There’s no doubt about it: metropolitans love a fancy dessert place, and Toronto is full of good desserts. In fact you might find it hard to even decide where to get your sugar fix when ice cream shops and croissant bakeries are seemingly on every corner. We’re namedropping some of the city’s best spots so that you can choose from a short list made up of only the winners.

Best Restaurant Dessert 🏆

Piano Piano (88 Harbord St)

Piano Piano is a high-end Italian spot in a beautiful building near U of T and the Royal Ontario Museum. Their lauded carrot cake for two is as spectacular on the outside as it will be in your stomach. The rectangular slice is surrounded by ginger-flavoured creme anglaise and topped with an upside-down vanilla ice cream cone. Toffee-like rum raisins and salted caramel give way to a light and fresh carrot flavour in each bite of this rich and decadent cake.

Best Donut 🏆

Machino Donuts (1556 Bloor St W)

Handmade from scratch using plant-based ingredients, Machino makes over 24 flavours of donuts daily. From a filled banana pudding donut with Lotus cookie crumbles or a bruleed donut with ube cream, to classic apple fritters and maple dips, you can get as lavish or simple as you want here. Although their flavours pack a punch, the donuts themselves are said to not be overly sweet. With 6 or 7 varieties on special every month, there’s always a reason to come back. The best part is, every donut is priced between 3 and 5 dollars!

Best Icecream 🏆

Ice Creamonology (250 Queens Quay W)

Picking Toronto’s best ice cream spot feels like choosing the world’s cutest dog breed; it’s apples and oranges, and it will always be controversial. Ice Creamonology rises above many of the rest because of how simple, yet quality their ice cream is. Using Canadian dairy, seasonal fruits, and imported nuts, they carry about 12 flavours at a time (including a seasonal variety). Popular are their Turkish Coffee flavour (made from real aromatic beans) and their Pistachio (with house-made pistachio paste from imported nuts), in particular. They also make fresh sorbets with three ingredients only. 

Best Dessert Cafe 🏆

Lost in Tokyo (636 Queen St W)

A 90s-inspired retro cafe and sake bar known for their dessert parfaits, Lost in Tokyo will transport you across the world to a quiet spot in Japan. Vintage and antique items line the walls of this one-of-a-kind destination in Downtown Toronto. With limited space and extreme popularity, your parfait date for two will likely have to be reserved days or weeks ahead of time. If the exclusive, speakeasy-like environment wasn’t intriguing enough, the desserts are also pretty marvelous to behold.

Best Dessert Bakery 🏆

Bakerbots Baking (1242 Bloor St W)

Stocked with goodies in the window, Bakerbots is a small cafe and bakery offering fresh cookies, cinnamon buns, tarts, cakes, and ice cream sandwiches, as well as coffee and tea. It’s a spot beloved by regulars and operated by a young couple and their staff. People say no item here is a mediocre bite. Between the mastery of baking techniques, variety of treats, and general warm & inviting vibes here, Bakerbots pulls out all the stops.