Cocoa Cinnamon

great in-house roasted coffee. fresh house made churros with several flavors. Large tables great for working. Free ice water, parking lot, and restroom for customers. both indoor and outdoor seating.

We can't leave Durham without a visit to CC Lakewood. The churros remind me of my childhood in Madrid, and the melted chocolate is pure bliss. Our favorites are the Guadalajara and the Modica. Try the Tenochtitian spice on top. It's spicy, but it'll smack you with kindness. You can't go wrong. Everything is delicious. Perfect spot to come work, eat, and meet people. The music will put pep in your step, and the staff is simply the best.

We always enjoy our coffee from Cocoa Cinnamon and the churros! The outdoor seating is a big plus. The interior is not the most comfortable set up but that is easily overlooked with the consistent and delicious coffees.

These churros reminded me of ones I’ve had in Spain! Delicioso! They were out of chocolate 1/29/25. You can choose 3 sugar coating options - orange, cardamom, and cinnamon. The orange is not overpowering and more light. The cardamom is strong and the cinnamon is classic. Indoor seating can get very busy during morning/mid-daytime hours. There are many large tables and additional seating outside. Unfortunately on a Wednesday morning around 10AM there was nowhere to sit inside.

After a couple years of coming in and out of Durham regularly, I realized that Cocoa Cinnamon is the best coffee shop in the city. I love a good cappuccino and am pretty picky. There's a lot of bad cappuccinos out there, even at hipster-looking "new wave" coffee shops. Every time I get one from Cocoa Cinnamon it's made absolutely perfectly and with delicious beans. When I moved to Durham last year this coffee shop influenced my geographical preference and I now live right across the street. I come multiple times a week and I never get tired of it. 5/5

Bright, happy, delicious and unfancy. We had a Granada hot chocolate and churros, and they reminded us of Madrid. But everything is awesome.

Cocoa Cinnamon is the storefront for Little Waves Coffee Roasters, and if it were just a coffee shop, it would be worth visiting on that basis alone. The roastery received international recognition, and having previously picked up a bag of their beans from a Greensboro shop, I can say that it’s well-deserved. Cocoa Cinnamon gives you a chance to experience Little Waves in everything from a cup of joe to an espresso drink to a “wonder drink” with house made syrups and infusions. Unfortunately, I had already reached my coffee limit for the day at the time of my visit (which didn’t stop me from snagging a bag of Royal 7 to take home). Fortunately, there is another very good reason to check out Coca Cinnamon: homemade churros. You can get them by themselves, in a pack, ala mode, or dipped in chocolate. Or, you can do what my wife and I did and split a Morros de Torros. This insane concoction features a churro dusted with your choice of sugars topped with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate and condensed milk drizzle. Made fresh to order, it was worth every cent of its $8 price tag. Seriously, it’s hard to overstate how good this dessert was. The churro was hot, the chocolate sauce had real chocolate flavor, and the sugar blend imparted a bit of spice as well as sweet. As if you don’t already have enough reasons to visit yet, Cocoa Cinnamon also offers fast service and an interesting ambiance that reflects the owner’s Mexican roots. Whether you just want a cup of coffee or want to send your tastebuds on a strange and delightful trip, Cocoa Cinnamon has you covered.

New in town and this place was suggested by a coworker.. 😊 Came to check the place out on a Sunday morning. The place was packed but a steady turnover for the community seating with outdoor tables available as well. I got an Americano and a couple of raspberry churros! The coffee was excellent and two churros were not enough. 😂 All made to near perfection. Up beat, friendly, non pretentious atmosphere .. love it and will support it. Suggest you check them out for yourself.

Cocoa Cinnamon is the storefront for Little Waves Coffee Roasters, and if it were just a coffee shop, it would be worth visiting on that basis alone. The roastery received international recognition, and having previously picked up a bag of their beans from a Greensboro shop, I can say that it's well-deserved. Cocoa Cinnamon gives you a chance to experience Little Waves in everything from a cup of joe to an espresso drink to a "wonder drink" with house made syrups and infusions. Unfortunately, I had already reached my coffee limit for the day at the time of my visit (which didn't stop me from snagging a bag of Royal 7 to take home). Fortunately, there is another very good reason to check out Coca Cinnamon: homemade churros. You can get them by themselves, in a pack, ala mode, or dipped in chocolate. Or, you can do what my wife and I did and split a Morros de Torros. This insane concoction features a churro dusted with your choice of sugars topped with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate and condensed milk drizzle. Made fresh to order, it was worth every cent of its $8 price tag. Seriously, it's hard to overstate how good this dessert was. The churro was hot, the chocolate sauce had real chocolate flavor, and the sugar blend imparted a bit of spice as well as sweet. As if you don't already have enough reasons to visit yet, Cocoa Cinnamon also offers fast service and an interesting ambiance that reflects the owner's Mexican roots. Whether you just want a cup of coffee or want to send your tastebuds on a strange and delightful trip, Cocoa Cinnamon has you covered.

