Wesley Chapel Dining Survey Results: Your Favorite Dessert Place!

Joe Schembri scoops some cookie butter ice cream onto a waffle cone. Schembri spent a year developing his ice cream flavors before opening his first store, and the results have made his Ice Dreammm Shop our readers’ favorite dessert place in Wesley Chapel.

1. Ice Dreammm Shop
6013 Wesley Grove Blvd #101
(727) 495-6730
IceDreammmShop.com

Joe Schembri knows people love the ice cream he makes at his popular Ice Dreammm Shop at The Grove.

But sometimes, he can be surprised, overwhelmed and humbled at just how much the locals love it.

Last week, Schembri received an order from a long-time customer of his original store in Lutz. It was for the customer’s mother-in-law, who was going into hospice. One of her last requests was a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a scoop of coffee ice cream. The next morning, at 10 a.m., the order was picked up.

Famous for its ice cream, but it has added other dessert favorites like brownies and pies.

It was a surreal moment, one that had Schembri catching his breath.

“I mean, you always want to see customers love what you sell,” he said. “But this, this was crazy. Crazy.”

Schembri’s Lutz location already was among the top choices for best dessert in or near Wesley Chapel, but adding to his legion of fans by opening a Wesley Chapel location has launched him to No. 1 — a runaway victory.

Made with the best, all-natural ingredients he can find, the flavors he spent a year perfecting in his garage before opening his first location continue to satisfy, and Schembri continues to concoct new delights. 

He says his Cookies & Dream flavor is the best seller, and the Cookie Butter is coming on fast. And, don’t miss out on the seasonal Santa’s Cookies and Milk, Sweet Potato Pie and even Coquito ice cream, as well as a dozen other creamy delights, with many new flavors swapped in weekly, and you can even have them made into amazing ice cream pies (below).

And, speaking of new flavors, Schembri has, as he promised when the Wesley Chapel shop opened, added a variety of new baked goods, including fudge brownies, triple-layer peanut butter brownies and more. — JCC

2. TWISTEE TREAT
5258 Village Market
(321) 445-9103
TwisteeTreat.com

Sometimes, you may be in the mood for something other than sitting inside and enjoying a rich, fancy exotically-flavored helping of ice cream. And, when you just want some soft-serve ice cream, Twistee Treat is a super-popular choice.

You can get your ice cream on a waffle taco, brownie boat, between two cookies or as part of a sundae or banana split. But, the most traditional way Twistee Treat serves up its 25 or so flavors might be its most popular — through a drive-thru window on the side of its unmistakable ice-cream-cone-shaped building, twirled on top of a cone of your choice.

And since your car will probably be full of kids, don’t forget to ask for extra napkins! — JCC

3. NOTHING BUNDT CAKES
28354 Willet Way
(813) 536-1447
NothingBundtCakes.com

Since opening at the Shops at Wiregrass in 2017, Nothing Bundt Cakes has been a consistent top choice for favorite dessert.

In 2018, it was voted as the area’s No. 1 Favorite Dessert, and the last three years, including 2021, it has finished in the Top 3 of Wesley Chapel faves.

And why not?

While it doesn’t offer a crazy variety of cakes, this national chain with more than 400 bakeries across the U.S. has mastered its products, which are, hands down, the moistest cakes you’ll find anywhere. You can choose between 10 flavors in different sizes — bite-sized bundtinis, mini bundtlets or special order full-sized bundt cakes — and they’re always a perfect treat to bring to any holiday party. — JCC

The rest of the 2021 Dessert top 10:
(4) Crumbl Cookies
(5) Culver’s
(6) Dairy Queen
(7) 365 Cafe Italiano
(8) Menchie’s
(9) Dunkin
(10) Starbucks

NT & WC’s Favorite Breakfast and Dessert Restaurants

Pumpkin pancakes

New Tampa and Wesley Chapel’s longtime favorite has always dominated this category, and while the vote was much closer in 2020 as newer options sprouted up, First Watch and its healthy and unique menu still sits on our readers’ breakfast throne.

 Located in Wesley Chapel but currently building a second location in New Tampa in The Village at Hunter’s Lake, First Watch is known almost as much for its morning crowds as for its diverse menu made with fresh and local ingredients. 

Sure, you can get simple scrambled eggs and bacon, but why not expand your horizons with farmhouse hash (picture), a smoked salmon and roasted vegetable frittata, a carnitas burrito with pork and eggs or a BLT Benedict on a toasted ciabatta roll?

Instead of regular pancakes, give the cinnamon chip pancakes a try, or maybe go healthy with one of First Watch’s quinoa power bowls.

And, a Million Dollar Bloody Mary made with New Amsterdam Gluten Free Vodka and Million Dollar Bacon will surely kickstart your day. — JCC

2 — Wolf’s Den is terrific. They keep it simple, and that’s a compliment. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast and coffee and an old-time diner feel give it a homey feeling unmatched by other breakfast places.

