Best of NH 2020 Desserts, Ice Cream Stands, Coffee & Bakeries

Frontside Coffee Roasters. Photo by Joe Klementovich

Editor’s Picks

Ultimate Cup of Coffee

by Joe Klementovich
Frontside Coffee Roasters in North Conway makes, by far, the best cup of coffee around. Austin Orth selects the beans and roasts them just up the street, a process he truly enjoys. The staff is top-shelf, and if you linger long enough, you can enjoy a beer on the outside patio. If coffee and beer aren’t your game, the smoothies, tea and freshly made sandwiches should be sampled for sure. frontsidecoffee.com

A Bakery for All Needs

by Joe Klementovich
Crumb Bar — is it a coffee shop, bakery or a bar? I guess it depends on the time of day and what mood you’re in. Some coffee shops have baked goods, but these guys are baking right there behind the counter, so you know it’s fresh. Right on Main Street in Littleton, Crumb Bar is a perfect spot for a meeting for work or with friends, or just some time alone with your favorite beverage. crumbbumbakery.com

Pie Dreams

by Evelyn Cormier
I think it’s safe to say that you have not fully lived until you’ve tasted the strawberry rhubarb pie at Lou’s Restaurant & Bakery in Hanover. It is, hands down, the best pie in the state. Currently, I live in Los Angeles, California, but whenever I come home to New Hampshire, I always look forward to enjoying a slice of that pie, and a steaming cup of coffee to go along with it. lousrestaurant.com

Culture and Coffee

by Juston McKinney
Crackskull’s Coffee and Books is celebrating its 20th year. Known as Newmarket’s “Living Room,” it’s the go-to place for great coffee and espresso drinks. They also have many food items, ranging from bagels to pastries, which you can enjoy while browsing a wide selection of used books and vinyl records. They now offer online ordering for quick pickup, which they plan to continue when pandemic restrictions are lifted. Crackskull’s also has a gallery wall that features a different local artists each month, which gives the place a unique and charming feel. crackskulls.com

Petite eclairs from Dutch Epicure Bakery in Amherst. Courtesy photo.

Comfort Cake

by Susanna Hargreaves
There is a saying that we must have courage, faith or chocolate fudge cake. The best place to buy any type of cake is at the Dutch Epicure Bakery in Amherst. And cake isn’t their only specialty. They offer several types of beautiful breads, cookies, scones, pastries and croissants that are made with so much care you can taste the love. Each treat will go perfectly with their freshly made coffee or hot chocolate. In good times and bad times, this bakery is the place to go. dutchepicurebakery.com

Readers’ Poll Winners

Bakery Overall
Harvey’s Bakery and Coffee Shop
Dover
harveysbakery.com

Bakery Overall Multilocation Local
Frederick’s Pastries
Multiple Locations
pastry.net

Bakery Concord Area
Bread & Chocolate
Concord
Facebook

Bakery Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Red Wagon Bakery & Café
Canaan
Facebook

Bakery Great North Woods Region
Polish Princess Bakery
Lancaster
polishprincessbakery.com

Bakery Lakes Region
Cup & Crumb
Moultonborough
cupandcrumb.com

Bakery Monadnock Region
Fire Dog Breads
Keene
firedogbreads.com

Bakery Manchester Area
Triolo’s Bakery
Bedford
triolosbakery.com

Bakery Nashua Area
Buckley’s Bakery Café
Merrimack and Hollis
buckleysbakerycafe.com

Bakery Salem Area
Klemm’s Bakery
Windham
klemmsbakery.com

Bakery Seacoast Region
Sweet Dreams Bakery
Stratham
sweetdreamsbakery.biz

Bakery White Mountains Region
Crumb Bar
Littleton
crumbbumbakery.com

Cakes
Jaques Fine European Pastries
Suncook
jacquespastries.com

Cakes Multilocation Regional
Frederick’s Pastries
Bedford, Amherst and North Andover, Mass.
http://www.pastry.net

Chocolatier
Van Otis Chocolates
Manchester
vanotis.com

Coffee Roaster
Prime Roast Coffee Co.
Keene
primeroastcoffee.com

Coffee Roaster Multilocation Local
A&E Coffee & Tea
Amherst, Goffstown and Manchester
aeroastery.com

Coffee Shop Overall
Union Coffee Co.
Milford
unioncoffee.co

Coffee Shop Overall Multilocation Local
A&E Coffee & Tea
Amherst, Goffstown and Manchester
aeroastery.com

Coffee Shop Concord Area
True Brew Barista
Concord
truebrewbarista.com

Coffee Shop Concord Area Multilocation Regional
Aroma Joe’s
Multiple Locations
aromajoes.com

Coffee Shop Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Red Wagon Bakery & Café
Canaan
Facebook

Coffee Shop Great North Woods Region
Polish Princess Bakery
Lancaster
polishprincessbakery.com

Coffee Shop Lakes Region
Wayfarer Coffee Roasters
Laconia
(603) 527-8313

Coffee Shop Lakes Region Multilocation Regional
Aroma Joe’s
Multiple Locations
aromajoes.com

Coffee Shop Manchester Area
Café la Reine
Manchester
cafelareine.com

Coffee Shop Manchester Area Multilocation Regional
Aroma Joe’s
Multiple Locations
aromajoes.com

Coffee Shop Monadnock Region
Prime Roast Coffee Co.
Keene
primeroastcoffee.com

Coffee Shop Nashua Area
Riverwalk Café & Music Bar
Nashua
riverwalknashua.com

Coffee Shop Seacoast Region
Flight Coffee Co.
Dover and Bedford
flightcoffeedover.com/

Coffee Shop White Mountains Region
Mad River Coffee Roasters
Campton
madrivercoffeeroasters.com

Cupcakes
Queen City Cupcakes
Manchester
qccupcakes.com

Doughnuts
Klemm’s Bakery
Windham
klemmsbakery.com

Ice Cream Shop Overall
Hayward’s Ice Cream
Nashua
haywardsicecream.com

Ice Cream Shop Concord Area
Arnie’s Place
Concord
arniesplace.com

Ice Cream Shop Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
Sanctuary Dairy Farm Ice Cream
Sunapee
icecreamkidbeck.com

Ice Cream Shop Great North Woods Region
Moose Alley Cones
Pittsburg
partridgecabins.com/about-us/moose-alley-cones

Ice Cream Shop Lakes Region
Jordan’s Ice Creamery
Belmont
Facebook

Ice Cream Shop Manchester Area
Puritan Backroom
Manchester
puritanbackroom.com

Ice Cream Shop Monadnock Area
Walpole Creamery
Walpole and Keene
walpolecreamery.com

Ice Cream Shop Monadnock Area Multilocation Local
Kimball Farm
Jaffrey and Mass. Locations
kimballfarm.com

Ice Cream Shop Nashua Area
The Big 1 Ice Cream Stand
Nashua
thebig1icecream.com

Ice Cream Shop Salem Area
Moo’s Place Homemade Ice Cream
Derry and Salem
moosplace.com

Ice Cream Shop Seacoast Region
Lago’s Ice Cream
Rye
lagosicecream.com

Ice Cream Shop White Mountains Region
Bishop’s Homemade Ice Cream
Littleton
Facebook

Pie
Live Free or Pie Stand
Hampstead
livefreeorpiestand.com