They tell us that, amidst our rampantly unhealthy, over-processed food industry, we should be more health-minded than ever when it comes to eating today. Organic, low-fat, whole grain, all-natural; we need all these things now to be the best and healthiest we can be. Your temple of a body will definitely thank you, but your taste buds, maybe not so much. If you need a break, check out some of the best desserts in Tampa. Even if you don't usually eat ice cream, cupcakes, crepes, or gelato, you need to try some of the best places to get dessert in Tampa.
Live a little and get some taste bud therapy at any of these great Tampa dessert destinations:
Harry Waugh Dessert Room at Bern's Steakhouse
The Harry Waugh Dessert Room at Bern's is arguably just as popular for its decadent desserts as Bern's is for its steak and wine. It's almost a separate restaurant in itself, lined with private booths made from old wine caskets perfect for relaxed after-meal conversation and dessert.
Enjoy all-homemade deserts made to order including bananas foster, dulce de leche liquid center cake, various pies, sorbets, ice creams, and more.
Oh Yeah Creamery has stunned locals with its several unique ice cream flavors and mix-ins ranging from cereal-infused ice cream to lemon poppyseed cheesecake. Standing out as one of the most unique ice cream parlors in Tampa, Oh Yeah Creamery focuses on making delectable flavors for South Tampa and UT locals.
The Dessert Spot at Toffee To Go
The Dessert Spot at Toffee To Go is an intimate eatery where you can sit and enjoy coffee, ice cream, pies, pastries, cookies, scones, milkshakes, toffee, and more! They are serving up sweetness and eager to share their delicious treats with you!
If you're a dessert fanatic, try the Dessert Bombs from The Dessert Spot at Toffee To Go. A dessert bomb is a cake filled with some sort of creamy filling and rolled in a topping that fits the flavor profile of the bomb of the week. I learned about these bombs from ThisBabeEats and after trying them, I can tell you that "This Babe" really knows how to eat!
Sprinkles Cupcake (Storefront and ATM)
Sprinkles is a cheery bakery known for its rotating menu of cupcakes, ice cream & cookies. It is a nationwide franchise that is known for its rich and full of flavor cupcakes. However, in Tampa, they're known for their 24-hour cupcake ATM. Right in the middle of Hyde Park Village lies an ATM that dispenses cupcakes at any hour of the day to satisfy your next midnight chocolate craving!
Astro Ice Cream, which is located inside the Heights Public Market at Armature Works, has tasty and creamy ice cream packed with bold flavors! Their Flying Saucer ice cream from their "out of this world creations" menu is my personal favorite. I've always been a big fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream but their Flying Saucer sundae pushed my love for it over the edge! Cool off with their refreshing mint ice cream mixed with mini chocolate chips, topped with chocolate dirt crumbles, and finished with a shot of chocolate syrup and a biscotti!
Remember being a kid and always wanting to eat handfuls of cookie dough when your mom was baking chocolate chip cookies? Well, Dough Nation is making your wildest cookie dough fantasies a reality! This edible cookie dough can be eaten by the spoonful. They offer your favorite flavors from chocolate chip cookie dough to sugar cookies. They also have some more outrageous flavors like toasty s'more and double chocolate Oreo for you to try! Let me be the first to tell you, it's worth every bite!
Snobachi Hand Rolled Ice Cream
I'm sure you've seen the food porn videos of hand-rolled ice cream on your Facebook or Instagram, but have you tried it in real life yet? If you haven't head over to Ybor City and check out Snobachi Handcrafted Ice Cream! The process begins with a flavor of cream, vanilla, or chocolate. Once the cream is poured onto the ice-cold block, your toppings are smushed and rolled into your creamy and yummy dessert. The rolls are then placed in the cup and topped with a few more goodies like brownies or cookies, for you to enjoy.
Ah, crepes; light, sweet, and decadent, they possess all the qualities of a great dessert and, as La Creperia surely knows, are quite versatile. Offering over 40 different varieties of sweet and savory crepes, La Creperia knows what they're doing when it comes to bringing this French classic to Ybor.
Try the La Prima Donna - a Nutella-filled crepe dusted with powdered sugar and topped with whipped cream; or their famous Romeo Y Julietta crepe filled with bananas, strawberries, and delicious Nutella.
Man, if you live in Tampa Bay and just think cupcakes are for kids, you are seriously missing out. The Cupcake Spot takes the idea of the cupcake and gives it a gourmet makeover as you've probably never seen, or tasted for that matter.
Their signature Better Than cupcakes are a crowning achievement in small desserts. A spongy chocolate chip cake topped with cream cheese and chocolate chip icing, the Better Than just might be better than any cupcake you've had before.
Bo's has been appeasing the needs of Tampa sweet tooths since 1954 when the original owner, Ken Bosanko, opened this unassuming ice cream hub on Florida Avenue. Not much has changed since then. Bo's serves up the same soft-serve ice cream, hand-dipped creations, and rich milkshakes. Sometimes you just gotta forget about all the trappings of elegant, restaurant desserts and just get a big, towering cone of vanilla soft serve. Lucky for us, Bo's will provide.
When the weather gets hot, I always look forward to ice creams and popsicles to keep me cool during the summer. In Tampa, when May comes around and we start feeling the 96° days, the first thing that comes to mind is walking to The Hyppo in Hyde Park. At The Hyppo they serve unique and bold flavors of ice pops! Some of their best flavors include Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita and Kiwiberry Orange Blossom. However, they have more flavors for those of you who aren't so daring. My boyfriend loves the lemon-lime flavor and the coffee pop as well. Head there today to try a crazy flavor and play it safe and enjoy an ice-cold popsicle!
Looking for more restaurants and dining options to try in Tampa? Return to 813area, your free and local guide for dining, nightlife and more in Tampa!
Image courtesy of Unsplash.
