Sweet Stuff: Desserts in TLH

How sweet.  Summer has officially begun. What  a perfect time to indulge in fruity sorbets, luscious shortcake and over-the-top ice cream sundaes.

In Tallahassee, you can find all these treats, and lots more, whether you’re craving a gooey banana split with hot butter caramel, a pot of chocolate fondue or a refreshing chai crème brûlée. And you don’t have to miss out if you’re vegan or eat a gluten-free diet.

Our search for desserts led to ice cream and candy shops, bakeries, restaurants and even late-night delivery services. Friends and readers contributed their ideas as well, but if we’ve missed your favorite spot, let us know.

Here’s the scoop…

COOL TREATS

Big Easy Snowballs: It’s always snowball season at these two dessert shops, which create frozen treats using New Orleans-style machines. You have a choice of more than 90 flavors including the popular blue raspberry or tiger’s blood (three berries with a hint of coconut). The specialty is a “stuffed” snowball – any flavor with French vanilla soft serve ice cream in the middle. 1621 N Monroe St. (Lake Ella), 850-329-6010; 2819 Mahan Dr., 850- 999-1502.

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream: Wedding Cake ice cream, made with almond cake batter, and Tuxedo Strawberry, with white chocolate swirls, are the special June flavors at these two counter-serve spots, where you’ll find waffle cones, freezes, milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream and pies. Bring your own banana to Bruster’s on Thursdays and you get a banana split for half price ($3 instead of $6). 2475 Apalachee Pkwy., 850-309-0712; 1709 W. Tharpe St., 850-383-9782.

Cold Stone Creamery: Pick your favorite ice cream flavor, choice of mix-ins and it’s all melded together using two spades on a frozen granite stone, for a made-to-order confection. Centre of Tallahassee, 2415 N Monroe St., 850-553-4560; 1444 W Tennessee St., 850-425-1150.

Dairy Queen: There are three Dairy Queen shops in Tallahassee plus a spot in the Governor’s Square Mall, offering chocolate and vanilla soft-serve in a cup or cone plus varied Blizzard treats.

Fiocco at Urban Food Market: Rudy Sacchet’s family has been making gelato for more than three generations in the Dolomites in northeastern Italy, and now he’s sharing his experience at Fiocco Gelato Cafe in the sprawling Urban Food Market. Fiocco offers more than 20 flavors plus coffee drinks and bakery items, including cheesecake from Chef Alessandro Di Maggio of +39. Centre of Tallahassee, 2415 N Monroe St.; 850-765-9842.

Isabella Pizza: Along with Neapolitan pies and salads, Isabella’s offers six flavors of house-made gelato and Nutella pizza, which is stuffed with the hazelnut spread and topped with fruit. 799 W Gaines St.; 850-558-6379.

Lofty Pursuits: The venerable local ice cream shop, from owner Gregory Cohen, is a place where customers like to hang out. Watch Victorian-style candy made in-house on equipment from the late 1800s and check out retro toys and games. The ice cream menu itself is huge, offering floats, freezes, egg creams, ice cream sodas, nearly three dozen sundaes (not counting banana confections and treats like the kitchen sink, with 26 scoops in a stainless steel sink) and vegan ice cream options. Lofty Pursuits makes more than 30 syrups. Want dessert for breakfast? Order a pancake with candy, sprinkles and ice cream (regular breakfast items available as well). 1355 Market St.; 850-521-0091.

Mr. Cool: The Thai-style ice cream shop serves ice cream in six tight rolls instead of scoops. Servers mash mix-ins and a liquid ice cream base (including a basic version, vanilla, coffee, green tea or chocolate) on a pan chilled to a temperature of minus 14 degrees, then scrape the mixture into rolls, which taste a little lighter than a scoop. Pick one of the restaurant’s combos, like the Monkey Business (with bananas and Nutella) or create your own. Once the ice cream is rolled, pick three toppings. There’s one price: $5.99. 633 W Tennessee St.; 850-999-8476.

Nuberri Frozen Yogurt: The shop, with three locations, is primarily known for self-serve frozen yogurt (with no fat and low fat alternatives) but it also serves custard, gelato, sorbet and Italian ices. Dozens of toppings are available.

Peterbrooke Chocolatier: Satisfy your craving for chocolate or gelato (or both) at Peterbroke, which offers a cup, cone or pint of gelato, with 16 rotating flavors. 1817 Thomasville Rd. 850-577-3111.

Yogurt Mountain:   The yogurt shop serves more than 16 choices with nonfat, lowfat and gluten-free picks available, plus custard, dairy-free choices and tropical ice. 1801 W Tennessee St.; 850-765-0229.

CUPCAKES/PASTRIES

Au Peche Mignon: Feel like you’re in France (we can all pretend) while gobbling macarons, croissants and other pastries at the cafe, open more than 25 years. You can also get imported cheeses, salami and lunch. 1415 Timberlane Rd.; 850-668-5533.

