We walked in on a Monday evening just before closing. Immaculately clean, and the smell of chocolate in the air will get you high. You'll see chocolates that look like jewels and artwork. You won't believe it's real chocolate and not some pretty, shiny, delectable nothing. And please, have the ice cream, or sorbet or gelato. You'll die again and again and again with each spoonful of creaminess. The 3 of us had NEVER had ice cream this amazingly delicious. Anywhere. All edibles here are hand made by no one but William Dean himself. I have no idea who he is but the 3 of us sure know William Dean knows what he's doing and he does in at the expertise level. read more

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We got an assortment of chocolates including crème brûlée, banana foster, earl grey, and salted caramel. banana foster 3/10 didn't really taste like banana at all. creme brulee 7/10 pretty good! Tastes similar to actual creme brulee! Earl grey 6/10 very strong flavor!! Coffee caramel 8/10 my fav!! The coffee is strong and pairs well with caramel. Salted caramel 7/10 yummy and gooey on inside read more

About two months ago, a college acquaintance of mine posted photos on Facebook of a lovely afternoon tea, tagged only that she was in Tampa. Since she doesn't live here, I wondered where this place was, because the tiered trays looked delicious. I scrolled through her photos and realized it was somewhere in Midtown, so I dug a little bit online to find out that it was at William Dean Chocolatier (which I honestly didn't even know was here... though admittedly I'm not at Midtown very much). My mother-in-law's birthday was coming up, so I knew this was the perfect place to take her. They do the afternoon teas on the weekends (though I was told they were going to be stopping them for a little while, and they expect to start up again around February). It was $35 per person, which is reasonable for tea service. Each person gets their own teapot and choice of tea, along with the tiered tray of savory options, scones, and desserts. I really enjoyed the savories, which included a cucumber and lemon dill cream cheese sandwich, cranberry and pecan chicken salad sandwich, mini beef wellington, bacon and leek mini quiche, and a cheddar and gruyere scone. For the sweet options, we each had a vanilla scone, raspberry and almond petit four, lemon tart, earl grey financier, bouchon brownie, and passionfruit macaron. The brownie, macaron, and lemon tart were all quite tasty, but by and large, I found myself preferring the savory options more. All in all, everything was quite good, and we left VERY full. It's always pretty surprising how seemingly tiny finger sandwiches, a scone, and mini desserts can end up being so filling! Their chocolates on display all looked amazing so we decided to get a small selection before we left, along with a box of their dark chocolate coconut squares. The chocolates were all tasty, but those chocolate coconut squares in particular were divine! FYI for any parents, they do not have high chairs -- I asked about this when I called to make the reservation, so I knew ahead of time to bring the stroller for my son. read more

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The service and atmosphere were both great! There were so many cool options to choose from (chocolate, ice cream, macarons, etc) I tried several different macarons and the red velvet flavor has a place in my heart! Lol. It's definitely a great spot for after dinner sweets cravings..I'll be back! read more

William Dean Chocolatier - Macarons - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Tampa, Florida

We attended tea service here today! It was a chilly afternoon so it was nice to be cozy indoors at William Dean. We were given a selection of teas to choose from- black, green, and herbal - I chose Early gray lavender with milk which was nice . Each person received their own pot and preference. We the were served a tower of sweet and savories- we all loved the sweet scone, the mini quiche, and mini Wellington. The sweets were ok but a little dry- the lemon tart being a favorite. It was a filling tea service and overall a nice experience. The service was friendly. read more

