The Collective Cafe
The Collective Cafe — photo 2
The Collective Cafe — photo 3
The Collective Cafe — photo 4
The Collective Cafe — photo 5

The Collective Cafe

1031 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd suite b, Matthews, NC

★★★★★4.7(469 Google reviews)

Crema's Take

The Collective Cafe feels like a creative gathering place where you can settle in for hours with a genuinely good salted caramel mocha and homemade empanadas that nail unexpected flavor combinations like cheesy goodness and chipotle chicken panini. The lounge vibe and eclectic atmosphere make it equally suited for solo laptop work or meeting up with friends, though their food quality can be a bit uneven—sometimes the steak fries and house-made items shine, other times execution falters. It's a spot worth visiting for the welcoming energy and those standout moments when everything comes together, especially their creative specialty drinks and pastries.

What to expect

Laptop friendlyPastriesFamily friendlySpecialty drinksLight foodSlow sitMeetingsFull breakfastSignature drinksTraditional drinks

Google Reviews

Good Food and Travel
★★★★4 months ago

Eclectic spot with a lounge vibe. The food was good but could be better. The chipotle sandwich and steak fries were delicious but the bacon was cold and tastes like it had been sitting out for a while. I really wanted to like the French toast but it had an eggy aftertaste although the great presentation. The staff were very friendly but don’t expect table service as that appears to be their business model (you order at the front and seat yourself). The different seating was welcoming and felt like a mix of casual and business. Overall a great vibe, I’d visit again to try their remaining menu items.

Chip Tanner
★★★★★5 months ago

The food was very good. Homemade empanadas. Great cafes. Very Nice Atmosphere.

Laurie DeClara
★★★★7 months ago

First time there for me. I love trying new places. First up... not good for handicap drivers. There are literally 5 or 6 handicap spots right in front. However, they're not painted in blue. They don't have designated posts w/signs, and the parking space pictures are faded white. So that seems to mean absolutely nothing to everybody else. This is primarily a "remote work space" with good food. Plenty of parking if you get there before the "work force" gets there because they park, come inside, get on their laptops, and don't leave. Otherwise, you're gonna be walking pretty far to the door. Immediately upon entering, the service and the greeting was A++ energized, bright, cheery and personable. The interior is a modern, chic, trendy, so-ho vibe. I went there on a Tuesday morning at 11 AM and there were limited tables because you guessed it....The workforce was using 3/4 of the tables with their laptops having business conversations. I also noticed the seats that tend to be available indoors, were those trending metal chairs with side metal bars around your hips which are quite uncomfortable if you aren't size 6 in the rear end. Outdoor dining is available also. The food was fabulous. Really tasty. We had the Chipotle chicken panini, and Philly cheese steak. The potato wedges are good. Not frozen fries. Didn't try any coffees. If for some reason you found yourself in the area where you needed to wait around and still work .... this would be a great option for you. For example Novant hospital is super close by. You could drop someone off for visiting hours or out patient surgery, and still be close by. I can't say if I'd be back or not because it probably would depend on if I'm in the area and there was parking available. I happen to be one of the people that relies on handicap. parking.

Ashia Roman
★★★★★7 months ago

I mean… top notch It was my first time there. I loved their salted caramel mocha hot! I loved the cheese empanada! I wasn’t sure what cheese to expect … but they hit it on the nail. Steak fries… clutch

Sophia Pallone
★★★★★8 months ago

My cousin and I went here for a late lunch and it was fantastic. My chipotle chicken panini was perfect. Cajun bistro chips and steak fries were amazing. As was the green sauce we were suggested to try by the girl who brought our food. Sweet tea was on point. 10/10 will absolutely return (sorry for the half eaten sandwich pictures lol)

Crema Reviews

No Crema reviews yet

Been here? Be the first to leave a review in the app.

Write a review on iOS