Valentine’s Day is a day of celebrating the love in your life, be it with your friends, family or significant others, but what could be better for celebrating love than chocolate and coffee? Springfield’s very own Winans feels like it was made just for a chilly winter day. The friendly service, the warm lights decorating the store inside and out, and the adorable style and decorations make this place the perfect location to visit this Valentine’s Day.
Winans has a great and extensive array of reasonably priced small chocolates to choose from, as well as other chocolate-themed snacks. But what are the best chocolates? It’s a bit difficult and expensive to go through and try each of them — going into Winans and taking that first mouth-watering whiff of warm chocolate makes self-control very difficult — but I went with some of my friends to try a few samples and see what you should get if you decide to head over.
I purchased a small box of six different pieces of chocolate, I was so tempted to buy more, and a latte to go with it. Here are the chocolates I got and what I thought of them:
Liquid Caramel Smidgen: Just what it sounds like: small, heart-shaped and adorable, filled with liquid caramel that bursts in your mouth like a little gooey firework.
Dark Chocolate Bavarian Mint: Filled with chocolate mousse, this chocolate is soothingly minty, not too intense and not too subtle.
Milk Chocolate Bourbon: Has a fruit center that is a little messy if you’re not prepared for it, but it more than makes up for it in deliciousness.
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt: Filled with caramel that is balanced out beautifully with grains of salt sprinkled on the top.
Milk Chocolate Meltaway: Another mousse-filled treat, this bad boy melts in your mouth and helps you realize that you don’t need to be in a relationship to be happy; you just need chocolate.
Honeycomb Chocolate: This one was very unique, with a crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth honeycomb center. I’ve never had honeycomb before this, and if you haven’t, I’d highly suggest it. The honeycomb isn’t overpowering, and the classic honeycomb pattern on the inside is visually appealing.
That is a just a small selection of the many chocolates Winans offers. They also serve chocolate-covered pretzels, which are, in the words of a friend of mine, “an explosion of chocolatey goodness.” And all of them pair great with a cup of coffee.
Speaking of coffee, Winans has a great selection of drinks as well! There are lots of unique, seasonal flavors like the Raspberry Almond Latte or the Wurtle, an espresso drink with caramel and praline, but they also have some delicious simple drinks like hot chocolate or a regular latte.
Winans puts love and care into everything they do, and you’ll love being there. But hey, why don’t you try them for yourself? Go to Winans this Valentine’s Day! Or any day, really.
