Cocoa Cinnamon

The location is nice with both indoor and outdoor seating. The staff were really nice and friendly. The menu is rather extensive and offered a wide selection of drinks. The drinks themselves however weren’t very memorable. They weren’t bad by any means but just not worth the prices.

Great drinks and ambiance! I think I just found many of the chocolate drinks to be much too sweet for me, although next time I plan to have more of their coffee focused drinks! Definitely recommend.

I love cocoa cinnamon, it’s quickly become one of my favorite coffee stops in durham. good service, fast and good coffee, and delicious snacks from ninth st bakery available along with a full list of ingredients - my favorite is the gluten free m&m monster cookie. indoor and outdoor seating available. it can be a little uncomfortable sometimes when the homeless approach or stare but is otherwise a lovely place to hang out and chat or work.

Love this place, I’ve had two of their hot chocolate flavors (on repeat for days) and they are so so good 🤤 Its a super cool place to work from, love the outdoor sitting and the sunlight it gets, their team is also super sweet.

This is one of the best coffee shops I've been to in my life and it's usually my first and last stop in Durham. The ethos of the coffee shop are wonderful. Their social justice perspectives are woven through and fantastic. The coffee and espresso are delicious -- the Al Mokha and Amuleto are my favorites. Finally, the people. The team here is diverse, warm, and so friendly. I just worked with someone named Jocelyn. She was so kind and warm. Coffee shops like Cocoa Cinnamon are gems and treasures.

Review Title: Update as of 11/15 So warm drinks, but chilly vibes I wanted to update my review to reflect the response and immediate attention to my specific experience. Thank you I visited Cocoa Cinnamon in Durham around 6:55 PM for a casual date. Unbeknownst to me, I arrived just before closing. Once I realized, I asked if I could still order — I was told yes, but they only had hot dark chocolate left. Great! I asked for whipped cream and paid without issue. My friend arrived about three minutes later. While waiting for our drinks, I asked to use the restroom. The sign on the door said it was for paying customers and to ask an employee for the key. I had just made a purchase, but was told no. I asked again, explaining I genuinely needed to go, but was told “we’re not allowed to have customers after we close,” even though my drinks were still being prepared. I understand closing policies, but this felt inconsistent and lacking in empathy. If customers are still being served, they should be allowed to use basic amenities. I had to walk two blocks to find a bathroom, which was uncomfortable and frustrating. As you can imagine, I didn’t enjoy the hot chocolate after that experience. I appreciate your attention and hope this helps improve future experiences. So yeah, warm drinks, chilly vibes

Amazing little coffee shop with plenty of unique non-coffee drinks too! Extensive hot cocoa + tea latte collection. Strong coffee variety. Very impressive menu. Some pastry options. Adorable pottery for mugs, bit of a cozy rustic feel. Dark hot cocoa was a bit watery. The whipped cream + Carmel sauce was a must. Would be enthused to explore other drink varieties. Several tables in the back with outlets / wifi for remote/laptop working. Also a good place to read a book. Lively, but not packed, on a Sunday late-afternoon.

Had a great experience this morning grabbing coffee and pastry and then working from this location! I got there around 8:50am on a Friday and there were plenty of seats but by about 9:30am the place filled up with other working professionals/students. I had Dr. Durham latte and a morning bun (puff pastry covered with cinnamon sugar). Loved both. I'll ask for my Dr. Durham extra hot next time :) The place has an awesome vibe. Loved the board with community events. Staff is friendly. Good selection of coffee and pastries. Wifi was fast. I'll be back to chill and/or work from here in the future, might be my new favorite coffee shop spot!

One last time for the vibes Churros came out HOT. Pairs perfectly with the ice cream. Cold brew be sour tho

I got the DURM Fog half sweetened, and it was great! The line was quite short on a Sunday afternoon and the wait for my drink was quick. The cafe has a good amount of tables and seats indoors for people to sit and chat or to do work. There is also outdoor seating. The decor is very cute!

