I have lived in Manchester for a very long time, yet this is my first time visiting The Firestone. I don't know what took me so long to try this place. It's a painting, an arts and craft, a bakery, and a coffee shop. Great place for friends to get together and spend quality time, with great refreshment. They make their own bread, Cheddar scallion scones, chocolate chip cookies, sandwiches, and many other items. My favorites are the different coffees and teas. The staff is very pleasant and helpful, both with the food service and the arts. What a gem to have on Main Street. read more

Surprisingly good food in a pottery painting place Been meaning to review this place for a while. Each time I'd go in, see no one around, then left. This last attempt, there was a bunch of staff around so I got the full experience. The staff were very friendly and informative. They explained the pottery painting side of things to anyone painting a piece. They had a wealth of knowledge in that regard, explaining how to get the best results for each medium. I wasn't here for the pottery, I was here for the food. So they sat at a 4 top and let me go up to the cafe to order. The menu is basic, egg sandwiches, avocado toast, French toast, coffees and lattes. Some fresh baked pastries available but mostly simple dishes. I opted for their French toast latte and an egg sandwiches with bacon. Also got a cinnamon roll that was baked that morning. Food came out after a few minutes. Not speedy but not slow. Took some pics and dug in. There's a fundamental rule that I follow when reviewing. "The flavors on the description need to match the flavors of the dish." There's sandwich did this exemplary. The garlic aoli had a strong but slightly acidic bite to it, which helped the arugula's bitterness. The egg was fluffy, the tomato grilled and salted, and the bacon perfectly crispy. The soft home made bread was almost too soft, compressing down to nothing after each bite. If anything, the bread could've been grilled to give it a bit more structure. But besides that gripe, it's one of the best breakfast sandwiches I've had. The latte, that's what took the star off. The coffee is giv beans, so a good quality product. The problem was it was extremely, overbearingly bitter. With a French toast latte, you'd expect the sweet to counteract the bitter. But nope, the sweet came from the cold foam and the concentrated coffee at the base led to straight sips of cringingly bitter coffee. After mixing the cold foam into the coffee, it became more bearable. But the damage was done by that point, and my pallet was shot. Had to dump most of the coffee. Overall, it's a neat place to go to. It's rare to have activities along with good food, and the staff there make the experience great. Not too much a fan of the specialty coffee, but the food is well worth the price. A solid food choice for Main Street. read more

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LOVE this place! A combination of a paint your own, craft your own pottery studio and bakery/cafe and gift shop all in one! The staff - amazing. All so pleasant. The food: they make their own breads. the cheddar scallion scone, chocolate chip cookie, and rice krispy treats are our favorite items. We really enjoy the coffees too. Was to get to location. They also sponsor the outdoor seasonal markets which we absolutely love to go to! read more

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I have been here several times and the food/drinks have always been quality. I conveniently ordered online to pick up an egg wrap and iced mocha, which are my usual go-tos. The egg wrap is very filling and made with very fresh ingredients. The iced mocha is delicious and strong as it comes with two double shots of espresso in it. Even my cat wanted to enjoy this food. The wait time can be long at times when this place is super busy, but there are ample things to browse at inside while you wait. There is plenty of street parking and parking lots nearby. read more

The Firestone - Egg wrap and iced mocha - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Great place for everyone of all ages! So many different projects to choose from. Great for groups, birthday parties or a night out to do something artsy. There's a cafe in the studio where you can order coffees and sandwiches. I didn't order anything because I had already eaten but the food looked and smelled so good. It's very cozy with ample space. The only downfall is it is on Main St so parking is limited during peak hours. I can't wait to return! read more

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I have been a few times and will definitely come back! I love the cafe and the options of pottery to paint. The employees are always very helpful and kind. It can get busy on the weekends, so if you're planning on painting pottery I would recommend making a reservation. Both their matchas and lattes are great, and their seasonal menu is always creative and fun to try! read more

The Firestone - French toast specialty latte - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

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My new FAVORITE place, man thank goodness their sister store claypen in west Hartford was booked because experiencing this store is a game changer. Looking for a fun date night? Catching up with friends? Have a friend that's not artistic? They can still enjoy the cafe while you paint. I love it here, delicious food, delicious monthly drinks, friendly staff, I will be back again and again!! read more

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Okay, I really love this place. I have not painted anything yet, but the food and coffee here is bussing. I have to come here often because you guys are one of the best parts of this town. read more

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This was such a fun experience!! perfect for a chill night out with your friends or a cute little date night!! i can't wait to come back!

Good spot, good sandwiches, nice indoor and outdoor seating options. Great option in this neighborhood.

