Having lived or studied at UBC for nearly a decade, I like to think that my sweet tooth has sampled most of the desserts here. For this article, I chose 5 that really stood out and/or kept me coming back for more, so you don’t have to spend time wondering what to get. Without further ado, here are my recommendations for the must-try desserts at UBC:
*Vegan options available.
1. Sprout’s Brownies*
Thick, dense, and fudgy are the first words that come to mind when biting into this brownie, and the texture is so gooey that it sticks to the roof of your mouth. Little do your taste buds realize that these brownies from Sprout’s are actually vegan. At $1 per brownie, this is the most economically-friendly dessert on this list, and you can feel healthy-ish about eating it too.
2. Blue Chip Cookies from Uppercase*
No visit to UBC is complete without a Blue Chip Cookie. This line of gigantic cookies includes my personal favorites, the Marbelous (shown in header) and Brazil Nut Crunch (seen here). Both are thick, sweet, and chewy-soft, with hefty chunks of caramelized white chocolate on top. Made fresh on the hour, these cookies are heavenly if you catch them fresh from the oven.
3. Cartems’ Donuts from Loafe Café*
With quality ingredients and an exciting range of flavors, Cartems’ donuts are a beloved Vancouver establishment; luckily for UBC students, they can be found at Loafe Café. From regular flavours like Canadian Whiskey Bacon and Earl Grey to seasonal specials like Jasmine Tea (pictured), the donuts here are soft and cake-like, with flavorful glazes and toppings that live up to their name.
4. Rain or Shine Ice Cream from Koerner’s Pub*
For days when you want gourmet ice cream without the half hour commute, Koerner’s Pub has got your back: they carry a handful of flavors from Vancouver favorite Rain or Shine, which produces smooth, creamy ice cream with a variety of delicious toppings (think fresh fruit or real chocolate) often swirled in. You can truly taste the difference that fresh and natural ingredients makes.
5. Mercante’s Tiramisu
Feeling fancy? Try the tiramisu from Mercante’s. Served with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle, this is possibly the best tiramisu I have ever had: the ladyfingers are perfectly soaked in a mixture of espresso and liquor, and the layers of mascarpone filling are light and creamy, so you can keep eating it without getting satiated.
There you have it, my top 5 recommendations for dessert at UBC. While I do try to make an effort to be healthy, I also believe that dessert should be enjoyed to the fullest, and these are the sweet treats I turn to when I want to make those cheat days count. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do!