There are so many reasons to love Tampa—its vibrant city life,
thriving arts community, serious shopping and more. But I think any
chocoholic should put it on their list of "must visit" destinations
to indulge in chocolate opportunities. In a whirlwind weekend
recently, I was able to taste these fabulous creations. And the only
thing that limited my calories was time.
Best Chocolate Martini: Bern’s Dessert Room
Bern's Dessert Room has no competition here. It tastes even better
than this swirling creation looks. I tried it twice to be sure.
There a lots of other reasons to visit Bern’s, such as the
scrumptious cakes and ice cream concoctions.
Best Bakery: Chocolate Pi
I was lucky to stumble on this when searching for a "pre-loved"
clothing store. I needed to shop after dining on so many delicious
things in Tampa. You could gain weight just looking at the creations
here. Think of it as a chocolate art gallery with a hands-off
policy.
Most Unique Chocolate Experience: Pelagia
Trattoria
I travel the world tasting and judging chocolate. One of the most unusual
things I ever tried was chocolate salami at Pelagia Trattoria in the
Tampa Renaissance Hotel. New York Delis have nothing like this.
Best Chocolate Presentation:
PelagiaTrattoria Pelagia Trattoria wines for exquisitely plated and beautifully
presented chocolate desserts. The top two were the Triple Chocolate
Flourless Cake and the White Chocolate Cheesecake. Double yum.
Best Classic Dessert:
Columbia Restaurant
Chocolate Cake It's not surprising that a
restaurant with a Hispanic Heritage excels at chocolate. After all, the
Mexicans found chocolate, the "food of the Gods" and then shared it
with the world. This is a heavenly dessert.
Best Thing to Dip in Chocolate:
Churros at
Columbia Restaurant This isn't a chocolate dessert, but it is so special that I had
to give it bonus points so I could include it just for the sauce.
Best White Chocolate Bread Pudding:
Columbia
Restaurant As if you needed another reason to eat at Columbia Restaurant.
But no matter what else you have, end with this. I know you will
want to come back for more. I do.
Best Chocolate Mousse: Tampa Yacht Starship This dense, doubly chocolate mousse is really memorable. And
there could not be a more beautiful setting than yachting down the
water at sunset.
Best White Chocolate Cheesecake: Tampa Yacht
Starship Most people take this
trip for the views. I think it is worth it just for the desserts.
