Absolutely loved this coffee shop!…read more It is unique in its aesthetic and I loved all the greenery. It's small inside, but every corner is carefully decorated. They use homemade syrups and that made a big difference. The mocha latte was delightful! Minimal communication with baristas, but overall they were nice. Definitely recommend this coffee shop if you're in the Durham area.

Small coffee shop tucked inside an office building with very limited seating. The space has a bit…read moreof greenery, which I liked, but service was cold and inattentive from both baristas. Ordered the Vietnamese-inspired coffee and it was a miss--watery, overly sweet, and undrinkable. I ended up throwing it out. Rough start to the morning.

For a truly unique experience of coffees, teas, and other beverages this is the place to visit…read more With three locations to choose from they're easy to find! And it all started way back when being sold from a bicycle that was converted to dispense coffee! My spouse had an Americano and I had the Amalgamation cold brew tea when I saw someone walk by with it. He said it was very tart, but I thought I'd try it anyway. It's Very Heavy on the hibiscus tea, which is all I could taste, in spite of lemongrass, peppermint, orange peel, and cacaco nibs being in it too. I had some honey added, but that wasn't enough to temper the tartness so added some sugar, which only had a little effect. It wasn't until I added some half and half that it became better. That's my taste buds. Anyone else's may be different, but with or without the cream, it's a very pretty drink. We brought the cinnamon roll home to have later, but it smells divine. BTW, I love the small tables. Colorful and very intricately painted.

Disappointing customer service. I wanted to buy a friend a gift certificate to Cocoa Cinnamon, and…read moreI was charged, but then I was told it would come in my email. That I would need a code. My mistake, I didn't leave with a physical gift certificate. I did receive an email with my receipt, but no GC. I went back to the shop on Hillsborough and I was told they couldn't help me, and gave me the manager's email. I've emailed twice and no response. Really disappointing.

It took me more than a year of coming here to write a review for Yonderlust, mostly because I'm…read moresurprised by how much this place grew on me. Yonderlust is more than just a coffee shop--it's one of those spaces where you can easily spend an entire afternoon without realizing how much time has passed. It's a fantastic study and work spot: a mix of table sizes, plenty of outlets, and a relatively quiet, calm environment that makes it easy to settle in. It has solid coffee: Drinks here are consistently pretty good. I usually go for their Campfire Latte (a signature for a reason) or whatever seasonal syrup they're featuring, and their matcha latte is reliable too. It has actual, warm food: simple but satisfying sandwiches with enough variety to make for a perfect study snack or light lunch. I am often disappointed when coffee shops only offer cold pastries. It has entertainment: I love taking a quick study break to browse the shop's outdoor gear and clothing; it honestly feels a little like being transported to the West Coast for a moment (give me some Oregan vibes!). Service has always been quick and friendly. I wouldn't say any single thing here is the best in Durham--but together, it is special! There are many days when I find myself craving a few cozy hours at Yonderlust, followed by a quick dessert next door at Rose's.

Bottom line: Pretty nice coffee shop cafe adjacent to/sharing space with an apparel shop. Crowded…read moreeven on a Sunday. Clean inviting atmosphere, I enjoyed my hot skim latte here. The Deets: I had brunch with some friends that live in Durham and after the meal, they directed me to stop into Yonderlust for a coffee beverage stop instead of having one at the restaurant. We stopped by and ducked into the cafe side...I say cafe side as 2/3 of the space there is an outfitters/apparel shop and the other part houses the coffee shop/cafe. The cafe side (as well as the apparel shop) is very nicely done inside, very appealing and clean. The coffee seating area was packed, it appears to be a great place to stop and sit/work a spell even on a Sunday. Ordering moved through fairly quickly and I put in my request for a hot skim latte to the very nice and positive person at the register. The wait was not long before my beverage was completed, and your beverage/name are both called out to pick up when it's ready. I did manage to find one lone chair to sit and drink my tasty beverage while my friends did some shopping in the apparel side. I enjoyed my latte, I'd most definitely stop in again when in the area.

I would like to share positive feedback regarding a recent trip to the Oak House. The customer…read moreservice is always top-notch, but today was especially great. I was helped by the nicest young man named Kolten, he was pleasant, and it's nice to see a smiling face when you order! I normally order the strawberry matcha, but today I tried raspberry matcha; this will be my new go-to drink!

The lavender latte at Oak House was delicious and perfectly sweetened. My friend got the vanilla…read morecold brew, and it was also delicious. Inside with plenty of seating and lots of choices for coffee and other drinks. Was great and the inside was great.

I was visiting family in Durham for thanksgiving, and when I said I wanted to go to a coffee shop…read moreduring the weekend, Cocoa Cinnamon was the top recommendation by our hosts! It was a great recommendation at that. I got the RWAAQ, which is a "A date latte with cardamom, cinnamon & roasted pecans topped w/ cinnamon dusted pecans." Very interesting and very yummy! I give Cocoa Cinnamon brownie points for having the coolest and most creative drinks. I wanted to give them all a try to see what the flavors were like! Also, if you come to this location, you must get the churros!! My family was saying that they were the best churros we've all ever had. They are perfectly fried and coated in sugar - yummmmm! The inside of Cocoa Cinnamon is very cute. The area around it seems like it could be a little iffy, but there wasn't much foot traffic in the morning, so it stayed pretty calm and quiet.

