If you followed our 2024 coffee bracket, you might have noticed a new name in the ring. Left Hook Coffee recently opened in the cafe space of Gussie's at 927 W. Morgan St., serving unique bevs made with its own small-batch roasted beans and top-notch service.

"The amount of support that we've gotten in Raleigh is just incredible," owner and operator Kristin Kulik told RALtoday. "Even people from Durham and neighboring towns have been following and rooting for us. It's just been great."

Kulik had previously set up shop in Rebus Works, and joined local events as a pop-up. Kulik said she heard about Gussie's from Instagram and reached out offering coffee samples. Soon after, Gussie's offered Left Hook the cafe space, and Kulik opened business mid February.

Kulik explained the meaning behind Left Hook's boxing-inspired name and the striking photo from the shop's bean bags.

"Those left hooks are few and far between where you lose a friend, you lose your job, whatever it is," Kulik said. "Nothing can really prepare you for that, so we wind up gauging our life in those left hooks where it shapes us for the better or worse and we learn from it."

To top it all off, the boxer facing away from the camera on Left Hook's 12 ounce bags is Kulik's grandfather Helmut, a German boxer. Kulik said this is a callback to the familiar connection coffee brings and what Left Hook is all about.

If you're looking for some must-try menu items, we recommend the bright but strong cold brew, an espresso tonic, or the house-made chai made with fresh cracked spices and a sprinkle of rose petals. Plus, don't miss baked goods from Bitten Bakery and occasional egg sandwiches courtesy of Gussie's.

Left Hook Coffee is open Wednesday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the back space of Gussie's.