Philly Cupcake

Julie Coben (’11)/Eastside Community Editor

Located on 1132 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, Philly Cupcake, the “Cupcakery Boutique”, raises the bar on how to make creative, interesting, and delicious cupcakes.As one enters the small yet welcoming and colorful bakery, he or she can find a large boutique cabinet filled with Philly Cupcake’s daily specials and “everyday cupcakes” such as the Chocolate cupcake, the Red Velvet cupcake, the Carrot Cake cupcake and the Jewish Apple Streusel cupcake, all of which are priced at three dollars.Since the bakery opened on December 15, 2009, it has quickly gained recognition around the area, so much that it was recently featured on NBC’s “The 10! Show” on its “Sweet Treats around Town” special. Also since its opening, Philly Cupcake has sold over 12,000 of its delicious treats.“[Cupcakes] are [popular because they are] simple treats, very easy to access and a delight to have in the middle of the day,” said a co-owner of Philly Cupcake featured on the 10! Show. “People just really love our cupcakes.”If ever in need to satisfy a sweet tooth, walk towards 12^th street and Chestnut where exceptionally delicious cupcakes await at Philly Cupcake.

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Max Brenner

Moriah Robbins (’11)/For Eastside

Located on 1500 Walnut Street in Philadelphia, Max Brenner, “A Chocolate Love Story”, is a Willy Wonka lovers’ dream. A man named Max Brenner, a romantic and a writer, started the Max Brenner store. Brenner’s favorite movie is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, so his life long dream was to create a place for chocolate lovers. According to his website, Brenner’s main goal is to “create a new chocolate culture worldwide.” He owns restaurants in New York, Philadelphia, Australia, Singapore, Philippines, and Israel.

In the Philadelphian restaurant, as soon as one walks in, his or his is greeted by the delicious smell of chocolate pumping through the vents. Upon waiting for a table, the liquid chocolate churns in large vats in front of mesmerized guests. Adding to the chocolate effect, all of the seats are dark brown leather. The walls of Max Brenner are covered in pictures and quotes that appeal to the typical chocolate lover.  The sayings on the walls range from “Look mom, Willy Wonka is alive” above the kitchen entrance to “Eat more chocolate” above almost every table.

Throughout the restaurant, pipes, which contain the flow of pure milk chocolate, lead from every corner into the kitchen. The dessert menu is filled with delicious choices; one cannot help but rush to order. Some deserts include:  make your own sundaes, chocolate fondues, 15 different kinds of hot chocolate and much more.

Along with a mouth-watering menu, the restaurant provides guests with an exciting ever-changing atmosphere. During the day, when the brunch menu is severed, the restaurant is a great family fun experience. However, the dinner atmosphere is very different. The restaurant is not called “A Chocolate Love Story” for nothing. The mood lighting, the candles on every table, the special dessert menu for two, and the fantastic music that pumps through the restaurant makes it a perfect place for a date. The dinner atmosphere is also great for special birthday parties. Inside the restaurant is “The Chocolate Shop”. There, one can buy all kinds of chocolate treats and souvenirs. Included in the shop are pumps that dispense pure milk, white, or dark chocolate into containers that can be brought home.

To finish off the Max Brenner experience, customers’ checks comes in tin boxes that look like a candy boxes, with “Money for life, Chocolate for the Soul” written across the front.

If one is looking for amazing chocolate desserts, walk towards walnut and 15th street to enter a chocolate lovers’ heaven.

Bayard’s

Laura Kane (’11)/Eastside Community Editor

Ordinary boxes of chocolates can be purchased anywhere, but a local chocolate company, Bayard’s, offers costumers with delicious chocolate treats right out of the bakery. Since 1939, the family company owned by James Bayard, has been selling tasty desserts from scratch.

The delectable home made quality goods are sold in ‘chocolate houses,’ which are combinations of a home, bakery, and store. The closest chocolate house is located on 2325 Route 70 in Cherry Hill. The friendly homey feel of the store coincides with the right out of the oven taste of the chocolates. Unlike like traditional candy boxes, customers customize their own boxes, picking from various sweets that appeal to them the most.

Bayard’s offers a wide variety of chocolate goods from flavorful chocolate covered fruits to a mesh-mass of chocolate covered pretzels. However, Bayard’s signature treats, pure chocolate candies, remain as the most popular products. Raspberry and strawberry crème chocolates as well chocolate cameral are just a mere glimpse into the long-established list of Bayard’s sweets.

Although the traditional chocolates are nothing less than mouth watering, Bayard’s allows customers to try new flavors of chocolate as well. Adding a twist to the typical chocolate flavors, Bayard’s offers interesting choices such as maple crème filled chocolates and the Brazil nut chocolate.

Chocolate lovers in the South Jersey area will love the deliciously homemade taste of Bayard’s chocolates. The newly filled chocolate box will quickly disappear after just one taste of the treats’ sweetness.