Cocoa Black Chocolate Shop & Cafe in Scottish Borders

This iconic place is a compulsory stop for any visitor to Peebles. I had the passion fruit cheese cake, and it was probably the best cheese cake I’ve ever tasted. Perfect balance of textures, not too sweet, with a refreshingly slight tartness of perfect passion fruit. Delightful

After walking around Peebles we felt we needed a snack. We tried one cafe but it was cash only, which we didn't have, so moved on. We accidentally found this place. Gorgeous cake.... and the most amazing hot chocolate ever. A nice comfortable and airy cafe with the most devine cakes. Really worth a visit.

Exceptional cakes, spoils you for any other coffee and cake experience in Scotland. If only we live nearby.

Visited this establishment whilst staying in Peebles for a few days. Arrived at approx 12.30, only one other customer in the place (a warning sign ?). No one acknowledged us but eventually one of the two staff asked us what we would like. Ordered two cakes, a cappuccino and a double espresso. After a while a staff member called out to us to collect our order from the counter. I was surprised that ,at nearly £20 for a couple of cakes and two coffees, they could not bring it to our table. My partner said that her cake was delicious, but mine was disappointing. I chose a Black Forest gateaux slice (yes I know, very 70s !). The chocolate shavings on top were very good, the chocolate coating was too sugary and sticky. The cherry layer was excellent, sour with real cherries. The chocolate sponge however was poor, dense, heavy and tough. Either poorly made or very stale (made in the 70s for authenticity perhaps?) . The espresso coffee languishing in the bottom of a large cup was bitter and tasted cheap. The service throughout our visit was indifferent bordering on frosty. Disappointing, particularly considering the excellent service that we received from other independent establishments in Peebles during our stay.

There was a fantastic range of very tasty cakes and chocolate delights. Lattes very good too. Let down by poor table clearing - not just that we had to clear our own table but all the time we were there pots were left on tables for far too long after tables had been vacated. Spoils an otherwise impressive ambience.

First visit here. Everything looked delicious so popped in for coffee which was very nice. Smores cheesecake so light, mocha mousse cake very tasty. So much to choose from. We also bought little individual chocolates from the counter for a gift. Lovely little place would definitely come back.

My daughter invited me to this wonderful place. I love cakes and chocolate. It’s my addiction😀Cocoa Black Is like a Paradise to me. Great selection of cakes and delicious chocolates . Very tasty aromatic coffee. Scrumptious. I can highly recommend this place

Salted caramel heaven, always enjoy the cakes here staff super friendly too, cheesecakes are unreal too, highly recommend 5 stars ⭐️

Visited because of photos on Instagram. Bought 5 cakes, 1 being VEGAN. Appalled to find that the assistant packaged them all in 1 box, with vegan choice touching other cakes! I had to ask for cake to be swapped for another slice, and individual box. Being vegan also means you are dairy free. Some people can become really ill from consuming Dairy Products. Won't be back, disappointing. Cakes very sweet, based very hard, threw out more than was eaten.

Called in for tea and cake. Very impressed with the delicious looking range of cakes and amazing selection of teas and coffees Interesting that many were labelled low gluten, which when I enquired meant they were made with gluten free ingredients in a kitchen where gluten was around. Very much enjoyed my cake and tea.

A lovely place with lovely staff, clean and modern with amazing chocolate cakes and nibbles along with good coffee. If your a chocoholic and your in the area take visit.

This cafe has had some excellent reviews, including from family, so we had to visit. The cakes and chocs on display are truly amazing; worth going just to look at them. But the coffee we had was disappointing. Too thin for our taste (double shots), and not enough flavour. But we like our coffee.

We stopped here our last hours in Peebles! So good! Coffee & all kinda chocolate everything! My hubs & I both compromised on this dessert cake which was so good! A must stop if you’re in Peebles!

Pure chocolate decadence, of the highest quality, turned into masterful works of art. This shop has an amazing assortment of handmade pastries, boxed chocolates, several options for out of this world hot chocolate, teas and coffee; They even have vegan chocolate options. Modern decor with a spacious seating area, relaxed atmosphere, nicely presented display cases. The staff is friendly, and toilets are available to patrons. This is a must visit in Peebles. Great gift options for any occasion; you can’t go wrong with chocolate. This is the very best chocolate I’ve ever tasted; highly recommended!

Its very much a case of everything just looks so good. The coffee was excellent - and hot which isn't always the case when requesting extra hot. The Staff were young but really lovely a credit to the shop. Place was busy but it was worth waiting for.

