Plenty of parking in the parking lot. I visited on a Thursday twice!! I loved the area it's in…read more It's not far from a lot of the other plazas. The staff was friendly and it wasn't too busy both times I came in. I ordered a few of the cream puffs, a peach tart, and a golden milk latte. It was made to perfection and I can't say that about a lot of places. There is plenty of seating inside and space. I loved all the plants inside and the lay out. I will definitely be coming on more often!!

It took me far longer than I would have liked to finally try RaonJena. It's been on my radar…read moreadmittedly for years, but a close friend with similar taste raved about them recently. Finally I was able to make it in. I would say considering the years of build up, I needed to pause before an immediate review. The anticipation had led to unfair expectations, when in reality it was a great experience. Case in point, I ordered an iced latte with their house-made banana syrup. It was a very solid latte. The banana flavor was relatively subtle, but well done and obviously made with real, fresh banana. I think I would try something else next time, maybe one of their more unique offerings and see if I could possibly find more of a "wow" drink. But I got a very good banana latte, and if that's what you had a taste for, it's a great option. Definitely go for it. I will say they only offer one size for the specialty drinks. I typically order a larger one. I was more impressed with my pastry, their honey pecan tart. That had a nice flaky tart shell. Very light, not the slightest bit dry. The honey provided the perfect natural sweetness, and there were plenty of whole pecans. It was a terrific alternative to your usual syrupy, heavy pecan pastry. Very tasty, and again, not too sweet. I actually did eat it as my breakfast, and i think it works very well as a breakfast item vs a dessert. The space was very bright. There was a whole other room of seating, and it was nicely decorated with a fairly modern aesthetic. Lots of plants. It definitely seemed like a great place to hang out and work or just enjoy your coffee/food there. I took mine to go this time. The staff were laid back but friendly. It was a very nice experience overall. I would very much like to go back now that I know what to expect. But even now, I would certainly recommend it.

I haven't been to the West Farms mall in a while. As soon as I walked in the beautiful pink caught…read moremy eye. I knew I had to stop by on my way out. I wanted to order more, but what's on the time schedule the inside is beautiful it offers lots of seating and has a wide variety of different items on the menu. They also offer cupcakes, mini croissants, and cookies. The girl working was nice. She was quiet. I tried to ask questions about the place, but didn't get a lot of answers. I look forward to visiting again!! The mini lemon croissant was so good!

I went to get hair cut and saw this cute cafe next door. It replaced the Green Tea House that use…read moreto be there. I love the mix of green, pink and gold in the shop. It was not busy when I went and it looks like there were two people running this small shop. I got a hibiscus lemonade and avocado toast. A standard millennial meal. The toast was delicious and it had the a runny yolk, the way I like it. The drink was sweet and what I expected from a lemonade. Overall it's a cute cafe to get a small snack while running around the mall.

Best coffee around. Their treats are also absolutely delectable. Whether you are grabbing a drip or…read morea latte- you won't be disappointed... and I loved the cups especially around the holidays! Their peppermint mocha is my all time favorite- I won't get it anywhere else!

Phenomenal little coffee shop roaster with amazing bean acumen and quality nuanced single origin…read morebrew. The Freedom label is the only bean in my machine these last three years. - Coffee Snob

Always great coffee! Just tell them what you like and they make great suggestions. And it's always…read morefresh and absolutely delicious! The sweets are great too, nice variety in type and cost. Highly recommend!

Very hipster coffee shop…read more Came here on a whim, trying to find breakfast spots and had some time to waste before one opened up. So opted for a coffee while I waited. Going inside, it's a bit on the dark side with a man working on a laptop with a large dog in a dog bed next to him. The cashier behind the counter was a bit groggy with the morning, short in temper but helpful. I opted for a simple black coffee of their Brazilian light roast. Coffee was bright and bold. Strong and not watery, but no strong fruity notes I usually associate with a light roast. Very good, and would make a great base in a latte. They do offer lattes but the menu for those required me to look over the man and dog combo which was a bit awkward. It's good coffee but the morning was not favorable for my visit.

The ice cream here is so good. It is not too sweet, just right. Every time we go in, the young…read morestaff are super helpful and kind, which makes the experience even better. My favorite flavors are butter pecan and maple walnut. Even though I usually hate nuts, the flavor is so good that I just work around them. My partner loves the pecan and pistachio. I also really appreciate that they have vegan, gluten-free cookies and cream. It is always nice to find a place that has options for different dietary needs.

"She said 'Son tell me why you want to ride that thing' She…read moredidn't know about the blond at the Dairy Queen" (Alan Jackson) The Frisbie's Dairy Barn Empire continues to expand into new territories. They are adding one in Orange to join the existing lineup in New Britin, North Attleboro, Windsor, Sturbridge, East Lyme, and West Hartford. We've already been to their New Britain flagship store, and we just visited the brand new West Hartford location. We found it in the middle of Blue Back Square in the space previously occupied by Kilwin's. Frisbie's sells Super Premium, handcrafted ice cream and dairy-free options. I saw twenty-six flavors up on the menu board, and it was cute how some name-checked Connecticut locations within the flavors. Case in point were Cheshire Cherry Vanilla, Stanley Park Strawberry, Southington Salted Caramel, Newington Nutella, Farmington Fudge..... oh well...you get the idea, right? We wanted two sugar cones, but business must have been great on the Fourth of July because they were sold out of sugar cones. But that meant we each pivoted and ordered a single scoop cup for $6. I went with Cheshire Cherry Vanilla (Vanilla ice cream with swirls of sweet black cherries in cherry filling) and my wife went with Mikey's Mint Chocolate Chunk (Mint ice cream with chunks of chocolate, made using freshly picked mint cooked into the ice cream base). They were fairly large single scoops, and you won't feel ripped off at the $6 price tag. So how was their "Super Premium, handcrafted ice cream"? It was fantastic. Smooth, creamy, decadent and full of flavor. PRO TIPS 1) There is NO seating offered inside the store, but there are plenty of tables and benches in the nice courtyard just off to the side of their entrance. 2) You can enter their birthday club (like I did) and get $6 off your next order (which we did!)

