Nine of Cups
Tarot, Pastry, and Ginger Beer Matcha: Why Nine of Cups is Greenville's Most Exciting New Bakery
Finding a bakery that nails the classics is great, but finding one that completely rewrites the rules of pastry is what excites me. Named after the tarot card for contentment, Nine of Cups in Greenville, SC, does exactly that. What started as a hyper-popular series of brunch and bakery pop-ups has blossomed into a permanent fixture that beautifully pairs traditional European baking techniques with warm, welcoming Southern hospitality.
The space itself is sizable, which is a genuine plus: there's room for ample seating that most Greenville coffee shops can't offer. But it's a big, open room, and between the concrete floors and the foam-tiled ceiling, it reads a little sterile, but it makes sense given how the business started.
Owner Nate Warner built the concept as a pop-up first, moving it between Upstate spots like Hone and Community Tap before landing a permanent home this year at 131 E. McBee Street, in the former Cosmic Rabbits Tea Company space near Fireforge Brewing. The baking program itself is run by Skyler Cook (@burningquestionbakery), and it's Cook's talent with laminated dough that makes the case worth lingering over.
While you can easily roll in for a classic buttermilk biscuit with house-made jam, it is the bakery's wildly innovative, boundary-pushing creations that steal the show. Because the menu is written by whatever inspires the kitchen that morning, you never quite know what you'll find on the counter. On any given day, you might stumble across a savory Ham and Cheese Croissant elevated with smoked gouda and prosciutto, a vibrant Lemon Meringue Danish built from flaky croissant dough and filled with sharp lemon curd, or fresh, olive-oil-rich focaccia. They also occasionally feature a Pistachio Croissant loaded with pistachio filling, topped with pistachio cream and crushed pistachios — which I'm dying to try. But everything about the pastries and the drink pairings make this spot worth working into your weekly routine.
The Pastries: Flawless Classics Meets Wild Innovation
At the baseline, the laminated dough here is incredible. If you order their classic Butter Croissant, it is exactly what you want: shatteringly flaky, wonderfully buttery without being greasy, and never dried out. But the kitchen quickly leaves the traditional behind to create some absolute delights.
The Outsider is the showstopper: a hand-braided croissant that layers sweet, savory, and umami in the same bite. It’s made with a honey gochujang glaze, furikake seasoning, and a rich, savory Korean cheesy corn filling, and finishes with just a subtle hint of creeping heat. It's one of the most inventive pastries in the Upstate. The Apricot & Cardamom Knot plays it more classic: another hand-braided croissant, this one built around a warm, brown sugar cardamom filling, a bright apricot glaze, and a classic crunch of pearl sugar on top. It's perfectly spiced and beautifully balanced rather than daring. And the kitchen has elevated the Chocolate Chip Cookie in a classic manner by leaning on brown butter and rich dark chocolate — the brown butter gives the dough a deep, caramelized nuttiness that guarantees crispy edges while keeping a perfectly chewy center.
The Pop-Up Roots: A Legacy of Flavor
To understand why the daily menu features a mix of classics and wildly creative bites, you have to look at Nine of Cups' history as a pop-up. Back then, they built a cult following by switching up the menu entirely for every single event.
Their past menu lineups read like a high-end cafe: savory quiches made with marinated artichokes, manchego, and fresh herbs; a rich mortadella sandwich served on house focaccia with stracchino cheese, mustard, and Duke's mayo; and a spectacular galette filled with pear, pistachio cream, and an apricot-cardamom glaze finished with crunchy Demerara sugar. They've even done a peanut butter cream-filled doughnut with a sweet jelly glaze.
The kitchen team also has an incredible handle on making meringue. Past pop-up highlights include a variety of Pavlova featuring pandan cream, citrus-macerated raspberries, Chantilly, and candied kumquat, as well as a moodier version highlighting fresh fig, macerated blackberries, and hojicha Chantilly. Apparently the cakes are spectacular too, like a chocolate cake with tonka bean, milk chocolate toffee bits, and satsuma maldon that once made the rotation — I haven't had a chance to get my hands on one yet, but just the thought of those flavors together instantly makes my mouth water.
The Beverage Program: Beyond the Espresso Machine
You can also get an expertly pulled classic here, from a cappuccino, cortado, americano, and drip coffee to a standard latte customized with their house-made syrups: vanilla, dark chocolate mocha, raspberry, honey, and lavender. You will be perfectly happy with any of them. But much like the pastry case, the specialty drink menu is where Nine of Cups really shines.
The Castaway is a brilliant, refreshing spin on a morning pick-me-up: an iced matcha latte mixed with smooth coconut milk and a touch of coconut syrup, cut aggressively with spicy ginger beer. It’s ever-so-lightly sweet, balancing the earthy notes of the matcha against a sharp, fizzy kick. The Hermit's Cup is the cozy order though: a smooth latte infused with a house-made orange and five-spice syrup for a complex, warming flavor profile. Hive Mind keeps it simple, a latte sweetened with a rich, salted honey syrup, and the Crimson Morning goes decadent and fruit-forward, pairing a rich dark chocolate mocha with bright raspberry syrup.
Final Verdict
Greenville has no shortage of coffee shops, but Nine of Cups operates on an entirely different level. By treating their bakery counter like an evolving culinary canvas and backing it up with excellent lamination and espresso, they have managed to build something truly special. Nine of Cups will definitely be a permanent staple in my Greenville rotation, and I am already plotting my next visit to see what the kitchen dreams up, and hopefully snag a pistachio croissant.
Address: 131 E McBee Ave., Greenville, SC 29601
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