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Bellarissa serves festive fall flavors in Norfolk
Andrea Sewell owned a coffeehouse in Philadelphia for more than four years. For her next venture, she wanted to recreate that stay-and-relax model and offer more choices for nondrinkers besides soda.
In November, the entrepreneur opened Bellarissa, a coffee shop and nonalcoholic bar, across the street from The Slover library in downtown Norfolk.
The business sells the usual java favorites, plus tea and coffee lattes prepared with superfoods such as banana puree, sweet potato puree and bee pollen.
New fall drinks include an apple crisp latte, a dark chocolate hazelnut hot chocolate and a hazelnut chai espresso martini, made with nonalcoholic coffee liqueur and white rum alternatives and roasted hazelnut syrup.
The bar menu — available at 4 p.m. — lists 13 mocktails, such as a mojito (classic or passion fruit), a mezcal paloma and a margarita (classic or spicy). It has several nonalcoholic beers and wines available as well.
Sewell described the spot, named after her grandmothers Isabella and Nerissa, as warm and semi-upscale with plenty of seating to meet up with friends and family.
It gave me those same vibes when I visited in honor of Sober October — when people abstain from alcohol for 31 days. (The challenge started to raise money for people with cancer.)
Bellarissa’s regular menu items excited my palate. Who knew abstinence could be such an indulgence?
Sewell used Ghirardelli mix to prepare the hot chocolate flight — available after 1 p.m. Four, 4-ounce samples sat on a wood paddle board awaiting their final destination.
My favorite: the white chocolate raspberry. It had blooming fruity notes with a tart finish. The dark chocolate salted caramel played a balancing act of rich lusciousness on my tongue. The Almond Joy delivered as the name implied: a sweet, slurpable coconut candy bar. The amaretto left a delightful nutty-cherry aftertaste.
In the sweet potato tea latte, black tea never tasted so yummy. Made with sweet potato puree, vanilla syrup and spices (cinnamon and nutmeg), it offered the same experience as eating the pie, minus the crust. Don’t sleep on this one.
The hibiscus mule came in a chilled mug with a refreshing blend of hibiscus syrup, ginger beer and lime juice. I would’ve loved a smidgen more of syrup for a more intense flavor. However, in the words of the Rev. Paul Jones’ popular gospel song, “I won’t complain.”
My fall menu selections also left a lasting impression.
The pumpkin pie latte — a drink this noncoffee drinker could drink again — smelled like fall. I slurped the milk foam topped with cinnamon before getting to the goodness. The warm spice and pumpkin evoked a memory of roasting marshmallows by the fireplace during sweater weather. I didn’t mind the bitterness that arrived at the end. Two thumbs up.
The bourbon apple cider also packs festive flavor. It included a liquor alternative that mimicked the real thing. I enjoyed the fancy cocktail without the kick of alcohol, but it teetered on the edge of saccharine. I had to call it quits after a few sips.
On the other hand, the salted caramel tea latte wasn’t overly sweet. The combination of ingredients worked well together to give the beverage balance. This was another great find for tea lovers.
Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com
If you go
Where: 216 E. Plume St., Norfolk
Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (closed 2-4 p.m.)
Prices: $2.75 to $8 coffee shop menu, $8 to $12 nonalcoholic bar menu, $4.25 to $12 fall menu
Details: bellarissanorfolk.com, 757-937-3747
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