These bakeries, dessert bars and ice cream spots arrive in Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville and Indy's south side just in time for Valentine's Day.
Liz Biro|IndyStar
Maybe you hate Valentine's Day. Maybe you don't. Either way, it's hard to resist sweets shared in the name of love. Hit theseIndianapolis-area chocolate and dessert shops anytime of year. Find them in Carmel, Fishers Zionsville and on Indy's south side.
DeBrand Fine Chocolates
8685 River Crossing Blvd., 317-669-0955, debrand.com
If Willy Wonka lived ina Park Avenue penthouse, I think it would look like DeBrand. The tufted velvet loveseat is the place to cozy up with a cup of hot caramel. Yes, it’s a drink, buttery, sweet and creamy. Ponder the world outside floor-to-ceiling windows while sipping a giant hot cocoa under fluffywhipped cream. Red velvet banquets furnish private party rooms where you and your friends can indulge in truffles as big as golf balls. Smooth chocolate shells reveal silky fillings like key lime wrapped in white chocolate and mounded with pecans.
Fountain Square: Litterally Divine Chocolate Tasting Room & Coffee bar
Recipe: Bake Cafe Patachou owner's favorite cake
Good luck leavingwithout a box of chocolate to go. Fancy chocolate squares hidetempting fillings like rosemary citrus, white chocolate passion fruit ganache or raspberry balsamic basil. A milk chocolate shell wraps thegourmet PB&J'salmond-pecan-peanut butter and raspberry-loganberry-boysenberry-cherry jellyl.
The Lemon Bar
95 E. Pine St., Zionsville, 317-344-0472, thelemonbaronline.com
You can't help but fall in love with this romantic café tucked into a downtown Zoinsville side street. Towering layer cakes andcheesecakesgreet you at the door. If the cinnamon pecan roll cake is there, prepare to moan. Pecan butter crumble fills threelayers of cinnamon marbled vanilla cake, all wrapped in maple syrup cream cheese frosting.
A chandelier twinkling above the fireplace, floral-printed tabletops and white-washed exposed brick conjure thoughts a lovey-dovey vacation in the French countryside. Dream on with a boozy red velvet vodka cream cheese milkshake, two straws, of course. Cast a spell with Love Potion, a prosecco cocktail with fresh cherry juice and vermouth.
Victory Rolls
702 Main St., Beech Grove, Facebook @VictoryRollsandBakedGoods
Pro tip: Eat the strawberry “Pop-Tarts” at one of the tables or have the staff pack it ever so gently in a bag. The crust is fall-apart delicate and flaky, like Grandma makes. That’s because owner Amy Davis Norcross taps her family recipes, the tarts included, as well as the crullers. Everything is baked from scratch, even the bagels. Victory Rolls takes its name from the World War II-erahairstyle. Clerks wear the curls as part of their 1940s style.
Nothing Bundt Cakes
11680 Commercial Dr., Fishers, 317-516-4925, nothingbundtcakes.com
That first Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker cake you baked all by yourself, in a bundt pan? It was so moist, and you piled on thethick,white cream cheese frosting. Bundt cakes at this chain bakery take you right back to that moment. Mini, small and large cakes come in every retro flavor: cinnamon swirl, marble, lemon, pecan praline. Find red velvet, carrot and chocolate chocolate chip, too.
Mama Mia Gelato
834 W. Main St., Carmel, 317-740-0113, mammamiaindy.com
Mama Mia’s summertime gelato stand outside Ristorante Roma on Rangeline Road is well-known. In fall 2017, the cart became a full-time location. Get all classic flavors (pistachio, stacciatella, cassata), but look for special flavors, too, like fig and marscarpone. Try a gelato-filled croissant or a scoop with hot espresso poured on top. That’s called “affogato” in Italy. Think it’s too cold for gelato? Consider ultra-thick Italian hot chocolate.
Pots & Pans
4915 N. College Ave., 317-600-3475, potsandpansindy.com
I didn't think anything could beat Pots & Pans s'mores pie until I tasted owner Clarissa Morley's marshmallow sweet potato dream. She fills a deep-dish, sugar-crystaled crust withspicy sweet potato silkiness, loads on glossy Swiss meringue, uses a torch to toast the meringue and then rims the whole thing with her ownfrom-scratch pralines. Floral grandma wall paper and cute littlesucculents and cacti decorate thetiny 20-seat cafe with a bar overlooking the kitchen.
Toasted marshmallow sweet potato pie, the best Thanksgiving dessert
The ultimate Thanksgiving pie at Pots & Pans. The bakery's new pie shop opens Nov. 20, 2018, 4915 College Ave., south of Broad Ripple, Indianapolis.
Liz Biro, Indianapolis Star
Gallery Pastry Shop
1101 E. 54th St., Suite G,317-820-5526,gallerypastryshop.com
Sweet dreams start with the signature chocolate pillow, a puff of chocolate mousse on chocolate cake, all coveredin chocolate ganache, continue to sublime and true French eclairs and seem to go on forever whenmacarons are just $1 on Wednesday. Cozy up with champagne at bar seats overlooking the kitchen.
General American Donut Co.
827 S. East St., 317-964-0744, generalamericandonutco.com
I love a box of chocolates for Valentine's Day, or anytime, but get me a box of chocolate-covered doughnuts and I'm ready to meet the parents. General American is only open morning to early afternoon, whenever the doughnuts run out, but I've had so many romantic moments here over fresh-daily flavors like hibiscus-glazed and marshmallow-filled s'mores, the fluffy filling made in-house.
The Cake Bake Shop
6515 Carrollton Ave., 317-257-2253, thecakebakeshop.com
Beyond beautiful, this shop is somewhere between Paris and a fairy tale. Pastels and flowers, impossibly tall layer cakes and glitter-dusted macarons, champagne for days. Each your red velvet cake slowly, savory every piped rose that covers its edges, because you're never going to want to leave this place. Cake Bake opens a Carmel location in 2019.
Milktooth bakery
534 Virginia Ave., 317-986-5131, milktoothindy.com
Technically not a dessert shop, but pastry chef Zoe Taylor's creative sweetsare the first thing you see when you walk in the door of one Indy's most famous restaurants. Arrive early, before the crowds at this breakfast/brunch/lunch place in Fountain Square. In that quiet time, romantic things are bound to happenover fresh berry danish andsugared brioche with passion fruit curd.
My Sugar Pie
40 E. Pine St., Zionsville, 317-733-8717, mysugarpie.com
Forty different pies made with a crust recipe handed down by the owner's mother make for incredible moments of sharing bites. Good luck finding one you don't like among peach praline, Dutch pineapple, French silk, pecan, chocolate chip and, of course, Hoosier sugar cream. Eat in the cozy cottage dining room or on the patio.
Best Chocolate in Town
880 Massachusetts Ave., 317-636-2800, bestchocolateintown.com
So many truffles temp from behind glass as chocolate makers craft more right before your eyes. Don't miss the fluffly chocolate mousse-like truffle pie in a graham cracker or Oreo crust. Whipped heavy cream makes it rich but light, in texture that is, although its best not to talk about calories in the recently expanded cafe here.
Follow IndyStar food writer Liz Biro on Twitter:@lizbiro, Instagram:@lizbiro, and onFacebook. Call her at (317) 444-6264.