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I love chocolate! The bon bons that I purchased were very good. I believe there was only 1 out of the 5 that didn't have much of a taste. That was the matcha yuzu flavor. I didn't taste the matcha tea, or the yuzu. All the other chocolate flavors were delicious. I shared them with my husband. The passion fruit flavor was the clear winner. The biscotti and espresso flavors were also great choices. The ginger pear was my second favorite, but I thought it tasted more like candied papaya. That's actually a good thing. It brought back memories of my grandmother's papaya candy. I think I was more impressed with the beautiful hand-painted bon bon shells, as well as the 65 Roses dark chocolate bar. I've never had candied rose petals in chocolate. What a great combination! We kept breaking off little pieces of the dark chocolate bar any time we needed a little sweet something. It took us a week to finish it. I'd say that it was worth it. All of the profits for this bar is donated to an organization that supports children with Cystic Fibrosis. I didn't even know about the "65 Roses Story" until looking for it later. Read about it on the CF Foundation website. The one thing that was odd is that most of the cases were empty. I've seen pictures posted with pastries & desserts displayed in them. We were there some time between 1 and 2 pm. I did see gelato, macarons, bon bons, and other specialty chocolates. They must have already sold everything else in the morning hours. I'll need to revisit this location again to try the afternoon tea. read more

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William Dean is where I go when I need an impressive small gift for someone I don't really know well. This location in midtown is so convenient, and it's never packed so it's easy to browse their offerings. They carry all the same things as their main location in Pinellas - all the chocolate flavors, gelato, pate de fruit, macarons, etc. They also have coffee and tea with ample seating inside and out. This shop is always very clean, quiet, and nice to spend time in. While they don't have the drink selection of the coffee shop next door, they have better hours and more available tables. Definitely visit this local hometown chocolatier for your next sweet luxury. read more

The absolute best chocolates I've had! I've been looking for a specialty chocolate shop for gifts (and for me!) and so happy to have found this place. They have a great variety of really unique high quality flavors. Especially love the espresso dark chocolate and salted caramel in dark chocolate. There truly isn't anywhere else in Tampa that compares. Have recently been to a few others and they were nowhere near the level of quality (and really fair prices) of William Dean. read more

Had the loveliest afternoon tea at William Dean Chocolates in Midtown Tampa with friends today! Three tiers of pure deliciousness and thoughtful vegetarian substitutions (double cucumber sandwiches instead of the tarragon chicken salad--yes, please!). I tried a ratatouille tart for the first time--creamy cheese, flavorful veggies, and a lightly sweetened crust that was surprisingly delightful. The scones (both sweet and savory) were spot on, and of course, you can't visit William Dean without sampling their stunning chocolates and treats. The teas were perfectly brewed (I went for the mango melange herbal tea), and everyone in the party gets to choose their own. The service was warm and welcoming, and the shop itself is pristine and inviting. I especially appreciated that they let us linger and catch up--it made the experience that much more special. So glad they've brought back their weekend afternoon tea! Midtown Tampa + William Dean = a wonderful weekend treat. Highly recommend! read more

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How have I never popped in here to just grab a couple sweet treats?! After a lunch closeby, my friend and I wanted a quick dessert and she suggested William Dean. We filled a box together and snacked on them right outside on the lovely patio. They are all so beautiful and tasted exactly like what they were called. I really loved the cappucino one and the pistachio the best! read more

William Dean Chocolatier - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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These chocolates are so beautiful, I felt bad eating them. They are all like mini works of art. I had the Creme brûlée chocolate that was delicious. We also tried the macaroons: vanilla and red velvet, which were delicious and fresh. The store itself is super clean and bright. Excellent service, she offered great recommendations regarding the chocolates as well as explanations about the process. read more

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High quality chocolatier in Tampa Midtown with lots of variety like chocolate covered almonds or malted milk balls in 4 types of Valrhona couverture. Very creative as most chocolatiers don't go through the trouble of doing this and just offer 1-2 types. Another plus is they don't use confectioner's glaze for the chocolate covered items, which shows an extra level of care in ingredient selection. A nice surprise to see a gourmet tea selection and ordered an iced tea that was freshly brewed. Will be back! read more

Afternoon tea! This experience is always great! Today staff didn't skip a beat. We had tea time at noon but arrived a bit early. We checked in and were welcomed by the staff. We were able to choose a table and the server came right over to take our tea order. There is a set menu for the tier of food but you do get to choose your tea and whether you want it hot or iced. They serve TeaBella tea so all is wonderfully delicious! I had the blackberry royale tea today and it was great! Great time with friends. read more

