Fro Yo Frenzy

A chic Federal Hill cafe is drawing early birds and late-night customers alike with its trendy frozen yogurt, pastries, and espresso. Afters Café (1001 S. Charles St., 410-244-0909) is airy and bright, even on a rainy day, with tiled tabletops and a cozy seating area with comfy couches. Self-serve frozen-yogurt dispensers line the wall beside the cash register and a toppings bar is available with items like fresh fruit and candy—at 45 cents an ounce for everything, you can have as much or as little as you'd like. The staff is helpful, even offering samples of a few flavors before we decided on the red velvet, pictured right, which was magically delicious. There are also beautiful baked goods from Pâtisserie Poupon and Stone Mill Bakery and enticing coffees from illy, like the cappuccino Viennese, pictured left, a mixture of espresso, steamed milk, and cocoa with unsweetened whipped cream ($4.10, 20 ounces). Afters is a good place to end (or start) your day.