Bristol is a really unique twin city that lies in both Virginia and Tennessee. The state lines runs right down State Street. There is a really cool light up sign that tells you which state you are in. This sign has been there since 1915, though the slogan did change to the current one in 1921.
A little-known fact about Bristol that I learned when I visited is that it is recognized as the “Birthplace of Country Music”.
There is a 1930s theater on State Street called Paramount. It still has shows and events there through the year.
After walking around, I came to Black Bird Bakery. This is an old-fashioned bakery and ice cream shop. This place was packed with the line was almost out the door. It was cozy and inviting inside with table and couches everywhere.
They had a large offering of pastries, ice cream, cupcakes, and donuts to choose from. It was kind of hard to decide.
I got a couple of desserts while I was there. Some of them I got to go so I could enjoy then later. What I ate there was a big scoop of homemade Butter Pecan ice cream. The ice cream was so creamy. It was full of pecans. I got it on a sweet waffle cone which held more ice cream.
The Double Chocolate cupcake was chocolate overload. If you love chocolate, then this is the dessert for you. The cake was mist and held its own with all the chocolate icing.
The Carrot Cake cupcake was also extremely moist. It had great spice flavor to it along with shreds of fresh carrots. The cream cheese icing was to die for. It was extremely creamy.
The last dessert I got was the Peanut Butter Cheesecake. This was a very decadent dessert. The cheesecake was smooth and creamy. The flavor of peanut butter shined through. It was a very rich dessert. It was better to share this one. It went perfect with a nice glass of red wine.
There is a reason why the lines were so long at Black Bird Bakery. It seemed like the hot spot for people of all ages. I would recommend them to everyone. Plus, they are open late.
Check them out at www.blackbirdbakerybristol.com
Enjoy!
T
