Salt & Cocoa is a delightful mom-and-pop shop in Durham that offers a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. They specialize in delicious taiyakis, coffee, boba and other drinks! The combination of crispy, golden fish-shaped pastries filled with sweet fillings is absolutely fantastic. I especially love
the blueberry and cream cheese taiyaki. Their boba is also great. The owners are friendly and passionate about their craft, making every visit a special experience. ☺️
Krista Copeland
Feb 15, 2025
5
What an amazing place. Warm, embracing atmosphere. Family owned, and you can tell they genuinely care about their customers and their product. The ice cream was delicious, as well as the fish waffles. I loved this experience so much, I wish I could give them more than 5 stars.
Paisley Hatfield
Feb 14, 2025
5
a hidden gem! this place has the best ice cream, sweetest staff, delicious tea, and wonderful taiyaki (made to order fish shaped waffle with various fillings). the peach ice cream is delicious and try the blueberry cream cheese taiyaki!
Quentin Spikes
Feb 14, 2025
5
We drive out of our way to come here! The taiyaki is FANTASTIC, eat I have ever had. It's always so perfectly warm and flavorful! The rolled ice cream is fantastic, a d the drinks are even better. Every time I come here I leave very happy. The staff is also so super friendly! You NEED to try this place!!
Pauline and Patrick
Jan 21, 2025
5
Amazing rolled ice cream and taiyaki! I daydream about their Oreo Cream Cheese taiyaki and wish I ordered 8 more after I leave. Plus, their hot chocolate is a 11/10. This place is a lovely hidden gem and the owners are so sweet & kind!
Katie Whitley
Nov 20, 2024
5
This place is perfect! The service. The food. The price! Clean! Totally recommend! Took my partner here for his first rolled ice cream experience and now he is hooked! Get a custard taitaki! You won't regret it!
Havi
Oct 13, 2024
5
This has become my favorite ice cream spot in the area. The options are great, the rolled ice cream is delicious, the drinks whether milkshakes, milk tea, boba it's all good. And the people working there are super nice.
LA BINKITA
Oct 8, 2024
5
love this place, been a few times and only had good experiences. their homemade syrups are delicious (i like the chocolate the best). i got the coffee rolled ice cream this time but loved the espresso and matcha when i’ve come before. it’s always so clean and happy here :)
Kayla Schilke
Jul 6, 2024
5
Such a good experience.
My toddler loved seeing the ice cream get rolled. And it was big enough for 3 people to share.
Great customer service and atmosphere.
Robert Dixey
Jun 23, 2024
5
Overall Rating: 5.3/10
This quaint venue offers a cozy atmosphere where customers can watch their rolled ice cream being made, adding a transparent and engaging touch to the dining experience. However, some aspects of service and product execution require improvement.
Atmosphere: 5.9/10
The small setup contributes to a cozy, intimate feeling that makes the ice cream making process a focal point of the visit. Watching the creation of each order adds a unique, interactive element to the experience, enhancing the overall environment.
Service: 5.1/10
Staff were courteous and communicative, especially during busy periods, ensuring customers were aware of delays. This proactive communication helped manage expectations, though the clarity of the walk-in menu could be enhanced to better represent their offerings, aligning it more closely with the clearer website.
Food:
Mango Rolled Ice Cream: 5.5/10
While the ice cream was fundamentally good, its presentation lacked thematic cohesion. Toppings like Oreos and Pocky sticks did not complement the mango flavor, detracting from the overall appeal. A focus on toppings that resonate with mango's cultural or flavor profiles would potentially elevate this dish.
Taiyaki: 5.3/10
Made on the spot, the Taiyaki offered various fillings that provided diverse tastes, though the execution was not without flaws. The custard filling was notably bland and contributed to the sogginess of the waffle, which could benefit from a richer or more flavorful custard to improve both taste and texture.
Boba Milk Tea: 4.4/10
The Thai Milk Tea suffered from an imbalance, being too heavy on the tea flavor and packed with excessive ice, which impeded enjoyment of the boba. These were often stuck under the ice, leading to waste. Enhancing the size of the drink or better balancing the ice content could improve both value and consumption experience.
Alexander Milovidov
Jun 8, 2024
5
Amazing ice cream shop! Great ice cream roll recipes, beautiful espresso drinks.
Everything is made from scratch. Ice cream is made from cream mixed with real fruit and berries in front of you.
Amazing attention to detail! Matcha for the Matcha ice cream rolls is made with matcha tea whisked with a bamboo whisk!
Will definitely come again!
