Watch Now “Chocolate Covered Creations” GRANITE CITY – Chocolate Covered Creations Cafe is not your typical restaurant. This anime-themed cafe offers treats, drinks and fun for everyone. The cafe, located at 3214 Namioki Road in Granite City, specializes in pastries, baked goods, boba tea and coffee. They have a variety of food and drinks for everyone, but they hope the cafe feels especially like home to the anime enthusiasts who stop in. “We wanted to bring a piece of comfort for the anime community,” explained Breanna McGill, owner of Chocolate Covered Creations Cafe. “We wanted a comfy lounging area and a lot of local artwork tied into the place so we could have our customers come in and grab a boba milk tea or a latte and just read a manga or watch some anime and feel real at home. Me and my boyfriend are diehard anime fans and we wanted to create a safe space for the anime community, because there’s not any place that I know of that is like this.” The cafe’s menu has a wide variety, with plans to add more items in the coming months. In addition to pastries, boba tea, flavored lemonades and coffee, they also offer wraps, salads and croissant sandwiches. McGill loves to bake the popular vintage heart cakes and smash cakes, but her favorite item to order is the zombie boba tea with honeydew milk tea and strawberry popping boba. While the cafe has already attracted attention for its delicious menu, it is also well-known for the anime theme. Jaylene Ortiz, the head cashier, noted that many people feel welcome when they come in and realize they can be themselves at Chocolate Covered Creations Cafe. “I think we just create a good vibe here,” Ortiz added. “I just really like the fact that people can express themselves here and be able to have a safe space where they know other people who like anime and they want to meet other people or try our drinks, which are all named after anime. I just feel like that also helps the community express themselves. So that’s what I really love about this place. Everyone here feels like family.” This community was exactly what McGill hoped to create when she opened Chocolate Covered Creations Cafe. She is proud of the business she has built, and she has big goals for the next few years. “Whenever I look at the future, I don’t just see staying in Granite,” she said. “I want to keep this place, of course. This is my heart. But I plan on opening 20, 30, 40 different locations. I want to grow bigger than this. A lot bigger.” For more information about the cafe, visit Chocolate Covered Creations on Facebook.
