12 Decadent Dessert Restaurants Made for Indulgence

Ice cream, layered cake, fancy candy and more

by Stacy Brooks May 15, 2019, 12:45pm CDT

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by Stacy Brooks May 15, 2019, 12:45pm CDT

Jes Lahay/Eater Twin Cities

The ingredients are straightforward: flour, sugar, butter, cream. But in the hands of a skilled pastry chef or baker, they come together to make desserts that are much more than the sum of their simple components. A piece of cake that brings chocolatey comfort to a difficult day. An ice cream sundae that evokes the whimsy of childhood. A macaron that serves as a bite-sized getaway to Paris. The best desserts aren’t a cloying afterthought—they’re a source of the sweetest sort of joy.

Transcendently delicious desserts come in all forms, from traditional French pastries to loaded soft serve. Here’s where to find them in the Twin Cities.

Rose Street Patisserie

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Take a budget-friendly trip to France with the elegant desserts at Rose Street Patisserie, from cakes and tarts to eclairs and macarons. While the flavors change with the season, the glossy domed rose petit gateaux are always picture-perfect.

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2811 W 43rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55410

(612) 259-7921

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Milkjam Creamery

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The Instagrammable ice cream parlor is geared towards adults, with inventive flavors like Cereal Killers (orange coriander milk with candied fruity pebbles), and creative sundae toppings like rum butterscotch, honeycomb candy, and caramelized rice krispies. Looking for a buzz? Opt for one of the boozy floats, malts, and shakes. Otherwise, enjoy a scoop sandwiched in a Glam Doll donut.

2743 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408

(612) 424-4668

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The Copper Hen Cakery & Kitchen

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Skip straight to dessert with a chocolate chip skillet cookie served straight from the oven with vanilla ice cream and caramel. Other highlights include fruit hand pies, cupcakes, and tiny cakes baked in Mason jars—some of which come with a pipette of liquor for an adults-only treat.

2515 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404

(612) 872-2221

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Edwards Dessert Kitchen

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Pair Tattersall cocktails with mousse, cake, ice cream, or cookies for a sweet take on date night. Many desserts include unexpected ingredients, like a snickerdoodle seasoned with Chinese Five spice and sea salt ice cream with coriander.

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200 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401

(612) 800-0335

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An entire restaurant dedicated to inducing sugar cravings

Spoon and Stable

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A meal at Spoon and Stable would be incomplete without one of pastry chef Diane Moua’s dessert masterpieces. A feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds, the attention to detail is impeccable, from the tiny edible flowers that serve as garnishes to the thoughtful balance of flavors.

211 N 1st St, Minneapolis, MN 55401

(612) 224-9850

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The Bachelor Farmer

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Pastry chef Emily Marks often features local ingredients in the restaurant’s desserts and the cafe’s pastries, such as croissants made with locally milled flour. Other items evoke the North and Minnesota’s Scandinavian heritage, like a lemon tart with lingonberries.

50 N 2nd Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401

(612) 206-3920

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Sample the breakfast treats at the cafe or the gorgeous decadence of dessert at the restaurant

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MN Nice Cream

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Puppy chow, cheesecake, bacon, cookie dough—no topping is too over-the-top for the soft serve at Minnesota Nice Cream. Create a custom cone or try one of the specials, like the photogenic “Fun Cone” loaded with fruity pebbles, mini donuts, gummies, sprinkles, and glitter. Grab a seat in the industrial chic cafe, or find a spot in the sun at the picnic tables outside.

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807 Broadway St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

(612) 259-7053

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Nothing exceeds like excessive ice cream toppings

Alma

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Pastry chef Carrie Riggs creates imaginative desserts for the restaurant’s seasonal menu, as well as pastries for the cafe’s bakery case. The flavors and influences span the globe—for instance, a frozen mango lassi with green tea streusel, a citrus upside-down cake with grapefruit mezcal caramel, and a caramel coffee pot du creme with a black sesame meringue.

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528 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

(612) 379-4909

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The exterior of Alma’s restaurants and hotel — Changes are coming - for real this time.

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Dough Dough

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Indulge in edible cookie dough by the scoop at Dough Dough’s Mall of America outpost. Flavors include chocolate chip, monster, s’more, and sprinkle-laden “Celebration,” plus a handful of gluten-free and seasonal flavors. Can’t decide? Opt for a flight of mini scoops.

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372 E Broadway, Bloomington, MN 55425

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Three cups each with a scoop of cookie dough. — Scoops of safe-to-eat cookie dough

Cafe Latte

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The giant slices of cake at the bustling cafeteria would serve two, but are delicious enough to eat single-handedly. Chocolate lovers will appreciate the turtle cake or the dense richness of Michael’s Fudge Cake (which happens to be gluten-free). For something fruity, try the intensely citrus lemon torte. Other options include cheesecakes and tortes.

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850 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105

(651) 224-5687

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The Buttered Tin

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Cupcakes, bars, whoopie cookies filled with buttercream, and homemade Twinkies: the desserts at The Buttered Tin take their inspiration from nostalgic favorites and then kick them up a couple notches. Swing by the cozy cafe during bakery happy hour from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily for 50% off select bakery items.

237 7th St E, St Paul, MN 55101

(651) 224-2300

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Strawberry and lemon cake

Joy Summers/Eater Twin Cities

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Salty Tart

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Critically acclaimed pastry chef Michelle Gayer creates pastries, cakes, cupcakes, and cookies that taste as lovely as they look. The coconut macaroons are the perfect combination of crispy and chewy. Savor a couple with one of the cafe’s seasonal lattes, and linger for a while in the sunny, elegant setting.