guys!

Decent hot museum food and a surprisingly large beer menu. Stays open Thursday and some Friday night for Science Café events. These events are generally pretty good for older kids (middle school to high school). You can have dinner while listening to a lecture (usually) on some scientific topic, usually around 6 or 7 PM though the schedule is a bit complex and I don’t have it completely figured out yet.

This place ROCKS! My boyfriend and I are traveling cross country and made a point to stop here to see the large planet on the front of the science museum. This café is conveniently located RIGHT next to the planet display so we went there to eat. The staff was super friendly and the food came out quickly. It was also very clean which was nice. I was a bit worried at how the quality of the food would be since it came out so quickly but it was DELICIOUS! Not too expensive either, a meal for 2 with 1 drink and a muffin came out to 21 bucks. Would definately come here again… if I lived here lol

This place is the only lunch place within a short walking distance from a number of businesses downtown. (Also to the Museums.) I go there often on my lunch break, or stop there for coffee on my way to work.
The food is decent. The menu offers an average assortment of sandwiches. Some dishes I’ve ordered have been disappointingly plain. The Carolina Cuban is my go-​to and it never disappoints. But for the rather simple cuisine served here, I think the café’s a bit pricey.
Also, they serve draft beer. But nobody orders it. It’s weird. I did once. Got stared at.
Honestly, I would probably hardly ever go here if it wasn’t so close to work. But it is. So I go.

There aren’t too many lunch options within (quick) walking distance of where I work, so I was excited to finally try the Daily Planet and see what the hype was all about. First, it’s much larger inside than I was expecting. They’ve been very busy each time I’ve gone but move quickly and waiting for my to-​go orders takes like five minutes. Major bonus! The cashiers are friendly and efficient; I really can’t ask for more than that. So far I’ve had the Club Wrap and the Fried Green Tomato BLT.
It’s hard to pick a winner, because each sandwich has some serious redeeming qualities. The bacon is from the town next to my hometown, so of course I’m partial and find it to be the best bacon ever. The also use hoop cheese on the wrap, and if you’ve never had this before, shame on you… IT IS FABULOUS. I’m not into meat but the wrap was huge and had a ton of turkey, ham, and bacon (along with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pesto mayo). It is definitely a great lunchtime meal that would satisfy even the burliest man. The BLT has really complex flavors and is a far cry from your standard. The multigrain bread was fresh and the brie kind of sent it over the top. Plus, similar to the wrap, the sandwich was huge. They forgot to give me the chips that accompanies it (actually, maybe I was supposed to pick those up?), but no matter, after finishing the sandwich I was stuffed.
I will definitely be stopping back by for lunches and will continue to work my way through the menu. I find the prices to be reasonable; I don’t feel like I’m being gypped out of $ 8 because the food is very high quality and the portions are decent. Kudos!

Once upon a time I earned an RotD for my review of DP. We were both winners that day. DP was consistent quality on my routine lunches and occasional dinners here. It is with regret that, returning after a year, it seems things have changed. I hope it was just a bad day amongst chef and staff, but here was my experience.
In the morning when I stopped in for coffee, I was met by a glum cashier. A muffled greeting, no you’re welcome to my thank you. Having worked in service industries, I get it. Some days suck. Maybe a death in the family, gods forbid. I’ve had attitude on that side of the register myself. But if someone says thank you for the effort you put in – come on. Same experience when I stopped by later for lunch.
I ordered the Local Brie grilled cheese. I’ve had this in the past and loved it. Perhaps I’m remembering incorrectly, but that sandwich impressed me to the point that I wondered how such a fine, ritzy g-​cheese found its way into a museum café. Someone should have given that thing a Michelin star!
Not this time, though. The presentation was horrible: a sad over-​grilled chunk of toast on a an otherwise naked white plate. Did I just make this at home after waking from an all-​night drink fest? Biting in, I found the majority of this sandwich to be rather tough, as if stale bread had been used. And the filler? Excessive bacon, low on brie, and couldn’t taste the chutney. It’s a balancing act with those flavors, but they fell off the rope on this one. Overall, a thin sandwich that looked as though they were looking to cut costs.
What has happened? Back in a month or two and hoping to re-​re-​review back to that stellar 4-​star experience I used to know at DPC.

After a year of walking by the Daily Planet Café, I finally found a morning to slide in a visit along with the NC Museum of History! The first thing to notice about the Daily Planet Café is the size of the place. Large modern dining room, large cement patio, you could easily fit a hundred-​plus people here. Inside there’s a couple of lines for the hot dishes and coffee bar. Pretty much cafeteria-​style with self-​service drinks, utensils, napkins and more.
The menu is short with sandwiches, wraps and some warm entrees but I’m here for a quick breakfast! For $ 9 I get a four-​item plate with 2 eggs, sweet potato hash, fruit and sausage patties. It takes 10 minutes and then I’m out on that expansive patio with some solid coffee from Larry’s Beans. And breakfast at the Daily Planet is decent: perfectly-​fried eggs, interesting hash and more. But I don’t think it’s a good indicator for what this Rocky Top run venue can do so I’ll be back. Until then, I’ll say it’s quite the decent spot for a quick and healthy bite. There isn’t much right here outside of the Oakwood Café so definitely give the Daily Planet Café a try if you’re checking out the museum or just looking for some quality eats at a decent price!

The Daily Planet Café is located right beside the Natural Sciences Museum. Since you can’t bring food & drink into the museum, this place is ideally located as you leave to grab something to go or eat/​drink in the café.
We ordered coffee, iced latte, rice krispy treat and a chocolate cupcake. The girl that gave me my drink was boder-​line rude and the iced latte was horrible. It tasted like milk with no espresso flavor at all. The rice krispy treat was good, but the chocolate cupcake was so dry, it literally fell apart into a pile of sand. Would only come back for drip coffee.
BTW: The bottom of my credit card receipt says that the bank might charge my card an additional 20% for gratuity. What!?!