Queen City Sweet Tooth Crawl
Satisfy your inner treat lover with this list of the sweetest spots in Charlotte.
by Arden McLaughlin Oct 24, 2017
Need to curb a craving? We pulled together a list of some of the sweetest spots in the city to satisfy your inner treat lover. Don’t worry about the calorie intake—we have great weather, so you can take a run around town anytime to burn off the calories between trips to the dessert spots on your list. (That’s why they call it Little Sugar Creek Greenway, right? Because it’s just down the road from Elizabeth Creamery.)
Make the Amelie’s French Connection
Amelie’s French Bakery burst onto the Charlotte scene with its French food and eclectic store style only a few years ago. Now, it’s become a favorite spot for visitors and locals alike. It’s most famous for its salted caramel brownie, a tantalizing mix of sweet and salty with a secret ingredient we all wish we knew. But no one, not even the most loyal fan, has figured out what makes those brownies so addictive. Amelie’s also makes a variety of French macarons, petit-fours and layered tortes daily. Most recently, the bakery even unveiled a giant customizable macaron cake, fittingly called Maracon Gateau, that comes expertly filled with one of 25 cake or buttercream fillings.
Keep Dessert Classy at 5Church
Indulge in the elegant side of dessert at the corner of 5th and Church streets. At 5Church, uncommon combinations like blackberry poached pineapple and coconut shortbread make for desserts of sheer brilliance (aka the coconut lime mousse). For a more traditional taste, dig into the s’mores trifle, a nostalgia-inducing dish that brings together chocolate brownies, graham streusel and toasted marshmallow cream.
Take comfort in Bar Cocoa
Located in the heart of Uptown, Bar Cocoa offers a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the streets with a chocolate and dessert bar in the lobby of The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte. Known for its housemade—and very, very pretty—pastries and chocolates, gelato and cakes, the cozy dining nook, with its sidewalk terrace, is a picturesque spot to curl up with a good book or catch up with a friend. Wash down a decadent dessert with an almond coffee or macaroon latte—because you’re worth it.
Take shots at FuManChu Cupcakes
Take a shot of the boozy cupcakes created by FuManChu Cupcakes owner Andy Jackson. Post baking, almost half the cupcakes offered in the store are infused with half a shot of alcohol, including the Old Fashion and Lemon Drop. There are also nonalcoholic cupcakes including Orange Cycle and French Toast. Located on a side street in Plaza Midwood, you’ll want to get to FuManChu early because once the cupcakes are gone for the day, they’re gone and Andy goes home.
Roll in the Dough at The Crepe Cellar
Wrap anything in a crepe, and it borderlines being a dessert. The Crepe Cellar doesn’t think we need to be teased with something almost being a dessert, but instead chooses to fully satisfy our sweet tooth with delicious sweet crepe desserts. Brownie in a Blanket includes Nutella, candied walnuts and whipped cream while the Crepe Suzette gives a buzz with Grand Marnier butter sauce and vanilla bean ice cream. Or go a little healthier with mascarpone and berries; at least the berries have antioxidants.
Spiral over to Jolly Rolls
Roll out to Matthews for ice cream served in an entirely different fashion. Jolly Rolls Ice Cream creates ice cream made fresh to your preference and then rolls it into a delectable dessert. You can get apple pie or brownie, or an apple pie brownie flavor, mixed and frozen while you watch and wait. It’s worth the drive to Matthews to watch your treat being created right before your eyes. Plus, the concoctions are oh-so Instagram-able.
Weigh in at Stoke Charlotte
We Southerners love to fry dough. And Stoke Charlotte created a 1 pound doughnut with massive amounts of rich pastry cream, Heath bar crumbles and powdered sugar that showcases all that is glorious about the South. Made from scratch and served on a giant cutting board, this massive dessert is one you’ll need to share with your neighbors—if you want to share at all, that is.
Throwback at Ninety’s Ice Cream & Sandwiches
Fresh, seasonal ice cream between fluffy macaroons and the entire sandwich topped with caramel or fruity pebbles, makes Ninety’s Ice cream & Sandwiches one of the most customizable sweet spots in Charlotte. Located in University City, the team serves up cookie dough pops, milkshakes and more in flavors that’ll make you relive your childhood.
Challenge Yourself at The Big View Diner
Drive out to The Big View Diner for a classic chocolate or vanilla milkshake, or expand your palate by ordering key lime or black raspberry. Get a real taste of local love Cheerwine with an ice cream float. Or dare to eat the Triple D: nine scoops of ice cream, two waffle cones, bananas, whipped cream, caramel sauce and an entire chocolate cake top. The Triple D is free if you finish all of it. And if you finish all of it, tag us on Instagram because we need to see that.
Cave in at Crave Dessert Bar
Crave Dessert Bar serves desserts both edible and sip-able. Dive into the apple pie tacos or churro fondue. Go glamping with a s’mores a fire pit for the table. If sipping your sweets is more your style, the Tiramisu Dream (espresso vodka, hazelnut liqueur, butterscotch schnapps and Irish cream) or Coco Puff Smash (cocoa puff-infused green chartreuse, lemon and mint) may be just what you need to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Take Two at Two Scoops Creamery
The owner’s secret family recipes invigorate your taste buds at local ice cream shop Two Scoops Creamery, found in the heart of Plaza Midwood and in Lake Norman. You’ll always have 32 fresh flavors to choose from—think mint chocolate chip and rum raison—but you’ll have to take the trip to the shop to see what’s on the rotating menu each day. The owners know how to keep ice cream aficionados coming back for more.
