by Laura Weisskopf Bleill
For many years I was absolutely bereft about the lack of a decent frozen yogurt joint in this town. Sure, we have no lack of frozen treats in Champaign-Urbana. Want some frozen custard? You say Cozy’s, I say Custard Cup. More traditional ice cream? Baskin Robbins has it. Fancy mix-ins are your pleasure? There’s Cold Stone Creamery in Campustown and Marble Slab in Savoy. Want some gelato? It’s been in a lot of places, but now you can find it at Art Mart in Urbana.
Yes, there are a few places that serve frozen yogurt or put it in smoothies, etc. But they aren’t froyo joints. And when the Pinkberry phenomenon exploded on the West Coast several years ago, I hoped the trend might spread this way … and I got my wish in the spring of 2009.
When Cocomero opened right across the street from the Alma Mater statue in Campustown, it took me a little while to get over there. Maybe it was a defense mechanism; I just didn’t want to be disappointed – or even worse, to fall in love only to watch it fail.
Well, fall in love we did. And not just me – independently, my ice cream-loving husband discovered Cocomero and it’s now his cold treat of choice too. I never imagined him to be a Froyo guy, but even after all this time he still can surprise me.
Cocomero really is the perfect dessert location for date night (although it’s a great place to take the kids, too). No matter how much you’ve consumed at dinner, you don’t have to worry that you don’t have any room for dessert — because at Cocomero you choose how much or how little froyo you want. You can also decide to have 16 flavors or have one. The flavors vary from the tart family (I like the original) to more traditional ones (French vanilla) to trends such as red velvet. And toppings too – the toppings bar has an amazing array of sprinkles/candy/cereal (Fruity Pebbles anyone?) or you can go with the healthier route with fruits/nuts. 
Personally, I appreciate how Cocomero accommodates so many different dietary restrictions. For me, that means the no-sugar-added flavor (now raspberry; they’ve also had blueberry, which I <3). There is also a lactose-free flavor and some that are fat free.
Cocomero currently charges .47 cents per ounce. That includes yogurt and toppings. I tend to go with less is more, but I’ve seen plenty of people walk out of there with $6-7 creations. So it’s as cheap or as expensive as you make it.
Cocomero makes me happy. It is a feast for the stomach as well as the eyes (I love the chartreuse). But while eating, I prefer to go somewhere else, as the building’s acoustics are not the best for chatting. Now that the temps are up, it is nice to mosey across the street to the stone benches by the Alma Mater.
Cocomero is located at 709 S. Wright Street in Champaign. It is open until midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights; for specific hours, call 328-3888.
What is your favorite date night spot? We want to know!