3 — Cracker Barrel, with locations in Wesley Chapel and just off BBD in New Tampa, typically serves up tasty country breakfasts, although, with its vast menu, you can start your day off with meatloaf while the kids down pancakes.

4 — Brunchies has been another favorite with locals since moving into the former Stage Left location on S.R. 54 in Lutz, a little west of the outlet mall. And, you can add a mimosa to enjoy the great breakfast and lunch items. 

5 — The Brunchery is new to the local scene (on BBD in New Tampa), but has been a welcome addition, thanks to its sizable portions of morning favorites, house-made biscuits, french toast, skillets, potatoes and more.

The Next 6, in order of votes: Panera Bread, Big Apple Bagels (Lutz), Buttermilk Provisions, Waffle House, Bagelicious, Bayscape Bistro.

Twistee Treat doesn’t just offer a large selection of delicious soft serve desserts, it also offers what few other places can without even serving up its first cone — the excitement of ordering from people inside, well, a giant 25-foot fiberglass ice cream cone.

Twistee Treat, with a Bruce B. Downs Blvd. location each in Wesley Chapel (at S.R. 54) and New Tampa (at New Tampa Rd.), keeps it relatively simple, which might explain its success. Plus, the homemade soft serve ice cream is good, the toppings are plentiful and there’s just enough variety to keep you coming back.

The menu has a selection of teats like shakes, slushies, sundaes and even Nathan’s Famous hot dogs, if you need a quick bite before dessert.

Whether it’s a simple vanilla or chocolate ice cream cone, with a chocolate dip, or a Twirl blended with your choice of candy and cookie bites, or one of the popular waffle tacos, Twistee Treat is the most popular dessert stop for New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News readers this year.  — JCC

2 — Ice Dreammm Shop is the best Mom-n-Pop ice cream place around, with fresh-made ice cream, funky flavors (including some with alcohol, for adults only) and no artificial colors. They may need to add a few more “mmms” to their name.  

3 — Coldstone Creamery has some of the tastiest ice cream around, and watching them fold in the mix-in treats is always a joy. And, don’t sleep on last year’s winner’s ice cream cakes — they are arguably among the best around. 

4 — Nothing Bundt Cakes was last year’s runner-up in this category, and still has the most outstandingly moist bundt cakes or mini bundtelets around. A Nothing Bundt Cake is always a great gift to bring to parties. 

5 — Bruster’s Real Ice Cream is a long-time New Tampa staple that has withstood the test of time. A massive variety of flavors and combinations makes it perfect for a family of varying desires. Try the ice cream pies!

The Next 8, in order of votes: 365 Caffe Italiano, Baskin-Robbins, Dairy Queen, Grain & Berry, Buttermilk Provisions, Cake Shop, Menchie’s, Mr. Penguin.

New Tampa’s Favorite Dessert Place!

Based on the results of our annual Reader’s Survey:

1 — COLDSTONE
Cathy and Chip Byrne have owned the Cold Stone Creamery since it opened on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in 2004, employed hundreds of local kids and delivering thousands and thousands of delicious treats to area residents.

Welcome to Cold Stone, indeed.

New Tampa’s favorite desert joint has a fun and friendly staff that delivers a very rich ice cream, which has so much butter fat that Cathy won’t even tell us exactly how much.

The ice cream, which is actually made in the back, is scooped onto a cold stone (get it?), and whatever flavors (a heaping spoonful of peanut butter?) and treats (Kit Kats? M&Ms?) your heart desires are folded into it for a frozen delight. Dessert and a show!

Ice cream cakes are particularly hot sellers at the New Tampa store, especially the chocolatey ganache-topped Midnight Delight.

While being located in front of a movie theater ain’t bad for an ice cream shop, what makes Cold Stone your favorite is that it is a high-quality product and a fun place. Just be ready to wait in a line if you plan on stopping by any weekend night!

2. Twistee Treat
Twistee Treat is best-known for operating out of a giant ice cream cone, but its variety of soft serve ice cream flavors (including peanut butter and banana!), candy-infused Twirls, sundaes and great pricing make it a favorite.

3. Bruster’s Real Ice Cream
Bruster’s is what it says — real ice cream. When it comes to variety, Bruster’s takes the (ice cream) cake, and what kid in New Tampa didn’t grow up on the Dino sundaes? For a real treat, try a custom-made ice cream pie!

4. Dunkin’ Donuts
Dunkin’ may not typically classify as dessert, but as a morning sweet it’s not a bad place to pick up a donut, muffin or coffee, and the addition of Baskin Robbins ice cream to some of our locations helps add to its dessert appeal.

5. The Cake Shop was purchased by Jean Paul Petit about a year ago. Petit, who had previously been the cake and pastry chef at Don Pan International Bakery in South Tampa, has brought a new flair to this local favorite.  

6. Smallcakes Cupcakery
7. Mr. Penguin
8. Snow Rolls
9. Baskin Robbins
10. Sprinkles