Local Restaurant Guide to Downtown Asheville, NC: Sweet Treats (Part 2)

(TRAY OF CUPCAKES @ SISTERS MCMULLEN)

Last week I published a blog post about some of our favorite restaurants in Downtown Asheville, NC. Part 1 of the Local Restaurant Guide to Downtown Asheville, NC included great places to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner. However, there was one crucial component to a well-rounded meal that I left out. There's only one thing left to do once you're sufficiently stuffed, and that's to have some dessert! I mean, there's always room for dessert, right?!

Well, when you have some great places to grab a sweet treat, it's easy to find some extra space in your belly. There were a couple of shops that Cody and I tried while in town, and I'd like to share them with you.

(BLACK FOREST CUPCAKE @ SISTERS MCMULLEN CUPCAKE CORNER)

For the Best Bakery: Sisters McMullen Cupcake Corner — This unassuming little nook sits on a busy corner across from Pack Square. If you blinked while walking by you just might miss it it's so tiny, but that would be a crying shame. On a whim, we popped in to see what they had available. The small glass case was full of yummy looking cupcakes that were too tempting to pass up. It was tough to decide on which one we'd share, but the Black Forest Cupcake caught our eye. I loved the cherry pie filling they used on top, and the icing was light and not too sweet. We devoured it in a matter of minutes! Had we not taken the last Black Forest Cupcake, I would have gotten another one to-go it was that delicious.

(SIPPING CHOCOLATE CUPS)

For the Best Sweet Shop: French Broad Chocolate Lounge — Any place that you walk into with a line that stretches to the door is obviously the place to be. Their menu is positively massive with all sorts of chocolately options to choose from, most of which I had never even heard of before. At some point while waiting in line I overheard a lady talking about a liquid truffle that she just had. A liquid truffle?! That's a new one. I had to try it! After browsing through the liquid truffle flavors available, I decided to go with the lavender and honey. Cody picked the cayenne and cinnamon. They came in a miniature coffee mug and were piping hot. I was surprised by the amount of chocolate we received. This ganache-based hot sipping chocolate was velvety-smooth and oh-so rich. I loved it. Next time, we'll share one, though, because they were very sweet. However, we both savored every last drop.

(CHOCOLATE CASE & BEER FLOAT @ FRENCH BROAD CHOCOLATE LOUNGE)

We loved this place so much that we visited again the next night. Mainly, because it was a neat little hangout, but also because I couldn't stop talking about the Lavender Crème Brulee that I passed up the previous evening. I'm so glad that we did go back, because it was incredible. The caramelized crust on top was done just right, and the custard had the perfect consistency. A faint hint of lavender made this one of the best crème brulee's I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. Cody tried a beer float served with either a stout or a porter. I can't recall. Anyhow, it was topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I don't usually like those dark beers, but they were a lot more appealing to me in float form. Even though Cody kept dipping into my crème brulee, he seemed to enjoy his beer float. I didn't think it was half bad either. We've actually talked  about trying to do something similar at home :D

Not only does Asheville have some great places to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but they also have some pretty awesome places to stop in for dessert.

Did any of these desserts spark your sweet tooth?

I know I could go for a cupcake right about now!

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Places To Eat Sweets in Boone, NC | Foodie Friday

During my trip to San Diego, CA for the Sony Foodie event, I connected with some lovely ladies who work with a website called Foodspotting. Upon visiting this website, I was instantly hooked because I love love love food photography and this place was filled with images of meals from people all over. Instead of using a review based website where you take the good with the negative, Foodspotting focuses solely on the things that people LOVE, not what they didn't like. It's not a review site in the traditional sense. If you ask me, it's better! Due to the fact that I am such a visually oriented person, this website appeals to me in ways that most of the other food review sites can't. There aren't enough people using it here in Boone, NC, but I'm aiming to change that, which is why I am sharing my new favorite website with you today. 

Beware! Foodspotting is highly addictive, and you may be shunned by embarrassed friends who don't understand why you feel the need to shoot photos of your food. Don't say I didn't warn you :D 

 A couple weeks ago, I had a nasty little sweet tooth that I had difficulty satisfying. It seemed like I wanted to try a new treat everyday. This made me realize that it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be to come up with new ideas when my sweet tooth decided to strike! While there are quite a few places that we frequent here in town when we have a craving, I also felt like mixing it up a bit in an effort to discover something new. After making my way to several different shops around town, I thought that it would be fun to compile a guide of all the sweet spots here in Boone, NC that I like to visit. The on-going guide can be followed through Foodspotting (click the title below for link), and I plan to continue adding places as I visit them. There are many other places to delight a demand for dessert, and I have goals to conquer those, too! However, for now, here's a short list:

{Places To Eat Sweets in Boone, NC}

 

Espresso News Coffee Shop | 267 Howard St. Boone, NC

As far as I know, this is the only place in town where you can get homemade chocolate confections. I bypassed trying them on my first visit, but I couldn't stop thinking about them, so I had to go back for a taste. Espresso News is mainly known for their coffee, but the chocolate is noteworthy as well!

Higher Grounds Coffee Shop | 201 New Market Center #10 Boone, NC

Located not too far from Downtown Boone, NC, this coffee shop is tucked away in a shopping center. You'd probably miss it if you didn't know this gem was hidden there. The Caramel Frappes are a pleasing pick-me-up. I also recommend trying the chocolate covered espresso beans, they are yummy!

 

Stick Boy Bread Company |  345 Hardin St. Boone, NC

This bakery has more than delicious chocolate chip cookies, they bake fresh bread daily, make cakes and other desserts, and serve coffee too! A great place to stop in and grab a treat. The cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing are ridiculously decadent and delicious, so be sure to get one of those, too!

Scoops Cafe | 450 New Market Boulevard Boone, NC

This is the only place in Boone, NC where you can get homemade Gelato. They have many flavors to choose from that are all great. They make it difficult to decide on which one to get! Many people might overlook this establishment because it's off the main strip, however, it's in the same shopping center as Higher Grounds. How about you visit both during the same trip?! We did :D

The Custard Depot | 228 Howard St. Boone, NC

In the heart of Downtown Boone, this shop dishes out scoop after scoop of the creamiest custard in all the land. Not that they have any competition, since they are the only place to get custard as far as I know. It's thick and creamy, and I love how they only make a couple flavors everyday, so you know it's super fresh. I'm always on the lookout for the flavor-of-the-day, they like to keep things interesting!

Where is your favorite place to get a sweet treat when a craving strikes?


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All of the images in the blog post were taken with the Sony Cybershot WX9. It's an awesome new point and shot that takes HD videos and 3D still images! If you are interested in finding out more, please visit the recent review I posted here: "10 Reasons Why You Want to WIN a Sony WX9".

Foodie Friday is a new feature that I want to share on Wayfaring Wanderer every week. It won't always contain lists of places to eat, although it will always be food related! If you are interested in participating in FF, please let me know in the comments. I'd love for others to join in, too!

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