Five Places for Iced Coffee Quenchers in New Canaan

The iced coffee craze may have started with frappucinos or coolatas, but independent New Canaan shops have their own versions of these refreshingly cool pick-me-ups. Here are five places in town where you can relax with a *cold* cup of joe.

Pass by Zumbachs any day of the week and you can literally smell the coffee beans roasting. New Canaan's most authentic coffee joint invites customers to chill out this summer with a large menu of icy beverages. Try an iced cappucino, mochaccino, latte or just a simple iced coffee. The fresh coffee beans are roasted daily by owner Doug Zumbach himself.

Connecticut Muffin offers a variety of coffee drinks to go along with their top-notch muffins, bagels and breakfast pastries. Regular and flavored iced coffees (like hazelnut and vanilla) and iced cappuccinos and lattes are popular items on the menu — but if you're looking for something ice cold and deliciously sweet, try their very own Mocha Blast. The frosty beverage starts with a vanilla ice cream base and is then blended with espresso, cocoa powder and ice to make a delicious treat for a hot summer day.

Coffee and chocolate make a perfect pair, so who better to jump on the iced coffee train than Belgique? The gourmet chocolate shop is serving up a few dessert inspired drinks like iced mochas, iced Belgian coffee, and a coffee-free iced Belgian chocolate combination. The best part about these refreshments?  They're served with iced coffee cubes- so when the temperature soars you won't have to sweat over a watered-down drink.

Another of New Canaan's newest businesses in bringing a Mediterranean coffee experience to town. Kouzina, which opened recently on the far end of Forest Street, serves up authentic cups of Greek coffee — a smaller, more robust and much stronger version of the stuff were used to.  But for a cooler sip, try the restaurant's "Frappe".  It's made with the Nescafe coffee commonly found in Europe, sugar, milk and ice.

This upscale market is the perfect stop for salads, sweets and, of course, coffee. Try an iced mochachino, an iced cappucino, or serve yourself a cup of iced coffee from the coffee bar at the front of the store.