Jolly Espresso Bar, Gelato-Pastry

Jolly’s is great a relaxing place where you can have a delicious pizza and good drinks at a reasonable price, plus the vibe is nice. I especially enjoy its European feel, good service and people watching.

For those not in the know (such as myself), this place is located inside the Epicure Café. They accept walk ups (meaning you don’t need to order a meal). The location is nice, right on the edge of the downtown dining district and near the marina. The gelato here is good, not best I’ve ever had, but nonetheless very tasty. I would recommend the mango or strawberry flavors. Overall a really nice time!

So I go to Jollies last night with my girlfriend, we sit at the bar and order some drinks, after waiting about ten minutes for service. We order martini’s that state they use Russian Standard Vodka and Hendricks gin, I watch the bartender use very cheap we’ll vodka in both of our $ 10 drinks. When I asked if she used well, she said «yes, we use well in all our drinks».So they advertise premium liquor, but use cheap well vodka and gin. I have been going to Epicure for more than 14 years, and Jollies since they opened, but after the lousy service and drinks last night, I will say «ciao» Gianni.

I love gelato ! The gelato here was the WORST I have ever had. It was full of ice particles. I asked to taste 3 different ones and was told I could Not taste anymore. I was planning on getting 3 scoops but couldn’t find any I liked. Informed the woman behind the bar so she let me taste some more. If I would have been smart and quick to think I should have retorted that so far I hadn’t found any I liked and left. Plus the man dressed in black (I think a manager) was the first to speak to me behind the counter. He was extremely rude and needs a lesson in manners and friendliness. Will never go back there. I will drive the distance to St Armand’s for the best gelato in Sarasota.

My father-​in-​law and I are huge gelato fans so we cannot have dinner in downtown Sarasota without having gelato at Jolly Espresso Bar afterwards. I haven’t tried any of the other treats at Jolly Espresso Bar because I always want the gelato!
The girls behind the counter are always super nice and patient while we sample the gelato flavors. I usually get the hazelnut gelato, but occasionally I will venture from my usual order if they have an interesting new flavor available.
I wish this gelato bar was in Tampa so I could stop by every week, but it is probably better for my waistline that this spot is only ocated in Sarasota.

I have been visiting Downtown Sarasota for the past six years…
How did I not know about this place?
After dinner one night, I really wanted some ice cream. So, my husband and I stood in the long line at the disgusting Coldstone in front of the movie theater for almost 30 minutes. During that half hour wait in line, I searched the area for ice cream and found Jolly.
Going to Jolly was the best decision we ever made!
The flavors are amazing and the pastries looked amazing, too. I had a scoop of Hazelnut, and one pistachio scoop of gelato— and it was under $ 4, more healthy, and very rich. The savory food menu is posted outside the front door. The outdoor seating is fabulous and you could not ask for a better area of downtown to dine.
We will definitely be coming back every time we are in the area.

When visiting friends in Sarasota we stopped by the espresso bar to get a latte before dinner! The place was super cute and my drink was excellent. The food looked really good and I wished we could have tried it!

Ask for the Pimms Cup at the bar. I can’t imagine a better place to eat. I am there most every day.

Great gelato and a fun atmosphere. So glad we have a place like this when visiting Sarasota. The cool thing about this place is that if you’re with a group and one of you is in the mood for gelato, the other for a cocktail and the third for a coffee, this place will please all.
Kids, parents and grandparents all love it… lots of toppings and yummy pastries too.

I had the Bacio gelato here and it was amazing! Probably the best gelato flavor I’ve ever had in my life… it tasted just like Baci candy and it was a small quait place… great to go after a date somewhere… good stop off after eating in the downtown area.

After a really filling meal in the area, some friends and I stopped in for a light dessert option. The Gelato captured our attention right away with flavors I couldn’t begin to pronounce (or even hazard a guess at) and then some unusual but familiar names like mango, passion fruit, and amaretto.
Luckily they give samples! If you like the unusual flavors of Cold Stone or trying samples in general… this place will appease your adventurous spirit. One tasted kind of like egg nog, another like chocolate/​hazelnut, one was like almost a sweet liquor. All were pretty tasty.
Turns out Gelato is like ice cream but made from milk (not butter and cream) so it is actually better for you, and the air is pressed out so the flavors are more savory and robust.
I learned this by asking the friendly staff.
A little bit goes a long way. The cute small spoons and the $ 3.00 scoop and a half small was really filling and rich.
Also turns out the Passion fruit I ordered was one of their 4 sorbets which is made all most entirely out of fresh fruit, so maybe my diet isn’t as trashed as I thought! What a treat!
**Edit:seems to have gone out of business***