Best Desserts in NYC
For our fellow sweet tooths who also need just a little something sweet after every meal!
Our Favorites
Cafe Panna
Cafe Panna (Gramercy, Manhattan)
This comes from Danny Meyer's daughter, Hallie Meyer. They are serving some AMAZING ice cream. There's often a line, but the wait is worth it. We love getting a sundae, affogato (what they're known for), and their red flag ice cream. Pro tip, get some pints go to if you're on your way home.
Little Cupcake Bakeshop
Little Cupcake Bakeshop (Nolita, Manhattan)
Their chocolate cake was voted the best in America by Food and Wine. They have locations in SoHo, Prospect Heights, and Bay Ridge. We love all their baked goods, but get their Brooklyn blackout cake and strawberry shortcake.
Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie (Red Hook, Brooklyn)
We're huge key lime pie fans.... and this may be the best you'll find in NYC. Their single serving pies, and chocolate dipped ones are sooo satisfying.
Bar Bete
Bar Bete (Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn)
This is the coziest restaurant and their menu, which changes daily, never disappoints. Don't skip the crispy duck fat potatoes and save room for dessert! The yellow cake with a mound of chocolate frosting and a sprinkle of sea salt is Sara's favorite dessert in the city.
Casa Enrique
Casa Enrique (Long Island City, Queens)
This Michelin star rated restaurant is serving some of the best Mexican food you can get in Queens. Order ceviche, enchiladas, and mole de piaxtla. Also, get the AMAZING tres leches cake for dessert!
Morganstern’s Finest Ice Cream (Greenwich Village & LES, Manhattan)
They have two locations... one in Greenwich Village and the Lower East Side. Known for interesting and creative flavors like olive oil chocolate eggplant, sour cream canned peaches, and pineapple salted egg yolk.
Venieros (East Village Manhattan)
Veniero's Pasticceria & Caffe has some of the best cheesecake we've had in the city. Their other Italian pastries and cookies are fine, not great, so you can skip them.
Culture Espresso (Midtown, Manhattan)
They have sooo many cookie flavors. Their classic chocolate chip is well done but their warm corn cookie left us speechless.
Alimama Tea (Chinatown, Manhattan)
These mochi donuts are so good. We love strawberry, matcha, and cereal. Also get a lychee tea and add bobo.
Magnolia Bakery (locations all over Manhattan)
What's maybe the most famous bakery, Magnolia Bakery gained notarity after it was featured on Sex and the City. We're huge fans of their banana pudding, red velvet cupcakes, and their cakes are perfect for every celebration.
Spot Dessert Bar (East Village, Manhattan & Flushing & LIC, Queens)
Spot Dessert Bar has some really unique and tasty desserts like the matcha lava cake, golden toast, cookie camp, and milky puff.
Lady Wong (East Village, Manhattan)
This Southeast Asian pastry shop was born during Covid from a husband-and-wife duo, who previously worked at Jean-Georges and the Four Seasons. Try the taro ube tart, cassava cake, matcha tart, and 24 hour pineapple cake.
Fan Fan Doughnuts (Bed-Stuy, Manhattan)
They are serving some of the prettiest doughnuts. We love the pistachio cream, the Danny Boy, and guava and cheese.
Petee’s Pie Company (LES, Manhattan & Clinton Hill, Brooklyn)
LOVE Petee's Pie Company. They have a Fort Greene and Lower East Side location. They have savory pies too, but we can't get enough of their coconut custard slice.
From Lucie (East Village, Manhattan)
Their $19 lemon olive oil cake with lavender swiss meringue buttercream and lemon curd is one of the best cakes we’ve had.
Skip
We know we get hate for this, because they're probably NYC's most famous cookies, but they are pretty average. They aren't bad, but there's so many better options in NYC!
Lady M is most famous for the creation of Signature Mille Crêpes. It's made with 20 alternating layers of soft cream and lacy French crêpes. We're sorry to say, but it's just not worth the hype.
We love Christina Tosi, but think Milk Bar is totally overrated. The only thing worth trying there are the milk bar pie and the compost cookie.
We've tried these mini cupcakes time and time again and unfortunately have never been impressed. They are over priced and over hyped.
