Ahhhh now here is where the real love affair starts.
Dessert.
I can’t trust someone who doesn’t love dessert. I personally love it all. I eat healthy pretty much the whole day but there’s one thing that is my weakness: Sweets. Candy, chocolate, cupcakes, donuts…you name it. I recently saw a study that suggested we may have inherited our sweet tooth. Man I hope that’s not the case because God help my poor Keatyn if so. I love Krispy Kreme and all but donuts from an actual bark make my head spin.
Recently, I have attempted eating healthy and exercising, and I am doing pretty well at it for the most part. The main thing that hinders me is that darn sweet tooth of mine. At some point every single day I will have something sweet. The experts are dead on, sugar is highly addictive.
For you Nashville folks, I have put together a list of some of my favorite local (and some are chains) dessert & candy whereabouts. Hope you check them out & ENJOY!
photo credit: @gotogoozy
Goozy in Green Hills is one of my ABSOLUTE favorites. I have eaten there with a friend of mine and our kids and every single thing we ordered we LOVED. We had the grilled cheese (they were fabulous), the Nutella Goozy cake (I can’t put into words how amazing this was), lattes for the mommas and ice cream for the kids. They gave us rock candy to sweeten our latte which was such a cute idea. They also have a dessert and a full bar during the evening for a date night. I’m definitely wanting to try a hot toddy there. There is a vinyl record selection and customers can select whatever record they choose to play. This is definitely a place I would return to…and frequently if my stomach allowed me to.
photo credit: @berrybossbabe
Ok every Valentine’s Day I ask my husband to get me chocolate covered strawberries and that’s literally all I want. So the name of this place alone makes me happy. Look how delicious that baby looks in the above picture. They carefully select each strawberry that they use to cover in chocolate or in dessert dishes, use in entrée dishes, and make homemade strawberry lemonade. Their sweet ending desserts are well-rounded too in case you’re not looking for chocolate.
photo credit @christiecookieco
Every person I have heard talk about Christie’s Cookie Company just love love love the oatmeal raisin cookie. (There are many gluten-free options too) They are 30+ years old and also the creators of the Doubletree cookie, I had no idea about that honestly until I researched them but that is pretty nifty. You can also order them online and have them shipped anywhere in the US.
photo credit: @sweetcecesdwntownfranklin
Sweet Cece’s started in Nashville and has spread like wildfire through middle Tennessee. Their frozen yogurt is a favorite around here. Every location has endless choices of toppings and are always changing their specialty flavors, and also keeping the traditional ones like Original Tart and Country Vanilla. My personal favorites are Yummy Green Apple Sorbet, Cupcake Batter and Peanut Butter Cup. There are multiple locations spread all over the Nashville area.
photo credit: @mymenchies
Even though Menchie’s isn’t a Nashville specific product, we do have locations in Nashville and Smyrna. It’s worth a mention because of the location in Lennox Village primarily makes it very accessible to families, especially with children. I don’t personally enjoy it as much as Sweet Cece’s but I do love that they have a giant chalkboard wall for kids to draw on and activities to distract them.
photo credit: @thecomfycow
This ice cream joint is my FAVORITE in Nashville right now and not just because it’s fairly close to my house. The decor is so eclectic; the store has barbies and shabby chic chandeliers scattered all around. They have unique flavors of ice cream like Bourbon Ball ice cream and cakes and pies galore as well. They make mostly everything from scratch and with local ingredients. You can also have it shipped. I am definitely looking into ordering the chocolate collection: intense dark chocolate, chocolate squared, chocolate raspberry truffle, curry curry, coconut almond white chocolate dream and mexican chocolate ole’. Also I feel I have to mention for your doggie mammas like myself, they also have pooch treats for your pups.
photo credit: @laspaletasnashville
This 12th South gourmet popsicle shop has something for everyone’s taste, ranging from fruity to sweet to adventurous. I cannot wait to try the chocolate avocado popsicle. I could eat an endless amount of these babies. Who doesn’t love a popsicle? It brings you back to that moment as a child on a hot summer day. Ahhh nostalgia. The price per popsicle is $3.50.
photo credit: @jenisicecreams
Like the Comfy Cow, Jeni’s has very unique flavors also. Some that I have tried are Whiskey & Pecans, Brambleberry Crisp and Goat Cheese with Red Cherries. I’ve never tasted anything bad from here and trust me, I’ve eaten here often. they also used to sell Jeni’s at Fresh Market in Brentwood so I used to buy them often.
