The Black Door Cafe

I loved the aesthetic and the quality of the food and drinks here. Unfortunately, the service was disappointing. It felt like the baristas weren't properly trained in customer engagement or simply didn't want to be there. This shop has so much potential, but without better service, it’s hard to justify coming back when there are so many other options nearby.

Excellent coffee, friendly staff, fairly priced. Chiquita went out of her way to welcome and serve us. We are here for several days, and this has been the perfect start to each day. Highly recommend.Foo Foo was also kind and helpful.

Gorgeous coffee shop! Unfortunately didn’t live up to the look of it. Ordered the cold brew with pumpkin cold foam and it was not good. Zero pumpkin flavor and the foam dissipated within minutes. $7 for a coffee and ended up throwing it out. Didn’t get any food tho… such a cute place!

Love the vibe of this little cafe- the coffee is good and the decor is really cool. Tucked inside the Mill House hotel it adds to the ambiance of the Charleston charm.

The first time I visited Charleston back in October 2024 from New York, I was on the hunt for the local cafe (or even a Starbucks). I found The Black Door Cafe while exploring the French Quarter. My first experience here was just what I needed: latte and bottled water on the go. I recently stayed at The Mills House Hotel while on business in Charleston. And again, on the go, The Black Door Cafe did not disappoint. The staff provided fast and friendly service, vibes were high, while delivering delicious coffee every time! Thanks Black Door Cafe!

Open air cafe that feels very welcoming, extremely cozy and amazing service! The barista knows what they’re doing too, the honey bunny was absolutely on point. Muffins were top tier

Wow is this bad! Cold day and desperate for a matcha and an egg sandwich— looked cute and perfect. Sadly, no. Matchas (all 3) were green milk with no flavor. Sandwiches… all three… never came. Had to ask the staff who seemed annoyed to even take the question who then, without apology, just put in the sandwiches as if we hadn’t been waiting 20 min with no word. We then had them deposit the sandwiches at the end of the bar, 5 feet from us, without eye contact or even a word. All three were ice cold in the middle. Given we’d tipped generously when we ordered, it left an extra sour note. Honestly, it’s a holiday afternoon, but it’s amazing how little the staff here wants to be here and moreso how little they want anyone else here.

A Must-Visit Coffee Spot in Charleston We stopped by The Black Door Cafe during our first visit to Charleston, and it quickly became a highlight of the trip. The coffee was rich and flavorful—clearly made with care. The atmosphere is sleek, calm, and welcoming, making it a perfect place to relax and enjoy the moment. I’d absolutely go out of my way just to have their coffee again.

Just had to do it... Sounded tooooo good and boy was it! Even if it's cold... Pop in for some gelato. You won't be disappointed! So delish! The service was amazing and everyone had a smile on their faces. Loved the openness of the space and subtle decorations. The marble tables were a nice addition.

In the lobby of the Mills hotel. Does the job if you're staying at the hotel if not I wouldn't go out of my way to get coffee here. They only serve whole milk or alternative choices. No skim milk or low fat. Anything you purchase asks for a tip starting at 15% You have to manually click "other" and type 0 to skip this whole prompt. Very annoying. The coffee was ok nothing unique.

The Wi-Fi here worked really well. I came in as a cruise ship passenger. They don't mind if you sit for a hour or so and go online. Charleston and this coffee shop are a GREAT place to people watch.

Très chic! We had eaten brunch around the corner and the iced tea I got wasn't cuttin' it on the caffeine so I did a little search on Yelp and found The Black Door Cafe in the hotel across the street. My husband idled the car in the alley and I ran in for a couple of cold brews. The hotel/coffee shop entrance is absolutely beautiful. Love that color pink, love the big dog statues, the delightful balloon arch around the door, the huge arched glass windows, etc. The interior of the cafe is a matte black but it doesn't feel dark or cold. It's got great lighting in all the nooks and crannies and shelving, and neutral seating to lighten that area. The cold brew we had was SO good. Very welcome on such a sweltering day. My only regret is we didn't come in and spend more time hanging out in their fantastic space. Next time!

We visited this past Saturday, and because of SEWE it was packed. Nevertheless, the staff was super friendly and helpful, processing our orders fast and accurately. I literally couldn't believe how well they worked together to serve the influx of customers. We tried three of their delicious pastries -carrot cake, chocolate croissant, and sticky bun - and three different drinks, all of which were outstanding. The chocolate croissant was absolutely enormous! There was plenty of seating, both inside and outside (perfect for people watching on Meeting St) and a bit of a market, where you could purchase various other food items, as well. We will most definitely be visiting again!

Cool place to grab coffee and collect yourself for the day. Very good coffee. Biscuit breakfast sandwiches were great. Window tables are great to watch the hustle and bustle of the day begin for everyone. Friendly serving staff and quick paced to keep the line moving.

