Move over, chain coffee shops. Bradenton actually has a local coffee shop, now (and no, it’s not in Lakewood Ranch)! Bellabean is both a coffee shop and Italian confection shop – offering drinks, pastries and even sandwiches. You can view their menu and address here.
Honestly – we need places like this SO much! Starbucks sucks, and quite frankly I’m not even interested in trying these other chain “coffee” shops that keep popping up on every corner (looking at you, Scooters & 7 Brew).
I decided to pop in for one of the specialty latte’s that I kept seeing videos of on TikTok . Look how beautiful it is! It’s a tiramisu latte with a thick, sweet cream on the top with a ladyfinger – just like the dessert. Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts, so trying this drink was a no-brainer. Full disclaimer: I dislike flavored and sweetened coffee and typically only order plain latte’s and flat white’s. But I wanted to try something different this time. Yes, it was sweet and I enjoyed it – but it’s back to the pain coffee for me next time.
Robert also came with and had a regular iced latte. He didn’t think it was anything special, and observed that the shop didn’t smell like coffee at all. I did find that odd, too. The espresso definitely came from a machine, but I was too busy looking at all the goodies in the case to watch how it was made. I will pay more attention next time to see (another disclaimer: we actually have a fancy espresso machine at home, but it’s nice to support local and not have to go through all the motions of making it and I suck at steaming the milk -_-)
Not a coffee fan? Don’t fret! They have other drinks, including matcha! I already know that I’m trying the strawberry matcha next time. And don’t forget about the foods! I do believe they source some stuff from other local places, such as Jersey Girl Bagels, Breadsmith, Bread Bandits – and I LOVE local supporting local! There were samples provided of the brownies and red wine biscuits – I tried a piece of the biscuit and it was definitely unique (crispy like a biscotti). The brownie sample sizes were huge, but I didn’t take one (should have, though!).
Overall? Definitely recommend checking this place out! It’s cute, and a nice break from the corporate copy/paste. Located on 53rd Ave across from Detwilers (near IMG/SCF).
About The Author
I'm just a Florida girl with a love for exploring, being a foodie and the ocean. It's been a few years since I've done this blog thing so bare with me! I'd be ever-so-grateful if you'd follow along on Social Media and keep checking back for the latest posts. Suggestions for local places you'd like to see us visit are also welcome! ^_~