Visited Cocoa Black and were extremely pleased. Amazing selection of cakes and chocolates. Unfortunately my wife and I were made extremely uncomfortable by the manager (old woman) and comments she made to us. In 2022 some of the things she said would get her so...

Brilliant chocolate shop and cafe with so much choice and goodies on offer. Only problem is deciding what to have. I had chocolate and orange bar with peel. Scrumptious Massively recommend

This place has a sparse interiour and puts all of its budget into its products. The sweets are astounding both in presentation and in flavour. I had a hot chocolate with my tartlet and it was neither too fatty not - what a rarity in...

Wow! Wow! and Wow again! This place is 300 miles from where I live but I usually travel to North East Scotland once a year and make a point of diverting here (and on the way back!!). The coffee and hot chocolate is amazing but...

My partner and I just attended a baking class here today, making summer patisseries and it was absolutely fantastic! I would highly recommend this. Everyone was so lovely, welcoming and helpful, and the cakes we made were AMAZING! We loved it. You also get the...

Wonderful selection of cakes and biscuits, they are a work of art to look at and absolutely delicious. Fantastic combinations of flavours.

Cocoa Black has a high profile and has been visited by many 'significant' people. And no wonder! It is a special place for chocolate lovers. The cakes were simply outstanding. We decided not to risk hot chocolate as well, for fear of outdoing ourselves!! But...

I recently bought a box of dark chocolate shards as a Xmas treat. I was expecting great things, but unfortunately it didn’t live up to expectations! The chocolate was so terribly stale, I ended up throwing the box in the bin even though the expiration...

A hot chocolate and a caramel slice were well deserved after finishing the Neidpath Railway Tunnel Walk. Very tasty!

This lovely little café is a favourite stop for our whole family. We make a point of visiting every time we are in Peebles. The café is attached to a chocolatier and patisserie school. It is the perfect place to visit after a nice walk...

Went and had a fantastic afternoon making chocolate bars at this amazing place. Learnt a lot about chocolate and how it reacts in cooking and had so much fun making 30 bars of chocolate. Initially bought this as a birthday gift after visiting the coffee...

I had been told by two friends how good this was so had to pop in for coffee and cake. Amazing range of cakes available. Biggest problem was deciding which one to have. Quite busy at 11.00 on a Saturday morning but enough seats to...

We dropped in here for a coffee and cake. There is a vast choice of cakes and, although some of the chocolate creations are over £4 they are worth it for the sheer quality of them. Will be ba+k!

Beautiful and very tasty cakes and drinks, lovely atmosphere and staff. And a great range in the shop - well worth a trip to Peebles for!

Wow 🤩 Cake city!! Very moreish for sure. They do great coffee and the only problem you’ll have is picking one cake!! 😂 They have toilets and a disabled toilet. Staff are lovely and cafe has a nice feel about it. Looking forward to returning...

Honestly the best chocolate eclair I have ever tasted. I cannot wait to go back. The choices were just to die for. I had to take home back for family. Superb.

Wonderful cakes and exquisite chocolates; look too good to eat! Lovely coffee and chocolate cake, excellent service. Highly recommend

Absolutely brilliant. The cakes are a must - it was difficult to choose being the only problem. The cafe is clean and the staff were very welcoming and friendly. Service was very efficient. Not overly cheap but quality always comes at a price and certainly...

Great place great food to much coffee froth but will come again smart clean and welcoming staff very friendly good space

A hidden gem! So many things to choose from- perfect for a chocolate lover. The milk hot chocolate was quite rich and I’m not sure I would get it again but everything else was superb. We even went back the next day to buy more...

We called in here before heading home after a few days in the area. We could not believe we had left this place til the last day the cakes & coffee were fantastic and the amount of choice meant you were spoilt for choice. Definitely...

You’d have to be absolutely mad not to love the food drink and atmosphere in this place, excellent for families, the children adored the amazing drinks and chocolates especially

Our first visit to beautiful Peebles . We stopped here for a tea and cake and couldn’t believe the wonderful choices for vegan cakes. The staff were lovely, place so clean and welcoming and cakes looked and tasted amazing! Will definitely go back so day.

Only in for coffee which was perfect, nice efficient, friendly staff. The cake selection was fabulous but we had a restaurant and hotel booked so couldn't indulge unfortunately

Very attractive exterior and spacious cafe shop, ticked all the Covid compliance boxes for us. Loved the chocolate chilli, real flavour of dark chocolate and chilli, not the all too frequent sugary compromise. Cappuccino excellent. Fantastic range of chocolates and patisserie to browse buy and...