Favorite new place to go to in Manchester for activities. Firestone cafe is such a relaxing place to go sit, drink/eat, and paint something that you get to use! Came here with a friend, and we got some iced teas. Those iced teas were really good, some honey added to them were perfection. Choosing your own pottery is the fun part of it all; the creativity flowing when you stand in front of the wall of ceramics! Pictured is two bowls and a set of coasters. Highly recommended to do minimum of three coats. Also as a tip, pencil in your design after coloring the base. In the after pictures, you can see the imperfections of us trying to fix our own mistakes, but that's what makes it ours! Everything is dishwasher safe, but the ceramics are not as thick/heavy as usual pottery is, they seem a bit more fragile. Staff is super helpful and patient with questions for first time goers. The earlier in the day you go, the less crowded it'll be! Lunch during the weekends are super crowded. Recommended to make reservations prior to going o you have a table! read more

Took a Try It Wheel throwing class with a friend. Very cool and enjoyable experience, go in with no expectations! I feel the instructor could have been a little more attentive to each individual but, still felt supported when I requested assistance. read more

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It's just fantastic.... Great little pieces of clay to choose from.... Amazing food and ambiance. Fantastic for a date night or a friend's night out. Also. Byob! Go , try it out , very therapeutic!!! read more

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These guys take care to make good food. Fabulous lunch spot. The bread they use for the sandwiches is so good! Great brewed teas to go with your meal. Veggie options. And a creative vibe with a lot of natural light. I highly recommend this place for food, meetups, and making art! read more

Did you know you can paint canvases at Firestone and not just ceramics?! It's my new favorite fact! I've absolutely loved the Claypen West Hartford location as it is more convenient - but Manchester is SO worth it for this experience. We were helped by Zach, who is always so kind, explains things well, and goes out of his way to guarantee a fun time for everyone. We spent a rainy Saturday painting and sipping on tea. I highly recommend this spot for everyone who wants a calm environment to paint and chat with friends! read more

The Firestone - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

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Firestone is a great place to spend a day with friends or family. The staff is friendly and always ready to help, and you don't need any art experience to enjoy it. The attached café is a nice bonus--the espresso drinks are excellent and the food is solid. That said, both the café and the art activities are on the pricey side. The experience is definitely worth it, but just be prepared to spend a bit more than you might expect. I'm still giving them 5-stars despite the cost, because I understand they have a lot of overhead and I don't think they're charging more than they have to. read more

First time visiting the Firestone. I would highly recommend. The staff is super lovely and friendly!! The food is AMAZING!!! We both had 2different 1/2 sandwiches n it was hard to tell which one was better than the other. Wish we had more time in area or lived in CT by or we would try out the pottery, great concept. Though the space is huge the temperature was very comfortable and gave you a sense of privacy and community. It's on my to return place when I'm back in CT. read more

This place is a lot of fun everytime I have been here! The food is also very tasty and they serve Giv coffee. Do not sleep on the cauliflower sandwich it is so goooooood!! read more

The Firestone - Cauliflower Sandwich - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Counter service coffee shop with a wide variety of drinks & a small menu of food inside of a paint-your-own pottery place The food and drinks are nothing special, but is a very unique concept I got a vanilla latte and their granola parfait and they were both ok Everything was made very quickly however 7 read more

The Firestone - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Fun day date with my best friend , good atmosphere and concept and good coffee! Will return hopefully

They have my favorite coffee in the area! Their iced coffee with house made brown sugar syrup and oat milk is like a warm hug!!

Hands down one of the best coffee shops I've been to! We stopped in before heading to a nearby park. I grabbed the special, an almond joy iced latte, and it was delicious - flavorful and not too sweet! Also, we grabbed a snickerdoodle cookie, which was amazing. Service was pleasant and friendly. The shop itself is very inviting, and I would love to go back to explore the art studio side. read more

The Firestone - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

It was really nice!! The people are very kind and my granddaughter and I had so much fun!

Nice open space. My friend and I each got a half sandwich and a cookie. My roast beef on nice soft bread was perfect and the "sweet & salty" cookie was amazing. read more

