Carrboro Restaurant Directory and Profiles

Apologies for this omission: Taqueria El Bajio, Mexican, $, 508 Jones Ferry Road

Restaurant Features

Even Dough Bakery, 203 West Weaver Street [from the October, 2025 print issue]

On a Friday morning in the “nearly fall but not quite” in Carrboro, Even Dough Bakery was bustling. Two weeks after opening, more than a dozen patrons sipped coffee and enjoyed baked items on the outdoor patio. Inside, about a half a dozen customers waited in a quick moving line. The interior is unique and may remind you of a European café, with blond wood and white furniture with rose colored accents. Green plants adorn the space above the counter and pleasant “focus-style” music sets a relaxed mood.

Chef Meital Cohen said that she did not choose this space on West Weaver Street but rather, it chose her. She initially wanted a house to bake in and host classes, and had not envisioned a café in a prime location. But when she saw the property, she felt goosebumps and immediately saw the opportunity to open a café with a beautiful garden. She could imagine being part of customers’ memories here, first dates and special birthday cakes for children. She likes being part of people’s stories and journeys.

Chef Cohen started baking at an early age with her grandmother, who baked “with ease,” showing her that baking was enjoyable. She didn’t think she would do it professionally but then stepped in to help at her husband’s restaurant and…kept going. She has been baking for over 20 years. Before moving to this area at the start of the pandemic, she worked in a restaurant in New York City. She came here wanting to take a break but after just three weeks started baking again at her home and grew a custom cake business online. Her customers encouraged her to open a café.

“I think the community really likes supporting local businesses,” she said, which has been surprising to her as it is very different from her experience in Manhattan. “The vibe here is amazing. [People] really want to be part of our story, which is so beautiful.”

She enjoys two parts of this work in particular. One part is being in the back of the house where she trains staff. She understands the importance of being part of someone’s professional journey, giving them knowledge, education, and financial support, and is grateful for the talented staff at Even Dough. Her other favorite part is to see the café full. “I see people sitting outside—that’s exactly what was my vision.”

Even Dough is known for special occasion cakes but Chef Cohen also wants you to know about mousse cakes which have fine ingredients sourced from Europe. While the costs of ingredients continue to rise, she won’t sacrifice quality. She doesn’t care about making a lot of money. “Seeing people enjoy my work is my gift.” The Carrborean sampled the pistachio coffee mousse cake ($5) which tastes familiar at first but quickly becomes a complex new flavor. The Biscoff cookie cheese cake ($5) tastes exactly like it sounds. The cookie garnish sits like a hat on top of an ensemble that tastes like a Biscoff cookie with an enticing creamy texture.

Likewise, Even Dough’s savory offerings do not disappoint. Chef Cohen ensures you’ll get filling in each bite of a sesame bagel stick stuffed with mozzarella, olive, pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes ($5). Eating a bureka, a puff pastry with a mix of cheeses ($5), may require some instruction (Chef is thinking of making a video to explain the proper way to eat it). To “get the perfect bite,” Chef explained, you slice across the middle, spread the accompanying tahini sauce, add the egg, tomatoes, and pickles, and then eat it like a sandwich. The Carrborean was grateful for the lesson—each bite was perfect!

Even Dough serves Gray Squirrel Coffee and offers an even wider variety of items on weekends than during the week. Hours are Monday through Thursday 8 – 4; Saturday and Sunday 9 – 3. Welcome to Carrboro, Chef Meital Cohen and Even Dough Bakery! We’re glad you’re here and part of our story.