Any restaurant worth its weight has a dessert menu expanded beyond shipped-in frozen selections and pre-packaged ice cream. But, when you come across a spot with truly phenomenal sweets, you know you're going to be in for a treat from start to finish.
Fresh pastries and desserts are a cornerstone of quality dining, and Detroit is no stranger to this standard. Local selections are highlighted by everything from panna cotta to tres leches cake. Save some room for sweets at these 15 restaurants around metro Detroit touting some seriously decadent dessert menus.
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Note: Restaurants are listed geographically, never ranked. Eater Detroit's radius includes the Metro Detroit area and occasionally stretches into Southeast Michigan although our main focus is Detroit proper.
What can we say? The French truly understand desserts. This Royal Oak cafe touts an impressive seasonal dessert menu, featuring mainstays like the trois chocolat, made with dark, white, and milk chocolate mousse, strawberry and white chocolate crisp pearls, raspberries, candied orange, and a coconut tuile. While other rotating favorites like the pumpkin cheesecake are less authentic, they’re just as palate-pleasing.
Nestled in Eastern Market, this Italian cafe specializes in truly well-done traditional dishes like it’s famed pesto gnocchi or weekly pasta specialities. Outside of savory options, the spot touts an impressive rotating dessert menu, highlighted by specialities like a dense flourless chocolate cake, classic panna cotta, cannolis, and, of course, gelato. Pair any of the rich selections with fresh Anthology Coffee, roasted in Corktown, for the perfect ending to a guaranteed outstanding meal.
This small cafe is one of a handful of places left in Detroit serving up sweet (and savory) crepes. Order them stuffed with nutella, bananas and chocolate, jam, or simply butter and sugar. Beyond crepes, Le Petit Zinc serves up other French classics like gooey, oozing chocolate lava cakes, available in bite-sized portions or whole. Finish it off with the perfect pairing: a fresh scoop of vanilla ice cream. Délicieux!
The dessert menu at this Ferndale restaurant is reflective of its overall mission: to provide well-crafted interpretations of everyday classics. One sweet staple, the Twix’t Bar ups the ante on the store-bought classic, combining foie gras mousse, sable, caramel, and guanaja dark chocolate. You definitely can’t get this bar in stores.
Although this Hazel Park restaurant's menu is in a constant state of change, you can always expect quality sweets to finish out your meal. Past eclectic selections have included sweet (but not-too-sweet) chocolate cake, a dense flan, a light lemon creme brulee, and a classically delicious tres leches cake. Headed by the talented pastry chef Kristina Conger, no matter the sweet selection, you’ll want to save some room. Trust us.
While this Corktown deli may not seem prime for sweets, you’d be surprised. Alongside of meaty soups and sandwiches sits a dessert menu worth the hype. Favorites include the signature Fudgie Mudgie, comprised of a warm house-made brownie waffle cooked to order (get it a bit gooey) and topped with a scoop vanilla ice cream from Calder Dairy, Sander’s Hot Fudge, and whipped cream.
This Ferndale hot spot dishes up soft serve unlike anywhere else in metro Detroit. Rotating flavors like salted caramel, watermelon, red velvet, banana curry, and Michigan sweet corn have all made the menu with specialty toppings like blueberry preserves and salted pecan crumble. Come in during brunch and pair one with the waffle of the week. Here you needn't justify having dessert for breakfast.
With a dessert menu that changes daily, you never quite know what you’ll get Republic until you step through the doors. Past favorites include the like the regularly-returning brown butter or beet ice cream and the slightly-more-elusive acorn cake. Like their main courses, each dessert is perfectly sweet with complex, usually warm flavors, pairing perfectly with a fresh espresso. Keep an eye out for housemade doughnuts, fritters, and fruit cobblers. Always changing — always delicious.
Food, booze, pie: Rocky City Eatery knows what it does well. Since opening their Midtown location this summer, they have continued their past excellence, ushering in fall flavors like sweet potato whisky and pumpkin chocolate pies. Other flavors like peanut butter berry, and rich chocolate caramel have also made the menu since the September opening. Stop in and snag a slice. You won’t be sorry.
This award-winning restaurant has stolen the hearts of diners and critics with its small plates and craft cocktails. Like chef Andy Hollyday's menu, the desserts are modern takes on delicious classics. Even a simple sundae takes on a refined form here, made with brown butter, pears, candied pecans, rum caramel, and toasted meringue. Past (chocolatey) favorites have included a mocha truffle torte and chocolate bread pudding.
The phrase “made from scratch” doesn’t get much more literal than at this Midtown staple. With hot fudge and ice cream made in house, it would be wrong not to order sinfully-huge desserts like the “Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Fancy Dress.” Made with a massive cookie as a base, the dessert is piled high with fresh ice cream and hot fudge. It’s large enough to share, but you definitely won’t want to. Other seasonal favorites like a pumpkin cheesecakes and apple crumble are also available, and just as delicious.
It's not a beautifully-plated masterpiece but the bread pudding at Batch has quickly become a classic among the brewery's frequent flyers. Changing with the season, the house chef makes this delectable treat with all manner of fresh fruits, chocolate, and sauce. Make sure to bring a friend. You'll want to share.
Decadent breakfast pastries steal the show at this east side diner. Customers can always count on a wide selection of cakes, breads, tarts, and housemade crybaby doughnuts on the counter utilizing local produce.
