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A dessert with cream, strawberries, and graham cracker crumbs served on plate with a garnish.
Swiss Roll Strawberry Dessert at Restaurant Aleksandar.
Restaurant Aleksandar

The 15 Best Philly Restaurant Desserts

A variety of delightful ways to end a meal

by Ernest Owens Updated
View as Map
Swiss Roll Strawberry Dessert at Restaurant Aleksandar.
| Restaurant Aleksandar
by Ernest Owens Updated

Why is it that if you don’t order dessert after your meal, you feel empty inside? Capping the night with something sweet, especially at a restaurant that puts heart and soul into its desserts, helps diners better experience the great food landscape of Philadelphia.

Find gargantuan cakes, comforting pies, international goodies — all treats that will make your inner child jump for joy. Have other favorites? Share in the comments.

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Nam Kaeng Sai at Kalaya

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Already considered a “showstopper” among diners, this massive shaved ice delicacy comes in three different combination flavors (Thai Tea, guava, banana or Yuzu, lychee, Thai basil or Coconut, passion fruit, milk chocolate).

4 W Palmer St, Philadelphia, PA 19125
(215) 545-2535
(215) 545-2535

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Banana Pudding at Love & Honey Fried Chicken

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This is a multilayered pudding that features a delicious flavor/texture complexity of bananas, graham cracker, and whipped cream.

1100 N Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 789-7878
(215) 789-7878

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Bourbon Vanilla Creme Brulée at South Restaurant & Jazz Club

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There’s creme brulée and then there’s bourbon vanilla creme brulée served up at the incomparable South. The menu describes it as a “rich, creamy egg custard under a crisp caramelized sugar top” — in other words, paradise on a plate.

600 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 600-0220
(215) 600-0220

Also featured in:

Carrot Cake Pie at Vernick Coffee Bar

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Lunchtime at Vernick Coffee Bar isn’t complete without an order of this well-baked (and iced) carrot cake pie.

Comcast Technology Center, 1800 Arch St 2nd floor lobby, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 419-5052
(215) 419-5052
A carrot pie cake with icing on top being served on a plate.
Carrot Cake Pie at Vernick Coffee Bar.
Vernick Coffee Bar

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Plantain Snack Cake at Honeysuckle Provisions

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Ripe plantains, warming spices, and a moist cake makes this dessert more than just a Caribbean delight, but a perfect solution to one’s sweet tooth.

310 S 48th St, Philadelphia, PA 19143
(215) 307-3316
(215) 307-3316

Also featured in:

Buñuelos at Bolo

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These are not churros — they are fritters on a decadent mission, battered in canela spiced sugar and drizzled in dulce de leche.

2025 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(267) 639-2741
(267) 639-2741

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Sticky Toffee Pudding at The Dandelion

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This classic British dessert is a decadent date cake that’s topped with toffee sauce alongside sour cream ice cream and candied walnuts.

124 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 558-2500
(215) 558-2500

Also featured in:

Swiss Roll Strawberry Dessert at Restaurant Aleksandar

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Nostalgia on a plate, this remix on a beloved dessert is probably the best deconstructed Little Debbie’s treat ever assembled.

126 S 19th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 279-7738
(215) 279-7738
A dessert with cream, strawberries, and graham cracker crumbs served on plate with a garnish.
Swiss Roll Strawberry Dessert at Restaurant Aleksandar.
Restaurant Aleksandar.

Also featured in:

Lemon Curd at Fork

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There are a ton of lemon curd variations on menus across the city, but Fork’s take on the classic dessert (which includes blueberry, dill, and buckwheat) is an exceptional standout.

306 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 625-9425
(215) 625-9425

Also featured in:

Plum Galette at Friday Saturday Sunday

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This James Beard award winner continues to amaze diners with this impressive, yet easy-to-devour dessert that features Beechwood Orchards plums wrapped in a flaky crust. Bonus points: It’s topped with black tea ice cream.

261 S 21st St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 546-4232
(215) 546-4232
A plum galette topped with a scoop of ice cream in a round bowl.
Plum Galette at Friday Saturday Sunday.
Friday Saturday Sunday

Also featured in:

Funfetti Cake at Bud & Marilyn's

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This queen of all confetti cakes, this impressive confection has the right balance of sweet without compromising the airy texture of the dessert.

1234 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 546-2220
(215) 546-2220

Also featured in:

Beignet Tree at Steak 48

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This extravagant desert features tasty beignets rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with vanilla crème anglaise and nutella ganache — sweet divinity on a plate.

260 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 552-4848
(215) 552-4848

Also featured in:

Baklava at Kanella Grill

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Baklava is like pizza, in that it's hard to find bad baklava. But Kanella Grill's baklava is perfect: balanced sweetness, stacked high with chopped nuts — still crunchy and not pulverized to oblivion— and the phyllo still crisp and crackly.

1001 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(267) 928-2085
(267) 928-2085
Baklava on a plate.
Baklava at Kanella Grill.
Kanella/Yelp

Mille Feuille aux Framboises at Bistrot la Minette

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Bistrot la Minette's mille-feuille is textbook: stacked three layers high with piped pastry cream, raspberries, and a little extra puddle of raspberry coulis love.

623 S 6th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 925-8000
(215) 925-8000
A three layers dessert staked with pastry cream, raspberries, and a little puddle of raspberry coulis.
Mille Feuille aux Framboises at Bistrot la Minette

Also featured in:

Pistachio Mousse Cake at Rosemary

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This scrumptious cake has a satisfying balance of sweetness, creaminess, and nuttiness that’s surprisingly lite.

