For some, the best part of a meal is what comes at the end. If you’re one of those who believes life is too short to skip dessert, you’re in for a treat! Whether it’s a rich chocolate creation, a delicate pastry, or a fresh fruit tart, there’s no shortage of indulgent sweets that can elevate your dining experience. In this guide, we’ll highlight some of the best spots around town for dessert lovers—places where decadent sweets steal the show. From classic favorites to inventive twists, these restaurants, bakeries, and cafés will have you in dessert heaven.
1. Bouchon Bakery: A French Pastry Paradise
Best For: Classic French pastries, buttery croissants, and artisan tarts
Must-Try Dessert: Tarte Tatin
What Makes It Special: At Bouchon Bakery, French pastry techniques meet the highest-quality ingredients to create desserts that feel like a piece of Paris in every bite. The Tarte Tatin, a caramelized upside-down apple tart, is an iconic dessert that perfectly balances the sweetness of the apples with a buttery, flaky crust. Pair it with a rich espresso for the ultimate indulgence.
Bouchon Bakery, founded by celebrity chef Thomas Keller, is famous for its flawless execution of classic French desserts. Their selection includes everything from silky chocolate éclairs to perfectly flaky croissants, but the Tarte Tatin stands out as the crown jewel. Made with a caramelized apple base and an exquisitely crisp pastry shell, it’s an example of simple ingredients transformed into something magical.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to grab a box of their macarons on the way out—Bouchon’s colorful, melt-in-your-mouth macarons are a favorite for dessert lovers on the go!
2. Milk Bar: Sweet Meets Savory in a Fun, Quirky Way
Best For: Inventive desserts with playful flavors and textures
Must-Try Dessert: Cereal Milk Soft Serve
What Makes It Special: Milk Bar is known for turning everyday nostalgic flavors into extraordinary desserts. The Cereal Milk Soft Serve is a fan favorite, made from the milk left after eating sugary cereal, giving it that sweet, creamy, nostalgic flavor that will remind you of childhood breakfasts—but elevated. It’s creamy, sweet, and utterly addictive.
Milk Bar, founded by Christina Tosi, is a dessert haven for those who love unique, over-the-top treats that challenge the norm. While their Crack Pie (now known as Milk Bar Pie) is a popular dessert, the Cereal Milk Soft Serve takes the crown. Its sweet, milky flavor is paired with a salty crunch, making it a perfect balance of dessert indulgence and fun. The flavor profile is quirky, with an unexpected twist that’s deliciously satisfying.
Pro Tip: Don’t miss out on their Confetti Cookies—sweet, chewy, and studded with rainbow sprinkles, they’re a perfect snack to enjoy while you wait.
3. ChikaLicious: A Dessert-Only Restaurant with Culinary Masterpieces
Best For: Upscale, multi-course dessert experiences
Must-Try Dessert: Chocolate and Coffee Parfait
What Makes It Special: At ChikaLicious, you’re not just getting a dessert, you’re getting an experience. This dessert-only restaurant offers a set multi-course dessert tasting menu, with each course beautifully crafted. The Chocolate and Coffee Parfait is a standout, offering the perfect balance of rich chocolate mousse and the invigorating bite of espresso, topped with delicate coffee-flavored meringue.
For those who prefer their sweets with a touch of artistry, ChikaLicious is a must-visit. The restaurant, helmed by renowned pastry chef Chika Tilford, offers an entirely dessert-focused menu. Each dish is an intricate, beautifully plated creation that combines fine dining techniques with dessert flavors. The Chocolate and Coffee Parfait exemplifies their approach—rich, sophisticated, and a true treat for the senses.
Pro Tip: Go for the full tasting menu for an immersive dessert experience. It’s perfect for anyone who loves to be surprised by new flavors and textures.
4. Amorino Gelato: Italian Gelato at Its Best
Best For: Authentic gelato, rich flavors, and artisan creations
Must-Try Dessert: Gelato Flower
What Makes It Special: Amorino is known for its artisanal, hand-crafted gelato, made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. The Gelato Flower is a unique presentation of their flavors, served in the shape of a flower with layers of creamy gelato arranged in a beautiful, edible blossom. Whether you go for classic flavors like pistachio or adventurous ones like tiramisu, each bite is a little piece of Italian heaven.
