Sweet City Desserts

 Sweet City Desserts

Takes the Cake!

 

 

Our family has a short list of go-to favorite places; our path around our neck of the woods is comfortable and well-worn.  We rarely stray from the half dozen restaurants of whose menus our kids have memorized.  

So, what a treat it was to step off this well-known path to visit Sweet City Desserts in Vienna.  The twenty minute drive from Great Falls to the shop, which is tucked away in a cuter-than-expected spot off the main drag of Vienna, was very much worthwhile.  

Owners Wilma Galang and Manny Tangle realized their dream of creating a Filipino-themed sweet shop when Sweet City Desserts opened its doors in late 2011.  They designed a comfortably eclectic space where several small groups of friends could gather together and share a cup of coffee and a few delectable items.  

A large window showcases local pastry chefs—not just their beautiful (and edible!) creations, but the chefs themselves as well.  Patrons can watch these chefs decorate cakes—I can attest that pint-sized patrons find this particularly fascinating.

 

With about five different seating areas, this is a great spot for almost anyone—the free wi-fi makes it a great space for those looking to actually do some work, but it was a fun spot for our family of five to eat and…well, just be together.  

The space is large enough to hold gatherings—the entire dessert shop can often transform itself into a cocktail party, holding approximately 50 people.  Sweet City Desserts hosts photography classes, acoustic nights, cookie- and cake-decorating classes and other seasonal events.  

This is a great community coffee shop and bakery; it makes me think of all the quirky little coffee houses in which I studied and chatted during college in Seattle.  And it makes me appreciate locally-owned coffee houses rather than big, ubiquitous, I-won’t-mention-their-name chains.

These details are all great.  But what about the actual desserts?  I’m here to tell you: I’ve eaten a bunch, and I’m going back for more.

I brought official tasters with me on my visit.  My husband is a cookie aficionado, my daughter is a serious cupcake eater, my oldest son a lover of gelato, and me…well, if it’s got sugar in it, I’m into it.  (My younger son also came along, but his sweet tooth is still in development.)  My plan was to have everyone choose one thing and then vote for the best.  But everyone was sure that their dessert was the best, so…

 

Lorelei tried the Fudgy Sundae cupcake—a rich chocolate cake with whip-cream-looking frosting, sprinkles, and a cherry on top.  The kind of dessert made for little girls.  Ben got the biggest scoop of mango gelato I’ve ever seen (and ate every single bit, though he did give each of us a taste).  

 

My husband Jonathan got a very chocolatey chocolate chip cookie—it was so good that it disappeared before I could get a bite!  Somehow he snuck in a second dessert selection—the vanilla chocolate cupcake also found its way into his heart and stomach.  

I opted for one of the best-sellers, the Vienna Crunch (peanut butter mousse cake).  It was delicious; I found it hard to resist blocking others’ forks with my own when they wanted a taste.  

The unexpected twist to our evening came while we were eating, and especially after we ate.  Somehow, the mix of some extra sugar in their little bodies and an odd but great bunch of songs on Pandora (think Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”) created an impromptu dance party in our little section of the shop.  My usually reserved husband even led the way with his much-acclaimed (according to three small kids) robot dance!

So will we be back?  You betcha.  And next time I might not share so well—keep your forks away from my dessert!

Sweet City Desserts

131A Maple Avenue, Vienna, VA

703-938-8188

http://sweetcitydesserts.co/

  

 Convenient  4
 Kid-Friendly  4
 Expensive  3
 Customer Service  5
 I Would Return to This Store  yes
 I Would Recommend to a Friend  yes
 Overall Rating  5

All ratings on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being highest.

 Meet the Reviewer!

Kate Schwarz is a full-time mom

and wife living in Great Falls, VA. 

In addition to reading to her three

small hildren, Kate runs marathons,

Crossfits, and blogs about raising

kids with books at

www.katesbookery.blogspot.com.




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