We very much enjoyed our latte and four churros, skipping the sugar. Trust me, the sweet dough is plenty sweet and does not need to be rolled in cinnamon sugar or cardamom sugar very much unless you desperately need the sugar hit. The place was completely packed with laptoppers hard at work on a Saturday afternoon. Two or three were even doing Zoom bridges complete with headsets. Thankfully, two adults got up and departed just as our coffee was ready. Quality coffee and the churros were fabulous. Just plan to be standing. [Review 67 of 2025 - 4042 in North Carolina - 23635 overall]

I love stopping by this place the staff is always nice and the food and drinks have so many elements that are made in house. The little one wanted churros and I knew exactly where to go to treat him to some. I had the cinnamon and cardamon and the orange flavor. Little man had the classic cinnamon ones and loved it. I got their Iced Chai Latte with blueberry and they made him a lycee lemonade that was soooo tasty.

Visited this location for the first time on a Sunday afternoon. The coffee was delicious and came out quick. I usually can't finish a whole cup in one sitting and have to take it to go, but their autumn latte (with macadamia nut milk) was perfect and I had finished it in no time. Although the coffee itself was great, the service and ambiance could've been better. The employees were brusque and in general, I don't enjoy being approached and asked for money by strangers, but especially not when I'm trying to talk with a friend and enjoy a drink inside of a coffee shop ...

This place is fantastic! Obsessed with the fresh churros and incredible chocolate dipping sauce. The service was very nice and willing to explain their menu, and the ambiance is lovely with lots of tables and colorful art adorning the walls. I still think about this place sometimes and will be back when I visit the area again!

Such a unique coffee shop! We loved the artwork and cozy vibe. The staff are super friendly and knowledgeable about all the direct drinks. We ended up ordering cinnamon sugar churros which were perfectly crispy and amazing. The Grenada drinking chocolate was so delicious that we couldn't stop inhaling the incredibly rich and chocolately aroma. We even kept sniffing the empty cup after finishing it. Absolutely loved this cafe and will be back!

I rarely give 5 stars BUT it all worked here! The staff, coffee, churros & ambiance were outstanding! The place makes you feel like you are in Mexico! Lots of seating available. Staff is fantastic! Cortado was perfect and the Frida latte was really good! The churros are the best part! You can watch someone make them and they have filled or unfilled with dipping sauces. We opted unfilled with cajeta and it was perfect! Definitely stop by for a coffee and churros if you're around!

Frida Kahlo latter was amazing! Churros were okay-- a little too mushy for my taste. Service was quick but could use different seating arrangements inside.

What a great coffee shop and bakery! Long tables with bright Mexican oil cloth created a warm and fun vibe. Had a delicious harvest latter and harvest churros! A perfect treat!

A cute place to meet friends or get work done. The tables are long so you sit community style but when I went, it was a good mix of people trying to get work done and some who came to socialize. The mugs that the hot cocoa came in were so cute! There were so many hot chocolate flavors to choose from. I got the classic dark chocolate. It was delicious! Perfect combination of dark, creamy chocolate that wasn't too sweet. The churro went perfectly with the hot chocolate. I would recommend the set of 4 for $5. The cinnamon sugar dipped in chocolate sauce was by far my fav

The churros are so fresh and soft! The strawberry one is so good! The rose latte was really good as well, and not too sweet.

Classic Durham coffee shop and study spot! I got the Ashkal Halwa: Sweet Shapes (or Rosswater Bliss Latte); while it was tasty and I appreciated the ground pistachios, I was a bit disappointed as I could barely make out the rose water flavor. Had to get some churros of course. These were lovely snacks, fresh, crunchy on the outside, and pillowy on the inside with the perfect amount of sweetness. I could really appreciate the Cinnamon and Cardamom flavors, but can't say the same about the seasonal Orange flavor. Service was fast. Ambiance is good, there is a ton of space. However, on the weekends, it is bustling so expect lots of noise. Also, there aren't a ton of outlets. 7/10 would recommend! Will definitely come back to try other coffee options.

