Dessert Spots in Berkeley
Sweet Treats You Have to Try
Nothing beats a good dessert. They can be the perfect end to a great meal or a welcome treat during a stressful (or celebratory) time. Berkeley has plenty of options when it comes to dessert, but where should you go?
Check out this helpful guide to some of the most delectable desserts Berkeley has to offer.
Crepes Ooh La La
While Crepes Ooh LaLa (used to be Crepes-A-Go-Go) is great as a light breakfast, lunch, or dinner option, they’re a really special treat when it comes to dessert. Their warm crepes are perfect for a chilly Bay Area evening and you can’t lose with your choice of sugar & butter, lemon, jam, applesauce & cinnamon, chestnut, and the extremely popular (and the biggest reason to come here) Nutella crepe. You can even add fresh fruit to make the experience even more memorable. Prices are fair and the portions are big enough to share (as if you’d even want to).
CREAM
CREAM is a hard spot to miss. It regularly has lines out the door at all hours of the day. It’s no surprise either. Two warm and gooey cookies (in a variety of tasty flavors) surrounding one of their many sweet flavors of ice cream creates an experience you’ll want to repeat often while at Cal. They also have other creative ice cream desserts and milkshakes but their ice cream sandwiches are the stars of the show.
Yogurt Park
Yogurt shops are a dime a dozen in the Bay Area. Because of this, many don’t tend to last too long. Yogurt Park has been around for years (it predates the yogurt trend) and looks to be around for many more. It stands out due to the quality of its flavors and toppings. They don’t have the variety of Yogurtland but it doesn’t matter because the flavors they do have are miles better than anything you’d find at a competitor. Even their topping quality is fantastic. Fresh, non-bulk, and varied options combine to make a yogurt treat that puts Yogurt Park on this list.
Cinnaholic
Cinnaholic makes the list for two reasons. First, for its creative and delicious combinations of cinnamon rolls and toppings and secondly due to the fact that it’s vegan-friendly. Making a great dessert is one thing but making a great dessert nearly anyone can enjoy is noteworthy. Popular options include flavors like chocolate chip cookie dough, Oreo, and s’mores. You’re sure to discover a favorite amongst so many great choices. Perfect if you’re looking for a good dessert spot downtown or an afternoon treat.
Ici Ice Cream
Possibly the most popular classic ice cream place in Berkeley. Ici is in a more upscale part of South Berkeley on College and surrounded by lots of great restaurants (making it a great place to go after dinner in that area). From the ice cream to the cone, their focus on quality and deliciousness is obvious. Their handmade and fresh ice cream is a welcome and unique experience. It sets them apart from most other ice cream spots in the area that rely on tubs of mass-produced dessert. This is also not a place to get your ice cream in a cup. Their hand rolled and chocolate tipped cones really make the whole treat special and helps to clarify why there’s always a line to get in. Come outside normal dinner hours to have the best shot at a short wait time.
Caravaggio Gelateria Italiana
If you want something a little different (and more lactose intolerant friendly) than ice cream, Caravaggio’s gelato is worth your time, There are a few other decent gelato spots in downtown Berkeley (Lush and Almare) but Caravaggio wins out because of the more relaxed and open environment they offer to sit down and enjoy your dessert. Freshly crafted gelato with ingredients picked up at the local farmers market results in a treat that will make you want to find a way to work this place into every downtown excursion. Combine this spot with Victory Point Cafe’s games up the street for the perfect weekend afternoon or evening out with friends.
Your Sweet Guide to Berkeley
The next time you need to treat yourself after a tough midterm or good grade you can look to this list for some A+ choices. Remember, you can always find this list and many other great community lists on the Gojurn app (available for iOS and Android). If you discover a great place you think deserves a spot on this list you can always let us know here.