If you’re looking for a new dessert experience, Morelia Gourmet Paletas is the place! Offering a wide variety of paletas, dipping, and topping combinations, your visit to Morelia can be as daring or “vanilla” as you choose!
Only Location in South Carolina
Morelia Gourmet Paletas is located in the heart of Forest Acres in Columbia. Noteworthy news is that this Morelia location is the ONLY South Carolina location to date! This well-established chain has locations spanning across the US, in New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and New York respectively.
Watch! Our Visit to Morelia
What is a Paleta?
What exactly is a paleta? Paletas are large, frozen, hand-made Mexican popsicles, made with all-natural ingredients. Paleta is a Spanish word meaning “little stick.”
All Natural Ingredients and Dietary Accommodations
All of Morelia’s paletas are made with 100%, all-natural ingredients. What also sets Morelia apart is its selection of dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan paletas. And all of their paletas are also certified Kosher!
My Visit to Morelia Gourmet Paletas
A line extends out the door of Morelia Gourmet Paletas as I approach with my two children in tow. It’s Morelia’s Grand Opening, and if the line of excited patrons is any indication of what’s soon to come, then I’m in for a treat, literally!
Order Instructions
I first meet the Forest Acres location’s owner, Stanley Roberts, in line outside. With a Morelia menu in hand, he enthusiastically greets each customer and provides instructions on how to order a paleta.
Pick It
Roberts explains, “You basically have several different types of paletas to choose from. Okay, you have the fruity kind. You have the creamy kind, which is more like ice cream. Then you have specialty ones that are filled with things like Nutella. You’ve got one filled with Bailey’s. You’ve got a condensed milk one. And so you can choose any one of those.”
Dip It
“What you do next is you dip it. You can dip it in dark chocolate, white chocolate, cookie butter or crunchy hazelnut. The dip allows us to stick the toppings to your bar,” says Roberts.
Top It
“Then, here are all the kinds of toppings: Oreo crumbs, peanuts, almonds, pistachio, we’ve even got pecans, rainbow sprinkles and chocolate sprinkles,” the owner explains.
Special Toppings
Roberts then describes Morelia’s special toppings to us. “Some people do s’mores, and that’s the one where we put the marshmallow on, burn it with a torch, and then there are other specialties like a waffle bowl,” he exclaims.
The Owners’ Favorite Paletas
Before I decide on an order I decide to ask the expert, Roberts, what he and his colleagues’ go-to paletas are. Roberts replies, “My favorite combination is the cookies and cream, dipped in white chocolate and topped with Oreo crumbs. Yeah, that’s my favorite.” He says his business partner, however, prefers pistachio. “My partner loves pistachio. He likes pistachio with white chocolate and graham cracker. But he also likes the lime with the graham cracker as well. I think those are his two favorites.”
My Order
After hearing Roberts’ Paletas order spiel, I’m feeling a little less intimidated by all the choices. We finally reach the inside and approach a display counter lined with the brightly colored paletas selection. I’m awe-struck by the sheer number of picturesque paletas and their descriptions. Names like “dulce de leche filled with dulce de leche,” “pineapple mint,” “and “chocolate hazelnut cookies & cream” line display shelf.
Because I want to experience the full Morelia Gourmet Paletas treatment, I opt to try the banana paleta filled with Nutella, dipped in white chocolate, and topped with s’mores! This is a fully interactive experience, as you watch as the employees prepare your order right in front of you.
I watch my banana paleta as it’s dipped in white chocolate, and then it is set aside to cool, before it’s smothered in marshmallow cream. Once the paleta is covered, the marshmallow cream is torched until the marshmallow is toasted My oldest daughter selects the mint chocolate chip paleta topped with sprinkles.
The Verdict
When I say I can taste each layered flavor in every bite, I mean it. I can taste the freshness of the bananas, the unmistakable Nutella taste, and of course the perfectly toasted marshmallow. Each flavor compliments the next with each bite. The warm, gooey marshmallow harmonizes perfectly with the cold, white chocolate-dipped paleta.
The sticky marshmallow may be a bit messy, but I don’t mind one bit. My daughters, Elle and Ali share their pastel-colored mint chocolate chip paleta covered in rainbow sprinkles. Their photos are evidence that no bite was left behind!
Morelia Gourmet Paletas is a refreshing take on desserts and ice cream, offering a one-of-a-kind experience and fun for the entire family! And let me tell you, it is worth every single sticky bite!
Visit Morelia Gourmet Paletas
4517 Forest Drive, Columbia
Morelia Website
We really like ice cream!
Check out more frozen treats and ice cream options in Columbia, SC.