Love the feel of the space. Nice and open, there's also an outdoor space and lots of seating. The staff is wonderful. The drinks are pretty good, I got the matcha latte and the matcha was pretty strong. The chai latte was also delicious and it overly sweet. The churros though - yummy yummy!

Coffee was fresh made to order. I would suggest the mocha with just a dash of cayenne pepper. Seating area was full of people just enjoying coffee and a bit of conversation. Might I suggest getting made to order churros, fresh hot and delicious.

I came to meet a friend for a drink, so I will note I just had an iced chai, no coffee or churros. First of all there were a ton of boxes stacked against the wall when I walked in. Weird, but at least they were organized. I guess if I have to move, I know where to go. Anyway, the chai had a very strong dose of cardamom and it was quite overpowering. Even though I had some vanilla added to it, I still didn't love the drink. They do have free Wi-Fi and a good amount of outdoor seating, which is nice. But I just didn't like my drink, sorry to say.

The hot chocolate and churros were amazing! Service was fast and friendly. We will definitely be going back!

Churros made fresh to order. What's not to love?? I also got the sweet shapes latte (rosewater, cane sugar, pistachios) and a hot chocolate. Very good. The vibes of the place are kinda mini warehouse. There are many large tables for communal seating. A good place to hang out or work on a laptop. I definitely plan to return and try some of the other flavored lattes.

First time at this location. And what's not to love about this coffee place?; Cuban cortado, churros, and free compost. 10:30 on a Saturday morning was early enough to grab a seat inside with a friend. Big pro: a parking lot.

This place is a gem - it deserves all the accolades it receives! The ambiance is great, the service and staff are very friendly, and the coffee is delicious. Don't forget the churros! (Not all the locations sell the churros, though. If you want the full experience, I recommend you go to the Lakewood location on Chapel Hill Rd., although all three are worth a visit!)

Enjoyed my latte, latte art was amazing! I noticed a man not being useful. He was just standing there while an alarm was going off. it was alarming to see that he was just paying no mind to it. While the barista had to go out their way and turn it off when he could've easily done it. There really wasn't much of a team effort being put in from his part. It was upsetting to see since there was a line and the barista look stressed with no help. Overall coffee was great!

What a surprising treat for breakfast! A quirky buzzy place filled with activity but most importantly good coffee and crisp churros coated in cinnamon sugar or cardamom sugar. Scrumptious!

A truly unique spot in Durham! We visited while staying in town for the weekend and loved the artsy ambiance. Coffee is amazing and make sure to try the churros. We got the raspberry ones and they did not disappoint!

A cute study location! It can get a bit loud at times when it's crowded and there are no individual tables for studying. But they have a really good selection of seasonal/special drinks and several different churro flavors. I got a mix of guava and cinnamon sugar and they were a great snack to keep me going while studying.

I had been wanting to come here for a pretty long time, but it is a bit of a drive from my house. I happen to be in the area for a meeting and thought this was the perfect opportunity! I was excited to see that there was a parking lot next to the establishment, and that it was a really cute place. I walked in and looked at the menu, which had a lot of amazing options, and the cashier was able to help me in making a decision. I got the espresso-based beverage with chocolate and cinnamon and oat milk and it was delicious! It had a super cute design on the top and it was a perfect temperature. I first was exposed to their coffee when a friend had the company's coffee at their home and I really loved it and since then wanted to return. I am going to look into subscribing to there Coffee company and look forward to being back in the area to return and also try a churro!

I had to lower my previous rating. I'm here again after Covid pandemic I order a small latte and one cinnamon stick. My total was Basically $10 wow what how why when? I need answer. Why is a cup of coffee with macadamia milk so expensive and why the mandatory 20% tip. The coffee is good BUT I will not pay this much for coffee. Plus adding this tip is ridiculous. Allow people to tip what they chose. Also they don't accept cash. Credit card only. But when I pulled out the $10 bill they took it and said I can get change back. Even thou my total was around $9.70. So I said find keep the change. Will I be back. NOPE. Too expensive for a latte.

