Settle in and pick your favorite flavor at Flying Squirrel

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

The Food: Coffee, teas, smoothies, Boba and baked goods. We have had their prepared sandwiches before, but their cooler wasn’t working the day we went.

The Story: Just before the COVID-19 hit, Flying Squirrel Coffee Company opened in downtown Mansfield and quickly drew a following. Even through the pandemic, owners Amy and Daryle Ryan have kept the Flying Squirrel busy.

While the Flying Squirrel is known for its creative coffees, it was the hot chocolate flights that lured us. Pick four flavors out of 25 options and get a quartet of 4-ounze shots ($17). This was too hard for us, plus we had four people so we opted for a couple of flights so we could try even more flavors. Choosing was half the fun, but we finally narrowed it down to toffee, peppermint, Mexican, Irish cream, marshmallow, Oreo, salted caramel and s’mores.  And the winner? We have four!

The Mexican was a spicy blend with cayenne pepper and cinnamon that hits the back of your throat and kind of explodes. The Irish cream was a smooth blend for traditional hot chocolate fans. The salted caramel was just as good as it sounds, and the peppermint tasted like Christmas.

We had to try a coffee at the coffee shop, so we went with the Grasshopper ($5.50), a creamy latte with white chocolate and peppermint that was so yummy it was almost like dessert.

And to round out the drinks, we tried The Grinch ($5.50), an iced matcha tea that tasted amazing, so sweet that it was almost like a milkshake with whipped cream are red sprinkles on top.

Just so we could say it was a food review, we chowed down on some of the Squirrel’s baked goods, too, big blueberry muffins ($3) with large berries and sweet crumbles on top and a piece of coffee cake ($3.25) with a pair of layers, both dusted in cinnamon. Both were light and delicious. We also tried a couple of cake pops ($2.25 each), a red velvet and chocolate that were dense and delicious.

The Atmosphere: Even on a cold dreary day, Flying Squirrel Coffee Company feels warm and cozy. Tables, bar stools and one chrome-plated booth circle the order counter, which is covered in baked goods and coffee condiments. The staff quickly makes you feel at home, talking you through the menu, checking up on you after delivering your order and even pulling up a chair to talk.

Free wi-fi means a lot of people settle in to work or just check their email. Ask the staff for the password and you’re all set.

The Details: 110 N. Main St.; 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday; 817-225-2146; flyingsquirrelcoffeeco.com

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