Nice little coffee shop tucked away inside The Mills House. My friend and I decided to have coffee after dining at the glorious Iron Rose. The Black Door serves a variety of teas as well as coffee, a few novelties, chocolate, and also a few Charleston staples such as Benne wafers and praline pecans. The have a few quick bites to fill you up for your day The young guy taking our order, wasn't the friendliest. He seemed a little nervous so I gathered he may be new. I asked if they served matcha because I did not see it on the menu. He began to look at their menu display on the wall and the barista on the floor answered, "Yes." He glanced at her and then turned back to me. And I cheerful said (with a smile), "Well, now you know." And he just stood there with the same blank stare. I asked about flavors and received assistance from the more experienced barista. The young guy completed my order and he did follow up with, " Have a nice day," but he could use a little help in the customer service department. My guest and I drank and chatted in the entryway just outside the cafe where other chairs were provided. It was such a cozy and relaxed space to be in with beautiful art to view. I enjoyed our time, the space was lovely, and it has a very relaxing atmosphere. A nice spot to visit if you're in the area

Set inside the mills hotel, the cafe served us a chocolate croissant the size of a small sub sandwich and a premade, but warmed brioche with egg, bacon and cheese. Ambiance was nice inside, with many tables. Servers were friendly and quick. Nice stop on your walk up the museums...

The cafe is a great coffee shop inside of the Mills House Hotel. Enough though the shoppe has several tables, it was always nice to sit the hotel lobby. The cafe offers many items from salads to breakfast sandwiches to muffins. The muffins were always fresh. Of course, the coffee station was very steady with coffee requests. The counter service was alway friendly.

I was a bit disappointed with my visit here. First I'd like to say the design, color scheme and overall look of the cafe is so cute!! Love the pink. However, it's not an ideal place to sit and work (like the pictures allude to). Very busy since it's connected to a hotel lobby and the music is blasting - everyone was shouting to be able to talk over it. I did appreciate there were a decent amount of seats to sit at and plenty of plugs. My order was wrong because she couldn't hear over the music - she asked and I had to repeat myself 3 times and it was still wrong, so I was bummed about that. The sausage, egg and cheese biscuit I got was tasty and filling. Could be good to just stop in if you need a quick drink but I wouldn't count on hanging about.

I went to Iron Rose for a Yelp event and was told that the coffee was good at The Black Door by the staff. I've seen their Instagram before and have been wanting to try it, so it was the perfect time! For a Saturday afternoon it was not very busy and there was plenty of seating inside and out in the lobby. I ordered a strawberry honey latte that was on the specialty menu and enjoyed it. Nice little spot if you're in the area!

Darling little cafe inside the lobby of the Mills House Hotel. Stopped in for a Diet Coke and they offered me a cup of ice for it. My husband bought me a sticky bun one morning and they heated it / so yummy and huge!! We also ordered egg sandwiches a couple times and our favorite was the egg with gouda. The coffee is good and the staff is very friendly. Plenty of seating and loved the decor here.

Great location in downtown Charleston inside the iconic Mills House. Hot coffee and tea, breakfast sandwiches and pastries. A welcoming area to sit, work or just people watch. Easy stop when walking around downtown Charleston.

The ambiance is fitting of a downtown Charleston coffee shop but based on 3 experiences there are a few shortcomings. 1. We were overcharged the last two visits so not sure if the prices on the wall changed or they were never right 2. Service is a bit slow so be patient when you come in. 3. There were no cup sleeves or honey during our most recent visit and it wasn't crowded enough to keep the area stacked. Overall, it is convenient and provides your fill of coffee or lattes, but some better options downtown.

Beautiful coffee shop associated with great coffee and good services!! I am really picky about my coffee but I love my latte!! Great view of French Quarter as well! They have outdoor and indoor sitting!!

Had a great experience at Black Door Cafe, the location is really nice, walking distance to a lot of stuff! It definitely gets busy here because there aren't a lot of seating in the cafe, but they are connected to a hotel so you're definitely welcome to sit by the lobby. I really enjoyed my coffee, the grab and go pasta was also surprisingly flavorful! Service is amazing!

Cool eclectic and great service they have a good selection of coffee and pastries Well located right at the heart of Charleston

While I was on Jury Duty, I found this little gem of a cafe which was a perfect spot for a great breakfast sandwich and and excellent cup of coffee! It's actually located inside the Mills House Hotel on Meeting Street. It's not a restaurant with servers, you have to order from the counter. They are quick and very friendly. Anyone who finds themselves in the vicinity of Meeting and Broad Streets should definitely check them out

This place is the real deal when it comes to coffee. They have specialities based on the season. I got the strawberry honey iced latte cause I was feelin fruity. It's amazing. 10/10 recommend. Service was professional and ambiance is.Would come again if I was in the area.

