A Guide to the Best Desserts in Sarasota

We all love desserts.  If you are on vacation, a little sweet treat just might be the thing to cap off a perfect day.  Desserts actually elevate our mood because the sugar in desserts causes our brain to release endorphins such as serotonin.  These are the hormones responsible for making us feel happy and cheerful.  Desserts can also help reduce stress because sugar brings down cortisol (stress hormone) levels, plus they are a great reward for working hard all year long.  Here is our guide to the best desserts in Sarasota.

Settimi’s Gelato

367 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota 34236

(941) 388-4485

http://settimisgelato.com/

Settimi’s gelato is made with whole milk mixed with non-fat dry milk and sugar.  Since gelato contains less butterfat than regular ice cream and little or no air, it actually contains less calories, less fat and more flavor.  Many people describe Settimi’s as the best gelato they’re ever tasted.

Rendez-vous French Bakery

5336 Clark Road, Sarasota 34233

(941) 924-1234

https://www.rendezvoussarasota.com

If you want authentic French pasteries, look no further than Rendez-vous.  From their lemon tart to their almond chocolate croissant, this place has so many delicious choices that you will want to come back a second and third time to try something different.

The Fudge Factory of St. Armands

12 Boulevard of the Presidents, Sarasota 34236

(561) 718-1157

https://sarasotafudgefactory.com/

The Fudge Factory team actually includes a fudge maker, an ice cream maker and a candy and chocolate maker, so everything is always fresh and homemade.  Great peanut brittle too.  It’s a fun place to visit because you can see the treats being made as you wait.

Five-O Donut Company

2241 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota 34237

(941) 960-1370

http://www.fiveodonutco.com/

Five-O has a rotating selection of classic and current donuts, including cake, yeast-raised and croissants.  The locals often describe these as the freshest and best tasting donuts in Sarasota.

Abel’s Ice Cream

1886 Stickney Point Road, Sarasota 34231

(941) 921-5700

https://www.abelsicecream.com/

Abel’s has been rated the #1 ice cream shop in Sarasota on TripAdvisor, Google and Yelp for 8 consecutive years.  It is also a TripAdvisor Hall of Fame member.  They have also won over 40 national ice cream ribbons and are on the National Ice Cream Advisory committee.  The shop offers lots of flavors in cones, cups, sundaes, banana splits, shakes and floats.

Floribbean Flo’s

7644 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota 34231

(941) 922-2888

https://floribbean.com/

This quaint shop boasts the best Key Lime pie in Sarasota and their Honeybell orange cake is one of the best you’ll find anywhere.  Floribbean Flo’s is rated the 4^th best bakery in Florida by BestThingsFlorida.com and the #1 bakery in Sarasota according to TripAdvisor. 

Sometimes you just have to satisfy your sweet tooth, especially when you are on vacation.  So go ahead and indulge at any of these great dessert places.  They will surely bring a smile to everyone’s face.