La Crema Tapas & Chocolate Is the Crème De La Crème

La Crema Tapas and Chocolate is a special stop along Rosemary Beach’s cobblestone sidewalks, just the kind of place you might find yourself sitting all afternoon with friends over nibbles and coffee, then maybe drinks and succulent small plates. (Rinse and repeat.)  And much like Rosemary Beach, La Crema exudes European charm. And much like a European café, patrons find themselves content to while the day away over some of life’s wonderful pleasures: chocolate, coffee, tapas and wine.

The courtyard at La Crema is tucked off Main Street with just the right mix of sun and shade, graced by birds chirping in happy little trees. It’s the perfect location for a girls' lunch turned happy hour, or a late coffee at 11 am, or an even later one at 9 pm. Many fine folks find themselves walking up from the beach into town after a day on the sand, stopping to grab a few bites and quenchers before heading back to their place to get ready for dinner.

Though the restaurant is sort of one size fits all, there is an enticing learning curve when it comes to your first visit to La Crema. And there, learning is fun. The menu is full of mouthwatering descriptions, everything sounds good, and everything is so good. So where to begin?

First, grab some friends and a table outside and order some wine. Get those drinks flowing and order what looks good. Tapas come in snack size portions, but it makes for good times to order a bunch of plates for the table and pass them around family style. Order until you’re full.

La Crema takes cheese fondue to a whole new level, with three types melted together and served with squares of lightly toasted bread and skewers for dipping. Classic chocolate chip cookies with warm, melty centers are served with a shot glass of milk, giving new understanding to indulgence. And if cheese and chocolate aren’t enough to get you going, you’re still in luck. La Crema’s tapas are fun and flavorful and offer an array of tastes to suit any palate.

Tapas come on whiteware to let the artistry of the plating shine through. Serrano Wrapped Figs marinated in white wine are spread with honey goat cheese and wrapped with thin Serrano ham.

Honey Goat Cheese Stuffed Piquillos are both sweet and savory and come in the form of two sweet piquillo peppers stuffed with smooth honey goat cheese.

Strawberry Avocado Poppyseed Salad adds a pop of color to the white backdrop, with organic spinach tossed with strawberries and avocado, complemented perfectly with poppyseed dressing.

One of La Crema’s pleasant surprises comes disguised as crispy Brussels sprouts tossed in a sesame honey drizzle. Sharing is caring and all that jazz, but you may want to order one to keep all to yourself. Brussels sprouts and Enfuego Chicken-spicy chicken bites served with a cool caper cream sauce- both come in good size portions and make for a tasty little meal.

While at La Crema, always choose dessert. They serve rare, fine chocolate that you likely won’t find anywhere else on the beach. But for all the chocolate dipped bacon, cookies and ice creams, one dessert takes the cake. Peanut Butter Chocolate Molten Cake comes with warm peanut butter baked into the center for a mind-blowing experience. (Order this one early on. It takes 15 minutes to cook, and is totally worth the wait.)

Word has gotten out, and in the past wait times at La Crema could be lengthy. Luckily, the restaurant is expanding into the building next door this Spring to accommodate more guests. The expansion will give them 35-40 more bar and table seats inside, in addition to the existing 65. The existing bar area will be converted into a lounge area with couches - the perfect place for a Café La Crema. With wonderful vibes all around, and an approach that embraces the live and let live lifestyle, La Crema is the crème de la…well, you get the picture.

La Crema is located on a cobblestone sidewalk on Main St. in Rosemary Beach. They’re open daily for lunch, dinner, drinks, and lazy afternoons. Visit them online to read the La Crema story and to see menus at lacrematapas.com. See photos, reviews and more on Facebook.