Charlotte’s quickly becoming a hotspot for young professionals and those looking to start a family in a safe and welcoming environment. With so much growth, the city’s food scene has to step up its game to please the flocks of newcomers as well as the natives, whose favorite spots are getting crowded.
What better way to please the crowd than with indulgent and epic desserts unique to the Queen City? From doughnuts to milkshakes and everything in between, you’re sure to find something unique in Charlotte’s food scene that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
1. One Pound Donut from Stoke
Known as “THE donut,” this new and innovative restaurant puts all Charlotte doughnut bakeries to shame. It’s over one pound of fun to share, or to hoard just for yourself. Get STOKEd for this one.
2. S’mores Milkshake from the Cowfish
The Cowfish, a Charlotte original, is famous for its conjunction of sushi and burgers, but they have also mastered the art of the milkshake to compliment the divine cuisine they offer.
3. Triple Chocolate Chunk Pan Cookie from Brazwell’s Premium Pub
Forget fresh homemade, freshly-baked cookies, this deep-dish cookie takes it to the next level with a crispy outer shell and warm and gooey insides combined with sweet and creamy ice cream homemade in-house.
4. Waffle Bowl Sundae from Sweet
Charlotte isn’t particularly known for having outstanding pro sports teams, but you can have an outstanding snack when attending one of their events.
5. Cinnamon Sugar Kronut from the Kronut Food Truck
Cafe Ganache is launching the first Kronut food truck, which is awesome news for all lovers of this delicious innovative treat. I recommend to pair this one with rich chocolate sauce to imitate the flavors of Spanish chocolate and churros.
6. S’mores Trifle from 5Church
With a rich chocolatey base, a textured and crumbly topping, and a smooth but burnt marshmallow topping, this trifle is the extremely bougie cousin of the classic s’more. This chic uptown restaurant steps it up to the next level with its own spin on cuisine.
7. Peanut Butter and Bacon Donut from Duck Donuts
If you’re more into a single serving doughnut, this one is sure to satisfy. Its rich peanut butter flavor and glaze in combination with the crunchy and savory bacon make it one of the best at Duck Donuts.
8. Chocolate Brownie + Biscoff Ice Cream from Good Food
Sure, you can have a brownie just about anywhere you go, or in the comfort of your own home, but there’s nowhere better to indulge in such a simple treat than a place with a name you can trust: Good Food.
9. Froot Loops Milkshake from Ninety’s Ice Cream and Sandwiches
Ninety’s may not be within the Charlotte city limits, but it’s worth the drive to get a milkshake filled with your favorite childhood cereal and all the fruity flavors that come along with it.
10. The Lane Buster from Park Lanes
A bowling alley isn’t the first place to come to mind when thinking of the most epic desserts, but Park Lanes proves everyone wrong. This sundae is served in a classically southern mason jar, and the fun doesn’t end with what’s stuffed inside (double fudge brownies, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream). They even pour chocolate sauce down the sides and coat them in peanuts.
11. Cinnamon Bun from Poplar Street Cafe
Everyone loves to wake up in the mornings to freshly-baked cinnamon buns, so why not indulge in an entire cafe that embodies this aroma, thanks to its sticky and sweet confection.
12. Deep Fried PB&J Uncrustable + Vanilla Ice Cream from Jackalope Jack’s
Take a journey back to your childhood with this epic twist on a basic lunchtime favorite. Everything’s better deep-fried, so PB&J at Jackalope Jack’s is no exception, of course!
13. Heath Bar Sundae from Kid Cashew
The description of this bad boy kind of says it all: vanilla bean gelato, candy bar pieces, caramel, and pistachios. Kid Cashew is new to the Charlotte scene, and it’s quickly rising to the top with its farm-to-table feel and truly delicious food.
14. Chocolate Hazelnut Cake from Capital Grille
Capital Grille always knows how to combine the best flavors on the plate, and this cake is no exception, topped with peanuts, melba sauce, and crema glaze.
#SpoonTip: Order this dessert on Valentine’s Day for a little extra romance.
15. Apple Walnut Bread Pudding from Customshop
Customshop features extremely fresh ingredients and combinations of flavor unique to this charming restaurant. The bread pudding is the perfect mix of fluffy dough with a sweet punch from the apples and crunch from the walnuts, all topped off with homemade ice cream.
16. Lemongrass Frozen Mousse from 5Church
At 5Church, the chefs have mastered the art of plating, but have even better mastered the combination of flavors. No dish ever looks better than it tastes, as hard as that may be to believe. Be sure to try this frozen mousse with fruity pebble milk clusters, raspberry curd, and fresh raspberries.
17. Sweet Baby Jesus Chocolate Peanut Butter Waffle HEX Coffee
Who says epic desserts can’t be enjoyed for breakfast too? These fluffy, scrumptious waffles combine every wonderful flavor from a Reese’s Cup into a morning treat that goes wonderfully with a strong cup of coffee from HEX.
18. French Toast Cupcakes from Sunflour Baking Company
Continuing the breakfast theme, these cupcakes take a brunch favorite and infuse its flavor into their recipe. Sunflour features many delicious breakfast and lunch options, but will surely blow you away with their dessert lineup.
19. Loukomades from Ilios Noche
Because what could possibly nutella, honey, cinnamon, and walnuts any better? Oh yeah, doughnut from Ilios Noche.
20. Red Velvet Deep-Fried Oreos from Speed Street
We’ve all heard about the magical deep-fried Oreo, but I’ll bet you’ve never tried this special twist before. Speed Street only comes around once a year to uptown Charlotte, so be sure to hunt these down while you can.
21. Magic Cookie Bar from the Common Market
With a combination of all the mix-ins that make cookies great, this bar is the king of Charlotte cookies from the Common Market. Coated in M&Ms, coconut, and walnuts, the texture is unbeatable and the flavors all swirl together in each delicious bite.
22. Hari Cari Cupcake from FuManChu Cupcakes
This Duck Rabbit milk stout cupcake may look terrifying, but it tastes absolutely divine, with unique and exotic flavoring and candy made to look like broken glass. Frighten all your friends on Halloween by serving up a tray of these from FuManChu.
23. Cream Puffs at Essex Bar & Bistro
Essex Bar & Bistro is a new hotspot in Charlotte that features these deep-fried cream puffs coated in powdered sugar to compliment a fabulous meal.
24. Skillet Cookie from Bricktop’s
Chocolate chip cookies are a classic, but Bricktop’s takes theirs to the extreme. They bake it in a skillet the size of a personal pizza, and serve it fresh out of the oven with a gooey center and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This one never lasts more than 60 seconds on the table with my family.
25. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Milkshake from Fahrenheit
Fahrenheit is Charlotte’s new signature restaurant, with an ever-evolving list of special desserts to top off the incredible cuisine. The chocolate peanut butter cup milkshake with a chocolate rice krispies treat is by and far the strongest of its lineup of unique and indulgent desserts. It’s served up in a mason jar to keep the southern charm alive.
Whether you’re new to Charlotte or you’ve lived there your whole life, definitely check these 25 epic desserts off your bucket list as soon as you can.