I will warn you. The wait can be ridiculous. Especially in the summer at the 12th South location…the line is the door. I’m embarrassed to admit I have waited in that line a couple of times. Jeni’s is a Nashville staple. It is so good you won’t ever want any other kind of ice cream. My personal favorites are the Darkest Chocolate and Salty Caramel.
photo credit: @piedpipercreamery
This unique ice creamery is located in the Five Points district of East Nashville.They have 24 flavors available at any given time and these certain flavors are always available: Trailer Trash, Professor, Oatmeal Raisin in the Sun, Chocolate, Vanilla, Toffee Loaded Coffee, C is for Cookie, Movie Star, Some Like It Hot, Strawberry and Peanut, Peanut Butter and Chocolate. The location is set in a house and Pied Piper Creamery actually made the list of the 21 best ice cream shops in America! That’s insane. If you can’t tell by the ice cream choices I pick, I definitely can appreciate thinking outside the box with these quirky ice cream flavors.
photo credit: @sprinklescupcakes
I haven’t stopped thinking about Sprinkles cupcakes since I had them in LA 7 years ago. I just kept hoping one would open closer to me. I loved them so much, I even had a friend buy me the baking kit so I could attempt them myself. When I heard we were getting one in Nashville, I was ecstatic. What is even better is the fact that we have a cupcake ATM for when they aren’t open. Holy crap. Prayers answered. My favorites are the Red Velvet and Chocolate Marshmallow. Their cupcakes just have the perfect icing to cake ratio so it doesn’t feel too heavy. If you haven’t been, you HAVE to go.
photo credit: @thecupcakecollection
The cupcakes are served in the cutest house in Germantown not far from my old condo. I am in love with that area and absolutely hate that I had to move the to burbs. But when you have kids…what else can you do?!
You’ll wanna get there early to make sure you get the best choice of flavors before they sell out. The cupcakes are the perfect size and so moist & flavorful.
photo credit: @savcandy
This downtown location is beyond charming and the fact that the display has the candy spelling out Nashville is impressive. The leading favorite seems to be the Chocolate Pralines. Everywhere you look there is candy, from wall to wall. They also have ice cream and gelato.
photo credit: @sugardivenashville and @smashleymac
Look at those two cuties! The adorable little boy in the bottom pic is my friend’s son and he is the sweetest little boy ever! That little princess in plaid is my sweet baby Keatyn almost a year ago. They were like kids in a candy store….oh wait, they actually were. Ha. This store reminded me of an old candy store like when you were young. Candy everywhere, and of pretty much any genre. They had stuff I had been looking for but couldn’t find. The only con is that it isn’t cheap.
I love that it is family owned and it is the perfect setting for children. And…..they also sell Jeni’s ice cream. That’s truly a win win. Candy and the most delicious ice cream ever, you just can’t beat it. If you’re looking for a location to re-live your childhood (and who isn’t), this is definitely the place.
photo credit: www.foodspotting.com
This place reminds me of a place in my hometown that I used to go to often after school or after bike rides with my family. It has been in Sylvan Park for over half a century and is also a Nashville hit. They do have a full menu if you want to indulge in a burger & fries but you absolutely have to have one of their yummy dipped soft-serve cones or an old school specialty shake.
photo credit: five_daughters_bakery
Guys seriously. This donut place is LIFE. I simply cannot stop. After I discovered Five Daughters Bakery almost a couple of weeks ago, I ate it 4 days out of 7. Not even kidding. Their 100 layer donuts (aka cronut) are the end of me. The Maple Glazed and Vanilla Cream are currently my favorites. I have also sampled the Cherry Rhubarb, Chocolate Sea Salt, Vegan Chocolate, Raspberry Chocolate and Paleo Chocolate. Emotional eating at its finest. Yes I have an addiction. I literally find reasons to go there. My friend had a baby, let’s take her donuts. My friend is sick, I’ll take her donuts. It’s real friends. They’re addicting.
They have locations in Franklin at the Factory and the new location in 12th South. The locations are family owned by a husband and wife and their 5 daughters. Again, so adorable. If you don’t try it, I just can’t talk to you. No really, do it. You will thank me.
I hope my round-up of the best shops for your sweet tooth (in my opinion) do not disappoint. I can guarantee you that if you love anything ice cream, donuts or candy you will fall in LOVE. I hope you guys check them out if you live in the Nashville area or if you plan on visiting our fine city. We love to support our local businesses and it makes it super easy when they are unbelievably amazing already. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. I’m intrigued to know your thoughts on any of these if you check them out! Have a great weekend.
Xo,
Ashley