Lovely spot to stop and rest while wandering around downtown! Their matcha latte and seasonal lattes all hit the spot. I didn't have any trouble finding an area to sit during the day. It seems like a great spot to get grab and go food too!

Pretty nice coffee shop inside of a hotel lobby. Fairly priced and well made. There was plenty of seating in case you wanted to chill for a little while. Service was pretty good, but I can't speak on the food.

Love the aesthetics, and the coffee is great. I had a drip coffee, and it wasn't bitter. The cashiers were patient and very friendly. Planning on going back to try the breakfast.

Better than Starbucks, cheaper prices, more variety, pleasant people and great coffee. If you are in the area, a must for quick early snacks. Frank G

A much needed addition to the Historic Mills House on Meeting Street. As many of the hotels downtown are now adding a coffeeshop to their properties, its fun to see how each of these spaces turn out! The Mills House will be renovating and updating their main dining room ~ "The Barbados Room"~ and I've been told will reopen with a large front bar area facing their courtyard on Meeting Street and of course the original dining room will remain as part of the room as well. Looks like a Fall reopen at this time. The Black Door Cafe is a large attractive modern space located just off the hotel's lobby area. Upon entering the staff cheerfully greets you and you are free to wander and look at their "grab and go" items while you wait for freshly brewed coffee or an iced latte. There is a small space with cafe tables to sit and enjoy also. As a nice refreshing stop along busy Meeting Street on your way to the Market Area it's worth a peek!

The pecan sticky bun was something both of my kids loved. My husband got the iced vanilla latte. But, my daughter really wanted to try the mixed berry smoothie and they didn't have it. They also didn't have Non fat milk for lattes so I had to get almond milk. Overall, pretty good.

If you are anywhere around the Mills House Hotel, know that it has been updated, modernized and what years ago was allowed to sit at tables and talk about life with your friends is now a quick place to grab a bite to eat and go out the door or sit at one of the small tables and enjoy the food. My wife and I had the chicken salad on a croissant which was so large when we looked at it and then we decided we would split it. The sandwich was a lot of chicken, with a bit of fruit mixed into the chicken salad which had the absolutely correct amount of mayo and /or yogurt blended in. This sandwich shop was absolutely worthwhile, comfortable and modern.

I had the flat white and the service was great and the flat white even better. . . My sister had a Carmel macchiato and enjoyed it as much as my flat white.

Yes yes yes! With the new renovation this cafe is stunning. Modern, chic and comfortable. I got a cookie here and they even warm it up. It was delightful. I hope to be back soon to try more items. Of course, its a little pricey as it is attached to a hotel but its a great spot to get some work done, or simply people watch.

Excellent coffee, salad, croissant and chicken biscuit. My daughter also had the old fashioned smoothie with coconut milk and berries. She said it was much better than what I make (teens...hahaha). My only critique is not enough seating inside. Otherwise service and food were delish.

Excellent location inside the Mills house. Great pastries and coffee. The gelato is how it's made in Italy, small batches and kept inside metal batches. Flavors deeper and more intense than ice cream. Has drinks as well. Great place to spend your elite status daily hotel credits.

This is a great little coffee shop I stumbled across while visiting the Mills House. Coffee was delicious and staff were super friendly. Lots of good snacks and the AC sure felt good. Beautiful decorated coffee shop that is well managed and has friendly employees with smiling faces.

Had great service from Chiquita, Fouchena, and Akaria when we stopped in for a quick coffee visiting Charleston.

Strawberry latte was delicious. Great service and ambiance! Fruit parfait tasty and breakfast sandwiches look fresh.

The Black Door Cafe on Meeting Street in Charleston is a great place to go for quality coffee, drinks, and snacks. The location is very convenient when you are in the area and it is easy to get in and out with exactly what you need. The staff here is very friendly and makes sure that you get everything that you need.

Very cute shop, nice location, coffee was good and fairly cheap. But the barista taking our order was very curt, she acted like we were taking up all of her time (there was no one else in line at the time). When I went up to get my order I wanted to clarify that it was mine since I hadn't heard the order called, she gave me a dirty look as if I had asked a dumb question. Would go again if that barista wasn't working.

Fufú made the best caramel lattes for me on our little getaway. Everyone behind the counter was so sweet and helpful. The cafe is so so cute and cozy. Everything about this place made our stay at the Mills House that much sweeter !!

Very rude staff. Ignore at all costs. It's clear that the servers did not want to be at work or serving coffee when I was there. Just terrible.

Coffee was good. Friendly service and willing to adapt to what you want if they don't already have it!

What a great New Cafe. The Cuban for lunch or dinner was outstanding. Also La Colombe coffee is amazing.