fbpx

A Guide to the Best Desserts in Baltimore

For those of you looking to indulge your sweet tooth, definitely make sure you bookmark this post because I’m going to spotlight 10 must try dessert places in Baltimore! 

Although I’m not a Charm City native, I’ve been living in and just outside the city for the last 17 years.  I (Kim) attended the Peabody Prep for a long time before going to school there for my undergrad – I eventually got my doctorate there as well.

Some of these places are old, some of them super new, but they’re all amazing in their own right.  I’m only listing 10 places today so you’ll have to let me know if I missed your favorite spot.  So without further ado, let’s talk desserts!

1.  Waffie

2022 Update: Unfortunately, Waffie has closed.

There’s a reason why Waffie made Yelp’s “top 100 places to eat in the USA.”   Located in Hampden at 839 W 36th St, they do everything from savory to sweet waffles.  You can build your own creation or treat yourself to one of their many pre-formed options.

waffie desserts

Their yeast-risen waffles taste like buttery magic, and you get to top them with all kinds of goodness.  Choose from both traditional and unconventional toppings like nutella, jam, gingerbread and cheesecake – the world is your oyster.

Popular options include their Cookies and Cream and Chocolate Overload, but their savory dishes are absolute musts as well.  You’d be surprised at how delicious their sliders are!  I recommend getting their Chicken Slider by the Bay Box with “Cinnamon Roll” Waffle because then you get to experience the best of both worlds for only $7.70.

2.  Café Dear Leon

Prepared to be dazzled.  New to Baltimore, this gem is located in the heart of Canton, and yes, their food is worth all the hype.  You’ve probably seen their baked goods all over instagram, and for good reason – the attention’s well deserved.

There’s usually a line, and they sell out quickly so get as many pastries as you can and go EARLY. 

My personal favorites are:

  • Chocolate Croissant
  • Egg Tart
  • Tamago Sando

The latter’s their take on the famous Japanese egg sandwich, and it’s absolutely scrumptious.  That alone was worth the wait in the cold!

SEE ALSO:  Where to Eat in Tampa, Florida: Must Try Restaurants in the Area

3.  Diablo Doughnuts

Easily my favorite doughnut shop in Baltimore! 

Located at 1035 Light Street, Diablo Doughnut’s always on point, and their creativity’s second to none.  You can tell they put a lot of love into their food, and their desserts are always fresh and fluffy.

With fun flavors like Unicorn Farts and Panty Dropper, you know you’re in for a treat! 

I recommend getting a bunch to sample and share – just make sure you get a berry cheesecake, sin crunch and creme brûlée because those are my personal favorites.

4.  Pitango Gelato

pitango cruffin

Speaking of Pitango, their bakery and gelato shop in Fells are both musts. 

You honestly can’t go wrong with anything you get, and they have some of the best gelato I’ve ever had. 

They literally do everything well, but I recommend trying:

  • Red Sandwich (fresh mozz, avocado, and prosciutto on house-made tomato focaccia)
  • Cruffin
  • Almond Croissant

They also have an exceptional avocado toast so definitely make sure you give it a try!

pitango red sandwich

Their gelato shop is also amaze-balls.  I’m forever loyal to their bacio, pistachio, and stracciatella, but I haven’t a single “meh” flavor there – let me know what YOUR favorite flavor is when you go.

5.  Vaccaro’s Italian Pastry Shop

Vaccaro’s isn’t my favorite dessert place in Baltimore anymore, but I still have a soft spot for them because they were one of the first places I visited when I moved to Charm City.  As a college student, I often came here to indulge my sweet tooth, and I found a lot of comfort in their food.

They do everything from pastries to paninis, but my favorite thing to get here is their chocolate-dipped cannoli.  Their ricotta cream‘s not too too sweet, and they’re great for a mid-day pick-me-up.  Their Italian cookies are solid as well!  If you’re in the mood for some ice cream, I’d recommend Taharka or Pitango, but that’s just me.

6.  Taharka Brothers

Creamy deliciousness that will always hit the spot! 

Taharka Brothers has some of the best ice cream in the area, with unique flavors that will leave you completely and utterly satisfied.  Order their ice cream online or visit their stall in Broadway Market to get your fix.

