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The coffee isn’t the only thing that hot at Java Boys (2230 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors) which is located in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors. Not only do they serve some of the freshest coffee in the city, they also have been dedicated to the LGBT community for more than 14 years. The owners Nicki and Steve pride themselves in providing reasonably priced light food, drinks and coffee with an unpretentious approach and unsurpassed service. They call their place a “second living room” allowing customers (most of whom they know by name) a place to surf the web, watch old movies and, of course, enjoy a great cup of java and indulge in some delicious desserts.

I recently had a chance to have lunch at Java Boys with Troy, my coworker, and we were both pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of sandwiches and baked goods that are offered, we didn’t know it wasn’t just coffee. After the sudden shuttering of Humpy’s Pizza, just a few doors down, the owners of Java Boys decided to keep Humpy’s famous cupcakes alive, so they are now working with baker Brad Schlichting, who bakes up fresh selections six days a week. Stop in to try one, trust me, they are worth the extra calories no matter what your personal trainer says!

All of the coffee at Java Boys is shipped in every five days and is ground on the premises to ensure that you aren’t going to find it fresher anywhere else in Island City. All of the baked goods besides the cupcakes and empanadas (more on them in a moment) are supplied by a local upscale bakery who provides the finest quality products. (Think delicious apple pie and berry muffins that are the size of your face!)

Since it was lunch time, I skipped a hot coffee and went for the Peanut Butter Cup Frappe ($4.40) while Troy had the Mango Smoothie ($3.70). The peanut butter cup frappe was to die for, but I’m glad I only ordered a small one because I would have gladly offered a vein to mainline it directly into my body. The mango smoothie was sweet and delicious. Besides mango, they offer several other varieties of fruit that you can mix into your smoothie. You can even add protein if you would like.

To start off, Troy and I shared a pair of fresh baked, handmade empanadas. ($2.50 each) We had one chicken and one beef, but they also have other selections like spinach and cheese. The empanadas, as I mentioned above, are handmade by an 80 year old Argentinian man who has been supplying them to Java Boys for the past six years. They are made with a light and flaky puff pastry dough and are baked fresh on the premises to prevent them from drying out and to preserve their high quality.

For lunch, Troy decided on the chicken and ham panini ($8.95) and I had tuna salad on an everything bagel ($7.95). Both sandwiches were served with a choice of one side. They offer Italian pasta salad, potato salad, coleslaw, or chips. I had potato salad and Troy tried the pasta salad and both were very tasty.  The panini was made with chicken breast, ham, and mozzarella cheese with honey Dijon mustard and served on a fresh baked ciabatta roll. My bagel was also great, and the tuna salad really hit the spot.

We couldn’t leave without trying a cupcake. ($3) They are truly sinful. Baker Brad Schlichting uses a takeoff of his own mother’s cupcake recipe and he has been baking since he was a kid. He really puts his heart and soul into the cupcakes and you can tell by the way they taste. We liked them so much, we decided to taste two, the Peanut Butter Frosted and the Cookies and Cream.

Java Boys is open every day. Sunday through Thursday 7am-11pm and they stay open till midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. Drop in a try a cup of java and tell them Hotspots sent you.