Another great Cocoa Cinnamon location! Tried the Amuletto hot, basically a vanilla bean latte, and it was classically delightful. Space is definitely more limited compared to the Chapel Hill Rd location, but comparable to Hillsborough. A good amount of free parking is available, which is nice. Service is great. 9/10 would recommend!

Really loved it. It was my first time and I ordered a Rum Cake that was delicious! And Granada Dark Chocolate with spice Cacao Canela Yum! The place is cute with outdoors and in doors seating. Kind and friendly staff

Best coffee shop in Durham! I've tried a significant part of the coffee menu at this point and the most unique drinks I've seen. The dark chocolate hot chocolate is rich without being too sweet. I love the community feel and the variety of options. Space is small and limited but in a perfect location to grab a drink and walk around the city. Staff is always incredibly friendly!

Servers literally did not care at all. Didn't even come to the register while taking our order, just cleaning. The matcha is ok but the barista barely whisked it so there were chunks of powder. Asked for vanilla syrup, charged for it, and there was none in there. DURM "tea" latte is just milk and seemed really annoyed when we asked if there was even any tea in it. Clearly they only cared about closing the shop early because we came in about an hour before they close.

What a cool coffee spot right in downtown Durham! Very pretty inside and outside, loved the vibe. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating area, we went here on a Saturday morning and the place was busy, lots of people hanging out. Service was quick though. I absolutely loved the variety of signature drinks. Tried Dr Durham which is a latte with their house vanilla bean syrup, maca root, ginger and black lava salt topping and I was thoroughly impressed -- just subtly sweet with just a hint of those spices, creamy, frothy, just YUM. Great coffee. Definitely will be back soon!

Cool local coffee spot in downtown. The area around this place is being built up so I'm sure they will be getting to a more business in the near future. There is some nice outdoor seating that's shaded, inside you can either sit at tables or enjoy some window seating while hanging out. The staff is friendly and the service was relatively quick. Ok so as far as the coffee... I ordered the Dr. Durham, it was decent. I was expecting something with more kick, either on the caffeine side or the sweet side. I must admit the overall flavor was muted. I would come back and try something else.

Omgawwdddd!! The best churros ever!!! I live in Southern California and I was visiting my daughter in Durham. She took me to Cocoa Cinnamon on our way to the airport for my return flight home. Omgawwdddd!! The churros and Macha Latte were amazing!!!

Coffee is always perfectly balanced and tasty. Quality roast, friendly baristas and staff, and tasty treats! One of my happy places.

I loved the Dr. Durham. I've had it so many times over the years. Way back during my first few visits, I got it with soy milk, but for the past few visits, I get oatmilk as soy is no longer offered. And I usually love it with oatmilk! It used to be my absolute fave latte. Probably the first latte I ever had anywhere! Unfortunately, the quality has gone way down. On my most recent visit, there was almost no black salt. I barely tasted ginger or espresso, for that matter. My drink was also so cloyingly sweet! I will not be back. There are way better coffee options downtown now. It's a shame because I have sent many people to Cocoa over the years to order the Dr. Durham.

They have redone the interior here with better seating and a more clear flow from entry to service counter. Loads of merchandise added as well. Same great quality, both in product and service. Thanks, friends!

Stumbled upon this coffee shop by accident, but was thoroughly impressed! It's a really small spot (lots of covered outdoor seating) with an ordering counter and some shelves of local goods for purchase. They have some standard coffee items, some speciality lattes, and some gourmet hot chocolates. These are not your standard hot chocolates! It tastes like drinking a dark chocolate bar. Serious quality here. I got one of the signature lattes over ice, but also am a huge fan of a cortado (Cuban coffee), and since I'm excessive I decided to get that as well. The latte was great, very natural vanilla flavor. The cortado Cubano was over the top amazing. Such rich flavor, perfect execution. I really like the uniqueness of this coffee shop, and I would definitely return. Very convenient parking.

