Indulge in the Warmth and Charm of the Best Cafes on This Decadent Hot Cocoa Adventure
Written by Kaelie Piscitello
There’s nothing like a steaming mug of hot cocoa to warm your hands and heart on a chilly day, especially when paired with the cozy charm of New England’s cafes. New England has the perfect mix of quaint villages and modern hideaways that all host charming coffee shops with creative twists on the classic cocoa. This region is a treasure trove for hot chocolate and coffee lovers.
Join us on the ultimate hot cocoa trail with recommendations from New England natives Bella Buonaugurio, Nicole Nenninger, and Julia Perryman. We’ll uncover the must-visit cafes for when you crave a traditional treat and a unique cocoa creation. These stops promise to make your journey unforgettable.
Massachusetts
Sabrine Bakery and Cafe in Revere
The north shore has a great array of Mediterranean and Italian foods, and Sabrine Cafe and Bakery offers delicious Greek cuisine in addition to its baked goods and coffees! They have cheap hot chocolates and teas for under three dollars and sell hand-pressed juices made in the shop.
Besides this, they also sell fresh-baked savory bread, tasty pastries, and tarts baked each morning. They also offer weekend specials for some of these items, so do not miss out if you take a trip up north!
Jaho Artisan Coffee Roasters and Wine Bar
Jaho offers delicious specialty coffees with rotating seasonal flavors. Their flavors include a tasty Spanish latte and other kinds of coffee you can customize with the amount of drizzle you choose to add. You can either get your coffee hot or pre-bagged so you can make it at home.
Besides their flavorful coffee, Jaho offers cake cups you can order! Jaho has three decorated, trendy locations across Massachusetts and recently opened a branch in Tokyo!
Lucky Finn
Lucky Finn offers a delicious mix of food in addition to its cheap but flavorful beverages. There, you can sample acai bowls and several variations of avocado toast. They also serve a soup of the day at lunchtime and delicious sandwiches and bagels you will want to eat anytime!
The cafe has an app for easier ordering ahead, and you can purchase apparel online or in the shop. Lucky Finn has locations in Hanover, Scituate, and Driftway and opens Monday through Sunday with differing weekend hours.
Vermont
Mocha Joe’s Coffee Roaster, Brattleboro
Mocha Joe prides itself on being an eco-friendly company that respects the Organic Farmer’s Cooperative, from which it gets its coffee in Cameroon, West Africa. The company runs on solar power and supports fair trade through its agreements with the Cooperative.
Beyond their dedication to responsible consumption, Mocha Joes has delicious products for purchase, including their wholesale coffee and pastries made within their store.
Works Cafe, Manchester
The Works offers all kinds of breakfast foods, including spreads of breakfast sandwiches and burritos, healthful quinoa bowls, and fresh, blended smoothies. They also offer a soup or chowder of the day and delicious coffees and hot cocoas for anyone stopping in.
The Works has eleven locations across New England, including Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire. It offers a rewards program for frequent visitors and caters to people looking to serve a significant event.
Connecticut
Perk on Main, Middletown
Middletown, Connecticut’s Perk on Main, serves delicious “anytime” crepes made with fair trade, organic, and local ingredients. The restaurant focuses on health and eco-friendly initiatives, providing filtered water to avoid using plastic bottles and encouraging guests to bring reusable cups.
They serve delicious hot chai teas, along with an array of fresh juices and smoothies made with fresh fruit. They also offer a make-your-own option for their tasty acai bowls. All food options are affordable, with everything costing under $10 for breakfast and $15 for lunch.
Marty’s Cafe, Washington
Gilmore Girl’s fans will love visiting the authentic “Luke’s Diner” set in the town that inspired the beloved television show. Marty’s Cafe in Washington, Connecticut, serves delicious chai tea lattes and tasty sandwiches and soup, making a cozy winter lunch.
They serve a variety of pastries and breakfast foods, including waffles and omelets. Furthermore, they have a rack of specialty teas to choose from, making your experience unforgettable.
Deviant Cafe and Donuts, Mystic
Mystic has more than just its aquarium. Deviant Donuts serves its own special brewed coffee with specialty seasonal flavors. During winter this year, they serve iced village mocha and frozen hot chocolate.
They also hand-make donuts every day that change with the season. At the holidays, for example, they have a Grinch donut and another one resembling a Yuletide log.
Rhode Island
Black Goose Cafe, Tiverton
During college, my friends and I sometimes visited Tiverton on the weekends for their bubble tea! New England has few boba spots outside Boston, so it was great to have a place to drink them in Rhode Island.
In addition to tea, they also serve delicious homemade smoothies, sandwiches, and acai bowls. They also offer alcoholic coffee if you enjoy that. The cafe is located in a pretty area, and you can sit outside there in good weather during the spring and summer.
Custom Coffee House, Middletown
Custom House became my favorite coffee shop near my college, especially after I realized its proximity to my student teaching placement. Their pastries have amazing textures and flavors and serve a phenomenal homemade pop tart! I am obsessed with their chai. Everyone from Middletown drinks buckets of it, and with good reason.
In addition to the fantastic chai lattes, Custom offers coffee from around the world, including Guatemala, Milan, and Columbia. If you enjoy brewing at home, fear not—they also sell bags of their coffee for home use.
Custom is a great place to do homework. It has free wifi and relaxing music playing in the background. I’ve taken online interviews there, and it was a great environment.
New Hampshire
Frontside Coffee Roasters, North Conway
Frontside Coffee Roasters serves coffee from around the world, including Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and Kenya. Because of their deep connections with their providers, Frontside commits to local farmers, good wages, and sustainability.
They use these coffees to make specialty brews like the Bees Knees honey latte, maple cream coffee, and Fog Lifter with espresso. In the winter, they also serve eggnog lattes. Frontside has creamy hot cocoa, whipped cream, and delicious croissants with nut flavorings, such as Nutella and almond.
Bookery Bookstore and Cafe, Manchester
The Bookery is an adorable bookstore with a cafe inside called Proba Cafe. Proba Cafe sells ethically sourced coffee and four kinds of bagels with different combinations of cream cheese add-ons. They also offer grab-and-go salad and protein boxes along with meal deals. For example, the bagel and coffee combo costs $6.
Maine
Choco-latte, Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor’s Choco-Latte Cafe brings a spicy spin to the cafe and hot cocoa. They sell Mexican and Spicy Mexican hot chocolates all day and begin serving tacos from 11:30 to the close. Their local roasted coffee comes from the Acadia Coffee Coffee and they feature local artists’ work to bring a unique flavor to their space.
They also serve incredible bagels made fresh daily with a must-try house-made cream cheese. Customers can build their own breakfast sandwiches and sample delicious wraps and quesadillas.
Coffee Hound Coffee Company, Bar Harbor
Coffee Hound Coffee sells unique bourbon roasts found in this part of Maine. They also sell coffee tin versions for you to enjoy at home. In addition to their unique coffee flavours, they sell bubble tea, mochas, and lattes with speciality syrups for moose track coffee, turtle mochas, and maple leaf lattes.
They blend traditional coffee house foods such as whoopie pies and muffins with New England classics like lobster rolls and lobster mac n cheese. Of course, it wouldn’t be New England or Maine without a seafood touch.