TAKE ALL MY MONEY!!!!! But no, seriously, I would live here if I could. THE CRAFT: The Firestone is an art studio and cafe. I first came here for a try it pottery class with my partner for Valentine's Day '21. We loved it so we signed up for a 6 week class! It was such a joy learning how to throw my own pottery pieces. I am currently in my second 6 week class!! -6 week pottery class: the instructors are excellent. Not only do you get to go during your class time but you have access to open studio hours to work on your projects. We were able to make so many beautiful (and a few lumpy, lol) pieces of pottery for our home and as gifts! It was such a great learning experience that I continue to take the classes. -pottery painting: this is something that is offered every day , during normal business hours. You paint pre-made pottery pieces and pick them up a few weeks later when they finish firing. It's a great activity for a day you want to try something new! They offer tons of great pieces to pick from. Growing up my family had a lot of ceramic holiday decorations that my mom had painted--my friend and I were able to come here (actually it was their sister location the claypen in West Hartford) to make ceramic Xmas trees of our own! -other courses: I've never done anything other than pottery here, but I know they offer lots of kids classes and other adult classes like glass fusing. Check out their Insta! Their social media presence is great and useful to see examples of what's going on. THE CAFE: Yum yum YUM! I love the cafe here. My go-to is the breakfast sandwich with bacon. The homemade sourdough is amazing. So much of what they serve is house made! My favorite drink is the iced matcha with just a bit of their house made simple syrup. I've also had an iced latte with vanilla that was very good. They were able to make it decaf for me. We've brought family here when they were in town and they said it was one of the best salads they've ever had! My partner also really enjoyed his portobello sandwich and previously the sweet potato sandwich! On a weekday it's such a great place to sit and get a little work done. Very satisfying to have my breakfast sandwich, matcha, and be productive! I always try and be cognizant that they are an art studio and try to avoid going when they're likely to be busy with folks painting pottery so I'm not taking up a table. THE STAFF: The owners really know what they're doing. All the staff is trained really well and are super friendly. I've never had a bad experience. Between the cafe, the potters, and the staff behind the paint counter--all lovely! THE LOCATION: The inside of the Firestone is a vibe. Chill music, pretty hardwood floors, nice mix of wood tables, open concept yet the spaces are intentional and are clearly delineated. They also recently(ish?) added a little market area inside where you can browse and buy products from local small businesses. They also have a monthly (I think?) market that they host inside/outside which is really cool! Another HUGE plus in my mind for the Firestone is the sense of community they create. They are always doing things to boost local community involvement which isn't something you see with many businesses. Like seriously---where did the owners go to school/gain their business knowledge? I want their skills! Kudos! One thing to note if you go, there is street parking but it can be difficult to back out if and is limited. I frequently use the parking lot just a little bit down the road! It's convenient and less than a minute walk. Just be very cognizant when crossing the street, I have seen MULTIPLE times people fly through the red lights (long after they turned red). So make sure no one is coming before you cross. Overall (as if you couldn't tell already), I'm a huge fan of the Firestone and look forward to continue being a patron! I'll try and find photos of the things I've made, but for now here's my breakfast from today :) read more

The Firestone - Ice Iced Matcha Latte with a little simple syrup (brought my own reusable straw!) - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

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I really love this spot. The service is always friendly and the coffee and food are great. I sometimes stop in for an hour or two to get some work done and enjoy a yummy bite. On this visit I had an Iced London Fog and it was honestly one of the best I've had! It's a unique spot and also has sizeable outdoor seating! I would definitely check it out. And if you're looking for a spot to get some work done while having a delicious coffee or tea, you will love it here! read more

The Firestone - Chicken sandwich and Iced London Fog - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

My new favorite spot, wow! A place that really can do both, cafe and pottery studio. While unsure what to order, the cashier recommended the harvest salad as her personal favorite. My harvest salad was amazing, packed with ingredients and flavor, and such a large portion. The salad looked so good, my friend even asked to try it! I just know this is going to be a new craving for me. My friend got his usual which is the chicken sandwich. While we initially just went for lunch, the pottery painting looked so fun we decided to stay and paint some stackable mugs. We paid $22 each for a mug and paint (with refills). i do believe certain colors/types of paint cost extra but there are so many options, it wasn't necessary for us. We gave them our number and they will have our mugs ready for pickup in 7-10 days. This place is perfect if you want to spend time with someone that's more than just grabbing food! It also looked like they had open wheel throwing hours which I may also check out. Kind staff. I truly felt like all are welcome here, it wasn't just a slogan on the wall but consistent throughout the entire environment of business read more

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Great place. Informal atmosphere. Relaxed. Simple good food. The opportunity to mix food and art. read more

The Firestone - Inside - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

This is a really fun and different venue than what I'm used to in Connecticut. I came here with a group of girlfriends to celebrate a birthday and we had a very nice time. Although it wasn't busy since we came on a Sunday in late afternoon, they had a table reserved for us. Very calm atmosphere and lots of different selections of pottery items to choose from for painting. There's also a cute bakery section that serves up baked goods and sandwiches/salads. They baked us fresh chocolate chip and sweet & salty cookies which were both very delicious. After you paint, you do have to leave your items to cure but our items were ready within the next few days for pickup. I loved my time here and would definitely recommend as a fun activity or for a small celebration. read more

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Definitely a different atmosphere than I expected. It's a cute idea with the painting and coffee, but it's not a place you should go for food. Although the aesthetic pictures may be convincing, the chai was watery and more milk than anything. My boyfriend's coffee tasted sour and we both ordered the same wrap and it was bland and not evenly distributed (full bite of egg/avocado/"pico",etc). read more