Every time I visited Duke I went to Cocoa cinnamon. The waiting time becomes longer but the drink quality dropped and does not worth the waiting time. In the past I have ordered Al Mohka , Leo, and Dr.Durham, and was not disappointed. But my most recent visit makes me want to take it off my list My most recent visit was on a Saturday morning, and I was in line 8:30 am but got my drink 9:10 am. I cannot taste the ginger in Dr. Durham, and the coffee is sweet. What makes it even worse is because I wasn't expecting the long wait (the line was not long but they are apparently lack of people so they stopped taking orders and just go to make drinks occasionally), I no longer have time to enjoy my drink... After a couple sips, I have to leave them aside and then they taste worse when it becomes room temperature. Overall, there are other coffee shops with the same quality beverage and does not have such a long waiting time.

So I found my new favorite coffee here! The cortado was to die for! The best coffee drink I've ever had imo. Service was quick and polite and didn't rush which I love when it's my first time somewhere! So thank you just a cool little coffee shop I highly suggest you visit when in town! Or heck even if it's a couple minutes out of the way you won't regret it.

It's a hip, crunchy, young person's coffee shop. Personally, I prefer Jetplane Coffee for the $4-5 price tag - which is nearby and reeeeally damn good! Seriously, do a lil Durham coffee tour and try both places for yourself. I look forward to hearing others' highly caffeinated opinions. But Cocoa Cinnamon's location is convenient to the Durham farmers market on Saturdays, they have a bathroom, and a proper parking lot... so yeah, get coffee at both. Start at Jetplane.

If I could give zero starts I would. Usually the person at the cashier is friendly and happy. Today I had the worst experience here. Cashier didn't even say hello or anything!! I still had high hopes after reading reviews about the drinks here. I ordered an iced matcha and an iced chai, both were PURE milk and no flavoring. I would suggest not coming here if you expect flavorful drinks. Now the coffee on the other hand is way better! Parking is very limited on the weekends and the ambiance is OK. The seating is a bit tight and usually people there doing work. They have a nice outdoor seating area which was perfect for the weather.

Easily my favorite coffee spot in town. Don't plan to eat here because they often run out of baked goods, but the coffee can't be beat. I've never had a bad customer service experience at Coco cinnamon and I have been many times. The Dr. Durham is my favorite, it has a complexity that I love and the salt addition takes it to another level. Hot or iced the Dr. Durham is wonderful. My friends who like a sweeter coffee always go for the Al mokha with the hose made chocolate sauce. The outside seating is so nice when the weather is good and the parking is easy for order ahead and pick up on the way to work... I've done this more than I care to admit.

I had the Dr. Durham and it was tasty. The flavors were bold and you can tell a lot of thought went into it. It had a hint of ginger and was a great drink to have on a cold, rainy day. I will admit at the prices of the drinks here are super high though. I love these boutique coffee shops but its exhausting on my pockets to pay $7 for a drink. This is definitely a place coffee lovers should try, but I wouldnt come too often if you have a budget.

As granola and crunchy of a coffee shop that you can find. The coffee is pretty good, but I'm confused by some off the business practices. I'm not opposed to tipping, but they default to 20% tips automatically. There's no option to tip less than that. If we really want to look out for the employees, pay them a living wage. Secondly, they still require masks to order and had no indoor seating. I'm not opposed to masks. I know they work. I'm triple vaccinated. But at some point, we have to accept risk. Multiple people in line came in to grab a napkin, and or use the bathroom, and to have to put on a mask for something simple like this seems a little over the top, even for me. There's too many good coffee shops to justify spending this much on just above average coffee with weird business practices. I'll stress this again. They have every right to enforce their own mask mandate. They are a private business.

