That’s the description of the show stopping dessert, Chocolate Valentino Indulgence, that has been making a name for itself at Dolce in Thornton Park. This brand new dessert bar sits right across from Lake Eola off Central. This Great Gatsby themed spot offers more than just desserts though, as they do aim to please with breakfast and lunch options, as well.
They started out as just a dessert concept, since it is something that Orlando has been seriously lacking in. The only other dessert bar in Orlando is Better Than Sex, so Dolce is a great addition to the area. They quickly found that the patrons who frequented the area had a need for breakfast and lunch, prompting them to create a menu that included sandwiches, salads, rice bowls, and more.
Co-founder Christopher Buxton’s goal was to create an intimate but inviting atmosphere. He wants guests to feel as if they can casually come in for a dessert with their friends and have a very “café” feel to it rather than date night. That being said, Dolce does make a GREAT spot for a date, too.
During the day, the café is very bright and open, offering a wonderful space for a lunch meeting or outing with your friends. At night its quite the intimate spot for you and your lover or a dessert before going
out on the town.
From the lunch menu, I tried the ahi poke stack, brie apple fig panini, and the teriyaki chicken brown rice bowl. I was a HUGE fan of the panini. There was a perfect balance between the cheese and sweetness from the apples and fig. The teriyaki chicken bowl made for a fabulous healthy lunch that tasted great without killing you in the calories (which leaves more room for dessert, right??). The ahi poke stack was fresh with a nice subtle kick.
From the dessert menu, I tried the chocolate valentino indulgence, key lime garbo parfait, and the bees knees cheesecake and waffle cone. The chocolate valentino is chocolate cake with a chocolate mousse filled dome and served with hot chocolate fudge to pour over it, melting the shell. It is absolutely divine. The key lime garbo is layers of key lime pie filling, grahm cracker crust, whipped cream and key lime gelato. This was my favorite of all the desserts. You just can never go wrong with gelato or key lime pie. The third dessert, the cheesecake and waffle cone, is a freshly made cone with cheese cake spilling out and filled with freshly made brownies. The cheesecake is so creamy and the brownies a perfect amount of fudgy.
If you’re running low on time, they do also have fantastic lattes and tea here. It’s a pretty place to sit outside and sip on some coffee or a glass of wine. I truly enjoyed this spot and believe they are going to make a great addition to the Thornton Park district, an area that I love so much.
Dulce is located at 500 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801 and is open Monday 9am – 4pm, Tue – Sat 9am – 10pm, Sun 9am – 8pm. (407) 800-6100
You can check out their website here.
Article written by Christina Petsos
All photos taken by Christina Petsos of C.Petsos Photography.
