Spend the holidays with Chocolattés! This family-owned cafe started out as a vendor inside Lee Health’s hospital systems in Florida. Years later, Lisa and Chris Wilson decided to open up Chocolattés Coffee & Roasting in 2018. This cafe knows first-hand what being in the holiday spirit means. When it comes to having the Christmas spirit and sharing the holidays with the world– Chocolattés gets the award. As you walk in, you are greeted by Christmas herself. The cafe island’s hanging lights are all tied with a red bow, there’s a Christmas tree, a toy’s for tots poster with Santa on the cover, and holiday music playing. It makes you want to order a hot peppermint mocha latte, no matter how hot the Florida weather is.
Chocolattés has a broad selection of items you can choose from. This spirited cafe closes everyday at 6pm, so they sell more than just coffee and breakfast. In fact, they sell more than you could possibly imagine. Get ready– they sell… fresh roasted coffee, holiday drink specials (they have pages of options to choose from!), craft coffee drinks, “espresso yourself”, draft latte bar, teas, non-coffee, kombucha (yum! great choice at a healthier option), frozen drinks, cool creamers, smoothies, smoothie bowls, yogurt parfaits (another excellent choice!), crepes, bagels (my personal go-to), toast, scones, oats, grilled cheese, flatbread pizza, pretzels, guacamole, nachos, delectable deserts, and a kids menu. PHEW.. say all that 10 times fast.
You’re probably wondering what they offer in the “Espresso Yourself” section. Besides the usual latte, cappuccino, breve, and more– Chocolattés already has customized lattes ready for you to order. For example: They have a latte called, “Sea Turtle Mocha”. The cutely named Sea Turtle Mocha contains Dark Chocolate, Caramel, Hazelnut, Espresso (however many shots you’d like), Steamed Milk, and Sea Salt/ Sugar Sprinkles on top of your whipped cream (if you choose to want whipped cream). This cafe has a large quantity to pick from in “Espresso Yourself”– 12 in total.
The prices ranges by what you order. If you want fresh roasted coffee, I highly recommended buying a roast that helps a country in need. The price for fresh roasted coffee is $17-$18. Chocolattés are proud partners with One Ounce Coffee to bring you rich tastes from several different countries. One roast they have at their cafe is from the Boma washing station in Kericho, Kenya. “One Ounce Coffee supports educational, vocational, and medical services to at-risk women, children, and farmers in Kenya” (Chocolattés Coffee & Roasting).
One fascinating quality about this family-owned cafe is they hold events every now and then. The photos you see are from an event called Winter Wonderland hosted by Chocolattés held in the middle of December right. They held this event right inside their cafe. They call it an indoor event space with an outdoor vibe. The Chocolattés team really worked hard to create Winter Wonderland. A $20 event for what felt like $300. You were given a choice of a free hot chocolate or brewed coffee to enjoy the evening. And the best part? Free refills too. We built a gingerbread house with family (you were able to take it home), there were two singers who sang Christmas songs both together and separately (the woman sang Frozen’s ‘Let It Go’ and she crushed every note, it was a great experience), Santa made an appearance and dancers did a number, and then “snow” fell! It was a wonderful Christmas time. They also put it so much work to decorate it. There was snow on the floor, beautiful lights, a few Christmas trees, dimmed lights– the team really out-did themselves and they deserved the full house. If you want to experience a Chocolattés Backyard event–they are holding one on January 27-30th. This one is going to be a murder/mystery experience!
One thing I will note– If you’re a college student looking for a job– you should speak to the baristas. Most of the baristas who work here are college students, and it really is a chill and cozy job if you’re searching. And as always– don’t forget to limit your caffeine intake! The maximum espresso shots you should consume in one day… is 6 to 7 shots! This cafe is one for the books. If you’re searching for a new cafe to try– go down to Chocolatte’s Coffee & Roasting! You might find yourself attending one of their events once you go! I hope you had a Merry Christmas and happy holidays!