Sweet Surprises at Kitchen 218

Tucked right into the heart of Pulaski, Kitchen 218 has made a name for itself with crave-worthy burgers, local brews, and its vibrant upstairs music venue, Venue 220. But let’s talk about the real showstopper on their menu: the desserts.

Every season, pastry chef Aspen White creates a brand-new lineup that looks like it belongs in a glossy magazine spread (and somehow tastes even better than it looks).

The current summer menu is pure sunshine on a plate. Here’s a peek:

• Lemon Cake: A citrus lover’s dream, this lemon chiffon cake is filled with lemon mascarpone cream and paired with tart lemon curd, white chocolate blueberry ganache, white chocolate crumble, and fresh blueberries.

• Banana S’mores Bar: Layers of banana pudding mousse and chocolate mousse, topped with banana cremeux and a toasted housemade marshmallow. Add a drizzle of salted caramel glaze, fresh bananas, and a scoop of salted caramel gelato.

• Loco Coco Coconut Mousse: This one’s tropical vacation vibes in dessert form. Coconut mousse wrapped in a chocolate shell, sitting on coconut cake filled with mango gel and tropical fruit, served alongside mango sorbet.

• Key Lime Cheesecake: Tart key lime cheesecake meets white chocolate crème, tequila-macerated raspberries, raspberry sorbet, and a buttery graham cracker crust.

These desserts come and go with the seasons, which is part of what makes them so special. Our team tried out the menu in Spring 2025. We may never see that Strawberry Hibiscus Tart again, but we’re still thinking about it. It came topped with a delicate tuile butterfly, strawberry sorbet, hibiscus gel, and fresh berries. It was almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

Then there was the Beehive Honey Bomb: orange honey mousse with peach compote over orange chiffon cake, fresh honeycomb, and a meringue beehive that literally dripped honey onto the plate.

With cooler weather just around the corner, we’re officially on Dessert Watch. Will there be spiced apple galettes? Pumpkin tiramisu? Caramel-drizzled everything? Who knows. But if Aspen’s track record is any indication, it’s going to be delicious.

If you haven’t yet planned a dessert-first night out at Kitchen 218, now’s your chance. Come for the wings, stay for the music, but whatever you do… don’t skip dessert.