My shopping experience at Chokaico in the Riverdale Shops was first class. Chokaico is a gorgeous…read morespecialty chocolate shop, specializing in single origin beans for chocolate, bonbons, truffles, hot cocoa and bars. They also have coffee and I think frozen treats. I didn't catch his name, but I think the owner helped me. He certainly had the pride of an owner. He was top tier friendly, engaging and helpful. He said he is from Ecuador and many of the beans used in the chocolate come from Ecuador. This was one of the best customer service experiences I've had this year. Any type of business. Before buying a bunch of holidays gifts, I tried a number of chocolate samples. They were obviously very high quality. There were a number of artistic chocolate pieces. Like one in the shape of a high heel shoe. I had a black iced coffee that was very good. I love Chokaico. They have my high recommendation. 5 Stars

Fernando is an amazing person to learn from and a great host! His chocolate was rich and delicious…read moreand he does a great job helping with tasting notes. We got some of the 70% chocolate and because I was so intrigued and he was a great chocolate coach, I asked him for his espresso drink of choice. He served up a double shot mocha with oat milk and chocolate shavings on top and it was the perfect French hot chocolate silkiness with the bold espresso flavors! Highly recommend!!!

The cutest ever!! Loved the assortment of candy and the staff was so helpful. Their decor for…read moreValentine's Day is absolutely adorable! We don't have any allergies, but was so great to see how accommodating they are for nut allergies with signs and special nut-free tongs.

When you first walk in, you are met with the most delightful sugary smell! The staff was so sweet…read moreand welcoming--and since we mentioned we came from the BouNom Bakery, we got a discount off of our purchase. BouNom Emporium is a small candy shop, offering candy from around the world from Sweden, UK, Spain, and more. There is an awesome variety of gummy candy that you can scoop into your own bag. Raspberry Lemonade Skulls, Watermelon Gummy Sharks, Pineapple Grapefruit Rings, and other fun flavors and shapes. If you love Peach Rings, you would literally be a kid in a candy store here. My husband likes this kind of gummy candy and hand picked a few different types for him to try. Since I visited around Halloween, there were a lot of fun Halloween shapes like vampire teeth and candy corn. I was also really excited to find the Sakura Matcha Pocky. They also had some of my favorite Kit Kats too. This place is truly unique and I haven't been to another candy shop like it. I loved the fact that they weren't wall to wall full of candy because it gets overwhelming. I highly recommend stopping by if you are in the Avon ares.

Amazing chocolate at this place. Definitely taste smooth and melts in your mouth! Loved the salted…read morecaramel milk and dark chocolate.

Despite the fact Bridgewater has locations that are closer to me, the shop on LaSalle in West…read moreHartford Center (charming in its own right, and reminiscent of many town centers in Westchester County, NY) was my initiation into their line of fine, decadent chocolates. The shop itself is as tidy as it is tiny. The staff was pleasant and didn't try to "push" anything. They had sugar-free chocolates to which I could treat a very special family member. Their Orange Crisp bar far exceeded my expectations in terms of quality and luxuriousness and has become an instant favorite. I don't indulge in sweets that often, but Bridgewater may very well have changed that!

A spell was casted on me…read more.. Taste of Spellbound is a bakery that does custom dessert orders. They've been around since 2012 and offers a variety of treats; from macarons, cupcakes, bars, pies, truffles, and cookies. There are three locations; Avon, South Windsor, and West Hartford. This one in Avon is super cute and whimsical; love the decor with the picture frames on the wall. There was a table and some chairs to enjoy your treats. I decided to get a few macarons, bars, and a cupcake. All were so good but my favorite were the macarons. They were the perfect texture, lightly crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. This place is definitely a gem and I can't wait to go back!

When it comes to their desserts, calling ahead and ordering may be the way to go. I'm not a coffee…read moredrinker so I can't speak to that, and the desserts they had on hand were delicious. But there may be more options available.... Definitely worth a pop-in to get something small and taste the deliciousness. Regardless, the interior is beautiful decorated. It feels like a modern tea room with some availability to sit. The walls are a beautiful calm blue. They have some cold drinks, and the cups cakes - very moist, definitely have standing life in them. The employee was very kind and friendly, and the shop seems smoothly run. The shop seems to be in two plazas, and have designated parking on either side next to the building. Watch carefully for the signs, because the plaza is a little nondescript from the road.