Lucy & Leo’s Cupcakery: The local cupcake shop from owners Jean Bates and Paula Lucas, offers about a dozen cupcake varieties daily, plus macarons, cookies and cake balls (mini cupcakes available by special order). Gluten-free and vegan options are available. During the summer, cupcakes are $2 on Tuesdays. 1000 Thomasville Rd.; 850-765-0374.

Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery: The colorful cupcake shop serves more than a dozen flavors daily. You can special order medium or mini cupcakes and get cupcakes for dogs on Saturdays. 1480 Apalachee Pkwy., 850-765-2785; 3479 Thomasville Rd., 850-999-1943.

Tasty Pastry: The family-run bakery, which originated in 1963, is still run by siblings and certified master bakers Debbie and Mark Cross. It’s the source for breads, cakes, pies, cookies, bagels, pastries and take-home casseroles. 1355 Market St.; 850-893-3752.

The Cake Shop: The bakery is brimming with breads, pastries presents pies, cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, baklava, quiche and specialty baked goods.. Open for breakfast. 1908 Capital Circle NE; 850-386-2253.

Treva’s Pastries and Fine Foods: In her small shop and cafe, Treva Pasquarelli offers soups, salads, sandwiches, entrees (to go) and pastries. Her specialties include Key lime mousse pie and blueberry almond croissants. She also makes ice cream for sale by the cup or pint. 2766 Capital Circle NE; 850-765-0811.

RESTAURANTS

Blu Halo: Popular desserts at the upmarket restaurant include flavored nitrogen ice creams. The chilling temperature of nitrogen renders ice cream velvety and rich. Other signature treats are blueberry cheesecake with Kahlúa chocolate sauce and Nutella soufflé or splurge or a dessert cocktail. 3431 Bannerman Rd.; 850-999-1696.

Cypress Restaurant: Pastry chef Maria Mosca and executive chef/owner David Gwynn create a changing menu of gourmet desserts. Highlights include a decadent flourless chocolate cake with chocolate ganache; a bread pudding made of cornbread infused with maple syrup and topped with bourbon ice cream; and chai crème brûlée. The menu also features house-made ice creams and sorbets (including vegan and gluten-free). 320 E. Tennessee St.; 850-513-1100.

Food Glorious Food: Fans rave about the three-layer, sinfully rich “Perfect Chocolate Cake” but other favorite desserts at Food Glorious Food include Key lime pound cake and baklava cheesecake. 1950 Thomasville Rd.; 850-224-9974.

Habana’s Boardwalk: Savor Cuban desserts like flan (caramelized vanilla custard), tres leches (vanilla cake soaked with three milks), churros con helado (fried dough and ice cream topped with cinnamon sugar) and guava and cream cheese empanada at this homey restaurant. 2819 Mahan Dr.; 850-391-9111.

– Kool Beanz

Kool Beanz: Pastry chef Sylvia Gould is known for her imaginative desserts on a constantly changing menu. Her specialties include toasted coconut cream meringue cake, blueberry fig crostata and Thai basil panna cotta. 921 Thomasville Rd.; 850-224-2466.

The Melting Pot: Fondue lovers head to The Melting Pot for this chocolate treat (with several liqueur options for added decadence), served with numerous toppings including fruit and more chocolate. 2727 N Monroe St.; 850-386-7440.

Miccosukee Root Cellar: Owner Ruben Fields presents a menu of locally-sourced foods, much of it organic, and that includes dessert. Summer favorites feature a chocolate terrine with Thai basil ice cream, bay leaf pound cake with a strawberry lavender compote, and a pecan pie made with nuts from KBH Farms. Try house-made ice cream flavors like strawberry balsamic, Turkey Hill Farm sugar cane syrup ice cream and buttermilk crème fraîche. 1311 Miccosukee Rd.; 850-597-7419.

– 319 Wine & Cheese Shoppe

319 Wine & Cheese: This local cafe, owned by Bill and Lynne Edwards, features house-made cannoli, triple layer chocolate merlot cake, blueberry tarts, apple caramel bread pudding with ice cream and lots more. 6265 Old Water Oak Rd.; 850-765-7053.

DELIVERIES

Dipped:  If you’re craving chocolate-covered strawberries (and who doesn’t?), this place delivers. Cheesecake and other gourmet treats, including S’more truffles, Belgian waffles and bacon, delivered until 3 a.m. (call to check their delivery area). 2401 Pensacola St.; 850-296-7489.

Insomnia Cookies: Insomnia delivers cookies, ice cream and milk to fans anywhere within three miles of its Tennessee Street location to 3 a.m. 1525 W. Tennessee St.; 877-632-6654.

Z Baked: Find cookies and muffins as well as some comfort food, which you can pick up or get delivered (if you’re in their coverage area). Order online at zbaked.com. 2401 W. Pensacola St., 850-391-2206.