SEE ALSO:  10 Must Try Vegetarian Eats in Baltimore, Maryland

A ton of local restaurants and stores also carry their brand as well. 

My favorite flavors are Honey Graham (honey graham ice cream + honey graham swirl) and Chocolate Love (dark chocolate ice cream with a chocolate cookie crumb swirl), but all of their options are amazing.  They also have seasonal flavors available as well so definitely make sure to indulge!

7.  Sacre Sucre

I have no words.  Sacre Sucre’s one of THE most amazing dessert shops I’ve ever been to, like in the world.  Their work is edible art, and you absolutely need to experience their sweets firsthand.  They started off with macarons, but I personally like their pastries best.

sacre sucre eclair

Their dark chocolate éclair‘s my favorite (made with grand cru dark chocolate pastry cream, dark chocolate glaze and dark chocolate curls), but everything they do is exquisite.  Words can’t even begin to express how amazing they are so head on over to their brick-and-mortar on 2001 Fleet Street stat to see what the hype’s all about.

8.  Sofi’s Crepes

Sofi’s is yet another college favorite that I still adore. 

I remember how excited I was when they first opened a location on Charles Street.  I was obsessed with nutella at the time (…I’m still obsessed with nutella, sorry not sorry), and their Nutty Banana was one of my many guilty pleasures – the Turtle being a close second (caramel, chocolate and nuts), S’mores (chocolate, melted marshmallows, and graham crackers) a close third!

sofi's crepes

In addition to sweet crepes, they also offer savory handhelds! 

I used to love their Kevin Bacon and Godfather – the former contained turkey, bacon, cheese, tomatoes and thousand island, the latter was made with pepperoni, mozz, salami, roasted red peppers and spinach – but I haven’t either in forever so I’ll have to go back soon.

9.  Berries by Quicha

If you love chocolate covered strawberries, you’re welcome in advance.  The berries here are absolutely beautiful, and you get to choose from creative options like cheesecake stuffedciroc, strawberry shortcake and sundae.  My personal favorite was Quicha’s dark chocolate, but that’s because I’m obsessed with dark chocolate everything.

berries by quicha

Get a half dozen for $16.99, a dozen for $31.99, and an assorted dozen for $35! 

SEE ALSO:  A Guide to the BEST Happy Hours in Washington, DC

You also have the option of getting platters for special occasions, so definitely take note.  They make great gifts and are awesome for weddings, baby showers, engagement parties, and more!

10.  Codetta Bake Shop

Based out of Mindgrub, Codetta Bake Shop offers everything from cupcakes to lemon squares to elaborate cakes.  I recently had the pleasure of trying their Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, and it was literally heaven in cake form.

Think layers of decadent chocolate cake filled with Nutella and chopped hazelnuts, then covered in Nutella buttercream and topped with chocolate ganache drip, whole Ferrero Rocher chocolates, chopped hazelnuts and gold leaf.

chocolate layer cake

Owner Mya Bilal first started baking when she was young, and it’s been a passion of hers ever since.  

“My other biggest passion in life has always been music.  I  was a full-time music teacher in Howard County when I met my partner, Chris.  Coincidentally, his biggest passions are business and entrepreneurship so we thought up a meaningful name, Chris made a website, and we started doing business in the spring of 2018,” she says.

For those of you looking to try her incredible baked goods, head to her website to see what she has in stock for the week and order as late as the day of for pickup and delivery.

There, you can preorder cupcakes, whole cheesecakes (or individual slices), whole buttercream cakes and other treats like tres leches and brownies

They also take custom order requests as well so make sure you hit them up for all your needs.

Alright friends, I hope you enjoyed reading my latest guide!  Let me know what you thought of today’s roundup, and if I missed your favorite dessert place in Baltimore, definitely make sure to leave me a comment below!  For those of you interested, I also wrote about must-try Asian eats in Charm City last week – click here to see my recommendations and stay tuned for more!  Until next time, friends.

Follow:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Thank you! Stay tuned for all the nomtastic goodness..

Too many subscribe attempts for this email address

Be the first to discover new restaurants, easy recipes, and get awesome giveaways sent directly to your inbox!

* indicates required