Everyone can agree that dessert is the best meal of the day. If you’re looking to satisfy a sweet tooth, San Diego is the best place to be. This sunny city has one of the most unique dessert scenes around. Growing up in San Diego and being a major dessert fan, I have tried most of these places. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on any of them. From cereal-flavored milkshakes to customizable shaved ice, the best desserts in San Diego won’t let you down.
1. The Milk Bar: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Milkshake
Beer, milk, and cookies. What else could you want? The Milk Bar offers you a long list of flavored milks that can be blended into milkshakes. Cinnamon Toast Crunch, cookies and cream, Fruit Loops, and chocolate peanut butter are just a few of the many flavored milk choices. The menu also consists of gourmet cookies and milk stouts. If you’re looking for a sweet treat, this is a must.
2. Iceskimo: Strawberry Shortcake
Imagine if ice cream and shaved ice had a baby—that’s Iceskimo. The refreshingly light textures complement the creamy flavors and make something beautiful. You choose from a plethora of shaved ice flavors and then customize your creation with their selection of toppings. This will be some of the best shaved ice you’ve ever tried, no doubt.
3. The Baked Bear: Ice Cream Sandwich
The Baked Bear does ice cream sandwiches right. You can choose from any of their homemade cookies, brownies, or even donuts to hold together this decadent sandwich. They have a wide range of original cookie and ice cream flavors to pick from, and you can even get your sandwich rolled in a topping ranging from brownie bites to Fruity Pebbles.
#SpoonTip: This treat tastes better at the beach.
4. Donut Bar: Oh My Birthday Cake
Oreo-stuffed donut? Yes, please. You can find the Oh My Birthday Cake donut at the Donut Bar in San Diego. When you go you’ll want to try the strawberry split and the French toast donut as well. This delectable donut will leave you wanting more.
5. Up2you Cafe: Customizable Crepe
This cafe offers a modern feel and customizable desserts. You can choose to customize a crepe, waffle, or their original “brick toast.” They also offer a variety of drinks ranging from coffee to Nutella banana shakes, and you can add boba to any of them. After tasting your food, Up2you will make you feel like a professional pastry chef.
6. Bing Haus: Rolled Ice Cream
Rolled ice cream is pretty to look at, and it tastes even better. Bing Haus is an a new dessert spot that you’re not going to want to pass up. With flavors like green tea and cookies and cream, there’s something for everyone.
7. Extraordinary Desserts: Any dessert
Extraordinary desserts is definitely the San Diego local’s go-to spot for exquisite desserts. Located in the heart of downtown San Diego, you can’t go wrong with any of their elegantly decorated desserts.
8. Square Bar Cafe: 2 in 1 Boba
The hardest part about getting dessert is deciding what to order. Thankfully, Square Bar lets you get two in one dessert-like drinks, that makes your decision just a little bit easier. This up and coming cafe specializes in coffee and tea, and you can put boba in any of them. With flavors like watermelon and caramel, you’re going to need to split the drink in half. They also offer a variety of ice cream, with cereal toppings like Fruit Loops or Cookie Crisp.
9. iDessert: Intense Vegas Bowl
iDessert is a futuristic place where you can create your own dessert on an iPad. You can chose to customize your own crepe, sundae, milkshake, or their most popular, the iDessert. This is a tower of your choice of different flavors of crust, gelato, and topped with a meringue. To get the full iDessert experience, get the Vegas bowl for the added dry ice effect.
10. The Cravory: Almond Joyous Cookie
For some of the best cookies you will ever eat, you need to go to The Cravory. Emphasis on need. The Cravory uses only locally-sourced ingredients, explaining why these cookies are so delectable. They have 100 different flavors in stock at all times, and 11 signature cookies, including cookies ‘n cream milkshake, almond joyous, red velvet, and salted caramel cream.
11. JR’s Hawaiian Shave Ice: Fuzzy Naval
If you weren’t looking for JR’s, you would probably miss this delicious shave ice masterpiece. It’s located in Oceanside in a little stand on the side of the road near a gas station. This icy wonder is stacked with ice cream, flavorful shaved ice, and topped with sweetened condensed milk and whip cream. Their creations are a must after a long day at the beach.
12. Babycakes: Tres Leches Cupcake
If you’re a cupcake lover, then this is the place for you. Babycakes specializes in oversized cupcake that you can get in an assortment of flavors. From Blood Orange to Tres Leches to Chocolate Peanut Butter, there’s a flavor for everyone.