Desserts made with seasonal fruits and herbs are a happy and fitting end to a meal at Chartreuse. Look out for items like gorgeously plated ganaches and vanilla puddings topped with creme fraiche and fresh berries on the ever-changing menu.
A trip to this Livernois icon should be on every Detroiters' bucket list. Both the music and the food stand out, and no visit can be complete without a overflowing hot terrine of cobbler crowned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Life is indeed very sweet sometimes.
What can we say? The French truly understand desserts. This Royal Oak cafe touts an impressive seasonal dessert menu, featuring mainstays like the trois chocolat, made with dark, white, and milk chocolate mousse, strawberry and white chocolate crisp pearls, raspberries, candied orange, and a coconut tuile. While other rotating favorites like the pumpkin cheesecake are less authentic, they’re just as palate-pleasing.
Nestled in Eastern Market, this Italian cafe specializes in truly well-done traditional dishes like it’s famed pesto gnocchi or weekly pasta specialities. Outside of savory options, the spot touts an impressive rotating dessert menu, highlighted by specialities like a dense flourless chocolate cake, classic panna cotta, cannolis, and, of course, gelato. Pair any of the rich selections with fresh Anthology Coffee, roasted in Corktown, for the perfect ending to a guaranteed outstanding meal.
This small cafe is one of a handful of places left in Detroit serving up sweet (and savory) crepes. Order them stuffed with nutella, bananas and chocolate, jam, or simply butter and sugar. Beyond crepes, Le Petit Zinc serves up other French classics like gooey, oozing chocolate lava cakes, available in bite-sized portions or whole. Finish it off with the perfect pairing: a fresh scoop of vanilla ice cream. Délicieux!
The dessert menu at this Ferndale restaurant is reflective of its overall mission: to provide well-crafted interpretations of everyday classics. One sweet staple, the Twix’t Bar ups the ante on the store-bought classic, combining foie gras mousse, sable, caramel, and guanaja dark chocolate. You definitely can’t get this bar in stores.
Although this Hazel Park restaurant's menu is in a constant state of change, you can always expect quality sweets to finish out your meal. Past eclectic selections have included sweet (but not-too-sweet) chocolate cake, a dense flan, a light lemon creme brulee, and a classically delicious tres leches cake. Headed by the talented pastry chef Kristina Conger, no matter the sweet selection, you’ll want to save some room. Trust us.
While this Corktown deli may not seem prime for sweets, you’d be surprised. Alongside of meaty soups and sandwiches sits a dessert menu worth the hype. Favorites include the signature Fudgie Mudgie, comprised of a warm house-made brownie waffle cooked to order (get it a bit gooey) and topped with a scoop vanilla ice cream from Calder Dairy, Sander’s Hot Fudge, and whipped cream.
This Ferndale hot spot dishes up soft serve unlike anywhere else in metro Detroit. Rotating flavors like salted caramel, watermelon, red velvet, banana curry, and Michigan sweet corn have all made the menu with specialty toppings like blueberry preserves and salted pecan crumble. Come in during brunch and pair one with the waffle of the week. Here you needn't justify having dessert for breakfast.
With a dessert menu that changes daily, you never quite know what you’ll get Republic until you step through the doors. Past favorites include the like the regularly-returning brown butter or beet ice cream and the slightly-more-elusive acorn cake. Like their main courses, each dessert is perfectly sweet with complex, usually warm flavors, pairing perfectly with a fresh espresso. Keep an eye out for housemade doughnuts, fritters, and fruit cobblers. Always changing — always delicious.
Food, booze, pie: Rocky City Eatery knows what it does well. Since opening their Midtown location this summer, they have continued their past excellence, ushering in fall flavors like sweet potato whisky and pumpkin chocolate pies. Other flavors like peanut butter berry, and rich chocolate caramel have also made the menu since the September opening. Stop in and snag a slice. You won’t be sorry.
This award-winning restaurant has stolen the hearts of diners and critics with its small plates and craft cocktails. Like chef Andy Hollyday's menu, the desserts are modern takes on delicious classics. Even a simple sundae takes on a refined form here, made with brown butter, pears, candied pecans, rum caramel, and toasted meringue. Past (chocolatey) favorites have included a mocha truffle torte and chocolate bread pudding.
The phrase “made from scratch” doesn’t get much more literal than at this Midtown staple. With hot fudge and ice cream made in house, it would be wrong not to order sinfully-huge desserts like the “Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Fancy Dress.” Made with a massive cookie as a base, the dessert is piled high with fresh ice cream and hot fudge. It’s large enough to share, but you definitely won’t want to. Other seasonal favorites like a pumpkin cheesecakes and apple crumble are also available, and just as delicious.
It's not a beautifully-plated masterpiece but the bread pudding at Batch has quickly become a classic among the brewery's frequent flyers. Changing with the season, the house chef makes this delectable treat with all manner of fresh fruits, chocolate, and sauce. Make sure to bring a friend. You'll want to share.
Decadent breakfast pastries steal the show at this east side diner. Customers can always count on a wide selection of cakes, breads, tarts, and housemade crybaby doughnuts on the counter utilizing local produce.
Desserts made with seasonal fruits and herbs are a happy and fitting end to a meal at Chartreuse. Look out for items like gorgeously plated ganaches and vanilla puddings topped with creme fraiche and fresh berries on the ever-changing menu.
A trip to this Livernois icon should be on every Detroiters' bucket list. Both the music and the food stand out, and no visit can be complete without a overflowing hot terrine of cobbler crowned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Life is indeed very sweet sometimes.
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