25 E Hinckley Ave, Ridley Park, PA 19078
(610) 671-3770
(610) 671-3770

Also featured in:

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Nam Kaeng Sai at Kalaya

4 W Palmer St, Philadelphia, PA 19125

Already considered a “showstopper” among diners, this massive shaved ice delicacy comes in three different combination flavors (Thai Tea, guava, banana or Yuzu, lychee, Thai basil or Coconut, passion fruit, milk chocolate).

4 W Palmer St, Philadelphia, PA 19125
(215) 545-2535
(215) 545-2535

Banana Pudding at Love & Honey Fried Chicken

1100 N Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19123

This is a multilayered pudding that features a delicious flavor/texture complexity of bananas, graham cracker, and whipped cream.

1100 N Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 789-7878
(215) 789-7878

Bourbon Vanilla Creme Brulée at South Restaurant & Jazz Club

600 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19130

There’s creme brulée and then there’s bourbon vanilla creme brulée served up at the incomparable South. The menu describes it as a “rich, creamy egg custard under a crisp caramelized sugar top” — in other words, paradise on a plate.

600 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 600-0220
(215) 600-0220

Carrot Cake Pie at Vernick Coffee Bar

Comcast Technology Center, 1800 Arch St 2nd floor lobby, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Lunchtime at Vernick Coffee Bar isn’t complete without an order of this well-baked (and iced) carrot cake pie.

Comcast Technology Center, 1800 Arch St 2nd floor lobby, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 419-5052
(215) 419-5052
A carrot pie cake with icing on top being served on a plate.
Carrot Cake Pie at Vernick Coffee Bar.
Vernick Coffee Bar

Plantain Snack Cake at Honeysuckle Provisions

310 S 48th St, Philadelphia, PA 19143

Ripe plantains, warming spices, and a moist cake makes this dessert more than just a Caribbean delight, but a perfect solution to one’s sweet tooth.

310 S 48th St, Philadelphia, PA 19143
(215) 307-3316
(215) 307-3316

Buñuelos at Bolo

2025 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

These are not churros — they are fritters on a decadent mission, battered in canela spiced sugar and drizzled in dulce de leche.

2025 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(267) 639-2741
(267) 639-2741

Sticky Toffee Pudding at The Dandelion

124 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

This classic British dessert is a decadent date cake that’s topped with toffee sauce alongside sour cream ice cream and candied walnuts.

124 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 558-2500
(215) 558-2500

Swiss Roll Strawberry Dessert at Restaurant Aleksandar

126 S 19th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Nostalgia on a plate, this remix on a beloved dessert is probably the best deconstructed Little Debbie’s treat ever assembled.

126 S 19th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 279-7738
(215) 279-7738
A dessert with cream, strawberries, and graham cracker crumbs served on plate with a garnish.
Swiss Roll Strawberry Dessert at Restaurant Aleksandar.
Restaurant Aleksandar.

Lemon Curd at Fork

306 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

There are a ton of lemon curd variations on menus across the city, but Fork’s take on the classic dessert (which includes blueberry, dill, and buckwheat) is an exceptional standout.

306 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 625-9425
(215) 625-9425

Plum Galette at Friday Saturday Sunday

261 S 21st St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

This James Beard award winner continues to amaze diners with this impressive, yet easy-to-devour dessert that features Beechwood Orchards plums wrapped in a flaky crust. Bonus points: It’s topped with black tea ice cream.

261 S 21st St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 546-4232
(215) 546-4232
A plum galette topped with a scoop of ice cream in a round bowl.
Plum Galette at Friday Saturday Sunday.
Friday Saturday Sunday

Funfetti Cake at Bud & Marilyn's

1234 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

This queen of all confetti cakes, this impressive confection has the right balance of sweet without compromising the airy texture of the dessert.

1234 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 546-2220
(215) 546-2220

Beignet Tree at Steak 48

260 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

This extravagant desert features tasty beignets rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with vanilla crème anglaise and nutella ganache — sweet divinity on a plate.

260 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 552-4848
(215) 552-4848

Baklava at Kanella Grill

1001 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Baklava is like pizza, in that it's hard to find bad baklava. But Kanella Grill's baklava is perfect: balanced sweetness, stacked high with chopped nuts — still crunchy and not pulverized to oblivion— and the phyllo still crisp and crackly.

1001 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
(267) 928-2085
(267) 928-2085
Baklava on a plate.
Baklava at Kanella Grill.
Kanella/Yelp

Mille Feuille aux Framboises at Bistrot la Minette

623 S 6th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Bistrot la Minette's mille-feuille is textbook: stacked three layers high with piped pastry cream, raspberries, and a little extra puddle of raspberry coulis love.

623 S 6th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 925-8000
(215) 925-8000
A three layers dessert staked with pastry cream, raspberries, and a little puddle of raspberry coulis.
Mille Feuille aux Framboises at Bistrot la Minette

Pistachio Mousse Cake at Rosemary

25 E Hinckley Ave, Ridley Park, PA 19078

This scrumptious cake has a satisfying balance of sweetness, creaminess, and nuttiness that’s surprisingly lite.

25 E Hinckley Ave, Ridley Park, PA 19078
(610) 671-3770
(610) 671-3770

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