Coffee & Treats in North Miami

A family-run cafe with an old-timey feel, Serendipity offers delectable edibles for all sorts of occasions, dietary preferences, and sweet teeth. The menu, which is detailed on chalkboards behind the counter, features a wide selection of both tart and sweet flavors of fat-free, kosher-certified frozen yogurt. Slurp up the signature Serendipity flavor, indulgent cookies and cream, giggle-worthy cotton candy, or light, refreshing hazelnut. Serving more than just fro-yo, Serendipity's staff also scoops out non-dairy ice cream in varieties such as pistachio and sorbets in every flavor under the rainbow, including raspberry, mango cream, and rainbow. All frozen treats are $4 each for a small, $5 for a medium, and $6 for a life-altering large.

Enchanting Creations specializes in edible art created under the direction of owner and head designer Karen Matamoros. Karen and her husband, Alex, decided to open the bakery shop in their backyard after living in the community for more than two decades. In their free time, they pour themselves into art-⎯expressing themselves by painting murals, designing fashion, and building custom furniture⎯and the bakery has become an additional extension of their creative sides.

In running the bakery, they take their artistic aspirations to new heights with 3-D cakes: edible sculptures that represent a variety of cartoon characters and inanimate objects, such as a ribbon-wrapped present, Spider-Man, or a giant bowling ball. Their smaller treats—including cake pops, pastries, and cupcakes—combine rich cocoa, fresh fruits, fluffy cake, and sugary sweet icing into bite-size portions and delicate desserts. Testifying to Enchanting Creations' dedication to the environment, all orders ship out in eco-friendly boxes, unlike most bakery goods, which are packaged in wasteful styrofoam boxes, surrounded by styrofoam peanuts, and topped with styrofoam sprinkles.

Each Dolce Vita Gelato Cafe honors the dessert's Italian ancestry with an authentic recipe and a repertoire of 42 kosher-friendly flavors. Best-selling classics include real-bean vanilla and Belgian–style chocolate, as well as fresh, fruit-hoarding varieties such as strawberry, mango, and lemon; trailblazing palates may prefer foreign tastes such as the dulce de leche or chocolate Ferrero Rocher. Because Dolce Vita's gelato contains only 8% butterfat, the sweet, silky treats make a perfect snack option for those watching their waistline or those who typically enjoy their dessert with a side of bacon. Wrap hands around a small cup or sugar cone ($3.75–$5) or a large cup or waffle cone ($6.50 each) to get a taste of a spoon-optional sustenance that drives ice cream to shame and popsicles back to their former careers as extremely perishable traffic batons . Gelato prices may vary among store locations.

The Sweet Tooth's team of confection connoisseurs has inspired cocoa-coated grins for more than 28 years. All of the shop's exquisite edibles are handcrafted by couture-driven dessert designers, and consist of only high-quality, kosher ingredients. Pre-made gift baskets ($26–$150) range in size and contents, but typically include treats such as chocolate-covered pretzels and fruit, cookies, brownies, truffles, and rugelach. Customers can also customize baskets by theme or for a special event, or peruse pre-themed bundles for upcoming holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Crowd Around Blimps as They Land Day. Individual treats include caramel apples ($6.50+), truffles ($33/lb.), and chocolate-covered pretzels and marshmallows ($1.25–$2.50).

The gourmet treats at Häagen-Dazs delight discerning palates with a variety of frozen goodies in indulgent flavors. Made from top-quality ingredients, Haagen-Dazs ice creams and sorbets confidently fill cups and top cones ($4.20-$6.00) or blend into shakes ($6.25) and smoothies ($6.50) in an attempt to lose taste-bud tails. Each Dazzler's three scoops of ice cream settle under whipped-cream peaks, with flavors including Dulce Split, Mint Chip, and Rocky Road ($6.95). Patrons select toppings, sauces, and ice-cream flavors to form customizable sundaes ($5.50-$6.95), or deploy straws to taste a Sorbet Sipper ($5.95), which is made of sorbet and then sipped.

Juice & Java prides itself in a menu filled with drinks and organic ingredients all pulled directly and unadulterated from their natural birthplaces. Even the most devious of thirsts are heroically quenched by coffee and tea drinks ($1.40–$3.75) along with juices and smoothies, available with nutritious add-ins ($2.95–$10.95). Solid sustenance presents itself as a chicken crepe, a chicken breast swathed in a gossamer crepe with optional roommates of sprouts and tomatoes ($7.95). The salmon toss, named for an ancient ritual of flinging salmon onto mile-long barbecue pits, presents a plate of organic quinoa, smoked salmon, scallions, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and tzatziki sauce ($9.95). Vegan and gluten-free menu items unfold before the eyes of eager herbivores.