I went to the "Truffle, ganache & praline" course on Saturday and really enjoyed the experience. It was a 3 hour class for which the fillings have already been made. You get to dip them in tempered chocolate and decorate with a variety of toppings....

The cake we chose to share at home ----lovely as always.No comlaints there! BUT has the owner not been listening to government advice on ventilation,ventilation,ventilation?!Apparently not here.We were only in for a matter of 10 minutes and thank goodness for that! It was stuffy and...

Simple beautiful, great service , fantastic chocolate treats and not over priced very professional, really clean, definitely recommend if you are in the area well worth a visit. 5 star coffee & cake thank you.

I ordered a cake for my husband's 40th birthday. I wanted something a bit different and asked for a black forest cake. They were happy to oblige and made the most gorgeous cake. Chocolate fudge sponge, cherry mousse, white chocolate mousse and a chocolate glaze...

Stood in queue behind someone buying gift vouchers for 10 mins.Two other staff just stood chatting to each other.When I finally got to till only to be told we close at 4.30 and dont take coffee orders after 4- I had waited 10 mins -...

Directed to visit by a shop owner, at 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon we were lucky to find a quiet table and enjoy excellent coffee and a great choice of cake Well worth the time

The choice of cakes will not dissapoint, took us ages to decide as they all looked so delicious. Highly recommend a visit if you are nearby.

Really nice cakes and the best hot chocolates. My only complaint would be that there were too many people in to comply with Covid restrictions. The sign outside said no more than four people at the counter. I counted 7 at one point and there were too many tables and customers crammed into quite a small space when seated. There were at least 3 tables which should only have had 2 customers seated at them but had 3 squeezed in and and one family had 4 people at a two seater table using the bench seats. Obviously a popular place but numbers should be restricted just now. One positive was plenty of hand sanitiser available!

Had a gorgeous cake and beautiful flat white. Was served by a very friendly young lady called Robyn. She was very helpful when selecting a cake and her flat white was gorgeous, with a beautiful pattern may I add! Highly recommend this boutique!

Whilst sadly, we didn't visit the cafe on our visit to Peebles, friends bought my birthday cake from them. It was a fabulous chocolate cake with fresh fruit on top, absolutely delicious. Such a shame we don't live closer, as I would definitely be a regular visitor but we will definitely call in when visiting Peebles in the future. Thank you, it was beautiful.

This is real chocolate from a world renowned chocolatiere. I defy anyone to leave without a Cheshire cat smile on their face. Gluten free, and marzipan delights complement the exquisite chocolate and patisserie! Click and collect a boon.

Cakes and hot chocolate are lovely - but v expensive! Visited after lockdown and significant increase in price £4.50 for small mug of hot chocolate! Cakes £4.50 each - not cheap compared to some other local cafes offering delicious home baking - will leave to the tourists I think...

Coffee served with a smile but such hard decisions to make regarding the final selection from a fabulous array of, typically chocolate based, goodies.Jaffa Cake or Fudge Finger, Caramel Brownie or Banana Loaf to name but a few.Fabulous range of boxed chocolates to take away or choose your own selection.A well earned reputation as the best coffee shop and chocolate maker in the south of Scotland. Chocolate Master Ruth Hinks excels.Also offer a cake making service for that special occasion....deliciously indulgent.

A friend recommended a visit to this cafe/shop and we were not disappointed! The choice of cakes and chocolates was amazing! We had a coffee each and had a piece of the chocolate and coffee cake between us...it was delicious! The girls were very friendly and helpful and we will return should we be in Peebles again!

Visited this cafe three times in three days, so we obviously enjoyed it! No wonder - the cakes are amazing! The first visit, we had intended only to have a coffee, but once we saw the cakes we weakened. Probably just as well we weren't staying any longer in Peebles!!

Well. As you can imagine, this is the best cafe ever. Chocolate galore. I had a chilli hot chocolate and absolutely loved it. Have been back for a takeaway when I was working in the area. The service was quick and very pleasant. So happy with our visit to cocoa black :D

I'm not the biggest fan of chocolate cake usually, but this place blew my socks off! The selection of cakes was fantastic, and it was a shame that I had to finish the amazing chocolate and coffee crunch cake!

Another visit to the Cocoa Black coffee shop...it never fails to wow me! The cakes and chocolates are amazing and it’s such a great place to catch up with friends over a coffee and a ‘treat’.

