Pinkberry in South Beach, FL

I was enjoying the day in Miami Beach and as I was walking along Ocean Drive, I came across a Pinkberry. Pinkberry isn't new on this blog, but it turned out this particular Pinkberry was new and having their grand opening. That meant free frozen yogurt!

There were a huge amount of employees in here, all running around each other while putting together cups of frozen yogurt.

I ordered key lime frozen yogurt, topped with all the fruit they had. This included blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, mango, pineapple, and kiwi. I also had a waffle cone type cookie in the yogurt as well.

Orange Leaf in Lake Mary, FL

A new self-serve frozen yogurt place opened in Lake Mary several weeks ago. For their grand opening, they mailed out flyers advertizing free frozen yogurt on a certain night. Events like this can result in crazy crowds, but I decided to check them out anyway. The line was out the door, and it ended up taking about a half hour to get my yogurt.

They had a large selection of flavors including lots of seasonal flavors like pumpkin pie and egg nog. I did find it interesting that with all of their flavors, Orange Leaf didn't have any of the plain tart frozen yogurt. I ended up trying a little of each flavor, topped with various items including fruit, cheesecake, sprinkles, etc.

I'd definitely return, especially after they offer an event like this and give free frozen yogurt to several hundred people.

Green Apple Frozen Yogurt in Clearwater Beach, FL

During a rainy visit to Clearwater Beach, we decided to get dessert from a place called Green Apple Frozen Yogurt. The name was honestly a bit perplexing, since they only had two flavors of frozen yogurt, neither of which were green apple. They had a much bigger selection of gelati, but I went in there expecting yogurt and picked the Georgia Peach. No self-serve yogurt here and each topping cost an additional $0.95 so I had my yogurt plain. Overall, it tasted okay, although it didn't exactly scream peach to me. More like an extra sweet version of the standard tart yogurt with a slight pink tint...

Pinkberry in Orlando, FL (Dr. Phillips)

Pinkberry opened their first Orlando store in the Dr. Phillips section of town last year. Some Pinkberry T-shirts were even given away here on this very blog because of the opening. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it to Pinkberry's grand opening last August. Almost a year later, I still hadn't tried Pinkberry's frozen yogurt.

That all changed recently when I checked my email and saw that Pinkberry was debuting a new flavor by giving out free tastings. I figured this was a good excuse to finally give Pinkberry a try, and here is the result of my excursion- Salted Caramel Frozen Yogurt:

The caramel yogurt was topped with salt, molten caramel, and crepe flakes. I'm normally not a big fan of caramel, but the salty and sweet mixed together into a very nice flavor combination. Now I need to visit Pinkberry again to try more yogurt flavors!

Mochi Frozen Yogurt in Orlando, FL

I've been to Mochi Frozen Yogurt in Downtown Orlando a couple of times now. It's pretty much you standard self-serve frozen yogurt place, although the selection of yogurt flavors always leaves something to be desired in my opinion. Only two out of six flavors sounded good to me on my last visit. Regardless, Mochi is still a convenient place to get some dessert while downtown...

Mix Frozen Yogurt in Orlando, FL

Mix Frozen Yogurt is one of the newest self-serve yogurt shops in Orlando. They are located near UCF in a shopping center at the corner of Colonial and Alafaya. They are sort of hidden back there and I never noticed Mix until they were kind enough to invite me to try their yogurt! Now that I know where they are, I'll definitely be back!

They had a very nice selection of sixteen different flavors of frozen yogurt.  

They also had a large topping bar filled with fresh fruit, candies, cookies, and everything else imaginable that you could possibly want on yogurt.



I tried four different flavors of yogurt. I had pumpkin, red velvet cake, strawberry, and tart yogurt. Pumpkin was my favorite out of the bunch, tasting like pumpkin pie.

I topped my yogurt with kiwi, raspberries, strawberry flavored boba, and some candy corn. With Halloween coming up soon, I had to add the candy corn to go with the pumpkin yogurt...

Mix Frozen Yogurt is a great addition to Orlando's collection of places serving frozen yogurt. With the large selection of yogurt, big topping bar, and only costing $0.39/oz, how can you go wrong?

iKiwi in Orlando, FL

More self serve frozen yogurt in Orlando! This time, it came from iKiwi near UCF. I got a few flavors, topped with mango, blueberries, and kiwi. Very tasty frozen yogurt!

Pinkberry

Congrats to all of the Pinkberry VIP & T-shirt winners! If you didn't win, check this out:

Pinkberry, the L.A. Froyo that Started the Craze,

Opens First Florida Store in Orlando

Four Hours of Free Pinkberry

Expected to Draw “Groupies” Far and Wide

WHAT: Pinkberry, the premium frozen yogurt chain known for its Swirly Goodness, officially opens its first Orlando location at 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, which will also be Florida’s first Pinkberry.