I couldn't resist showing off my favorite local spot as my first feature! The Firestone has unique and tasty menu items you can't find anywhere else. And while you're sipping on one of their specials, you can start a new art project. It's honestly heaven on earth for me. Pictured here are their iced pumpkin spice latte with oat milk (my favorite fall bev), avocado toast, and some of my creations. Seriously, the perfect combo! Visit them in downtown Manchester or order curbside pickup on their website! read more

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OBSESSED! Randomly stumbled on this place while in the area looking for some food and a coffee. The cafe is not only delicious with coffee and treats and sandwiches but the pottery painting area is ADORABLE. I went back brought my friend for her birthday SHE LOVED. You pick out you piece to paint , pick your colors and hang ! I can't wait to return. Highly recommend making a reservation- totally worth it and makes for a really fun afternoon. THANK YOU! read more

Such a comfy cozy vibe on the inside , stop to grab food, do some pairing , or even get some work done! Great food, service, and vibes!

A must visit! It's hard to find a nice quiet and quick place to eat breakfast in Manchester on the weekend at any point in the morning. I always see such long lines for the diners and breakfast spots along Main Street. Today my boyfriend and I sat outside drinking amazing lattes, eating avocado toast & sandwiches, while enjoying the rest of the fall that didn't consist of a long wait! It is a little awkward to walk into since there isn't a menu on the wall but just walk right up to the coffee counter to order. I love the food and I think they are only at the beginning of what they have to offer! They deliver the food right out to you and is very Covid-19 friendly. I will say that I have not tried to paint any of the cute items they have around the store but I will sometime soon! Next time you're looking for a cute breakfast/lunch spot the next time you are on Main Street give The Firestone a chance! read more

The Firestone - Oat milk latte and avocado toast! - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

I love the Firestone! I've been here a couple times so far and both were great experiences. Last time was for my birthday. Me and my sister had a great time painting, and the cafe is convenient too. Loved my sandwich and coffee I got here! read more

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Great experience for an outing with my mom during her visit. Decent cafe food and nice selection for ceramic choices. Enjoyed it so much we picked up gift cards for Christmas gifts to keep the fun going. read more

Popped in for coffee while in Manchester after being out and about all day. I loved that they were open late. I tried the iced orange mocha which they described as tasting like a chocolate orange. That's my favorite holiday treat so I was so excited! It didn't taste that strong of orange but the mocha was on point. Overall very good! read more

Went for lunch with a friend - just the food, no pottery painting. I had to write this review because the avocado toast I had was simply phenomenal. Aside from being a work of culinary art, it was delicious. Seriously delicious! Flavors blended perfectly, toast crisp. Ok, ok, I know, it was just a sandwich but for just being a sandwich this place earned at least one revisit from this diner. Great job!! read more

The Firestone - Couldn't have been better! - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

The Firestone is a wonderful cafe-meets-ceramics studio! My first visit was a couple weeks ago to do some pottery painting. The food was so surprisingly good that I ordered from the cafe again -- and tried more of the menu -- when I picked up my fully glazed piece a week later. So far, I've tried the regular drip coffee (with mocha syrup), and the latte (plain, with whole milk). They have a variety of milk options to choose from -- whole, skim, half & half, almond, soy -- for however you like your coffee. From the food menu, I've tried the army chicken sandwich and the breakfast sandwich (with bacon AND avocado). Everything was so flavorful, carefully prepared, and quickly served. The ceramic/crafting side of the business is a lot more affordable than similar businesses in CT. There's no studio fee; you just pay for the ceramic piece that you want to paint (or other craft item, they have a lot to choose from). Most paints are included in the price, besides a few specialty glazes that cost extra. But the "freebies" were more than enough to complete my little project. There are tons of picnic tables and small cafe tables outside. If you prefer inside, the tables are well-spaced and sanitized between groups. There's also hand sanitizer at the cafe register, as well as at the paint register. Everyone wears masks (except when guests are eating/drinking, of course). Even if you aren't stopping in to do an arts & craft project, The Firestone is fabulous enough to visit just for the cafe! And who knows, once you see other people starting their projects or picking up their finished pieces, you may decide to give it a try... read more

So I've seen this place open up quiet awhile ago and have been waiting for a nice day to head out and try it out. Today we did a family outing! The staff here was so fun and friendly, we each picked amazing clay sculptures to paint and ordered some snacks and meals too. The cookies and treates were so good! The parfait was delicious, and so was the salad my daughter ordered. We also tried out a few teas as well. Service was great, food was good, and the experience was amazing. Thanks to the ladies behind the counter that put up with us! read more

The Firestone - Buddha pottery - Paint-Your-Own Pottery Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

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