We all know the restaurant and small business scene has had its ups and downs since the pandemic. I mean, let’s be honest. Who hasn’t? Damn, I’ve fully given up on losing my COVID-25 which has attached itself to my body in the form of Tito’s, shame, and multiple Arby’s big beef and cheddars — but that’s a story for another time.
Our little township of Mahomet has seen grand openings morph directly into grand closings. Despite these COVID pitfalls, three things continue to be in high demand around here: breakfast, coffee, and ice cream. Yo Yo’s Coffee in Mahomet originally started out as a self-serve fro-yo shop with every fixing available. Along came COVID and Yo Yo’s had to drastically change their business model. In my humble opinion, I think the change has been excellent for this darling establishment. Yo Yo’s has become a one stop shop for early morning coffee runs, after school ice cream treats with Lotus drinks, Saturday morning breakfast meetings, and a fun hang out spot for the junior high and high school kids in our district.
Yo Yo’s might be one of my favorite places to work and relax because of its aesthetically pleasing vibe. Bright, airy and spacious, the wooden tables mixed with industrial metal chairs creates a modern yet rustic atmosphere.
Add leather couches and tree stump end tables, board games, an outdoor seating area complete with swings, and an old-timey pick-up truck, and you’ve got a recipe for just about the cutest place ever. Walking in, there was large, digital menu (love that) as well as a display of assorted pastries from Lucky Moon Pies. If you have a desire to see all of my praise regarding this wonderful little bakery, please just look here and here as well as a full review by Matt here. I arrived at Yo Yo’s around 2 p.m. on a Friday, so it was a bit slow — which was great for me as I had the attention of all four baristas. Let me just tell you: they were fantastic. I was floored by how friendly, helpful, efficient, attentive, and knowledgeable the baristas are at Yo Yo’s. My order was finished swiftly, and I found my way to the before-mentioned couches and tree stump.
Everything was self-serve, so I grabbed utensils, straws and napkins and brought all my goodies to the table to see what I was working with.
I started off with a sip of my warm brown sugar shaken espresso ($3.95) — yes, just like you can get at one of those coffee chains — complete with latte art and clearly, made with love. What is it about hot liquids in my mouth that just make everything right in the world? The espresso was not too sweet, and the strong coffee flavor came through just right.
That coffee paired more than perfectly with this fresh cinnamon roll ($4.50) from Lucky Moon that the barista insisted on warming for me before I went to my table. My God, this cinnamon roll was insane. Gooey, hot icing mixed with perfectly soft and cinnamon-y bread, and it was next level elite. That being said, I wasn’t able to finish it all since it was a pretty rich pastry, but those few bites combined with my warm espresso was just the comfort experience I was looking for on that freezing cold day.
As if the caffeine from the espresso wasn’t enough, I thought a Lotus energy drink on a Friday afternoon sounded just about right to fuel me through the night. There are several on Yo Yo’s menu, but I decided to go with the Jolly Rancher ($6.50). Bright blue, fizzy, and sweet, I could see how this would be popular amongst the youths. Any of y’all other old people out there remember putting Jolly Ranchers in your Zima? That’s what this reminded me of without the booze or the dirty apartment I was occupying in the 90’s while people did keg stands around me in their filthy, oversized flannels.
I’m a sweet-balanced-with-savory girl, so I moved on to the ham, egg and cheese croissant ($5.50). On the menu, it was advertised as a breakfast sandwich. Similar to any other stop-and-go breakfast joint, the sandwich was pre-made and warmed. The inside was super melty and cheesy while the croissant was so buttery and flaky.
I washed her down with an unsweetened peach apricot mimosa iced tea ($2.50), which was outstanding. I’m actually not a tea lover, but my bestie rolls through Yo Yo’s drive-through on the daily just for a to-go cup of this tea, and I am officially hooked.
The biggest take away that I experienced on my visit to Yo Yo’s has to be the excellent customer service I received. These kids are truly a cut above and care about their patrons. Great atmosphere, food, and drinks at a small-town coffee shop shouldn’t be hard to find, and we have it right here in Mahomet.
Come on over and visit Mahomet, you won’t be sorry. Check out yoyos_coffee on TikTok for fun and aesthetic videos based around preparing their menu items.
Yo Yo’s Coffee
104 S Lombard St
Mahomet
M-F 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Sa 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.