WHEN:

Pinkberry Public Preview Party: Thursday, August 19, 6 pm – 10 pm

Official Opening: Friday, August 20, 11 am

WHERE: Pinkberry, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819 (The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips), Store phone: 407-354-0890, Hours: Sun. – Thurs., 11 am – 11 pm; Fri. and Sat., 11 am – midnight

THURSDAY PREVIEW: The company, known for providing its customers “20 minutes of fun,” invites the public to “four hours of fun” at a special Thursday Preview Party for Free Pinkberrry with all of the toppings, a spinning prize wheel, swirly face painters, to get a “The Pinkberry Swirl” hairdo and more. In recent market openings in Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver and New Orleans, 200 plus lines of Pinkberry “Groupies” waiting for their first experience was the norm.

FRIDAY OPENING: On Friday at 11 am, the first Pinkberry in Florida will officially open. Pinkberry will donate a portion of proceeds from Friday through Sunday to Give Kids the World charity. The company had collected donations for the charity throughout the summer at free sampling events.

ABOUT PINKBERRY:

With corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, Pinkberry reinvented the frozen yogurt category when it launched in West Hollywood, Calif. in January 2005. Today it is the most talked about, best tasting, premium frozen yogurt, made with high-quality fresh ingredients. From store design to exceptional customer service to irresistible flavors and toppings, Pinkberry provides a social experience that indulges the senses. Pinkberry’s distinctive flavors are expertly crafted to complement its daily fresh-cut fruit and premium toppings that offer an irresistibly tangy, incomparably clean and refreshing taste. Pinkberry is certified by the National Yogurt Association and carries the Live & Active Cultures Seal. Get a taste of Swirly Goodness by visiting www.pinkberry.com.

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Pinkberry is a new restaurant serving frozen yogurt opening in Orlando. I do enjoy some good frozen yogurt, so I'm looking forward to giving them a try. Pinkberry has also offered some prizes to give away to the readers of Watch Me Eat. Up for grabs are 20 T-shirts and 2 VIP passes to their grand opening event taking place on Thursday, August 19 from 6-9pm!


There are three ways to win free stuff. I will randomly pick the winners from the pooled entries. This is a short contest and winners will be picked Wednesday morning. Good luck!
Email: Send your name to watchmeeatblog@gmail.com with Pinkberry Contest in the subject.
Twitter: Tweet out the following: I am trying to win Pinkberry prizes from @watchmeeat
Facebook: Reply to the appropriate message on the Watch Me Eat Facebook wall.


The following is Pinkberry's press release:

ORLANDO (June 22, 2010) – Pinkberry, the number one tart frozen yogurt brand, will open its doors in Orlando this summer at the Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, on the corner of Dr. Phillips and Sandlake Rd. The newest Pinkberry location marks the arrival of the first Pinkberry in Florida. With over 85 stores, Pinkberry Orlando is the latest of many new markets to open recently - including Dallas, Bay Area, Sacramento, New Orleans, Denver, Dubai, Bahrain and Mexico City, with several more new markets to be announced and opening later this summer and into the fall.

Pinkberry is a one-of-a-kind frozen yogurt experience. The addition of Pinkberry will introduce Orlando to the refreshing flavors and sophisticated style for which the international brand is known. Bill Harmening II, an Orlando native and local business owner, is the Pinkberry area developer for Orlando.

Ron Graves, Pinkberry CEO, says, “We’re excited to introduce Pinkberry’s high quality, unique frozen yogurt experience to Orlando and we couldn’t have picked a better partner than Bill. His enthusiasm for Pinkberry, commitment to quality and outstanding customer service, and 30 years of restaurant operating experience make Bill the ideal candidate to bring the one-of-a-kind Pinkberry experience to this market.”

Pinkberry premium frozen yogurt is made with real nonfat yogurt and nonfat milk that is rBST hormone free. Pinkberry is made with only the highest quality ingredients and is the perfect balance of tart and sweet, resulting in a refreshing, clean and craveable taste.

Orlando locations will be serving Pinkberry’s six distinctive flavors. From its signature Original flavor, a sweet and tangy yogurt with a refreshing finish to Pomegranate, a bold and tangy flavor made with 100% California-grown pure pomegranate juice, Orlando customers are in for a surprising and refreshing treat unlike anything they’ve ever tasted. In addition, Pinkberry serves an exceptional Coconut flavor, smooth and subtle, made with real coconut puree for a fresh and cool finish, a rich, indulgent Chocolate; and Mango, a fruity and light flavor made with authentic Alphonso mango puree for a soothing finish.

Customers can personalize every yogurt experience with any combination of delicious toppings. At Pinkberry, uncompromising quality is paramount and the toppings bar is no exception. Each topping is selected with the highest quality standards, such as Grade-A fresh fruit that is hand-cut daily in-store, organic gummy bears with no high fructose corn-syrup, all natural honey almond granola, 100% pure pomegranate juice, or rich, premium Belgian chocolate shavings. Every item is thoughtfully selected as a unique and delicious complement to the various Pinkberry frozen yogurt flavors. In addition to frozen yogurt and toppings, Pinkberry also offers Pinkberry Fruit Parfaits and Pinkberry Smoothies as fresh and satiating choices for any time of day.