We came here for some coffee, and it had a unique atmosphere but not great seating. Isabel got the Amuleto and finds it good, but thinks it's best iced. I got a seasonal drink called the Bebelplatz, it was pretty bad but I'd come back to try something else. Travis' Rating Taste - 2 Quality - 2.5 Ambiance - 2 Overall - 2.5 Isabel's Rating Taste - 4 Quality - 4 Ambiance - 3 Overall - 3

The most delicious mochas and lattes Pricey but worth it! Geer St location has nice outdoor seating

Cocoa Cinnamon is a popular coffee spot so be prepared to wait. It was a chai for me and the al mokha plus a bag of coffee beans for my husband. Both of our drinks were great.

This is such a cute coffee shop! My friend and I sat outside at the colorful tables. They have lots of outdoor seating and that is all that is currently offered. I got the Carmelo latte (12 oz) and my friend got a tea.

Just stopped by for the first time and was impressed by the large selection of bagged whole coffee beans. So many flavors it was hard to choose what to get. Ended up trying the Full Moon latte and I'm so glad I did. It was delicious, sweet but clearly made with high quality beans. Will definitely be back for hot coffee and bagged beans. Bonus they also have a small pastry case. At the end of the day they still had a few cookies, assorted pastries and vegan oat balls from ninth street bakery.

One of the highlights of my trip to Durham. This place has some of the most decadent coffee and teas I've ever had. Staff is friendly and ready to answer your questions.

I had the Dr Durham and it was very good! Loved the location. Service was excellent. I will definitely be back!

This place is such a cute little vibe. I had gotten my nails done down the street and though I'd treat myself to a coffee. It's a little pricey, I mean compared to my usual Starbucks order, it was $7 I believe and I left a tip because the service was nice. I believe I ordered a caramello with oat milk, so $7 might be priced right! What do I know? Any who, the vibe was cute, very chill and nice decor. Most customers were working on their laptops or outside chatting with friends. The only thing I wish was that the had a sign with the wifi, they might have and I just missed it. Definitely enjoyed it here and will be back again to try something new!

Absolute horrible service. Ordered 3 hot chocolate and churros3. They only brought 2, we asked about the 3rd and the employee left. 12 minutes later, I had to ask about the 3rd hot chocolate again. I watched as they finished and started other drinks before making mine. This is why I HATE TIPPING when you order, you give people permission to give horrible customer service with bad attitudes, and they still keep your money. I would recommend drinking out of a toilet before wasting your money here.

Great tasting coffee and horchata. Ordered to-go, baristas were kind. Cute outdoor seating area.

I was SO appreciative to get a really good cup of tea here, I got the sencha green tea brewed perfectly for me here at the Gear St. CocoCinnamon location. Not sure if I got lucky with good staff, but I will definately be back . (As a tea person, I am used to bad tea experiences at cafes since most places are only focused on the coffee quality, often the problem is weak tea from water not hot enough or loose leaf in too much water ratio etc. Jeddah's used to be the only place I would happily pay for an excellent cup of tea. rip) I was so happy my barista gave my cup of tea the attention to do it right. Very greatful. Thank you :)

Unique setting, cool building, and really nice outdoor seating area. Unfortunately, our coffee (chai and maple moon latte) was pretty underwhelming and pale in comparison to Jetplane Coffee. If you're only in town for a short time, put this on the "if we have time" rather than "must stop there" list.

We are all entitled to our own opinion, right? Well here is mines: Parking: 4 Location: 5 Ambiance & Décor: 5 Customer Service: 4 I don't even drink coffee... AND I LOVED IT! The entire experience was awesome. Cocoa Cinnamon is something different from the normal Starbucks experience. If your looking for something warm to drink and your in the Durham area, check this spot out. It looks crazy on the outside and inside but it all adds up to its uniqueness lol. It looks like an old gas station thats been renovated to hold a coffee shop. Its LOTS of seating. They have chairs everywhere... may have even been chairs in the bathroom... I should have checked. Anyways, I grabbed the Dr. Durham and a cherry cheese pastry and MAN OH MAN! My tummy is in love right now!!! The service wasn't bad as the lady taking the orders was friendly. Again, this is a place you just have to experience on your own. Its really neat!

