Cool places for hot drinks

Massachusetts is filled to the brim with great places for warm drinks.

By Brion O'Connor

A warm beverage is, in many ways, the perfect blend of two distinct New England philosophies. We take great delight in our rugged Calvinist roots and our ability to derive pleasure from discomfort. Yet we're just as proud of our Yankee ingenuity. There's great satisfaction in overcoming hardship, and it seems silly to deprive ourselves of the rewards for doing so. To find refuge from winter's harsh-yet-bracing environs, stop for a warm cup of cider, hot chocolate or steaming, deep-roasted coffee. Here's where to go:

At 40 Market Street in downtown Ipswich (978.356.1988), you'll discover the wonderful treats of Zumi's Espresso & Ice Cream Shop . Owners Zillie and Umesh Bhuju ( a former guide in the Himalayas ) opened Zumi's on Valentine's Day 2002, and that feel-good sentiment permeates this cozy spot. For a more elegant venue, visit the Wenham Tea House (978.468.1398) , found a few miles south of Ipswich via Route 1A, at 4 Monument Street . Situated in the center of a quintessential New England village, next to a white-steepled church and across the street from Town Hall, the Wenham Tea House is a refined escape from the buzz and bustle of everyday life. Tea, hot apple cider and other warm beverages are served Monday through Saturday, along with sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, muffins and cinnamon toast.

When winter's winds start whipping between the buildings of Boston and through every layer of clothing you've got on, take sanctuary at Torrefazione Italia at 85 Newbury Street (617.424.0951). Torrefazione is Italian for “coffee roaster,” so it makes sense that they feature a full line of traditional Italian coffees. Combine a melt-in-your-mouth slice of homemade pie, chocolate cake or pastry with one of their robust cappuccinos or espressos.

In Beantown's South End, the Appleton Bakery Café (617.859.8222), at the corner of Appleton and Dartmouth streets, boasts a caramel-apple muffin to die for, a wild assortment of other delicious baked goods and a full menu of accompanying coffees and teas, in a soothing, sunlit setting. On the South Shore , the eclectic menu at the Cinnamon Bear Café ( 781.749.4840 ) in historic Hingham Square is the ultimate encore after a hike through World's End, a 249-acre oceanside reservation with dramatic views of the Boston skyline.

Visitors to Cape Cod and its sprawling windswept beaches will find respite at a number of cozy shops. In Sandwich , choose between The Dunbar House Tea Shop (508.833.2485), a former billiards and smoking room that now invites the scents of fresh-baked scones and pies, and the Isaiah Jones Homestead (508.888.9115), an antique-laden bed-and-breakfast on Main Street that dates to 1849. Up the road in Orleans , at 5 Old Colony Way , The Hot Chocolate Sparrow (800.922.6399) offers a decadent array of sweets and light bites, plus the Cape 's best espresso. Or, if you're in North Eastham , stop by the original Chocolate Sparrow (508.240.0606) on Route 6.

But there's nothing more rewarding than a warm chaser following a vigorous cross-country skiing or snowshoeing session. To the west, the Great Brook Ski Touring Center in Carlisle (978.369.7486) features 10 miles of machine-groomed trails across a bucolic landscape of farmland and forests, and a cow barn renovated into the center's rustic lodge, featuring a wood stove and a great mug of hot chocolate. By the Berkshires, in Lenox, Nordic aficionados can take refuge inside John Sloane's Wyndhurst “cottage” at the Cranwell Resort, Spa & Golf Club's ski touring center (413.637.1364). This Tudor-style mansion atop a hillside on Lee Road — the centerpiece of the luxurious 380-acre resort — offers hot cocoa and cider, not to mention a crackling fireplace, to help your weary body recover after a day's romp in the cold.