There are three Cocoa Cinnamon locations in Durham but this is the only one with churros. On our latest visit, we popped in on a Saturday afternoon for hot drinking chocolates and fresh-made churros (we got two cinnamon, and two cardamon), which are great to dip into your drink. They don't have a big menu sign so look for the paper menus, order at the counter, and then they'll call you when your order is ready. We've also had some of their specialty coffee drinks on previous visits, and those are delicious as well. They are a very welcoming location with great drinks and you gotta try the churros!

Our daughter found this place so we went today. Fresh churros! We ordered 6 of the cinnamon ones and also tried their harvest and cardamom. The cinnamon was a better choice. Size of churros not consistent. It comes out in a spiral shape so they cut them into pieces. Their iced mocha was good. A very busy place so do expect to wait for a bit for fresh churros. Worth the wait!

Really nice seasonal drinks. Beautiful atmosphere. Churros are a must. Always a good stop when in Durham!

Always wonderful. Midday churro and cortado. It's so challenging to not order drinking folate and an order of food churros with different sugars. I need to find a coffee shop buddy.

Love the coffee and they are beyond slow! One of the coffee people has the longest, nasty looking pink acrylic fingernails. I am surprised in a food establishment they would have someone who has nails that long. looks very unclean. I am not going back. My Favorite is their place on Hillsborough. Fabulous coffee and very fast service, more sanitary looking conditions.

Great spot to grab a quick treat and a coffee or tea! They have a variety of flavors for everything here I was surprised at the flavors even for their churros. I came here once and they were not available to get the churros. I had to come back since I saw her making them fresh. She made them fresh and I took them to go since they are always busy! So delicious maybe I'll try another flavor from the original next time.

My first time visiting this cafe. The only thing I got was churros. They weren't horrible 3/5 rating. The staff was super rude to me and my group. And for that reason I won't ever revisit this cafe and will not recommend.

Cute coffee spot in Durham near Duke. Small parking lot and they are still not open for indoor seating but have patio seating available. This is the location that have the infamous churros! We ordered the box of 20 that had all 4 flavor options (cinnamon, cardamom, orange, lavender-lemon). Highly recommend you do this if you've got people to share (or not hah) with at home! I also ordered their mocha latte with oat milk- so so delicious. The chocolate is decadent. I will definitely be back when I'm in the area!

Note: 1) been here once 2) went during finals time 3) they have takeout and pickup Pros: 1) good service (+1.5) 2) good coffee and hot chocolate (+2) 3) unique options (+0.5) 4) many tables, even outside(+0.5) 5) you can see them making the coffee grounds Cons: 1) not many outlets 2) need to wait for the bathroom key Total: 4.5/5 My friend had been going here for a while since he is a lover of coffee shops. He recommended this place to me for its hot chocolates and coffee. They have a pretty diverse variety of options. Most of them are not normally found in other coffee shops which really sets this one apart. On the day that we went, the place was pretty packed. There were a lot of people in the shop studying for their exams or working on their projects. As a result, we did not have much of a choice in picking a good spot next to an outlet so my friend can finish his project. We managed to get a table in the middle. The best part is that there are plenty of tables to sit at so not having a place to sit was not much of a concern. If you do not mind sitting next to strangers, then there are even more spots for you to sit at. Walking into the line, there are rules for how you wait and where you wait. You have to be called to the cash register to order while the next customer waits behind a dotted line. It was a unique system. Once I got to the cash register, I looked at the menu for a bit. There were so many choices to choose from. The beverage that I chose was a Mexican hot chocolate, as recommended by my friend. I chose the regular whole milk, but there were plenty of different milks to choose from. After ordering, I went to sit back down at my table. Once the order was done, they call your number and you go and pick up the order. I got my hot chocolate in a cute little mug. It looked so good. It tasted pretty good, too. It was a nice change from the usual hot chocolate that I would get at these places. There were a mix of spices and other things in it that made it different. It was an interesting taste. There were some other interesting things as well here. You can see the room that they use to make and store coffee grounds. You could see the people moving the packed coffee grounds between the kitchen and the room. It was an interesting sight to see. Another interesting thing was the bathroom system. There was one key to use for the bathroom, and you had to wait for it. I don't normally see that, but it could be that the place is in a bad neighborhood. I think this place is a good place for coffee shop lovers and hot chocolate lovers to go try. It has a lot of unique flavors and tastes that you would not normally find elsewhere. I do recommend going here to try it out sometime.

Some of the best coffee in the triangle area. A great place to come and do work, study, or just spend time with friends. The churros are excellent! Some of the best I've ever had.

