The 9 Best Places for Dessert in the UK
12 October 2020 • 7 min read
Got a craving for something sweet? These are the best dessert spots for students in the UK 🍧
There’s nothing like a delicious treat to take your mind off the coursework and make your mates jelly – no pun intended. To celebrate International Dessert Day, we’ve wrapped up the most drool-worthy sweet spots in the country, so you know where to go to satisfy that sweet tooth. Check out the list below 👇
Hans & Gretel, London
This Hallowe’en, take a stroll to Camden Market and get lost in the fairy-tale world of Hans & Gretel. This magical dessert parlour doesn’t leave anything out - with its novelty sized lollies and massive macarons lining the ceiling, the décor alone is enough to give you a sugar rush!
An evil witch doesn’t have to encourage customers to go big or go home – with choices ranging from sumptuous gelato and bombastic bubble waffles to pretzel cakes and a wall of pick n’ mix, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Watching the chefs assemble your dessert is all part of the experience – as the waffles are whizzed up, the ice-cream scoops stacked and the sauce drizzled on top, you’ll get to see the mastery behind the magic.
Don’t forget to leave a pebble trail to find your way back.
Cake Stories, Newcastle
This quirky coffeehouse has garnered a reputation for gorgeous gourmet pastries and desserts that are equally as delicious as they are unique. Let your inner child run wild with their Rocky Road Revelation, or opt for a sophisticated choice with a raspberry and rose mousse that covers a rich chocolate sponge cake. The options are vast, so you might be standing at the counter gawking for a while (we definitely were).
To make things easy, their brownies have been called the best in Newcastle – and we highly recommend. Want to go all out? Pair your indulgent treat with a hot cup of coffee topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce (just don’t blame us when the sugar crash kicks in!)
Sweet Little Things, Bath
Probably the most Instagrammable spot in the city, Sweet Little Things has made a name for itself for its luxury cakes and lavish interior. Beautiful roses adorn the walls in a host of pastel hues to create a true treat for the eyes (and a perfect photo op – trust us).
Beyond the impeccable aesthetic, this gorgeous café brings to the table a range of cupcakes that taste as good as they look. We’re talking gold leaf and ruby chocolate on a gluten free vanilla sponge; the perfect puffed-up pancakes complete with berries and cream; delicate choux buns balanced with a strawberry-topped prosecco... need we say more? This is a dessert place fit for a princess.
The Pudding Pantry, Nottingham
You can’t go wrong with a perfect stack of fluffy pancakes – particularly when they’re made by the chefs at the Pudding Pantry in Nottingham. For an extravagant eating experience, try their new red velvet cheesecake pancake that combines white chocolate, milk chocolate and raspberry coulis brownie pieces. For a birthday breakfast, go classic with a cloud-like pile of maple-syrup doused pancakes complete with bacon rashers and fresh blueberries.
Of course, it isn’t just pancakes that they’re good at – The Pudding Pantry have a range of eye-catching cakes on offer and a new flavour of cheesecake to sample every day. It’s genuinely hard to stay away.
Cocoa Wonderland, Sheffield
Tucked away in the hills of Sheffield on Ecclesall Rd, Broomhall, is an emporium of chocolatey creations guaranteed to make your mouth water. If you’re looking for something a little bit special, this is it. The Victorian-esque shopfront and Olde Sweet Shoppe interior only adds to the experience.
Although the café is currently closed due to lockdown restrictions, the shop is still worth a visit to get a sample of the wide variety of delightful desserts they have on offer. With rows upon rows of jars filled with handmade confectionary, there’s something for everyone in this unique hidden gem. And, if you can’t make it to the shop to explore their creations, you can order from their online menu and collect your treats when they’re ready.
Julien Plumart Café, Brighton
Dubbed the best French patisserie in the UK by hordes of satisfied customers, the award-winning Julien Plumart Café in Brighton has proudly been “delivering happiness” since 2008.
Thinking of making a stop here? Our advice would be to eat light beforehand and forget everything you know about croissants – the pastries served in this café are the definition of perfection. Beautifully crafted patisserie desserts beg to be devoured (we love the pistachio and red fruit éclair) while their summer cake selection is stunning enough to pass for late entrants to the Paris Fashion Week. For a takeaway treat, a selection box of multi-coloured macarons makes for a marvellous afternoon snack.
Doh’hut Leeds
What could be better than a hearty bowl of cereal? According to Doh’hut in Leeds, it’s a cereal milkshake topped with Mr Whippy ice-cream. Yes, you read that right. This sweet treat blew our minds before we’d even sampled their legendary donuts, and it was every bit as indulgent as we’d hoped.
Next on the menu, a selection of their “donut boats” – light and fluffy donut halves with a filling of your choice in the centre. Choose from sumptuous strawberries and cream, raspberry ripple or ask at the counter for Terry’s Chocolate Orange ganache to complement your donut – you won’t be disappointed. Oh, and try to get there early to get your donuts nice and warm!
Mrs Potts Chocolate House, Bristol
Mrs Potts knows what’s up. She knows you’ve got a craving for cakes and a hankering for a hot chocolate that's so rich in flavour you’ll throw caution to the wind and order another as soon as you’re finished. And so, she delivers. For the true cacao aficionado, this place is paradise – and it’s got a great atmosphere to boot.
Located on Park St, this dessert spot has a cosy vibe and a selection of chocolate-inspired cakes, including their sensational Dream Cake – a four layered chocolate cake with a dark chocolate ganache filling and white chocolate Swiss buttercream icing.
Our top tip? Stock up on a couple of the chocolate bars they’ve got on offer at the counter. Next time you watch a film in the flat, bust out your luxury chocolate and watch as your friends gawp at your #SnackGame.
Cupcake & Co, Norwich
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that food tastes better when it’s made with love. That’s the energy that Cupcake & Co bring to every sweet treat on offer in their little shop on Upper St Giles Street. Every baked good is a little slice of heaven, and there’s something incredibly satisfying about taking a bite out of these little works of art.
Using locally sourced ingredients, the dedicated bakers at Cupcake & Co craft scrumptious cupcakes, pastries, brownies and show-stopping celebration cakes that leave you licking your lips long after you’ve left – unless you’ve opted for one of their highly popular cupcake selection box – in which case, long may the dessert party continue!
Fancy a coffee after your sweet treat? Here are the best independent coffee shops in the UK.
