There’s this riveting romance in the air. At every turn rests a cozy café or a delightful dessert shop. Siesta Key is full of places to share ice cream cones, snack on a freshly-made pastry, and generally, enjoy the company of another over a sweet. We have many vacation condo rentals on Siesta Key in and around the island, so you are never far from a treat.
Below we take a brief look at the top places dessert shops on Siesta Key. We will highlight at least one special dessert addition with every stop, making this list double as a top 10 desserts to try in Siesta Key!
Meaney’s Mean Donuts
Donuts galore! Meaney’s Mean Donuts is an ideal donut stop, with a little local flavor and a warm décor. The Glazed and Confused is a surefire hit- a classic chocolate-glazed delight. Meaney’s specializes in mini donuts, so don’t be afraid to get a few!
Big Olaf Creamery
Big Olaf has comfortable seating both indoor and outdoor. There are seven stores in Sarasota alone, and 50 across Florida. Waffle cones and fudge are all made in house. You can complement your ice cream with smoothies, blended coffee, and milkshakes. If you can’t decide which ice cream flavor to try, we can ease your pain. Go for the chocolate peanut butter and leave happy.
Made in Rome
Made in Rome gelato is the real deal. If you are familiar with Italian gelato, you will feel cozy and comfortable with their varied array of selections. They are also organic, making this an authentic and high-end dessert option. We can’t recommend one flavor over another. Just order a cup without toppings – you don’t want to meddle with the formula of real organic gelato.
Taste of Germany
Unlike many of the options here, Taste of Germany is a café restaurant. Sit down and indulge in real German cuisine, including pretzels, white and red brats, and a slew of breakfast dishes. We recommend the cinnamon roll as a sweet option.
Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream
Call it a fad, but we can’t get enough of Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream. The ice cream is flash-frozen with a blast of nitrogen before being served. It’s such a cool place to visit on that basis alone, but the ice cream is astonishing. We can’t recommend the Key lime pie ice cream enough!
Jim’s Bakery
Jim’s Bakery is that down-home local bakery we could all use a little more of in our lives. Everything here is made on-site, from scratch. Get fresh fruit sorbets, all-butter croissants, and artisanal bread. This humble little shop carries one of the best desserts in the country: Jim’s carrot cake.
Settimi’s Gelato
If you just crave gelato but you are too far from Made in Rome, we highly recommend Settimi’s. This hidden-nook of a café has chocolate dipped cones and an incredible number of flavors, including our favorite, the hazelnut.
Heavenly Cupcakes
These heavenly cupcakes are soaked in hot fudge, topped with swaths of icing, and baked to perfection. With its extra thick layer cream cheese icing, we think the Red Velvet is worth a try.
Orange Octopus
This South Bridge staple is a handmade ice cream shop, and one of the premier dessert shops on Siesta Key. We adore the Salted Caramel, but there are close to 30 or more flavors available at any given time. It makes for a great close to the night.
Abel’s Ice Cream
This Sarasota favorite is a down-to-Earth classic ice cream eatery. No bells and whistles here. You get authentic and real ice cream, with Old Florida décor and that classic ice cream shop ambiance. Abel’s has the chocolate candy flavor, one of our personal favorites.
Plan Your Next Stay
These are just 10 of the best Siesta Key restaurants for anyone with a sweet tooth. Dessert shops and ice cream parlors make a great spot for a first – or 101st – date. Siesta Key is a romantic paradise, especially for foodie couples who love to travel and eat. Don’t hesitate to contact us for details about our romantic Siesta Key luxury vacation condos.