This location of Cocoa Cinnamon is my favorite! Love the churros so much and the many sugar flavors they offer! Today I got an iced latte with caramel and some cinnamon sugar churros. They were excellent! The weather was perfect for enjoying the outdoor seating. Worth noting, currently masks are required and indoor dining is not available. Still worth the trip and weather permitting a wonderful outdoor space to enjoy!

Beautiful spot from the natural light to the murals and bright community style tables. My kids loved watching the hot churros come out of the fryer and get dusted. The ice cream churro sandwich with rainbow sprinkles was so legit. Despite a 25 min wait, it was a great spot on a rainy day. It's cool that each store has its own vibe. A mother daughter duo was cross stitching over sipping chocolate. Great spot to meet a friend and treat yourself

What a gem of a find! Sure, the place isn't super fancy or anything, but they have good quality items! Definitely go for the 4 churros and try one of each - even though the harvest was my favorite. The little spice of the cayenne just counteracted the sweetness so nicely! It's a great place to get work done, have a snack or have a cup of coffee...or even all three. The drinking chocolate was magical and perfect to dip into the churro (I hope that was allowed). Go and enjoy a churro snack here. You're welcome.

We went here with the expectation that the coffee would be fresh and that the service would be friendly. We got the latter but sorely missed rhetorical former. We were served warm old coffee and when asked, the young lady said "we are not brewing any more coffee for the day". Wow the owners must have asked the staff to ensure they sell coffee till it gets stale. The coffee was unfortunately not as good as you'd expect from a so-called iconic local coffee shop. Perhaps they had a bad day but we will definitely keep looking for other options.

I will definitely be returning to this coffee shop. The customer service was excellent. There is plenty of seating. There is also outside seating for when the weather is warmer. I had a matcha latte which was pretty tasty. While there, I saw the churros and they looked like something I need in my life. Definitely trying those next.

I love Cocoa Cinnamon and can't recommend it enough. The coffee and churros are amazing, and the atmosphere is perfect for doing work, reading a book, or meeting up with friends. Pen, one of the baristas, has made an effort to remember my name and coffee order and is always so friendly! If you're ever in the area or live near by, Cocoa Cinnamon is a must! It has become one of my favorites since I've moved to the area.

Love this spot. Good people, good drinks, quality selection of pastries (not made in house, but still good) some of their drink specials sound great, but I usually stick to cold brew which is the best I've had in the city.

Dingy location. OK service. Coffee could be fresher. Original location is superior. I'll try it again on my next trip to Chapel Hill/Durham.

I LOVE Cocoa Cinnamon and I love this location! The churros make the building smell amazing, and their coffee makes me fall in love every single time. I love this location for their big tables. They have lots of seating, and it is the perfect studying spot. 10/10

I spent a few hours here and enjoyed it. Both the food and staff are wonderful. I had a Moka and a cinnamon churro- both very tasty. The only drawback is the seating is a bit strange- long shared tables. However overall I would say this is a great place to visit if you are craving something chocolate or sweet.

It's not every day you find a cafe that also serves hot, crisp, made-to-order churros, so when a friend recommended Cocoa Cinnamon, I knew where I'd be taking my next snack break. As soon as that warm paper bag landed in my hands, it was game over for those churros. The fresh, fried fritters were inhaled in a matter of minutes, with only the slightest trace of cinnamon sugar dust on my lips as evidence of the perpetr-eater. ;) If Cocoa Cinnamon isn't already on your regular list of rotating coffee shops, add it to the top because you'll be a repeat customer after trying out their amazing churros!

My favorite of the three locations. Plenty of seating inside, some seating outside, and most importantly a large amount of parking spaces in a private lot. I'll say for the other two spots, geer st and hills borough rd, they have their charm but the parking is limited. Get there early or just try your luck, if they're all taken try one of the two other. The three locations are all fairly close to one another. All of that aside, the staff at all locations are always pleasant, the drinks are spot on, and the churros at the chapel hill rd location are very tasty. I recommend the Dr. Durham latte.

What a fantastic place. Lovely people, delicious drinks including chocolate in a number of forms. And churros, cooked when you order and delicious! Don't let the coffee warehouse vibe turn you off, highly recommend! You can also buy their recently roasted coffee beans (check the date on the bottom) with some of the most complete tasting notes I've seen on a bag of coffee!

The churros are OUTSTANDING!! I got an iced coffee that was great too. I recommend a stop by this coffee shop.