The concept behind Amorino Gelato is simple: to serve the finest gelato using traditional Italian methods. The Gelato Flower is not only a treat for the taste buds but also a feast for the eyes. You can pick two or more flavors to create a beautiful, colorful dessert that’s as much about the visual appeal as it is about the flavor. The gelato is velvety, smooth, and packed with flavor, and the Pistachio and Hazelnut are often praised for being incredibly rich and creamy.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to try their Gelato Macarons, a perfect pairing of their creamy gelato sandwiched between two delicate macarons.
5. Dominique Ansel Bakery: The Creator of the Cronut
Best For: Innovative pastries and decadent, Instagram-worthy desserts
Must-Try Dessert: Cronut
What Makes It Special: Dominique Ansel is a name synonymous with culinary innovation, and his bakery is a dessert lover’s dream. The Cronut, a hybrid of a croissant and doughnut, revolutionized the pastry world when it was introduced, and it remains a top-tier indulgence. Each Cronut is fried to perfection and filled with unique, seasonal flavors, making it the ideal fusion of flaky, buttery pastry and sugary sweet goodness.
Dominique Ansel’s Cronut might be one of the most famous desserts in recent years, but this bakery offers much more. From the Doughnut Cake to the Frozen S’mores, every dessert here is carefully crafted with creativity and precision. The Cronut, however, remains a standout, with its multi-layered texture, light sweetness, and seasonal fillings (like maple-bacon or lemon-lavender). The line to get one may be long, but the wait is absolutely worth it for this pastry innovation.
Pro Tip: Arrive early, as the Cronuts are often sold out by midday. You can also pick up a box of their Madeleines for a smaller sweet treat that’s equally delightful.
6. Serendipity 3: The Ultimate Dessert Destination
Best For: Over-the-top, indulgent desserts in a whimsical setting
Must-Try Dessert: Frozen Hot Chocolate
What Makes It Special: If decadence is what you seek, look no further than Serendipity 3. Known for its extravagant desserts, this iconic spot serves up its famous Frozen Hot Chocolate, a frosty version of the classic drink made with a blend of fine cocoa and a mountain of whipped cream. It’s topped with a sprinkle of chocolate shavings and served in a massive glass, making it an experience as much as it is a dessert.
At Serendipity 3, the desserts are as whimsical as they are indulgent. The Frozen Hot Chocolate is the perfect example of their philosophy—excessive, luxurious, and totally over-the-top. It’s the kind of dessert you indulge in when you want to treat yourself to something truly special. For those with a sweet tooth, the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate is a must-try, and it pairs wonderfully with their equally indulgent Banana Cream Pie.
Pro Tip: Pair your Frozen Hot Chocolate with a serving of their Fried Oreos for the ultimate sweet tooth satisfaction!
7. Tatte Bakery & Café: Middle Eastern-Inspired Sweets
Best For: Unique Middle Eastern-inspired desserts with a modern twist
Must-Try Dessert: Pistachio Rose Water Cake
What Makes It Special: Tatte Bakery combines the rich, flavorful ingredients of the Middle East with the precision of French pastry techniques. Their Pistachio Rose Water Cake is a fragrant, nutty, and slightly floral creation that perfectly embodies their ethos of marrying classic flavors with new ideas. The cake is moist and light, with the perfect balance of sweetness and rosewater’s delicate perfume.
Tatte offers a range of unique desserts that reflect the Middle Eastern influences that inspired its creation. The Pistachio Rose Water Cake is one of their most celebrated offerings, but don’t miss out on their Baklava or Rugelach, both of which feature layers of buttery dough and sweet, nutty fillings. The bakery is a warm, welcoming space perfect for savoring these Mediterranean-inspired sweets.
Pro Tip: Take home a box of their Almond Croissants—crispy, flaky, and filled with a sweet almond paste that’ll make your day.
Final Thoughts
Whether you crave the luxurious richness of chocolate, the delicate elegance of pastries, or the refreshing sweetness of gelato, there’s a dessert destination for every sweet tooth. From classic French bakeries to quirky, creative spots that redefine what dessert can be, the options are endless. So, next time you’re out looking to satisfy your sweet cravings, be sure to visit one of these top spots and indulge in a treat that’s truly worth savoring.