The family duo of Julia Taft and her son, Blake Taft, are known for feeding people well on Hatteras Island. The two entrepreneurs and hospitality experts own and operate three restaurants centrally located in Avon — The Froggy Dog Restaurant & Pub, a seafood restaurant, wine destination and nightlife hotspot; Muffins and Scones, a favorite coffee shop, bakery and breakfast and lunch cafe; and Cups and Cones, the place for cool tasty treats and sweets.
You can read a lot about The Froggy Dog Restaurant on page XX, but on these pages, we are here to tell you about Muffins and Scones and Cups and Cones, the neighboring purple and pink establishments in Avon that have captured the hearts of locals and visitors.
Muffins and Scones
In its eighth season in 2025, Muffins and Scones is a much-loved coffee shop, bakery and cafe in Avon. With the breakfast menu available all day long, it’s a popular place to grab a quick morning meal or linger over expertly made espresso and coffee drinks on a sofa or around a table in the welcoming atmosphere. This year they are serving a new espresso blend that’s roasted just for them, and, trust us, it’s superb.
The baked goods here are exceptional. Muffins, scones, pastries, pies, cookies, cakes, cinnamon rolls, 17 flavors of fresh-made New York-style bagels, cupcakes, macarons — everything is handcrafted to perfection. And back by popular demand this year are donuts. A huge hit a few years ago, Muffins and Scones’ donuts have been on hiatus due to past staffing issues, but they are back in all their cream-filled and jelly-filled glory.
Muffins and Scones is also a great place for lunch, with bagel sandwiches and paninis and a new expanded sandwich menu. And locals know that you can run in any time and pick up pre-made quiches to take home and heat up for an easy dinner.
If you are looking for wedding cakes, birthday cakes and celebratory cupcakes, this is your place. Their loyal team of experienced bakers craft show-stopping and great-tasting wedding cakes, and you cannot beat their turnaround time. Plus, they have whole cakes and packaged slices available in-house every day. Customers love the classic carrot, chocolate and lemon blueberry cakes, and there’s always a special cake of the week.
Cups and Cones
Avon’s favorite mom-and-pop ice cream shop since 2008, Cups and Cones is a fabulous spot to take the family to enjoy their favorite ice creams and desserts.
In a bright pink building, it is guaranteed to make the entire family smile. Inside its festive, family-friendly atmosphere, decorated in bright tones of pinks, blues and greens and with Disney artwork on the walls, Cups and Cones serves a wide variety of yummy ice cream offerings and sundaes piled high with homemade brownies and cookies plus an extensive coffee bar menu that includes sought-after affogatos, an Italian-based dessert of espresso-doused ice cream.
Cups and Cones makes homemade frozen custard right in the shop with flavors like peaches and cream, watermelon and more.
If it's hand-dipped ice cream you’re craving, choose from 40 yummy Hershey’s flavors that include everything from Brookie Dough Blast and Brown Butter Bourbon to Road Runner Raspberry and Cappuccino Crunch. Don’t forget to ask for Cups and Cones’ famous homemade waffle cones to add the perfect crunch to your ice cream treat.
You can also opt for one of Cups and Cones’ famous shakes, malts, root beer floats or Italian water ice. And you can top off your treat by choosing a variety of delicious toppings. If you need a dessert for a special occasion, Cups and Cones’ popular custom homemade ice cream cakes are a huge hit with locals and visitors.
After dinner on summer nights bring the whole family to Cups and Cones for sweet treats that everyone will enjoy. Sit inside or outside under the cotton candy skies as the sun dips down behind Pamlico Sound.
(252) 995-0202
40146 North Carolina Highway 12, Avon
(252) 986-5109 | muffinsandscones.com
40126 North Carolina Highway 12, Avon
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
