Coffee & Treats in Loveland

The chocolatiers behind Concertos in Chocolate hand-dip all their truffles, nut-filled bark, and other confections in European-style chocolate forged from fresh whipping cream, butter, and pure flavorings. Orb-like truffles hide unique fillings flavored with lavender and champagne, and nostalgic confections, including hefty coconut stacks, keep children from sneaking off on time-travel missions to find the treats their parents reminisce about. The confectioners also mold fresh-fruit purees into fruit gigs—gems of black currant and passionfruit that sparkle with dustings of sugar.

Boulder Baked's chefs don't make pizzas, but they do deliver their fare in pizza boxes. When the phone trills and someone orders a Sweet Sixteen, they arrange dough balls in a four-by-four matrix, packing them so tightly that the cookies merge into rounded rectangles. This is just one option—the cooks also create classic and gluten-free desserts such as pies, cupcakes, and brownies. They bake each treat to order, and can tuck almost any delicacy into care packages for students or shopping-mall Santas.

With its TV, Xbox games, and free WiFi, Twirl Boulder is as appealing any neighborhood hangout as any you might see on television—and that's not taking into account the 50-plus flavors of locally sourced frozen yogurt on rotation. Here, guests can pile them high with dozens of other toppings, including several gluten and dairy-free options. The store understands its youth appeal, creating the Purple Lounge, which hosts game, karaoke, and dance nights. The lounge is also available for get-togethers via free reservation. As visitors kick back on the wraparound couch or warm themselves before the fireplace, they munch on slices of Nick-N-Willy's pizza, sliders, chicken nuggets, and sip cold drinks. Twirl also caters to its adult clientele, offering presentation-friendly meeting areas with a TV to banish boring office meetings.