Bill Harmening is enthusiastic about the Pinkberry endeavor. “I am thrilled to bring Pinkberry to Orlando,” says Harmening. “I am energized by Pinkberry’s distinctive taste, innovative store design and unmatched commitment to customer service. I am truly honored to be a part of the Pinkberry team.”

Local fans who want up-to-the minute news and discount offers should sign up to be a Pinkberry Groupie at www.pinkberry.com/groupie. The brand can also be found on Facebook and at Twitter @pinkberryswirl.

Pinkberry of Florida is currently searching for outgoing, customer friendly and reliable individuals to fill the positions of Assistant General Manager, Shift Leads and Team Members at our Pinkberry locations in Orlando. Enthusiastic, energetic individuals interested in joining the Pinkberry team can apply online at http://employment.pinkberryofflorida.com/

Pinkberry is located at The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd. , on the corner of Dr. Phillips and Sandlake Rd. For additional information, contact Mary Deatrick at 407-332-5212 or mary@deatrickpr.com.

About Pinkberry
With corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, Pinkberry reinvented the frozen yogurt category when it launched in West Hollywood, Calif. in January 2005. Today it is the most talked about, best tasting, premium frozen yogurt, made with high-quality fresh ingredients. From store design to exceptional customer service to irresistible flavors and toppings, Pinkberry provides a social experience that indulges the senses. Pinkberry’s distinctive flavors are expertly crafted to complement its daily fresh-cut fruit and premium toppings that offer an irresistibly tangy, incomparably clean and refreshing taste. Pinkberry is certified by the National Yogurt Association and carries the Live & Active Cultures Seal. Get a taste of Swirly Goodness by visiting www.pinkberry.com.

Yogurtland in Winter Park, FL

Yogurtland in Winter Park is one of the newest frozen yogurt shops that recently opened in Central Florida. Located across the street from Winter Park Village, this store was packed with people. With all of these customers, Yogurtland seemed to be doing the best business out of the Frozen Yogurt places I've visited.

I tried three different flavors. Plain Tart was good and tasted very similar to the tart flavors from the other frozen yogurt shops. Lemonade Passion Fruit Tart was also okay, but vaguely reminded me of the Lightning Lemonade flavored Bubblicious gum. Green Apple Tart tasted more like a sour candy than any granny smith apple I've ever had. I topped my yogurt with kiwi, raspberries, mango, and lychee.

Yogurtland was okay, but based on the flavors I picked, I think I prefer some of the other yogurt places in the area. I like fruit flavored yogurts, but I want the yogurt to taste somewhat like fruit rather than candy. I might return to try some other flavors, but with so many other yogurt shops nearby, I think I would try them first.

Menchie's Frozen Yogurt in Orlando, FL

Menchie's Frozen Yogurt is a self-serve yogurt shop on Sand Lake Road in Orlando. You get a cup, fill it up with yogurt and toppings, and then pay $0.44/oz for your creation.

I had a swirl of Very Bosenberry and Mango Tango Sorbet, topped with blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and kiwi. It was really good, and after this visit I've decided I really do enjoy the self-serve aspect of these new yogurt shops that are opening all over Orlando. The problem is that there seems to be too many yogurt shops opening too quick. It's only a matter of time before the market gets saturated...

As far as I could tell, all of the flavors at Menchie's were kosher. It's not surprising from a yogurt shop with a name based on a Yiddish word (meaning 'good person'), but somehow frozen yogurt isn't the first food that comes to mind when thinking of Kosher food...

Berrywise Cafe in Altamonte Springs, FL

Berrywise Cafe is one of the many self-serve frozen yogurt shops that have been opening all over Central Florida lately. Berrywise is located in a Wal-Mart shopping center in Altamonte Springs and serves both yogurt and Lollicup drinks.

During one visit, I tried their frozen yogurt. Berrywise Cafe had eight different yogurt flavors to choose from in the self serve machines. They gave small sample cups to taste the flavors first, then you get a larger bowl to fill with your selections. After filling the bowls with yogurt, there is an adjacent topping bar stocked with all sorts of good stuff like fruit, jellies, and candies. After the dessert is made, it is weighed at the cashier and charged by the ounce. A word of warning though, the bowls are quite large and the machines dispense yogurt very quickly. If you're not careful filling your bowl, you can potentially end up with an expensive dessert.

I decided on a twist of California Tart and Pomegranate yogurt topped with strawberry and kiwi.

On another visit, I ordered something from Berrywise Cafe's Lollicup menu. I had an Avococonut Smoothie with tapioca balls. I've gotten the flavor once before at another Lollicup and liked it. This particular drink was just as good.

I initially didn't know what to think about these self serve yogurt places, but I liked my visits to Berrywise Cafe. The whole self serve aspect allows you to self ration yourself, rather than the typical ice cream/yogurt shop where you have to order a set size. The flavors of yogurt I tried were all really tasty too!