This cafe with churros and chocolate-based creations has a menu that offers about as much variety…read moreas one can within that limited ambit. A small order of churros is four, which is still a lot for one person. They come covered in flavor and sugar and dipping sauces are extra. I got a holiday-themed sugar coating with cinnamon and some other spices. It was nicely aromatic, and the churros were freshly made in plain sight. Ordering a drinking chocolate got me a fairly strong and straightforward beverage. I might have been better served adding some extra flavors for the chocolate or getting some dipping sauce for the churros might have been a good idea but would have been overkill for me on this occasion. The location has communal indoor seating which was quite crowded, as well as several outdoor tables in a suburban part of town.

I got an orange blossom matcha latte and I'd say it was decent. The orange blossom syrup was very…read moremild so I could taste it very well. The matcha wasn't very strong and a little overpowered with milk. I didn't try any of their coffees but they looked to be pretty good! I'd give it a 3/5 for the matcha because it was decent but I don't think I'd order it again. The space itself was really nice though and the staff was friendly.

I have come into Joe Van Gogh multiple times, and although I like their drinks, I don't love the…read moreambiance. The restaurant could do a better job at positioning their tables in the space to allow for more patrons to do work (and have access to outlets) without being in the way of those queuing in line for ordering. I have sat here and read a book before, and despite liking my drink, I did not love that I felt "in the way" of others. I also think the bathrooms could be a little more well maintained. However, I do enjoy both the matcha and coffee here, and think that this shop around the Triangle does coffee extremely well. The baristas are knowledgable and can provide insight into various menu options, and are also extremely kind. I will likely be back but just for a grab-and-go coffee.

A long-time favorite of mine here in Durham, particularly for anyone wanting a place to study. They…read morehave a ton of tables, free coffee refills, and lots of outlets. The lighting is good, the music is at an appropriate volume, and the seating is comfortable (particularly in the back room). During the weekends and on holidays they can be quite full (particularly during the school year), but generally speaking I can usually find a seat here. Baristas are friendly and competent. They are well-staffed, and even when there is a long line things come out quickly! There is also free parking available in the parking garage around the corner, which is certainly a bonus. My go-to here is simply an iced americano or coffee, but their seasonal drinks are also delicious. Can't recommend enough!

It's time for "second coffee" and my office for the morning, landing at Foster Street at around…read more8:30 am. Parking wasn't easy since I can't fit into a parking deck but a metered space opened up and I was able to jam into there. Warmly welcomed and my cortado was ready before I'd even finished plugging in the laptop. Strong coffee that had a deep flavor and I'd already had breakfast so I was able to resist the pastries. An hour in, another cup of drip was all I needed while I did the Internet thing. Foster Street is conducive to laptop but it did get a bit loud in there with the talking, the music and the sound of the espresso machine. But if you can handle all of that, it's ideal. I stayed about two hours this morning. [Review 943 of 2025 - 4346 in North Carolina - 24498 overall]

When I was on vacation with my family we stopped in here during a downpour for a quick coffee and…read moredesert! The people were very nice and friendly! I loved the way the cafe looked! It felt almost like if I were in a movie :))) Decor was absolutely stunning!

One of a few Cocoa Cinnamons in the Durham area but definitely a good local spot to work remotely…read moreat! It's usually fairly quiet inside so good if you're looking to read as well. Tons of outdoor seating during the warmer months and indoor seating for those cooler days. They have a large selection of drinks as well as locally roasted coffee beans to pick from. The staff is nice and happy to help.

We visited Aaktun on a Sunday morning for brunch. We had made a reservation the week prior and were…read moreseated right away. The inside of the restaurant is gorgeous and feels like a trendy spot in Mexico. They have a DJ playing music during brunch time. We were initially concerned it would be too loud and hard to talk over, but it was actually the perfect volume and only enhanced our experience. Food was excellent! We got a breakfast sandwich, loaded tater tots, and poke. All were very fresh and well made - especially the fish dish!

**Update 5/12/2026 - I made a reservation to take my mom to brunch on Sunday at 10:15. When we…read morearrived, the hostess said the reservation had been made for outside. I explained and showed her that I booked standard seating and she said that meant outside, which I thought was strange because I was very careful not to book either option that was clearly labeled outdoor. I told her that we wanted a table inside and she said "I have a table that has a reservation for 11:30, can you be done by then?" I laughed and said "sure" but thought to myself that would be up to them! She asked another hostess to seat us, and after we were seated, we waited about 15 minutes and watched staff walk by our table multiple times and no one came by. The original interactions had already put a bad taste in my mouth, so I called another restaurant downtown and asked how long the wait would be for two. They could seat us in the bar area right away, so we got up and left Aaktun to head there. The first two experiences that I had at Aaktun were great. I'm glad I got to try their food because I won't be back after Sunday's experience.

They have so many fun seasonal coffee drinks. I got their Creamsicle Latte and it was very tasty…read more Very friendly service, they didn't rush me to order (I was the only one in line so I wasn't blocking others). The interior is very modern and sleek, and it seems nice for hanging out/working from if you can get a seat. They're worth the price, and I look forward to visiting again!

I stopped by Narrative on a whim on a Saturday morning. It was pretty busy when I arrived, there…read morewere a few people ahead of me and most of the seats were taken. It's a very small place with a few tables and window seating with stools. They have an array of pastries, but by the time I arrived around 11:15 most were gone. I did get a croissant heated up and it was good. I ordered the Nutty X Nature Latte and by the time it was ready, I was able to get a seat. The latte was perfect. The service is great. It's a cool place to hang with friends or sit and enjoy a great cup of coffee.