I'm newish to the area and I've been hearing a buzz about this place for a while, so I had to check…read moreit out. There are two locations but the one in Canton is temporarily closed. This one is located in Avon in the Old Avon Village plaza. There were plenty of parking when I went. The bakery is pretty spacious with some tables and seats. The display was filled with delicious looking cupcakes and other treats. They are known for their cupcakes. I got a few different ones to try with my family; the Oreo, funfetti, and brownie flavors. We were all very happy with the outcome; they were moist and up there with the best cupcakes I've had in a while. They also have gluten free, vegan, mini cupcakes, and cupcakes kits. Other treat options were the chocolate covered Oreos and cannoli chips and dip. I bought a few of those Oreos and they didn't disappoint. I can't wait to go back and try out more treats!

This lovely place is already rated one of the top cupcake shops in CT so the 5 stars should come as…read moreNO surprise. Their Avon location is cute and quaint and boy of boy does it smell good when you walk in! I've gone here many times to get some sweet treats for the kids and I. They NEVER disappoint. My daughter usually cons me into getting way more than we need but I'm never truly upset about it because everything is so good. I for one am not a big super sweet frosting person. I've always preferred the whipped cream frosting or cream cheese frosting but their buttercream is something that even I enjoy. They keep their peanut butter options completely separate from the other flavors and even asked if I wanted my peanut butter cupcake in a separate box for allergy purposes. They offer dietary accommodations including gluten free and vegan as well and they have a table of delicious chocolate dipped Oreos and beautiful hot cocoa bombs. There's also an ice cream counter. They even have something for the 4 legged friends!! With multiple locations they are pretty accessible to give a try

Le Banh is a hidden Simsbury treasure. The unique fusion of French and Vietnamese cooking styles…read moreand ingredients results in some amazing flavors. Her truffles are a family favorite. The owner takes great care and pride in everything she makes and it shows. We haven't tried her cake yet, but it's on our list!

I can't say enough good things about Le Banh Patisserie! I accidentally ordered a cake for the…read morewrong date for a wedding shower, and they handled it flawlessly. As soon as I told them they gave me several options. Ultimately, the made the cake without hesitation and it was beautiful and tasted incredible. The staff was professional, kind and truly saved the day. Fantastic quality, great communication, and stress-free service - highly recommended.

I have to say it was a great meal. Started off with their bread and honey butter super yummy. Then…read morewhipped ricotta and Brussels sprouts very good! Then a filet with garlic mashed potatoes and I swapped out rabe for asparagus and added a side of honey carrots. We also got the short ribs it was huge very tender carrots with mashed potatoes. We were too full for dessert unfortunately.

Great ambiance. Food was good-can recommend the Brussels sprouts, haddock and salmon. (We did…read morenotice the food to be a tad salty.) We also enjoyed the fun cocktails. Go early because we arrived at 8 and at 9 most efforts were on cleanup and prep for the next day vs service/attention on those still dining. Staff did not alert us to nightly special so be sure to read the sign on the wall as you come in so you know!

I thought I didn't like these cookies until I tired the minis. Now I am hooked darn it!read more

I've been to this crumbl a couple times and most of the time they do pretty well. They get a lot of…read moreorders so it's a long wait sometimes though. Just ordered the strawberry Biscoff cookie today to get delivered to me and they forgot the strawberry :( so I'm pretty sad about it. Otherwise they are pretty good

Happy Tail Coffee is in an old horse trailer that was converted. It's a cute trailer and I've seen…read morethem at various locations, such as Flamig Farm, festivals, and The Shops Of Farmington. They serve coffee of course, lattes, and baked goods. I've had their chagaccino a few times now. It has lion's mane, cacao, mushrooms, cinnamon, vanilla, and steamed milk. It's a delicious and unique drink. The people working there were nice too. Overall, it's a cute coffee trailer serving up quality goods.

"If it makes you happy It can't be that bad"…read more(Sheryl Crow) Next time you're at the Shops at Farmington Valley, park in the back lot and keep an eye open for what looks like a horse trailer. Well, it's not really a horse trailer. It's a mobile coffee shop specializing in coffees, espressos, cappuccinos, mochas, chais, lattes, baked goods and more. I spent some time chatting with Julian, Happy Tail's friendly and engaging proprietor. She explained that the coffee shop will be there for most days into December, then will take a hiatus for the winter. I ordered a 12-ounce iced White Chocolate Pistachio Latte for $6.17, and it was so good I kind of wished I had upgraded to a 16-ouncer. It had a distinct pistachio flavor, and the chocolate component was noticeable but not overpoweringly sweet. It was fantastic. I can't recommend Happy Tail's enough. My latte was great, and I really enjoyed meeting and chit-chatting with Julian. I'm sure you'll enjoy both as well.