Gourmet
When you're lazing on the lanai with your favorite morning beverage, craving an after-dinner treat or planning dessert for a crowd, there are plenty of island spots to indulge your sweet tooth. Bakeries and delis and even restaurants offer tantalizing takeout temptations, so let's have cake and eat it, too!
The bakery department in Bailey's General Store offers a huge selection of pastries, cookies, cakes, and specialty goodies. Fruit pies, pecan pie, the traditional key lime pie, coconut custard pie, unusual cookies like coffee or vanilla Florentines, chocolate macaroons, rum balls, breads, moreit's all baked fresh day and night. You can order party cakes on one day's notice. Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Corner of Periwinkle Way and Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel; 941/472-1516.
The bakery in Jerry's Foods of Sanibel can be counted on for scrumptious sweet things baked fresh daily "from scratch." Choose German chocolate and carrot cakes, banana cream, key lime, and French silk pies, a variety of breads, and pastries. The bakery is known for its hermit cookies, chocolate-chocolate chip concoctions, with chocolate frosting. The bakery manager will research recipes to honor customer requests. The adjacent Jerry's Restaurant is the winner of the Taste of the Islands best dessert award for its "Bodacious brownie." Open daily from 6 a.m. 1700 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 941/472-9300.
Sanibel's oldest established bakery and deli, Barney's Incredible Edibles, maintains its reputation with from-scratch specialties such as Italian rum and chocolate mousse cakes, pumpkin roll, homemade tiramisu, key lime pie, and individual tarts, plus scones, puff pastries, assorted Danish, croissants, and a variety of breads. Barney's is the home of the giant muffin (a low-fat variety is available), giant cinnamon bun, and giant cookie (with walnuts, raisins, dates, and chocolate chips). Call for special-occasion cakes made to order. Open from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 9-5 Sunday. 2330 Palm Ridge Road, Sanibel; 941/472-2555.
Picture a layer cake so tall it might topple, a slice so substantial it could satisfy four. You've found The Bubble Room on Captiva, famous for its red velvet cake, the "very moist chocolate" and Jamaican rum cakes, New York-style and chocolate mint cheesecakes, and the popular "White Christmas" cake (with almonds, coconut, and whipped cream). Buy by the slice or if you want a whole cake, a phone call ahead is appreciated. Try the delicious Bubble bread by the slice or loaf. It's a special homemade French bread topped with a blend of seven different melted cheeses. Open 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner. 15001 Captiva Drive; 941/472-5558.
Follow your nose to The Bean, happily ensconced in its new location, where scones and muffins are baked all morning long. Genuine kettle-boiled New York- style bagels are brought in fresh each day. You can take out or settle in at tables on the front porch. The Bean brags about having "the Island's best coffee," too. Other tempting desserts such as key lime raspberry and Sanibel turtle cheesecake and mile-high very berry or apple crumble are "imported" from a small bakery on Florida's East Coast. Hand-dipped ice cream, shakes, and sundaes are popular as well. Open from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 2240 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 941/395-1919.
You'll find a big basket of freshly baked muffins and bagels waiting up front daily at the Sanibel Island Chowder Co. The homemade tropical cake is layered with creamy citrus-flavored custard and sprinkled with coconut. Oreo, German chocolate, and carrot cakes are available, along with a chocolate cheesecake and fruit pies, homemade bread pudding and old-fashioned soda fountain creations. Order whole cakes on one day's notice. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. 2075 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 941/472-2525.
C.W.'s Market & Deli, adjacent to Chadwick's restaurant in South Seas Plantation, is closed only five hours each dayand that means you can indulge your sweet cravings almost anytime. The on-premises bakery supplies C.W.'s and all the South Seas restaurants. Fresh croissants, Danish, muffins, pecan sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, Kaiser and onion rolls, French hoagie rolls, plus "best-selling" chocolate chip, oatmeal-raisin, and peanut butter cookies are just some of the delights. Carrot and chocolate cakes and key lime pie are sold by the slice or whole, and 48 hours notice is requested for special occasion cakes. Hours are 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. 941/472-5111, ext. 3307.
Huxters always features morning bagels, key lime pie, famous cream cheese brownies, two different cakes (the pineapple cake is popular), and, sometimes, cookies. Call ahead for a whole key lime pie to take out. Open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (9:30 on Sunday nights). 1201-1207 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; 941/472-2151.
Rosie's Island Market & Deli on the east end of Sanibel features a whopping 150 different cakes, not all on the same day, of coursebut you can't go wrong if you start with the chocolate chip brownie cake. More sinfully delicious sweets, all homemade, are crème de menthe, cappuccino, and peanut butter devil bars, magic wonder bars, "pelican poop," Granny Smith caramel apple pie, key lime pie, the list goes on. Everything can be taken out by the slice or whole. This market also bakes its own Kaiser and sub rolls. 362 Periwinkle Way; 941/472-6656.
The Boca Grande Bakery on Gasparilla Island specializes in European-style breads baked from scratch in a French steam-injected stone hearth oven that produces a crusty exterior typical of the "artisan" breads that are growing in popularity. The menu varies, but baguettes, country white, multigrain, ciabatta, and sourdough are always available, along with a selection of pastries-scones, muffins, sticky buns, filled croissants-and cookies and other desserts. Seating for 14 is featured in the charming, old-style bakery, where coffee and cappuccino and luncheon sandwiches are served. Open from November to May, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. 384 E. Railroad Ave., Boca Grande; 941/964-1814.
Sample the freshly baked pastries from Gill's Grocery, deli market, and bakery: muffins in eight varieties (the pineapple crunch sounds yummy), apple and cherry fritters, cinnamon crumb buns, bear claws, doughnuts, and bagels are available on a rotating basis. More confections include fruit pies, New York and chocolate chip cheese cakes, torte au Grand Marnier, and Dutch chocolate brownie cake. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and they deliver. 5800 Gasparilla Road, Boca Grande; 941/964-2506.
Boaters traveling to North Captiva can catch a sweet treat to go at several waterfront restaurants. Baked fresh daily at Over the Waterfront is the traditional key lime pie, plus a chocolate pecan brownie pie and a chocolate peanut butter pie to die for. Available by the slice, or request to have a whole one baked for carryout. Open for lunch from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner 6 to 8 p.m. Located in the Safety Harbor Club, North Captiva; 941/472-6994.
A fabulous dessert menu awaits at the Mango Island Café as well (941/395-1500)or enjoy homemade key lime tarts, brownie pie, and a luscious variety of fresh fruit sorbets at Barnacle Phil's (941/472-6394). Bud's Bayside Grill offers takeout temptations, too (941/395-1001).
Thank goodness this article is not accompanied by a calorie counter.
CBT