We pop in here quite often as we live locally. I would definitely give 5 stars for coffee and cake.However,yet again I must take issue with their hygiene standards.On a previous visit some time ago I noted one girl cleaning tables with a cloth,which she threw down on a surface.Two minutes later she began cleaning chairs with the same cloth! Then she continued cleaning tables,again using the same cloth!!!Today we noticed a girl drying crockery with,what can only described as an old floor cloth!To put it mildly it was dark grey! Again,she tossed it to one side while she stacked dishes.Once done she picked up the same towel and continued as before! It maybe time for environmental health to visit this establishment!

Currently visiting the borders and visited this place today. It was great. Very clean - which I love. The cakes were delicious. I wish I lived closer and I'd be in here regularly to try all the cakes.

Now its bright and cheerfull the cafe has been opened with bright furnishings and lighting.The coffeee cakes and tea are still high quality and well worth stopping off for,it is more expensive but you get what you pay for.

Fantastic coffee shop with to die for cakes, what a selection although If you are on a diet Stay Away ! This is NOT a restaurant but a fabulous coffee shop.

Wanted to love this cafe but it was average at best. I had a millionaires shortbread and there was the thinnest layer of chocolate I've ever seen. I mean, it was a great demonstration of skill to be able to skim such a skinny layer as that, but that was cold comfort for my cake belly.

Busy but with a nice atmosphere. Service was extremely pleasant, coffee was excellent and strong but not burnt and watery as is so often the case in British coffee shops(too little ground coffee is used and too much water is squeezed through it) and the cakes were divine. The Florentines are exactly as they should be and there are a number of proper patisserie cakes all to die for. Certainly not British cuisine as it is advertised here. Many choices for gluten free people and a couple for vegans. Soya milk available. Highly recommended.

I don't think I can find the words to describe the gorgeous flavours of chocolate that await you in this amazing chocolate shop and cafe, so I won't try - just try it.

The nicest Coffee Shop I have ever visited. Delicious coffee and the most amazing selection of cakes I have ever seen. Lovely chocolates to buy to take home.

Absolutely love this little cafe. I could have taken all day to choose from their lovely selection of chocolates. They taste just as good as they look. Excellent coffee and teas served too! Staff are patient, friendly and efficient. Prices are reasonable.

There are not the superlatives to describe the pleasure of being at this boutique/café. For chocoholics this is the pinnacle of flavours and sights, just beautiful. I shall carry the experience of the cake and hot chocolate I ate with me for many years to come. Sheer delight.

Great selection of dairy free patisserie, chocolates and hot drinks. The vegan macaroons were delicious!

Awesome cake and tray bakes, brilliant hot chocolate choices, and a nice coffee. Loads of different products on sale for gifts, or just to treat yourself.

We’ve spent the day in Peebles and popped in for a coffee before heading home. The cakes are delicious, and there’s plenty to choose from. A good variety of hot chocolates and teas/coffees and cold drinks as well. It’s not the cheapest (£25 for 3 hot chocolates and 3 cakes) however the quality is exceptional!

It is worth a detour to enjoy the indulgent delights on offer at this shop. Various sorts of hot chocolate and some well executed patisserie with some exciting flavours such as passion fruit.

We frequently visit Peebles on the pretext of walking the dog around the park and along the river - this is just an excuse for yet another visit to Cocoa Black. If your are passing and thinking of going in, stop thinking and open the door. The staff are always cheery and friendly and everything is delicious. Roll on next weekend as I'm sure the dog didn't get a long enough walk today.

If you enjoy excellent cake and coffee this is a must. Fantastic range of exquisite cakes and good coffee. Good quality chocolate products and chocolate also available. Great service - well run - and worth going to Peebles just to go to Cocoa Black.

You feel realy privileged to be able to eat cakes with this superb quality. They melt in your mouth. You can be asured that the ingredients are top of the line. The atmosfere in the coffeshop is nice. The staff is friendly. If you have not tried it yet, hurry up. The cakes are well known and fly out from the shop in high speed.

Very busy when we visited , decor very clean & modern, staff friendly. The cakes all look superb and the couple we had were very good. Quality always comes at a price so don’t expect anything to be cheap or even reasonably priced. All at top end and could be an expensive visit

When you walk into CocoaBlack at the edge of the retail district in Peebles, you’re treated to a bright, modern interior with gorgeous selections of chocolate goods behind glass. Everything is beautifully presented and elegantly decorated by those who have been trained in the attached cooking school.

I am a big fan of Ruth’s and have been for many years. She made our wedding cake a number of years ago and it was brilliant. We are rare visitors to Peebles but always stop in for our coffee.

