By Lacey Jane Pappas

Ever wanted to step inside a cafe that both your grandma and the Sundance Film Festival might want to claim? Next time your throat has an itch, your belly has a grumble or your sis needs a cute ‘n hip locale for her bridal tea, give the Beehive Tea Room a try.

Sandwiched between eateries and corporate offices in downtown Salt Lake City, the Beehive Tea Room has an entire menu devoted to teas, coffees and hot cocoas. As if making the perfect companion for this blustery weather wasn’t enough, one of the Beehive’s hot brews will also complement a Scone of the Day quite nicely. (We say go for pumpkin, hands down.)

But there’s more to this quaint eatery than its history as one of Salt Lake’s 2008 Sundance Film Festival hubs and its hot drinks. There are also good lunch eats—no reservation required. Our most recent visit introduced us to a delicious salmon chowder. But my ongoing favorite is the tomato sandwich. Served on multigrain bread (with the crusts trimmed off every so carefully) this pretty sandwich comes with pesto cream cheese, fresh romaine lettuce and slices of hearty tomato. Other options include the spinach and artichoke sandwich and chicken salad sandwich. You’ll get to choose between a house salad (my pick) with mixed greens, baby tomatoes, pine nuts and tasty balsamic vinaigrette, or chips at the side.

Before you leave, top off your meal with any variety of sweets like cakes, brownies, petit fours or scones. You won’t regret the chocolate cake, even if you’re counting calories.

Whatever you choose, remember that to take advantage of this menu, you’ll need to settle on a hot drink. You’ll feel oh-so-pretty sitting in a beautifully-decorated, old-timey setting with a teacup at your side. There’s a reason this place is the perfect home for bridal luncheons: the hand-picked antique knickknacks and furnishings make the storybook backdrop for Vera Wang wedding books and all the bridal magazines you can handle in the Wedding Library. Or, just book one of the cozy, warm back rooms for your tea party.

Formal afternoon tea or quick lunch bite, you just might wish you had your grandma by your side. And an apres-lunch indie film to feast your eyes on … if this setting wasn’t enough.

{Tea For Two, Or Just You}

Beehive Tea Room
123 W. 300 South
Salt Lake City, Utah
(801) 328-4700
Open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
www.beehivetearoom.com

YHO is on a hunt for its favorite cup of hot chocolate. We’re gonna search high and we’re gonna search low. And our tongues might get burned on multiple occasions, but we’re happy to take those hits in the blessed name of chocolate.

Stop No. 1: Elizabeth’s Bakery & Tea Shop
Location: 575 S. 700 East, Salt Lake City

Elizabeth’s seems like a good place to start, simply because we wonder if anyone is going to be able to beat it. A classic labeled mug of Cadbury hot chocolate is served with homemade whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top, as well as a petite Swiss Delice square. Note the heart-shaped tray.

Unlike a lot of fancy hot chocolates, this one isn’t bitter, nor is it overly sweet like the packaged varieties. As far as thickness goes, it’s on the light side but the cup is large enough to make it last a while. What we like best is the flavor: like a melted, high-quality milk chocolate bar that goes down easy. This one is good.

Have a favorite? Let us know. Send an e-mail to ali@yourheartout.com.

The current Winter Wonderland weather has us looking for more than a cup of Christmas cheer. We’ve also got a yearning for a big, fat cup of something else: chocolate.

In the blustery haze of Saturday afternoon, we headed to Cocoa Caffé (282 E. 900 South) seeking shelter and sweets. Both desires were met: Maeve, naturally, had to try the hot chocolate ($3.35 for small)—this is Cocoa Caffé, after all. Ali veered off path, falling for the description of caramel apple cider (cider with caramel drizzled over a dallop of homemade-tasting whipped cream, $3.15).

It’s fair to say that the hot chocolate is more of a dessert than a warm drink; it’s one step away from homemade chocolate pudding—in flavor and texture. It’s not overly sweet, nor is it bitter. It’s creamy, and collectively, we found it tasty.

Cocoa Caffé’s insides are as warm and welcoming as a Starbucks, minus the bucks. It’s not overcrowded and there’s plenty of seating room. A sweet, coffee-ish smell and an asking-to-be-curled-up-by fireplace are added bonuses.

The hot (chocolate and coffee) spot also offers more metropolitan options like hazelnut-, caramel-, coconut- and mint-flavored frozen cocoas ($3.30 for small) and lunch items like a tomato mozzarella panini ($5.95) and a green apple and brie dish ($6.95). None of the above fit into our diet plans for the afternoon; we did our best to stay true-blue to our initial warm-drink craving, and were happy we didn’t stray … at least not too far. The cider isn’t to be turned down.