Coffee & Treats in Hampton

Colorful lollipops and myriad candies line the counter at Chill Ice Cream Shoppe, where a glass display case readies ice cream, frozen yogurt, and fruit ices for the scooping. Dishes and cones don more than 20 flavors, such as key lime pie, raspberry truffle, cotton candy with miniature M&M's, and Bear Claw, whose dark chocolate, caramel, and cashew mixture can only be eaten safely while making oneself appear very small. Chill complements its frozen confections with savory snacks, such as hot dogs and pretzels, and warms icy tongues with cups of coffee.

Cupcake Central expands the cupcake’s fluffy boundaries, garnishing 41 fresh-baked daily flavors with four frosting varieties and a host of fillings daily. Special orders double the potential flavor selection and allow for inebriating the cakes with margarita and strawberry-daiquiri liqueurs. The spirit of sugary excess manifests itself dramatically in the colossal cupcake, an enormous confection that can be personalized with whimsical designs, romanticized for a Valentine's Day treat, or baked to match a baby's birth weight.

The aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans lures passersby into Bean There Coffeehouse's two locations, where baristas reenergize sluggish bodies with a menu cascading with seasonal brews, such as strawberry cupcake and neapolitan lattes. The coffee shops' thoroughly vetted beans are plucked from the top 20% rated throughout the world, with special attention paid to the country of origin, the altitude, and the astrological sign of each bean. Serving up flavorful coffee is their top priority, and the staff also cultivates a homey, neighborhood feel at each establishment, welcoming guests to events such as coffee tastings, dessert pairings, and poetry slams.:m]]

With Flair Tea Room’s hosts cultivate an elegant, old-fashioned tearoom within a sweetly unassuming white house. Delicate, feminine bric-a-brac line the shelves, walls, and tables, creating a sense of opulence rivaled only by hand washing a luxury car with a paste made from champagne and pulverized diamonds. Steamy pots of freshly brewed tea yield about three cups for each table, iced tea provides a chilly counterpoint on warm days, and Colombian coffee satisfies cravings for deep-roasted caffeine. Sumptuous plates of scones, quiches, and other small plates make teatime into a full meal, alleviating the pressure to make tea soup by pouring chamomile over plates of kale salad. With Flair caters to young tea drinkers with dress-up parties, lemonade, and teapot cookies, and the company pleases busy businesspeople with lunch to-go.

Founded by ice-cream enthusiasts Donald and Susan Sutherland in 1988, Cold Stone Creamery has grown to more than 1,400 locations across North America. Each day, the shop's scoopers mix up fresh batches of ice cream and sorbet, which are served by the scoop, piled high in sundaes, and blended into shakes. After customers choose their desired flavor, the staff toss the chilly sustenance upon a slab of frozen granite, and fold in a smorgasbord of candy and nuts to achieve the ideal ice-cream-to-add-in ratio. Customers can dream up their own creations or opt for a signature masterpiece, sampling one of more than 11.5 million possible flavor combinations, which still await a brave conqueror to unlock them all. To accommodate sweets cravings at celebrations, the staff also dish out premade treats, such as ice-cream cakes and baked goods.