Located in a chic yellow farmhouse on Rt 110 in Westford, MA, Stem and Bean is en route to being a go-to coffee shop for Westford teens and adults alike.

An independently-owned, one-of-a-kind business, Stem and Bean is known for its rich, warm hot chocolate as well as coffees, teas, and nitro brews. The shop also acquires its baked goods and pastries daily from Boston’s North End.

Stem and Bean offers a variety of hot beverages such as coffees, lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, hot chocolates, hot teas, and some specialities such as a Red-Eye, a Cafe au Lait, and the Zipper. Some cold beverages include iced coffees and teas, bottled water, Izzy (a carbonated juice) and coconut water.

The shop also offers an ever-changing selection of muffins from The Gingerbread Construction Company. The typical muffins found in-store are the Chocolate Dream, Blueberry, Carrot, and Lemon Poppyseed. However, one can call the shop or place an order online to order more muffins using the menu on the Stem and Bean website.

Although Stem and Bean carries a few pastries from the Modern Pastry in Boston in-store at a time, an extensive list of them can be found online. The store requests that they be pre-ordered at least 24 hours in advance. This can be slightly inconvenient, if you are not aware of the procedure going into the shop.

This procedure also applies to cakes, which must be specially ordered 3 days in advance. Cakes serve 6-8 and are priced at around $30-$35.

My numerous personal experiences at Stem and Bean have been quite satisfying. I ordered a small hot chocolate and a chocolate dream muffin, the total of which came to under $6, which is fair pricing. My friend ordered a hot tea and a lemon poppyseed muffin.

Because of the small size of the shop, and that there is only one table, it would have been rather awkward to sit inside; and so we took out pastries to go. However in the summertime, there are numerous tables just outside the shop which provide a perfect place to enjoy a cold drink and snack on a hot day, but are not idea for the winter months.

The shop itself is charming and unique, with the pastries located in a display case on the left and you walk in, and the right side having a small table with a wall full of various coffees and Stem and Bean merchandise. Casual, everyday attire is suggested for this relaxed shop, and the barista will make you feel right at home.