May 27, 2025 - Culture
Dip and Happy review: Dubai chocolate waffles and coffee worthy of a spoon
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Dip and Happy's Dubai chocolate waffles. Photo: Yacob Reyes/Axios
Like almost everyone online, I got swept up in the Dubai chocolate craze: kadayif, pistachio and the sweet illusion of discovery.
- That's how I found Dip and Happy — a new breakfast spot in Downtown Tampa that serves sandwiches, bowls and, most notably, Dubai chocolate waffles.
State of plate: I strolled in one morning soon after it opened and grabbed a seat in the back. I wanted to give the place a fair shake, so I ordered the shakshuka and a dark chocolate pistachio macchiato along with the waffles.
- The shakshuka ($16) features eggs simmered in tomato sauce with red bell peppers and onions, garnished with feta cheese and avocado and served with pita bread.
- The bowl tasted like pizza soup — enjoyable but a bit more watery in consistency than I expected. It's still a banger.
Best bites: The dark chocolate pistachio macchiato ($7.25) is served with a spoon — and for good reason.
- The chocolate-drizzled foam, topped with crushed pistachios, deserves to be savored on its own before giving way to equally good coffee.
- Then came the waffles ($20). Look, I won't be dramatic here. But those airy, crunchy and chocolatey waffles were the closest I've felt to heaven on Earth. 10/10.
