Honeycone is a wonderful little ice cream shop that I stumbled upon while checking out some shops…read morein Cheshire. They offer a variety of seasonal flavors, and they've just swapped to their winter ones! I got a cup with gingerbread ice cream and chocolate orange ice cream. There were a bunch of other flavors though, like a peppermint one and eggnog! Since there's a good number of seasonal flavors, it was hard to figure out which one to try! While they unfortunately don't offer samples, they do offer an ice cream flight with 6 small scoops for $13.50. Tempting, but I unfortunately didn't need 6 scoops so I went with just the two! A cute option nonetheless. They do let you mix and match flavors of the scoops you get, so I got to try two. The flavors were phenomenal, I was so happy to get try them. What a pleasant little surprise in the middle of a cute shopping area!! I certainly recommend it here.

Honeycone is simply as close to a perfect place as there can be. It's in a gorgeous location on a…read morecute street in Chester full of other small businesses, shops and restaurants. The shop is super inviting and nicely set up. All of the scoopers are beyond friendly and sweet, and terrific at what they do. I think sundae construction is an extremely underrated thing that I, admittedly, can be a bit of snob about. They are all masters. Nearly all toppings and elements are homemade, as well as all of their own creamy, while not excessively heavy, ice cream flavors! Even the dairy free options are excellent, and I couldn't even detect a difference. I have been 3 times recently, and most recently had one of the best ice cream experiences of my entire life (if not the best, and all 3 times have been among the top actually). I had a scoop of "Pride" (cake batter with funfetti cake chunks) & a scoop of dairy free blueberry lemon poppyseed in a waffle cone. The extra large homemade cone was crisp and perfection. The Pride flavor was a rare instance of cake batter ice cream not tasting artificial, having an aftertaste, or being overly sweet. The cake chunks were massive. The blueberry lemon poppyseed was utter brilliance. A bright base with all the flavor of the finest lemon poppyseed muffin you could imagine with thick ribbons blueberry , I'll call it a compote (pure fresh saucy blueberry). The other 2 stops I made I ordered sundaes. The first was their May mocha sundae including chocolate cake sandwiched between 2 scoops of espresso chip ice cream with mocha sauce, a biscotti, whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. The second was their classic sundae with brownie between 2 scoops of your choice (tiramisu & blueberry), walnuts, hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry. Both were phenomenal and I love the presentation. The assembly, ratio of toppings and honestly every aspect of the sundae is perfect. I go at off times so I love sitting on one of the 2 benches out front. So relaxing. They also sell pints to go. I can't say enough good things. Honeycone is a true gem, as good as an ice cream shop gets. Definitely check them out and support this incredible place!!

This ice cream truck recently stopped in my appartment. I had a peanut butter cup cookie ice cream…read moresandwich. It was good. I think that was their popular flavor. There was only one left when I went.

Tried an Ice Cream Sandwich (Chocolate Cookies w/ Mint Choc ice cream) - HANDS DOWN BEST ICE CREAM…read moreSANDWICH I'VE EVER HAD! The cookie was killer - almost had a fudge consistency w/ big chocolate chunks. I'm supposed to be gluten-free but this was worth it to me. SO DELICIOUS, can't wait to see this truck around at festivals etc! I'll recommend it to everybody.

While on route to Andover, we noticed a free standing Munson's store on the side of the road. An…read moreinteresting placement, but I understand this is their original location since the late 1940s. This is the Munson's factory location. This is where they manufacture all of their delightful chocolates and distribute them across all Munson's stores. The inside is filled with all sorts of truffles, barks, raisin covered chocolates. They had a whole line of chocolate lovers waiting their turn. Once it was my turn, the young man behind the counter asked what I would like and in what size box. I got mostly dark chocolate covered raisins and just a few truffles. Everything is sold by weight. For fancy, premium, locally owned chocolate this is very appropriately priced. If you like chocolate you'll love Munson's, if you looovvvvvveee chocolate you'll be in heaven with each bite. The truffles are rich and creamy, with outstanding notes of orange, raspberry, or mint. If you haven't yet tried Munson's, please do, or give them to a very happy recipient as a gift!

