Coffee & Treats in Camano

In 1997, the tea aficionados at Special Teas Inc. began stocking their shelves with loose-leaf teas imported from all over the world. Today, the staff flavours and blends its own teas on-site, whistling piercingly like a teakettle as they mix certified organic and bio-grown ingredients into their own blends of black, green, and chai teas. The custom mixes peer down from the shop's shelves toward a tearoom and gallery where shop personnel can explain the believed health benefits of certain blends, such as using rooibos tea to treat allergies or soaking in a bathtub of tea to help one swear off coffee. Each of the store's loose-leaf varieties can steep inside Special Teas Inc.'s lineup of glass teapots that boast neat pours and can hold up to 1.6 litres.

Though her Langford location opened its doors in June 2011, don't mistake Becky Dobbs for some bubble-tea newbie. She's been honing her brewing skills since 1999, when she opened her first shop in Chinatown. There she learned to concoct the unique beverage, a Taiwanese specialty that can be served either hot or cold, and which takes it name from the boiled tapioca bubbles or sweet coconut jellies that merrily bob at the bottom of each cup.

Her fruity tea flavours range from tangy passionfruit and kumquat to creamy lychee and matcha to create custom teas for even the finickiest of palates. Becky also presses fresh basil pesto, dill-dijon cream cheese, and sun-dried tomato between slices of bread to grill up savoury paninis or aromatic diamonds. For guests who prefer coffee over tea, Becky brews locally roasted Discovery Coffee to create mochas, lattes, and macchiatos at the espresso bar.

Jessie's Juice is the fruit-infused brainchild of local and award-winning country music artist Jessie Farrell, whose venture into non-musical artistry includes a menu of wholesome smoothies, raw and organic food items from local artisans, and her self-designed Jessie's Tea. Pink walls and a checkered floor beckon guests into the shop, where a whir of blenders transforms organic and local fruit, superfoods, and other ingredients into sippable smoothie potions. As daily soup offerings and a selection of raw, vegan, and gluten-free food options lasso their seductive aromas around noses, guests may sign the heart-shaped guest book or enjoy their purchases on the shop's wood bench that sticks its tongue out whenever it senses a stray drop falling.

The Sweetest Things serves as a time capsule for candies and toys, its shelves lined with old-fashioned treats for children and adults alike. Old favourites such as cherry blossoms, chicken bones, and Sen-Sens bring back childhood memories alongside more contemporary sweets such as candy Legos, which bring back last week's memories of wishing you were a child again. Additionally, the shop features more than 100 age-appropriate toys for toddlers and adolescents, filling gift bags with small stuffed animals, colouring books, and craft supplies.

For some, the urge to create delicious desserts far exceeds the willingness to eat stale candy and unwrap waxy chocolate. For those brave few, Dawn's Candy and Cake carries more than 8,000 molds and organizes candy- and confection-making classes that help candy connoisseurs craft their own confections. Instructors lead students through the basics of making treats such as hollow bunnies and chocolate piñatas in Chocolate 101, and delve into the worlds of truffles, liquor-filled chocolates, and chocolate-dipped fruit, pretzels, and cookies in other courses. Specialty classes investigate advanced topics such as icing, petit fours, and cake pops. Dawn's also hosts a cake club, during which members meet to enjoy snacks, guest demonstrations, and gossip sessions about why Little Debbie only wears one outfit.

At locations dotted all over the Pacific Northwest, Black Rock Coffee Bar’s baristas dazzle patrons' taste buds with their simple and elaborate coffee creations. Served in ink-black cups emblazoned with their understated lowercase logo and red stars, their hot drinks range from brewed coffee to chai-tea lattes to flavored mochas. The baristas infuse the mochas with extras—including white chocolate and caramel to create the caramel blondie and hazelnut to concoct the blackout mocha, which, unfortunately, will not make you black out for the entire workday. On the chilly side of the menu, their blended drinks include shake-like delights made sweeter with Oreos, mint chips, and chai, as well as smoothies and icy coffee granitas.