Coffee & Treats in Longview

Making cupcakes from scratch with recipes you developed yourself doesn’t just attract swarms of hungry customers—it can also attract the attention of the Food Network. Kim Wood’s batches of artistic and decadent desserts landed her a spot on Cupcake Wars, where she competed with three other confection experts for the chance to be named the kitchen victor. Back in her shop, she crafts the same sweets she made on TV as well as dozens of other cupcake flavors, using only fresh, whole ingredients such as sweet-cream butter, fresh fruit, and cupcake wrappers just plucked from the garden. Her signature flavors—which include key-lime pie, italian cream cake, and chocolate mint—vary by the day, and gluten-free and vegan options are available once per week. Beyond the signature sweets, Wood keeps things interesting by modifying her cupcakes into cake balls, cake pops, and cream-filled whoopee pies.

Started by two personal trainers, The Perfect Blend maintains a focus on health as its staffers sell nutritional supplements, teach diet and exercise strategies, and serve healthy low-fat, no-sugar-added smoothies and frozen yogurt. Flat-screen televisions display sporting events and “Hans and Franz” sketches to inspire in-store athletes perusing walls of protein powders, vitamins, and meal-replacement shakes. Meanwhile, self-serve frozen yogurt machines quietly whir as they mix their creamy contents, including no-sugar-added vanilla and cake batter flavors, into frozen swirls. Customers can also rev up their snacks with toppings from a self-serve bar stocked with healthy fresh fruit, honey, and crunchy maple pecan granola, perfect for camouflaging the gummy bears, sprinkles, and M&Ms also available.

In 1983, Al Copeland decided to open a restaurant centered around two New Orleans traditions: homestyle Cajun cooking and southern hospitality. His concept, Copeland’s of New Orleans, served a menu of made-from-scratch dishes such as crawfish po’ boys and red beans and rice with andouille sausage in a colorful and festive atmosphere. Nearly 30 years later, the restaurant has grown to encompass franchised locations in six states. But they still serve some of the original dishes that put them on the map.

A sister property to Al’s original restaurant, Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro also serves Cajun cuisine, but the menu has a more upscale feel to it with aged steaks and fusion dishes such as crawfish or crab ravioli and dinner rolls baked in a hadron collider. The bistro’s signature dessert—homemade cheesecake with a buttery pecan crust—comes in more than 10 flavors including bananas foster, turtle, and white chocolate raspberry.