How do you get good small batch chocolate? Go to a Connecticut family owned chocolate maker whose…read morefamily has been doing it since 1946. I had the opportunity to visit their Bolton location located on Route 6 (after a visit to the Ren faire). Bolton may not be their original location from the 1940s, but its the store situated next to their factory that sources all chocolate to their other locations. The outside of the store is BEAUTIFUL and big. You can't miss it when you drive by. I promise. I know because I've driven by it like 10x over the last 15 years and just never pulled the trigger. Well I'm I finally did. The inside of that store is also BEAUTIFUL, modern and immaculate. The chocolate options behind the glass displays and in other sections to the left and right give you overwhelming amount to choose from. My daughter and I literally spent an 45 min - 1 hr in the store just to decide what we wanted for a take home treat. They work with UCONN so they have some UCONN themed or packaged products (Storrs campus is just 25 min down the street). They have packages for that special someone and other themed wraps/baskets. To get the most bang for our buck we ended up going with the "leftover" bags which were broken pieces of various chocolates during the production. Beat decision as it allowed us to try different chocolates. They even have a wall on right when walking where you read about their history with a digital sign. You HAVE to visit this location, you wont regret it. Some of the best chocolate I've had from a local chocolate shop.

Going to Shady Glen is a bit like stepping back in time. It's that 'old timey' ice cream parlor,…read morefrom the decor to the servers (outfits), to the food. Nostalgia. Memories. A stop on the way back to UCONN when I was a student there. The "go to" place after our kids' school events. Shortly after we moved to Manchester, over 38 years ago, the restaurant was closed for renovations. We were looking forward to seeing the revamped restaurant. Well, we were even more surprised when we stepped in the door - nothing had changed! Cleaner, perhaps new Naugahyde on the seats, but that mural on the wall was the same - those elves were timeless. When you sit down, you get a small paper cup of water. The menus are on the the wall - soups, sandwiches & ice cream. I'd always heard they had a patent on the way their cheeseburgers were made - a burger topped with crispy cheese. A must have. Prior to Covid, the condiments tray had ketchup, mustard & chopped onions. Now, there are packets of the condiments. No onions though. We shared an order of fries - crispy & good. I was too full to have ice cream after our meal, so we brought a half gallon (yes - a real half gallon) of our favorite flavor home - chocolate almond joy. Yum! Note - you need cash. No cards. There is an ATM in the restaurant.

Every once in a while, I don't connect with a place that many people love. Shady Glen was one of…read morethose spots. But I'm always open to the idea that maybe I didn't get it right, and I eventually return. I recently visited the original Shady Glen, and I'm now a fan. This was my first visit to the original location, and perhaps that makes a difference. My other two or so visits were to the now closed other Manchester location. The atmosphere is a 50's style ice cream restaurant that also serves food. There are some tables. Some counter seats. Workers in old timey outfits. Definitely an old school vibe that they pull off. Service was friendly. I visited with two goals. Try a hot dog. And eat an Original Bernice Winged Cheeseburger. Probably the most famous burger in CT. SG uses CT's Grote & Weigel hot dogs. They split and grill them. They served mine sort of sandwich style on a long bun with a toothpick in the middle. Definitely an original presentation. They have no specialty dogs beyond the crispy cheese they also serve on the burgers. They do give you quality packets of relish, mustard and ketchup and a small container of chopped onions. I added all these ingredients. And it was a tasty dog. The Original Bernice Winged Cheeseburger arrived, looking like a monarch, sitting on a throne of crinkle cut French Fries. The crispy cheese design, with all those angles extending from the bun, is an engineering marvel. There is melty cheese too. The burger looked about like a quarter pound. Tasted good. I added lettuce and tomato. Both fresh. A one of a kind burger that has thrilled people for Decades. The fries were fine. The Cole Slaw, however, was top tier. There was more than just thin chopped cabbage. Kale maybe. Some other stuff. The dressing was tasty, and the slaw wasn't overly dressed. Shady Glen is a CT classic. Indeed, an American Classic according to James Beard. Who can argue with that? 4.25 Stars

Such a fun spot!…read more This farm is small, but very friendly! While I stopped in for some yummy ice cream (chocolate cake ice cream was amazing) we even saw a show! The cows were being herded back into their barn and the farmer was incredibly friendly talking to us about the cows. Usually when you stop into a farm, the farmers tend to ignore you, however I felt I was welcomed into their property with open arms. I enjoyed the ice cream and the photo ops! Make sure to stop by here for refreshing treats and some cute pics!

An ice cream friend recommended Fish Farm for ice cream, but I think more specifically for the farm…read moreatmosphere. Definitely lots of cool farms vibes. Barns. Fields. Chicken coups. You can see the cows. Ice cream-wise, it's always a pro move to show the cows. You feel like you're getting the best quality fresh milk and cream. And the ice cream was certainly fresh and had good texture. Fish had a limited selection of flavors for scooping. Maybe around 8. None of them really jumped out to me. I ultimately ordered two scoops. Peanut Buttercup. And Banana Chip. The ice cream flavors were pretty good, but they didn't really pop for me relative to other similar flavors I've had from other spots this year. There were plenty of tasty mini peanut butter cups (the highlight of either flavor). There weren't many chips in the banana, and they were smaller chips than the top tier CT Spots. 4.25 Stars. But some of that was for the farm vibes.