Seriously I would love to be locked in here overnight! I had the Sticky Ginger and Pear cake and my husband the Black Forest cake. Oooohhhh :) It’s a must for anyone visiting Peebles.

Nice clean cheery interior, friendly staff, ok coffee. Beautiful array of cakes but sometimes they are decidedly less tasty than they look.

The cakes and chocolates are out of this world and although a visit can be expensive it is well worth it due to the high quality of the food on offer. Staff are friendly, decor clean and crisp so well worth pipping in for

Visited after a recommendation from the the Horsemill restaurant and wasn't disappointed. Very good barista made Americano to accompany their Cappuccino Mousse cake delicious! The cafe was contempory bright, airy and spotless! Could maybe do with a few pieces of local art on the bare white walls but this place is really fab, thank you!

This was my first visit since the cafe was renovated. The cafe felt roomier with a nice vibe. As for the cake, never have I been disappointed even when I experiment with trying a different cake. This place is the hidden gem of the Scottish Borders!

Lots of choice of hot chocolate drinks plus a large variety of teas and coffees........but the home made cakes.........mmmmmmm!

I had the decaf coffee with almond milk with the vegan dark chocolate and banana loaf. Both delicious full of flavour and generous portions.

Long queue as you might expect at the weekend. Nice staff and pleasant atmosphere with a modern vibe. Coffee good. Cake very nice (so it should be as it was quite dear) and very filling!

We regularly visit cocoa black when in Peebles. The chocolate cakes and treats are simply amazing and the coffee is well made too.

Visited with family mid morning. Very busy and very popular. Seating is at a premium. Food obviously dearer than standard bakery, but well worth it. Amazing cakes, and vast selection including drinks. Only gripe would be no decaf tea available and seating, otherwise superb.

We pop in here for coffee once or twice a month when we visit Peebles. Lovely bright spotless cafe serving delicious cakes and bakes. Don't be put off if, like me, you are not a chocaholic as not everything is chocolate based. Friendly pleasant helpful staff for whom nothing is too much trouble. I definitely recommend.

We had coffee and cakes here last week. The choice and originality on offer is amazing, along with the presentation and the taste! We tried a few different cakes and would say it was the best we have ever had ! !

We had a wee stop in Peebles to get cake & coffee and ended up in this cafe. Coffee was very tasty, cake was delicious (I had a piece of caramel fudge cake - yum!) and prices reasonable. The place was quite busy but staff managed to get everyone served in a very efficient manner. The whole place was clean and there was a nice atmosphere. I'll definitely go back if I happen to be in Peebles again! :)

My husband and I enjoyed a hot chocolate here during our short stay in the lovely Peebles. We enjoyed it so much we stocked up on gift and hot chocolate to take home with us. A must visit during your visit to Peebles!

Went to Cocoa Black last Saturday for a ‘Christmas present’ of chocolate and ganache making. Think we were all quite nervous but were made to feel at ease right away. Ruth’s sense of humour and friendliness made it a lovely atmosphere. Interesting talk given prior to our practical on history of chocolate making and great fun working in pairs to make our wares! Was complimented on them much! Fantastic cafe under the school which we visited next day, well worth a visit there if you visiting the beautiful town of Peebles.

This is a lovely little place. It's very clean and modern. Cakes are absolutely amazing. I'm still thinking about which one I'll try on my next visit. Staff are very nice and helpful - even though I struggled to decide which cake to have. I can't wait to go back.

Niche little place specialising in extremely chocolatey treats! Coffee and cake is what you’d go here (not a lunch/sandwich place) for and of course looking for bespoke chocolate presents then this is the place to come. If you are in Pebbles be sure to visit. If I compare price to likes of something patisserie valerie chains then, appears to be fairly priced for the cakes!

Love this place, a real treat and a regular haunt for me. Staff very friendly and food delicious, would recommend

Amazing chocolate cakes and chocolates which, as well as eating, would make lovely gifts. Hot chocolate is amazing.

Quality chocolates and cakes, as you would expect from an award winning chocolatier. The coffee shop is very well laid out, bright, hip and trendy, although not overboard to the point of putting off the more senior clientele. (you get my drift)

This was a complete surprise - a world class patisserie in a small town in the Borders. Apart from some over zealous air conditioning on a chilly day - was that for the benefit of the chocolate, rather than the customers? - this was an absolutely fabulous coffee stop with exquisite coffee and cakes.

Once again cocoa black excel themselves with a superb range if cakes and fabulous coffee and hot chocolate offerings. Service, as always, with a smile