Coffee & Treats in Edgewater

No need to search out a rabbit hole, this Alice In Wonderland-inspired tearoom boasts three whimsical locations where kids enjoy tea, sandwiches, and scones beneath butterfly-strewn ceilings. Baby brothers and sisters need not miss out either, as the menu includes a daily-changing selection of homemade pureed baby food.

The New Era of Business

Caspian Bistro, which was featured on the PBS show Check, Please!, fires a sweeping selection of Persian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean dishes over open flames. Conquer lunch cravings with a fresh-broiled chicken gyro, snuggled into a hot pita alongside tomatoes, onions, and a cucumber-garlic yogurt sauce invented as a sports drink for ancient Olympians ($7.69). Dinner diners can appetize their bellies with the vegetarian dolmeh plate, which envelops split peas, basmati rice, and spices in grape leaves with tomato sauce ($6.79), before diving into the vegetable kabob ($13.69). Other skewers bear hunks of seasoned ground beef ($9.99) and marinated filet mignon ($16.49, served over basmati rice and a choice of vegetables).

Open since 1947, Millers Bakery offers a wide array of freshly baked goodies, from seasonally themed cookies to decadent cream cakes. Early-morning risers can wake up with a ring or filled donut ($0.85 each), with tempting varieties such as oat bran, cinnamon, powdered jelly, and chocolate French. Gift a special someone a frosting-laden hazelnut cream or carrot cake specialty cupcake ($1.95 each). Pumpkin, apple, and blueberry pies ($8.50 for 8-inch pie) will be hot commodities for those looking for dessert on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Three Stooges reenactment day. Those who reject sugary pastries can simply stock up on Irish soda bread ($3.50 for 1.2 oz.) or grab a 20 oz. cup of house-blend coffee to go ($1.75).

Tast Eatery serves up healthy meals made from organic and locally sourced natural ingredients. The menu boasts a mouth-watering spread of burgers from grass-fed cattle ($5.95–$11.95), garden fresh salads ($5.95–$9.95), and sandwiches made with free-range chickens, organic veggies, and more. Organic egg sandwiches ($3.25–$4.25) pair a variety of meats and cheeses with the eponymous ovals grilled in olive oil and served on a bagel, roll, multi-grain bread, or whole-wheat wrap. The homemade veggie burger ($8.95) arrives at tables preassembled with sliced avocado, tomato, a nest of organic greens, and hummus spread, saving guests the trouble of raising their own menagerie of minerals, vitamins, and chronic-disease fighters. Thirsty patrons can sip chilly beverages, such as a banana-nutmeg moo smoothie concocted with hormone- and antibiotic-free milk or organic soy milk ($4.85–$5.95).

Before teaming up in 1953, Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins were seasoned business owners with their own ice-cream shops. The words “unusual varieties” shone high above each shop, signaling their respective owners’ passion for anything but an ordinary dessert experience. When the two got together, it was natural that they’d adopt the theme of “31 flavors,” one for each day of the month. Since then, Baskin-Robbins has introduced more than 1,000 flavors and opened shops with more than 5,800 franchise owners worldwide. Even their little pink tasting spoon has become a staple as a way to make flavor browsing an event by allowing guests to try specialties without paying cash or chicken-based trade for the privilege.