Employee: Ella, did an amazing job giving me recommendations on what I should try. She was very…read morefriendly and patient! The bakery was extremely clean and comfortable to relax in. I would highly recommend any of the macarons!

Finally got to try this place after hearing soo many of my friends rave about it! And they were not…read morewrong! Definitely a must try! Cupcakes were amazing, not dry at all and perfect ratio of cupcake to frosting. The fluffernutter had fluff filling inside which made it! Staff was also very friendly and pleasant! I see more sweet treats in my future from here!

The almond croissants are one of my favorite things in CT so far- and the bread is amazing! I'm so…read morehappy to have found this little place and can't wait to try everything. Also super sweet service.

I happened upon this quaint little bakery on my way for doughnuts for my girlfriends moms birthday…read more Decided to give them a go, and I must say it was a good stop! Going in I was greeted with a deli counter with pastries and the smell of fresh baked bread. The baker was curled up on a little rocking chair, cuddled in a blanket. Was the cutest thing I've seen, so had to pick up something. I opted for an assortment of pastries, letting the man behind the counter pick for me. I brought these home and had a little sampling with the girlfriend and the mom. Each one was flaky, almost to a fault due to the mess it made. filled with jams and preserves, sweet but not too sweet and varied enough to be uniquely tasty. All in all, not a bad little stop. Worth a try if you're in the area

I love this dessert spot and have been coming here for over a decade! It's stunning inside as are…read moreall of the things they make. It looks like it's out of a movie. I have never been to a prettier pastry shop in my life. A must visit spot if in the area!

I stopped in to meet a friend for my birthday and the whole experience was amazing! Everything they…read morehad on display looked delicious. I got a cookie , cream puff and tea and everything was excellent! We visited in January so there isn't a ton of seating inside but if you are able to grab a seat it's so cute! I'd imagine the spring/summer is a great time to visit since it looked like they do have some outdoor seating. Highly recommend stopping in!

It was super hot this past weekend so my friends and I decided to stop in and grab some snacks…read more I got a salted chocolate gelato and tiramisu gelato as well. The tiramisu was good but the salted chocolate was underwhelming. My friend got some baked goods and was underwhelmed as well in terms of the taste and texture. Service was fine and there was a lack of seating as well. The place seemed a bit dated and could use some upgrades. Overall it was meh and probably wouldn't return.

This is one of our go-to spots whenever we're on Block Island. It's become a nightly tradition…read moreafter dinner, and our 10-year-old absolutely loves it--she's been coming here since she was 3! The ice cream is always delicious, the employees are so sweet, and the cookies... OMG honey, they're massive. One cookie is big enough for four adults to share and still be happy. Another highlight is the little carousel out front--it's such a charming touch and perfect for kids. Between the treats, the atmosphere, and the friendly service, this place is a must-stop every time we visit.

It's rare to find a coffee shop that I'd drive more than 10 minutes to go to, but Sweet Aroma…read moredefinitely makes that list because it is one of the best around! I discovered it a few months ago when I was looking for a coffee shop shortly after I left for a drive to Rhode Island. The shop itself is so cute and in a central location and the service is friendly and welcoming. I recently saw that they were doing pre-orders for some of their baked goods for the holidays and decided to treat my husband and myself to an order of 6 ready to bake cinnamon bun scones. The price was more than reasonable and pick up was easy as could be. I ordered an iced peppermint mocha while picking up the scones and it was exactly the festive jolt of caffeine I was looking for. The scones came frozen with the glaze on the side and detailed instructions on how to cook them. These scones were INCREDIBLE and very easily the best we've ever had. They had that slight scone-like crisp on the outside but they were softer on the inside, just like a cinnamon roll. They were the perfect holiday treat for us to enjoy in the days leading up to Christmas. Sweet Aroma has fantastic coffee but DO NOT sleep on their baked goods because they are out of the world delicious.

Ordered an espresso based ice drink. The espresso was in a pitcher and dumped into the milk. The…read morecup looked it was barely tinted milk, the flavour was bitter milk. Any and every Barista knows espresso is to be pulled each time, never to sit long, or it separates and becomes weak and bitter. Not only was i appalled at the way the beverages were made, it looks as though a deep clean is needed. I noticed while waiting for my refund, there was a large bug, sticky with syrup, dead, right in plain sight. Along with debris all over the floor, furniture, and under items on the countertops Whomever owns, manages, trains these young ladies, needs to retake their food safety classes and brush up on proper food service. Then learn the techniques to prepare a proper espresso beverage. Iced or not, you don't pour a plastic pitcher of espresso, (who knows how long ago those shots were pulled or if it was indeed espresso) into metal, and dump over milk.