Excellent latte. Nice environment, good selection of pastries and apparel. They serve drinking chocolate which is certainly unique in Durham. Outdoor space is super vibey

Okay, this coffee shop takes the cake for the most creative menu ever! I've only visited once so cannot leave a super detailed review on different drinks/varieties, but I was SO impressed/intrigued by their artistic drinks and combinations. I ended up here because my friend raved about it being her favorite coffee shop (she lives in the area) I ordered the "bears play bassoons at night to the stars" (yes, that is the name of the drink) which was a dulce de leche and sweet anise syrup latte. Super yummy without being overly sweet!

This is a great coffee shop with a cool vibe as it is in an old garage. The staff are nice and the coffee is always good. Be aware that there is limited indoor seating but ample outdoor seating. They have a good size menu of drinks and usually a few baked goods. Note that 20% gratuity is automatically added to all orders not placed through the mobile app.

Yes, yes, yes. Just go! While this place may overdo it on the "hipster vibes" a bit, the coffee is extremely unique and good! I hate chains that crank out the same pumpkin spice, peppermint, lavender, blueberry, basic rotation rotation every season. This place takes the cake for originality, flavor combination, and service! It can be just a tad slow if a line forms, small price to pay for the quality and TLC they put into each cup. Come here if you actually want to savor your coffee/chocolate experience. Perhaps bring your MAC and work on that yoga class you've been meaning to put together in 2020. Definitely a staple of downtown Durham with lots of cozy charm.

Straight in the middle. Service was quick and polite, setup was charming, and drinks were just fine. I'd certainly go back if I was in the area and needed something in a pinch, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it. The outdoor seating at this particular location did provide some much needed shade on an especially hot day.

This place is a gem and an absolute standby but for the love of god, please fix (or replace) the toaster, which has been broken for months. Without it, because of the way they're stored, the croissants are almost inedible, like rubber pucks. In summation, please get a new toaster.

I love their coffee here, it's not cheap but the quality is really good. It's also not very quick to make your coffee drink so I wouldn't come if your in a rush. It's more of a place to enjoy your coffee there sitting inside or outside, there's tons of cute outdoor tables. I've had a few drinks there that I like but the iced lattes are my favorite, they make any of their lattes in an iced version. It's not the best location as sometimes (witnessed 3x) people walking by stop and ask you for money. These poor girls gave away snacks they had just boughten because a homeless man was pressuring them. I guess there's not much that the business can do about it.

We liked the Matcha latte and ice cream w/ Churro we had on the last visit many months ago. We didn't return because this rather abrupt blah server took it upon herself to add a $3.50 tip which we only noticed once we left. That has never happened in any establishment in my life. My daughter did want to return recently and I was skeptical, but like some of the reviewers said the quality of some items & the experience turned out to be subpar. The Iced Chai Latte was one of the blandest ones I ever had from any coffee bar. I only tasted the milk and politely asked if I could have a little more of the Chai spice. The more senior person there obliged kindly. Unfortunately, it did little to bring it to a full bodied taste. I didn't want to bother them so I just tried to improve on it w/ cinnamon & cocoa powder & some honey-like liquid at the station. My daughter had to add sweetener to her Matcha which she said had zero honey in it & she mistakenly only located granulated sugar & that left her sipping crunch granules. Then the ice cream & churro was totally downsized from the normal sized portion we had had before . The scoop was like a rounded tablespoon full and the churro was skinny?! & unremarkable. It was served on a large oval platter unlike the tall Cup we had before... It looked lost on the large plate. Before we even took it away to our table , puzzled, I asked if we could have a standard scoop of ice cream. I think it was the same woman who added her own tip in the last time & w/ devil may care attitude said, No, that is how we serve it. I said well it was an actual scoop when we were here last with .....she said , we don't do that anymore. Maybe I'd try the Hillsborough location, but we are not rushing to have to feel awkward and struggle to get what made us want to return in the first place.