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Visited William Deans Midtown Tampa location on Easter Sunday for high tea in the afternoon. Was very surprised that this place was not super busy but I was happy that we quickly got seated. It was a beautiful day so we opted to sit outside on the patio and despite there not being a lot of people here for high tea the service was rather slow. When we asked for more jam the waitress was hesitant and said they would check because they didn't have much but she did end up bringing us another mini jar. It's so odd to me if they offer high tea that they would not have additional if the parties asked for more. Especially being that we were a group of 4. I got a coconut hot tea that was amazing and I would definitely order again. The assorted items on the tray were super tasty and they did bring us little boxes for the treats we were unable to finish. Overall I enjoyed this experience and would definitely come back! If you have a picky eater this is not a good experience for them as the price per person is the same and the selections are the same for an adult or child. I do wish they offered a children's high tea option with more kid friendly options. read more

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We did a weekend tea reservation. The food and sweets were excellent. I especially liked the savory bites which was nice surprise considering it's a chocolate shop. read more

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Stopped by here after exploring Midtown and seeing some people outside enjoying tea and a tower of scones and sandwiches. It looked so delicious so we decided to stop by and see what it was. Turns out it is an afternoon tea event they do every Saturdays and Sundays. The manager Susan did such an amazing job explaining the history of this small local business and gave us some samples of the gelato. We ended up buying some of their chocolates which are handmade and hand painted. They were soooo good. We are definitely going to stop by one weekend for a tea party!! read more

William Dean Chocolatier - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I'll preface my review by stating that I don't have a sweet tooth, but these chocolates are WOW. I got on to them because our hotel gifted us a small box of assorted William Dean Chocolates when we checked in. After doing a little research, I found out they were made locally and decide we had to visit. William Dean is located on the corner of a shopping strip mall. Very unassuming cafe both inside and outside, so don't let looks deceive you. They sell chocolates, macarons, and gelato, as well as limited coffee beverages. The service was very friendly and the lady who greeted us gave us a rundown of the options. I had the PB&J, Peanut Butter Krunch, and a key lime macaron. The chocolate bites are out of this world. You can tell they're made with high-quality ingredients. Their individual design is also beautiful! You almost feel bad eating the chocolate because they look so perfect. Again, I'm not a sweet tooth person, but put some William Dean Chocolates in front of me and I'll eat them! The cafe offers an afternoon tea certain days of the week, so call ahead for details and to make a reservation. read more

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The chocolates are beautiful and the few that I've tried are delicious and not too sweet. They are pricey (possibly overpriced) so it's not something I recommend if you want a lot of chocolate. A few pieces are a nice treat but if you are looking for a more substantial dessert there are better options. read more

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We came in with a large group for Tea with a reservation. We were not told that large groups were put outside or I would have never made the reservation., Luckily they let us come inside..They have a nice variety of Tea to choose from Hot or Cold. They were served. They brought out the 3 tiered tower of goodies with mini sandwiches, quiche, scones and assorted desserts. A nice selection for all...they do not use traditional Tea cups here and you don't need a hat, it is a more modern twist on having Tea and don't forget to grab your gourmet Chocolates before you go home, so gorgeous you will not want to eat them...I have been to the other location as well and it is nice...only giving the 4 stars because of not being told about sitting outside in the heat for our group, that to me is a big deal of there was not room inside for 14 people ...everything else was good . read more

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I was so beside myself when William Dean's closed at the International Mall, as I was a regular there, so imagine my zeal when I find out they have a new location in Mid-Town! I love WD chocolates, but didn't want to go all the way out to Bellair Bluffs, but thanks to this new location, I don't have to! The best part is that unlike the International Mall location, this one offers so much more other than their delicious chocolates: gelato, pastries, tea, macarons, all of which I'm excited to try. But, of course, I have to get the chocolates. They are by far the best in the in bay if not the best...anywhere. Why??? On top of being delicious works of art, these fresh chocolates also have incredible flavors such as coffee caramel, earl grey, lavender (which are some of my favorites) which really, really pop out. You bite into each chocolate and there's an explosion of the flavor on your tongue! I also really love the store itself. It is always clean, and they have ample seating inside as well as outside, where Muffin is most certainly welcome. Staff here are very friendly and they are always helpful when I have questions about the products. One even offered my little Muffin some vanilla gelato which I now know she loves! read more

