About a year and a half after taking ownership of Drip Affogato Bar, owners Elisabeth Sears and Jeremie Mize are moving their Central Business District dessert cafe around the corner to a new location on Camp Street.
For the uninitiated, affogato is an Italian dessert that’s made by pouring a hot shot of espresso over an ice-cold scoop of gelato. The dish is essentially a study in contrasts. In addition to combining hot and cold elements, it also combines the sweetness of gelato with the bitterness of espresso. That is until everything melts into a creamy, coffee-spiked soup.
Drip Affogato Bar showcases this classic dessert and adds some unique modern versions. For example, the Big Easy affogato is made with a scoop of vanilla bean gelato, crushed pistachios, a small caramel stroopwafel and a bit of edible gold dust — all drowned in hot espresso. The Voodoo That You Do is made with chocolate gelato, almonds, cacao nibs, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, a chocolate wafer cookie and espresso.
The cafe also has other desserts and light savory fare, including a charcuterie board and mushroom crostinis. There’s a full bar and the menu offer alcoholic substitutes for affogatos if you’re looking to have a boozy version of this dessert classic instead of a caffeinated one. Drip also has a craft cocktail menu includes spins on classic drinks like The Last Word, Lemon Drop and Blackberry Smash.
While the décor at the new location has yet to be revealed, the Carondelet Street location was colorful and whimsical, with abstract and pop art images next to tropical plants and retro furniture.
Opened by first-time restaurateurs Juley Le, Anh T Vu and Justin Ramirez, Drip had called the Carondelet Street location home since 2016. After the ownership change and renovations in late 2021, Drip reopened just before Mardi Gras 2022.
Sept. 3, 2023, was the shop’s last day operating at its current location. The owners could not be reached for immediate comment.