Been here several times. Speciality coffee / seasonal drinks are always on point. The only real con here is that I always feel like I need more coffee two hours later. It's not the strongest coffee but definitely worth stopping by and grabbing a drink.

The coffee should drip, not the condescension. 1. Very simply, they're racist. I've personally witnessed multiple counts of subtle and, often, overt racist behavior towards brown people. 2. The coffee is bad. So, like, what's the point? 3. Mandatory 'gratuity' for snarky, bad, and agonizingly slow service. On the other hand, it's a great location, and so I hope (against hope) that they go out of business and another organization takes over.

Relax outside and enjoy the AWESOME drinks. Want an authentic Belgium chocolate used in your hot chocolate? This is your place. Want to choose the chocolate potency? This is your place. Want a particular coffee? This is your place. Order your speciality drink and grab a snack. Heads up: The inside ambiance at the Durham location is hobo with recycled furniture, so if you're a clean freak looking for a modern decor, this isn't the place for you. But, you can always grab your drink to go.

This is hands down the best coffee shop in Durham! Not only does it have great coffee, but it's over all a great local business that I'm so happy to be supporting. The coffee menu has your typical fare- lattes, iced coffee, espresso. However, they also have some equally unique and tasty drinks like their shipping chocolates. My usual go to is their iced coffee, and I find that the coffee is always high quality. It never tastes bitter or watered down! In addition to coffee, this location sells pastries from local bakeries. The selection is always good and they even have a section of discounted pastries from the day before. This location has a small parking lot, including a few spots reserved for coffee pick up. The shop itself is small, but they have definitely optimized the seating with sofas, chairs, and tables. Heads up-this is a place where it's likely you'll be sharing a table with strangers. The vibe is quaint and cozy. It's the perfect place to sit and relax for a little bit or work on the free wifi!

Liked it so nice I had to come twice...WITHIN 5 HOURS! My wife and I just had a quick overnight trip in Durham and fell in love with this coffee shop! What used to be a CrossFit gym, when we were last visiting Durham, has been transformed into a brilliantly creative and vibrant coffee shop featuring drinks as robust and complex as their names and descriptions! I enjoyed the lava salt topped Dr. Durham while my wife preferred the classic Cuban inspired Corditio! We stopped in early afternoon and immediately knew we'd come back for coffee and dessert later that evening after enjoying a great dinner at Geer Street Garden across the street! If you're passing through, stop by here! If you live in Durham (or near their other locations) and haven't tried them out...get with it! Lol!

Super chill vibes, great cold brew iced coffee (I tried a spiced version), free wifi, and open to the air with a good breeze that runs through? Done deal. Not too much else to say, I've had their Mochas, Cappuccinos, and cold brew, and all are done well. Pros: Ambiance Coffee Free Wifi Seating Cons: Can get rather expensive, but c'mon what did you expect

Great place to stop by for a drink and get some work done! The place itself isn't huge and most of the seating is on sofas, and there's only one real large table. Be prepared to sit with strangers! The parking lot also isn't huge so you may need to pay for street parking nearby. The wifi was great while I was there but there was a sign that said it gets turned off at 5pm on Fridays and Saturdays. I had the durm fog as well as a butter croissant, and both were great. The croissant was very large and flaky and I enjoyed the durm fog. Both were at about typical coffee shop prices. Would come back again for the environment and drinks!

The best coffee I've had in Durham, by a long shot. I swung by Cocoa Cinnamon for a study session and tried their maple pecan latte off the fall drink menu. It was a bit on the sweet side, but the flavor of Little Waves espresso never disappoints. I only wish they'd made it in sizes bigger than 12oz!!