Bekdash Ice cream & Desserts — Restaurant in Temple Terrace

I was very much looking forward to visiting this place. It looked beautiful from the outside and inside, and when I visited, there were just 2 guests seated.

When we entered I walked past the gelatos that were all well stocked. Counters were all clean, chocolates were displayed beautifully, and the baklava case looked simply divine. Then things went south. The person behind the counter just came up—no greeting, no smile, nothing…. Just staring at me. I asked if they sold by the piece or had an assorted platter. I was shown a pre packaged tin box and I asked the price. I was told the price and the guy behind the counter said these can stay good for up to 3 months. I also asked the weight of the box and then asked whether I could select my own pieces and how much it would be. I was told it would be by weight if I selected my own and isn’t priced per piece. I asked if all the items behind the glass case were the same price and I was informed which ones were priced higher than the others. I then proceeded to tell the server I would select my own pieces and will pay by the weight. It didn’t seem like the server was pleased with this or they didn’t like my questions.

I then proceeded to tell them which ones I wanted and how many of each one. Throughout this process the demeanor of the person behind the counter seemed like he just didn’t want to have me there as a patron of the store. There was another member of the staff at a good distance and as I was making selections and asking about each one my server kept mumbling something—I didn’t know if he was saying something to himself or someone else but the other server wasn’t responding and neither was my server looking at them when speaking which led me to assume that he was grumbling under his breath in Arabic about me.

I had no idea about the tray sizes and kept making selections. Then I was told my tray was done. I let them know I’m still selecting so they got another tray and proceeded to grumble as before as they kept filling the tray. The second tray was full and I was not aware so I continued to make my selection. He let me know it was full and said if he knew I was going to get a lot he would not have packed it in multiple small trays. I said I’m sorry I didn’t know what tray sizes were offered and just thought it was priced by weight. He made it like it was my fault he had to pack multiple trays as it was an inconvenience to him. When I said I was sorry I wasn’t aware of the tray sizes, he didn’t say it was not a problem, to not worry about it etc., he took the apology like he deserved it. How am I to know what tray sizes are offered unless he tells me ahead of time? After I extended my apology about not having knowledge of the tray sizes he asked if I wanted to get anything more. It was as if he was doing me a favor with me purchasing from the store. A much nicer approach would have been for them to simply say “if you’re buying more, I could pack it in a larger tray, unless you want me to leave it in the smaller ones?” Though I wanted to get more I said I didn’t want anymore. I then told them I’d like a slice of the kunafa.

At checkout new customers who purchased ice cream were waiting to pay. My server smiled at them, talked to them in Arabic and let them know that he’d check me out first as I was there before. His demeanor was a complete contrast to how he acknowledged me. I paid and he handed the bag to me without a word. I said thank you, and wished them a good day. Then they reciprocated the greeting. As I walked away I could hear his pleasantly talking to the other customers at the counter.

I do not know if it is a language barrier but it felt like you are only welcome here if you are Arabic speaking.

The baklava was fresh and delicious and highly recommended but it is a shame that the same cannot be said about...

We had such a great experience at this Eastern Mediterranean dessert shop. I think it may be inspired by the famous Bakdash Ice Cream Parlor in Syria, but I haven't confirmed it yet. The Bekdash Ice Cream website shows 2 other locations in Jordan and Chicago. Now, they have a 3rd location in Tampa (specifically Temple Terrace). Yay!!

I don't think they've been open too long. It's amazing to see that it's already popular with over 270 reviews on Google. I just happened to see it after stopping at Lunar Coffee. It's in the same plaza off of 56th Street.

It's just a very warm and inviting place. I love the décor, and their products. They even make Syrian Mastic ice cream. I'd love to see it being made as they prepare and roll it in house. It's supposed to be like a rhythmic pounding of a drum. How cool is that? They have all different baklava, pastries, candies, and so much more. I didn't see an English menu. I hope they can provide an Arabic to English translation for those of us who want to try more of their offerings. I did see drink blenders, so I'm guessing they have dessert drinks as well as coffee. The desserts are displayed well enough, and the staff is very helpful with the descriptions.

We ended up sharing 3 different gelato flavors. They are quick to offer samples. The service was amazing! My friend settled on Mango after sampling a couple of gelatos. I went with the Lotus (Biscoff cookies) and Kinder Bueno flavors. I just couldn't decide between the 2. They were all bursting with flavor. The gelato was so creamy, and I loved that it didn't melt right away. It gave us time to try the crispy Kunafa (or Knafeh). They offer 2 different options. The one we had is traditionally known as Knafeh Khishneh with the shredded phyllo dough. The softer version is made with a type of ground semolina dough. There are videos showing how each one is made. It was quite the learning experience. They do make it to order while you wait. All I can say is that it was truly buttery, and not too terribly sweet. The honey syrup was light, which was perfect. I didn't detect any rose water. I love rose water in desserts and drinks. I guess some people don't like it. The sweet cheese filling is the star of the show. The best cheese pull ever! I know that some places make it with a larger amount of cheese. I'm not sure that I could have eaten more than the amount they gave us. It was a shareable slice in my opinion. Especially if you want to explore and try a little bit of everything (like me).

I can't wait to go back to try the ice cream. There were other desserts that look amazing as well. The layout makes everything look so enticing. There's lots of seating. The shop is very spacious & modern. There were quite a few couples and families there on a Friday during the daytime hours. It's great to have a sweet taste of Jordan & Syria in the Tampa Bay area. It's unique and highly...

I visited for the first time today in the late morning. The entrance and restaurant looked great overall; the colors and attention to detail were well executed. Having been in this location many times since 2006 (I was also a previous tenant of this plaza), I can say this was a significant renovation, and the place colors and furniture feel very inviting.

However, the first thing I noticed upon entering was that the doors and floor had not been cleaned from the previous day. Most of the ice creams were unmarked, so I had to ask about each flavor. While the ice creams were tasty, they lacked a fresh appearance. It appeared as though they had been put in the freezer uncovered, giving them an old, frozen look, which raised concerns about their quality.

I believe that a sample of the famous mastic ice cream should be offered to all customers as it is unique and delicious. I wasn't aware of the mastic story until after we already had our ice cream selected.

A few of the staff members wore gloves, but they were also cross-contaminating. The gloves were not removed or replaced after handling both non-food and food items.

Overall, the customer service was poor. There was no greeting upon entering. One lady behind the baklava counter was chewing, blowing bubbles and popping her gum, and when I asked her for something, it felt like I was bothering her. There was no sense of urgency from either workers. They didn’t ask if I was visiting for the first time or offer to answer any questions I might have had. Customers were in line, but it was unclear whether we should wait in the ice cream line or move ahead to the baklava section.

This business has so much potential. While traffic was good in the early afternoon, the lack of customer service and upselling seems to be leaving money...