13. Cinnaholic: DIY Cinnamon Roll
This isn’t your average cinnamon roll, in more ways than one. The cinnamon rolls are all DIY with frosting flavors like cake batter and coffee and toppings like cookie dough and Oreo cookies. The cinnamon rolls are also completely vegan. No matter what flavor combination you choose, it will be delicious.
14. Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream: 32 Ice Cream Flight
Can’t chose just one ice cream flavor? It’s okay, at Hammond’s you can get a flight of 32 ice cream cones. Yes, 32. If that’s maybe just a bit too much, you can try six, three, or just one. With their unique flavors like chocolate coconut macadamia nut and honey lavender, you may need to try 32 flavors.
15. Lappert’s Ice Cream: Dole Whip
If you’ve been to Disneyland, it’s very likely you know what Dole Whip is. Lappert’s is one of the few places the sells this pineapple treat outside Disneyland. Dole Whip is a creamy pineapple mix between ice cream and sorbet. You can’t beat it on a warm sunny San Diego day.
16. Cafe Hue: Belgian Waffles with Gelato
When you add gelato to a waffle, there’s almost nothing better. Cafe Hue has a range of toppings and gelato flavors to top off their fantastic waffles. They also make customizable crepes that you’ll want to try if you still have room after your waffle.
17. Boba Bar: Milk and Cookies Puffle
Boba Bar is definitely serving up one-of-a-kind desserts. They created their own dessert called the Puffle. It’s almost like a waffle, but better. They can be made into cones and filled with ice cream and other toppings. The Milk and Cookies Puffle is filled with vanilla ice creamed and topped with chocolate chips and Cookie Crisp. It’s the kind of dessert that brings you back to your childhood.
18. Nomad Donuts: Dragonfruit Açaí Donut
Nomad Donuts in North Park really has some of the most unique donut flavors you will ever see. Every one in San Diego is an açaí fan. Mix açaí and a donut together, and it’s every San Diegan’s dream. Their donuts sell out fast, so make sure to get an early start.
19. Blush Desserts: Cookies and Cream Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich
The macarons at Blush are some of the best around. Adding ice cream in the middle was a genius idea. The cookies and cream flavor is hard to beat, but any of their flavors will definitely leave you satisfied.
20. Cookie Monster Ice Cream: Monster Donut
This newest addition to the Cookie Monster menu is next level. This Monster Donut is an ice cream-stuffed donut where you can get multiple ice cream flavors. Cookie Monster serves some of the most colorful and delicious ice cream flavors.
#SpoonTip: You’ll also want to try their cookie butter ice cream.
21. The Good Stuff Cookie Co: Original Cheesecake Cookie
Located in Downtown San Diego, this cookie shop is doing something new. All their cookies are cheesecake-filled and sold in mason jars. They can pack all three of their top sellers, Original Cheesecake, Chocolate Cheesecake, and Snickerdoodle Cheesecake, into one mason jar. To share, or not to share.
22. Mootime Creamery: Ice Cream Nachos
Dessert Nachos? Is this real life?! It can’t get much better than this. Mootime Creamery, located at the famous Hotel Del in Coronado, makes this beautiful creation. These nachos are piled high with waffle cone chips, ice cream, chocolate, and caramel sauce and are topped with whipped cream.
23. California Cheesecakes In a Cup: Strawberry Cheesecake
These mini cheesecakes are the perfect size to satisfy your sweet tooth without you feeling stuffed. These cheesecakes can be found be found at farmers markets located around San Diego, such as the Little Italy or Hillcrest Farmers Markets. They can also be found at select stores such as Seaside Market.
They have a long list of flavors including cookies and cream, toffee, and their top seller, strawberry. Make sure to stop by their booth at the farmers markets, they are very generous with their samples!
24. Pressed Juicery: Strawberry Almond Freeze
You won’t be able to tell, but this sweet treat is actually good for you. Pressed Juicery’s Freeze is made by using only juices from fruits, vegetables, almonds, and coconuts. Freeze is a vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free dessert that actually makes you feel healthy after eating it.
25. Ghirardelli Chocolate: Cookie Bits Sundae
Treat yo’ self. Go to Ghirardelli and get this sundae. Located in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter, this dessert is as good as it gets. Ghirardelli has a long list chocolate-themed desserts that will all make your mouth water. This Cookie Bits Sundae is definitely one of their tastiest.
You can’t go wrong with any of these desserts. Next time you’re craving something sweet, check out this list to find the best desserts in San Diego.