Order Cocoa Cinnamon’s Little Waves Coffee beans here.
Even before you enter Cocoa Cinnamon, the painted greeting above the door offers a cheery welcome: “HOLA!” This churrería, café, and roastery in Durham’s Lakewood neighborhood is an outpost of the coffee shop founded in 2013 by husband-and-wife team Leon and Areli Barrera de Grodski. When dreaming up this location, they were inspired by Areli’s childhood — she lived in Tijuana, Mexico, until she was 6 — and by trips to Mexico and Spain.
And in an area that’s long been home to a Latino community but is now rapidly changing, Areli and Leon wanted the café to be comfortable and welcoming to all: Mexican oilcloths cover the tables and paper stars hang from the ceiling; there’s always a Spanish-speaking employee working; and, in addition to coffee, they offer fresh churros all day. “There’s a nostalgia to the churros — we’ve had older women come in and cry because of how much it means,” Leon says.
“I never forgot the feeling of belonging when being in Mexico,” Areli says. “It’s always nice to be reminded of home, to feel like you belong.”
Cocoa Cinnamon
2013 Chapel Hill Road
Durham, NC 27707
cocoacinnamon.com
Mark our words: Whether they nod to North Carolina or were penned by its residents, these notable, quotable passages remind us of the power of speech inspired by our state.
When one stream flows into another, the two chart a new course for the future — together.
When the weather outside is frightful, one chef serves loved ones dishes so delightful.
A historic Rose Bowl pitted Duke University against Oregon State in Durham. Then, in the dark days of World War II, those same football players — and a legendary coach — joined forces to fight for freedom.
