June 01, 2014

D’Lites Emporium

Before the massive frozen yogurt boom in Florida and the rest of the country, there was D’Lites Emporium. Using a clever pun as their namesake, D’Lites Emporium is a 32 year-old dessert shop serving up tasty treats low in sodium, sugar, fat, and carbohydrates without sacrificing flavor. In fact, flavor is what this place is lacking, both in terms of actual taste and of selection. Walking in, you will see how the soft serve machines have rotating flavors, so your choice in fresh served frozen yogurt is limited to around six, but there is also a massive refrigerated section in the middle of the store. Within the coolers, you can find over 40 different frozen yogurt flavors prepackaged and coming in three different sizes. Although D’Lites calls their sizes small, medium, or large, it should be renamed big, bigger, or biggest, since even the smallest option is enough for two or three people.

Depending on what I’m craving is how I decide what I’m going to get here. The soft serve machine offerings are usually limited to plain flavors, such as chocolate, vanilla, and the like. I’m not opposed to these whatsoever, but sometimes I’m craving something different like a pistachio, blueberry cheesecake, or coffee. When this happens, I go for the prepackaged selections. No matter what you get, you are bound to leave satisfied, as everything is homemade and delectable. The frozen yogurt at D’Lites is creamy, velvet-like in texture, and delivers on flavor. The vanilla is of high quality and does not rely on overall sweetness, instead showcasing the actual vanilla flavor in a taste somewhat akin to fine bourbon. At D’Lites, you can get any flavor of yogurt turned into a milkshake-like drink, allowing you to indulge a bit. But for those that would prefer regular ice cream, D’Lites offers this as well although it is not homemade.

D’Lites is certified kosher and caters to Jewish locals in the area by stocking up on ingredients and items that they would usually purchase at specialized markets. On top of that, they offer frozen foods like legitimate Jewish bakery bagels in dozen packs.

The fact that the service is accommodating, the selection is varied, and that it is kosher only draws the crowds more on a typical weekend. Whether you come to D’Lites because you’re sticking to your diet or because you enjoy frozen yogurt, I stand by my notion that this is the best frozen yogurt in South Florida.