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Gorgeous, hand painted chocolate at a very fair price. Staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. You have the option to pack your chocolates in a gift box or for a bit less cost a plain box. I happened to be here Saturday and saw some tables partaking in the afternoon tea which looked delicious, relaxing and quite enjoyable. I definitely want to come back for that! These chocolates are perfect for gifting or a special treat for yourself. read more

William Dean Chocolatier - Some of my chocolates - delicious and beautiful - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Tampa, Florida

After having dinner near midtown, we were looking for a place to have quick sweets and we searched near us and decided to check out William Dean Chocolatier. I m glad that we did check-out the William Dean Chocolatier. Pretty amazing and beautiful store with different options which included different types of chocolates and macarons. Definitely try their macarons and chocolates as they are delicious and we really loved it. read more

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Date night with my little yelpie in training. My daughter and I enjoyed a lovely meal in midtown and wanted to try some different flavored chocolates. These beautiful handmade pieces were all delicious. I liked that you can buy a chocolate for $1.95 without the luxe box. Perfect for some sampling. All the flavors tried were delicious and these will make for a beautiful gift. On the weekends they offer a tea time with a beautiful array of sandwiches, cakes , biscuits and tea. Normally $30 per person. Coffee, teas and chocolates a great end cap to any date or hang out. read more

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William Dean Chocolatier opened back in February at Midtown Tampa. Starting this weekend, William Dean is doing afternoon tea from 11:30-2:30 which requires reservations. The cost is $25. Before being seated, the table has to be sat up for your party. Check out the menu of different teas. I ordered the Charleston Chai Tea cold which was refreshing on a hot day. Then, the 3-layer tray comes out. All the food and desserts were good. I was getting full. The afternoon tea will be every weekend. The menu might be different every weekend. It's something different and relaxing. The staff is great as well. read more

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I ordered 4 macarons...specifically asked if they were fresh. I was told "yes" but they were hard as a rock, and on top of that I was not given the flavors I asked for .... Very sad and expensive experience. I will not be back for macarons read more

I'm so glad that I stopped in. I've heard rave reviews about these chocolates, so I decided to stop by. This place definitely lives up to the hype. I ordered the apple pie, port and plum, pear and ginger, pistachio, and the bananas foster. They were all very delicious. They cost $1.95 per chocolate. My favorite was the apple pie. Tasted just like a mini apple pie covered in chocolate. For each chocolate the flavors were spot on and the ingredients all combined well. I'll definitely be returning read more

William Dean Chocolatier - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Afternoon tea for $25? My friends and I tried the $25 tea special at William Dean in Midtown. This was my first time trying this but I have had their chocolate before from the St. Pete location. We had so much fun on Sunday. The Peach white tea was so delicious iced. We each chose a kettle of tea, hot or iced. Then we had an assortment of savory and sweet bites. Everything was delicious and a great way to sample a lot of items. We even got 20% off anything we purchased form the case afterwards. This is great if you love tea and want an afternoon time with a loved one or friend. Our server was great and he was very attentive and gave us everything we needed including to go boxed and cups if we needed it. read more

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Someone had told us to come check out William Dean while in Tampa, and I am beyond glad we did! These are literally some of the prettiest chocolates I've ever seen in my life. The chocolatiers here are truly talented - I can't believe that these are hand painted! So many flavors to choose from. One of my favorites was the banana foster one! I can see why their sea salt caramels have been nationally recognized too. The staff member that helped us was fantastic, walking us through all of the chocolates in the case and was very humbled that someone had recommended them to us. I'm so glad these chocolates ship nationwide, because I definitely want to have them again! read more

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If you're looking for some good chocolate with unique flavors, try this place! I thoroughly enjoyed this gem. The establishment was very clean. So many flavors laid out for your choosing. They had macarons, assorted chocolates (unlimited varieties), coffee, gelato (which isn't displayed up front) and so on. The cashier was very friendly. I got the apple pie chocolate and vanilla, coffee, and salted caramel macarons. Soooo good! I want to go back! You all should definitely check it out! read more