Lovely little cafe in Simsbury! The very pleasant owner is approaching her one year anniversary and…read moreI was so excited for her! This little hidden spot is quaint, cozy, clean and homey and I love the jazzy tunes playing lightly in the background. I had a coffee and her hand made Spanakopita which was delectable! All food is made in house, as is the bread in which her lunch sandwiches are made with. Very reasonably priced and all around good vibes. I'll return!

"There were three men down And the season lost…read moreAnd the tarpaulin was rolled Upon the winter frost" (Paul Simon) That little nondescript plaza on Farms Village Rd in West Simsbury has developed into quite a place of interest. Oishi is great for Asian take-out foods, next to Oishi is Corazon Tequilero, a new and highly regarded Mexican restaurant, and now the plaza has added a cute little coffee shop and bakery by the name of Frost Hill Farm and Home. It's a family run business that specializes in freshly baked goods, lattes and drip coffees. We stopped in for breakfast today and saw pastries, scones, biscuits, muffins, cakes, cookies, pies, egg bites, overnight oats, and sandwiches on the menu. Service was friendly and helpful, the pricing was very reasonable, and the food and coffee were excellent. We had an Orange Scone ($3.99), a Cheddar Rosemary Herb Biscuit ($3.99), a 12 -ounce regular coffee ($2.79), and a 16-ounce dark coffee ($3.29). My biscuit was wonderful, savory, flavorful, soft and fresh! My wife's Orange Scone was great with a nice orange flavor. Both versions of the drip coffee were flavorful and satisfying. There is a small dining room where you can sit and enjoy your meal, and I'm sure you will be as struck as we were by the elegant blue/black and white design everywhere. The room is quite gorgeous. And if all of that isn't enough, the shop doubles as a home décor boutique to pick up some odds and ends for your decoration needs. We loved our visit! It was such a pleasant experience to visit and have a leisurely reasonably priced breakfast.

I would never have expected to enjoy Cantaloupe as an ice cream flavor - very surprised !!! Had a…read moredelicious 2 scoop ice cream with hot fudge. I hope to try some of their other adventurous flavors next time. Thank you to the counterstaff for their friendly attitude and delicious serving. I also loved the decor here and there was ample indoor/outdoor seating as well as a foosball table.

I ordered a birthday cake for a friend's son, and they incorporated four of his favorite flavors,…read morewhich I wasn't sure would complement each other. However, Yanna (sp?) assured me that it would be delicious. The flavors were mint chocolate chip, Oreo cookie, coffee toffee, and vanilla. Every guest commented that it was the best ice cream birthday cake they had ever tasted. The birthday boy was delighted! His mom said, "How am I ever going to go back to Dairy Queen?" Well, if you're in CT, you shouldn't. Dom's Creamery is a Goldilocks establishment. Enjoy!!!

We've been road-tripping from Jacksonville, Florida to Boston and back, stopping at about 15…read moredifferent coffee shops along the way. And who would have thought that a little coffee shop nestled in downtown Hartford would end up being one of the top three coffee shops we've tried on the entire East Coast. There was just something real about this place. We walked in and had the chance to meet the owner, who shared his story with us--how he got into coffee during COVID and the vision behind the shop. You could immediately tell this wasn't a place that was just put together to sell coffee. It was personal. The shop itself was beautiful. You could see that it was made with a genuine love for his culture and Puerto Rico which, if you've never been, is itself a little piece of heaven on Earth. The space felt like an expression of the owner's identity and you can feel that the owner is sharing a part of themselves with their customers and the community. Then we found out that the tattoo shop in the back is owned by his wife, who actually designed the coffee shop for him. What a talented couple... And I haven't even gotten to the coffee. You could see the precision that went into making the latte. Even the choice of espresso was intentional. Instead of using the typical darker-roasted espresso beans you find at so many coffee shops, he uses a medium roast from a local roaster that uses Colombian beans. It allowed the actual flavor of the espresso to come through and gave it a character that felt much closer to the island. I also always keep an eye out on how the milk is frothed and the temperature and texture came out perfect. The funny part is that I wasn't even planning to find great coffee in Hartford. I simply needed somewhere to charge my car, and somehow that stop turned into one of the best coffee experiences of our entire road trip. We also happened to get incredibly lucky. We came on a day they're typically closed, but they had opened because a reggae band was playing out in the street. And let me tell you--the live reggae was some of the best we've heard. Excellent coffee, a beautiful space, a great story behind it, and reggae playing in the streets of Hartford. What a treat.

A little escape to PR in the middle of Hartford!…read more Spots like these are exactly what I look for when I explore a new city...having never been to Connecticut, I am so glad I made it a point to walk through Hartford. This is a family run business! Jose and his wife run a great shop and the vibes are impeccable. The music is playing. Coffee is pouring...tattoos are being done....SUCH A COOL Concept. I took Jose's recommendation for the coquito latte and WOW. I'm a coffee lover, and while a classic cortado was tempting, this coquito latte iced was to DIE!!! I get coquito every year for Christmas from friends and this gave me the subtle authentic nod with a caffeinated pinch I really needed. Wishing this business mucha suerte! Delicious!