Valentine's Day: Fondue and a table for two at Lulu's Chocolate Bar on Whitemarsh

Rebecca Radovich and Janine Finn, the baker and bartender behind the beloved late-night confection Lulu’s Chocolate Bar, had long wanted a second location – specifically one with a large enough commercial kitchen to handcraft those decadent Strawberry Suspension cakes and cappuccino-walnut brownies. Since their opening in 2007, they’ve baked off site and ferried their sweets downtown to their chocolate martini oasis at 42 Martin Luther King Blvd.

Then, last June the strip mall storefront once occupied by J Thomas Kitchen on Whitemarsh Island became available. It had all the goods: abundant parking, strong visibility, and a near-turnkey operation. Just a few glitches, though: There were other offers on the table and all the equipment was going up for auction within four days.

Fortified with a glass of wine and her laptop at the ready, Radovich bid on and won nearly all the prep stations, cabinets, walk-in refrigerators, tables and chairs just as the ink was drying on their new lease.

After a vintage tropical-inspired interior refresh and the addition of an all-day coffee bar (it opens at 7:30 a.m.), takeout counter and cocktail bar, Lulu’s Whitemarsh opened in January, much to the delight of Savannahians and Islanders who find going downtown to battle for parking spaces and seats much too onerous.

“We definitely missed having the locals,” said Radovich. “We’re thankful for the tourists – don’t get me wrong, but it’s not the same. So, when we were looking, we were looking in Starland, in Sandfly, we thought, we’ll finally have the locals back again.”

“It’s a different crowd from downtown. We sell different things, and they want different items,” said Finn of the Islands-heavy crowd who prefer beer and martinis.

They offer savory croissants with prosciutto and gruyere around breakfast and because they have the space to make cookies now, they are offering ice cream sandwiches.

Lulu’s is geared up for Valentine’s Day, too, with the shareable charcuterie platter and Fondue for Two, arrayed with brown sugar pecan shortbread, coconut macaroons, strawberries and bananas for dipping in a pool of velvety dark chocolate. And then there are the milk, dark and white chocolate-dipped strawberries for enjoying in-house or at home.

“We sell a ton of chocolate-covered strawberries,” said Finn, who said the bar downtown will open early at 3 p.m. on Valentine's Day, the beginning of their busy season. "We do a lot of heart-shaped desserts and fun things... Valentine's is a big deal for us."

Guests can also order online at luluschocolatebar.com and designate downtown or the Whitemarsh location for pickup.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Beloved Savannah dessert bar opens Whitemarsh Island storefront