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Can't speak to anything other than the chocolates since that's all I got, but DAMN were those chocolates amazing!!! SOOO many good flavors and relatively inexpensive, about $2 per chocolate. Also really fast service. STRONGLY recommend you stop in if you find yourself by Midtown! read more

William Dean Chocolatier - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Came to this new location for the first time, beautiful boutique! Had afternoon tea lunch, overall, nice presentation and delicious food. Service ladies were very kind. Asked for one friend's vegetarian set up, but they made it for both of us. I was given a protein sandwich when asked. Egg salad and leek quiche were the best. Vanilla scone was to die for! Gruyere & scallion scone was dry. The petit four pink cake is to die for, too! Wished a WD chocolate candy was the finale, not passion fruit bon non. I had mango melange tea, my friend had jasmine pearl. They were good, but wished a second choice of different teas was included. For the price, very satisfying! Would be nice to have a garden setting and view. Felt as if it's downtown NY. read more

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This place has chocolates and pastries are a work of art. They are almost too pretty to eat but they taste just as amazing as they look. The customer service is what makes this place 5 stars. We were informed that they have afternoon tea on the weekends by reservation. Will definitely have to come back with some friends. read more

My party of 5 and I came here for the afternoon tea this past weekend (via reservation) and were wow-ed every step of the way! The weather was nice, so we were quickly seated outside and given our menus to browse the teas. They had a wide selection, so everyone found something they liked (the herbal orange chocolate was a big favorite). We couldn't believe the amount of food they brought out for us, and everything was DELICIOUS! A great variety of safe and new flavors, everything was baked or assembled with perfection. Our servers were very polite and attentive, and we even got to chat with the owner's sister, Susan! I can't recommend the afternoon tea enough, and I'm so excited for the rest of the expansion plans for the brand we were told about. We'll be first in line for their charcuterie when they start offering it read more

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These chocolates are beyond amazing! Not only do they taste amazing, they are works of art! They do not look real, but taste as spectacular as they look! read more

If you're looking for some luxurious chocolate then you've come to the right place! They have the most creative and unique variety, with more than just chocolate! The service is great and the ambiance is amazing! Midtown is the perfect spot for William dean! read more

Made a reservation for tea. When I got there nobody seemed to know what to do with our party of 4. After about 10 minutes we were finally seated. They made me pay for the tea service first, which right off the bat made a VERY bad impression. That's like sitting down at a restaurant and the first thing they bring you is the bill, not the menu. I went ahead and paid for the tea service anyway. After we sat down, they brought the edibles. Remember now, this is an afternoon TEA. Well, the scones they served were HORRIBLE. Rock hard. They were either defrosted and reheated, or stale, or they have no earthly idea how to make a scone here. We proceeded to eat some of the other foods (which was OK, nothing special), and they never brought us our tea. We had to ask for the tea; "where's the tea???" several times. They brought the tea after we had been at our table for 30 minutes. These people have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA how to do afternoon tea. read more

The only thing more amazing than the way their chocolates look is how they taste!! The addition of beautiful dessert items makes this an amazing place to stop and have afternoon tea (which they also offer - reservation suggested). The staff is always kind and knowledgeable. 10/10 read more

The atmosphere in this place was so nice! The chocolates and other desserts were BEAUTIFUL!!!! The gentleman behind the counter was so helpful and I ended up buying 8! Each one had the most delicious flavor and I absolutely loved them! I'm a sucker for anything hazlenut, so that one was my favorite. But, honestly not a single one dissapointed! read more

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I'd find it hard to remember the last time I was greeted as sincerely and friendly as I was by Fabian. Chocolates are gorgeous and flavors are unique and extensive. Fabian kindly offered us a sample of the gelato on the way out, will be back read more

William Dean Chocolatier - Grand Marnier, Salted Carmel, Peanut Krunch, Lavender, Earl Grey (Left to right) - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Tampa, Florida

We had Sunday tea and enjoyed the assortment of finger sandwiches and deserts. Definitely for special occasions