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    Higher Grounds Coffee & Ice Cream

    4.7 (37 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 1:00 pm, 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Higher Grounds Coffee & Ice Cream Photos

    HIGHER GROUNDS COFFEE & ICE CREAM ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Higher Grounds Coffee & Ice Cream

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    Shannon D.

    I keep coming back for the Riptide! 10/10 The espresso in this milkshake is just what I need to get me going in the mornings!

    Iced Coffee
    David N.

    Higher Grounds is a cool little coffee shop with a nice island/beach vibe. The only thing I had was the iced coffee but it was terrific!

    Sitting and retail area
    Meisha H.

    I pass this cute little spot to and from home everyday and finally stopped! I'm glad I did, so cute inside, great quaint beachy vibes, and friendly service. I had the March Mocha and chose the perfect drink for myself! I also loved that it's a raised building with an elevator so it is accessible to ALL!

    Porch

    Iced mocha is delicious and the people are super nice here. PS: take advantage of the porch and enjoy your coffee and view.

    table and chairs
    Maria T.

    If you're a "procaffeinator" and need that jolt the first thing in the morning to get your engine started, Higher Grounds is here for you! It's nice to have a local coffee shop in the area. This one in Colington was a hop, skip and a jump from where we were staying so we had to pop in, especially when the locals recommended it! It's cozy and comfy with plenty of seating and brew-tiful views of the sound. There's a large deck and underneath the deck you'll find hammocks to relax in and sip your cares away. The barista was funny and inviting! He told us that he didn't even drink coffee - he's a tea drinker like myself and we joked around a bit, brew-haha. My friend ordered her cup of joe, and we wanted some baked goods to go with our beverages but there weren't many appetizing choices. Just a couple of cellophaned muffins and bagels. I would have liked to have gotten sconed, maybe some pound cake, coffee cake or ideally some biscottis! It would surely help business if they offered some other options. I ended up leaving empty handed... no cup in sight... and somewhat unsa-tea-sfied. I feel like they aren't too concerned since this is the only coffee klatch in town, but if they perked up their game, this could be a gem of a spot!

    Great view, staff and latte. We'll do e.
    Mike C.

    This is a pleasant surprise near the Colington Harbour entry. Passed by and decided to stop. I'm very fussy about my coffee, having run my own shop. On travel and have been looking for a nice latte and found that here, along with friendly staff and a great view of Kitty Hawk Bay to top it off. So far this take 1st place out of numerous other local places for a coffee and view. Worth a stop.

    a blue building with a green exterior
    Scott R.

    Ordered a iced latte which was pretty good. Wish you could go in and order. Kinda takes away from the experience/ambiance.

    the counter area
    Glenn R.

    Delicious coffee. I'm a novice when it comes to anything but basic coffee. They weren't busy and had time to explain some of the differences to me. (Cappuccino, espresso, latte, etc.) Went with a latte and was very happy. This is a new business and the owners have gone above and beyond to renovate the old building and make it into a nice local place to get good coffee, ice cream and fresh homemade pastry and bread items. (While they last) This will be a great addition to Colington. Parking is a little tight, but manageable.

    View overlooking the Sound

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    7 months ago

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    1 month ago

    Such a cute and creative place to hang. Latte and cherry cheese danish was right on spot. Lady was soo nice too!

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Best place for coffees or ice cream. Great friendly service. Great coffee , ice cream, pastries, and smoothies.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    9 months ago

    glasses dude was super nice and friendly 10/10 service give him a raise. the matcha latte i had was fantastic.

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

    5 stars hands down, great coffee, nice place, great service. Try the pumpkin latter with whip cream and caramel. Yum

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    9 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    best ice cream selection cheap and easy if you live back in colington and super underrated

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Great coffee and root beer floats too! Great indoor & outdoor seating with views. Nice service as well

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    8 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Higher Grounds Coffee & Ice Cream

    Review Highlights - Higher Grounds Coffee & Ice Cream

    We stayed in Colington this time on our OBX trip and had this lil coffee shop right next door.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Updating my review to further express how great their açaí bowls are. This time I ordered online…read morefor pick up. The online ordering system isn't great (see below), however, I eventually found what I was looking for and called to adjust the pick up time. Since the large wasn't available, I chose regular for one bowl and mega for the other. I also paid for extra granola for both. Although the toppings look skimpy, we were pleasantly surprised to find the extra granola at the bottom of the regular bowl. Then the mega bowl was basically a double decker acai bowl. Acai on the bottom with selected toppings then more acai resting under another layer of the selected toppings. It's definitely worth it to get the mega bowl. They also make good smoothies and use compostable materials. Our orders have been accurate and filling. Plus the employees are friendly. Issues with the online ordering: -I couldn't adjust the pick-up time. Even though they were open for another 5 hours, the only option for pick up was next day at 9:30 am. I called after placing the order and they said they could make the order right away. -large perfect bowl is not an option (all other sizes were available) -special bowl options are confusing. No option for granola but there is an option for extra granola. No description for what it contains yet you can remove items. -many of the items do not have descriptions, luckily I had been here before so I knew what the perfect bowl entailed

    The service was great!! Cute ambiance. Great option for Acai bowls. Wish they have more options…read moregor coffee beside cold brew and regular hot pot coffee. Was wishing for espresso or .... something a little more . Overall, Great will be back.

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    Higher Grounds Coffee & Ice Cream - coffee - Updated June 2026

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