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Thursday, March 28

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Erica / April 26, 2005 2:38 PM

I love dessert from Father and Son on Milwaukee. The ice cream, cannoli, tiramisu and carrot cake all rock and are fairly cheap.

The bonus is you might even experience a celebrity sighting like I did a few months ago when THEE Michael Gross sat next to us! YES that Michael Gross who played Steven Keaton in Family Ties and that freaky trigger-happy dude in Tremors. He’s a Chicago boy, I hear.

Steve / April 26, 2005 2:42 PM

Michael Gross and his sister are indeed Chicago natives, though I don't think either of them lives here year-round. My uncle is friends with Michael, though that isn't as cool a thing to be able to say as it was back in the '80s.

Despite my bulk, I rarely go anywhere special for dessert. But my fave is the chocolate baklava from Cousin's.

Searah / April 26, 2005 2:43 PM

The best cake you can get by the slice in the CITY is at Taste of Heaven in Andersonville. I LOVE IT LOVE IT!

Angel Food Bakery on Montrose has fantastic little pastries like hostess used to make... only much much better. The new "Thin Mint" cookie is TDF!

I love dessert!!

Dawson / April 26, 2005 2:55 PM

I usually don't go out specifically for dessert, but recently I went to Melting Pot in River North. Mmmmm... fondue.

Hal / April 26, 2005 2:58 PM

A neighbor turned us on to Sweet Mandy B's down in Lincoln park (I think - she always drives). Very home-style bakery - in fact, the only one I've ever been to that I could describe that way.

robin.. / April 26, 2005 3:03 PM

i love the gelato at the penguin, on lawrence by california. though it is rare that i go out for just dessert...

Staci / April 26, 2005 3:05 PM

Cafe Selmarie in Lincoln Square is awesome. When in that neighborhood, I try not to eat too much at dinner so I have room for dessert and coffee at the cafe. Everything I've had there has been awesome -- from the little lemon squares to the Black Forest cake.

daruma / April 26, 2005 3:15 PM

Margies for sundaes and shakes.
HUE has both bread pudding and rice pudding.
Petterinos has this good chocolate trio thing.

pat / April 26, 2005 3:24 PM

I never would have thought of it as a dessert place, per se, since all of the food is fantastic, but I have to say the desserts at Tweet in uptown are truly devine. They have a red velvet cake that is so incredibly plush.

elly / April 26, 2005 3:24 PM

I [heart] DQ for cones and Peanut Buster Parfaits.

Roni / April 26, 2005 3:48 PM

My kitchen. I love baking! Made chocolate chip cookies last night with Ella. She ate some dough, but oh well. She's a tough grrl. Cupcakes anyone?

Cinnamon / April 26, 2005 4:11 PM

Certainly not my place, not yet anyway. Tried to make a pie crust on Sunday and it crumbled like it was never held together. I'll keep trying. But I rarely feel the need for dessert after dinner. But since I bought a gazillion girl scout cookies, I've been delighting in a couple of cookies and a glass of soy milk before bed. Just like when I was a kid.

Nicole / April 26, 2005 4:29 PM

Sweet Thang on North in Wicker Park. Mmmmm french pastries, and the cutest little mousse cakes.

waleeta / April 26, 2005 4:44 PM

Bite Cafe next to the Empty Bottle.

Never order off the menu, always order off the specials. Trust me.

flobear / April 26, 2005 4:52 PM

I agree with Searah, Taste of Heaven is the best!

Though when I'm out for the evening, and want to make a night out of my dessert, Sugar is the best place for amazing desserts and dessert drinks!

Erica / April 26, 2005 4:54 PM

Two more plugs:
Bittersweet on Belmont is great -- Staci (see above) was sweet enough to get a bunch of different brownies there for my b-day this year.

I second Margies when in need of a major caloric throwdown! Total institution -- it's been around forever. Beware, though, it's popular in the summer, so prepare to wait for your yums.

I want to give shout out to another sweet shop w/a Belmont address -- The Cakegirls. Might hafta host a big party to justify buying their cakes, but it's good stuff. My zine did a story on the sister cake-bakin' team for our first issue! Love them.


Maggie / April 26, 2005 4:54 PM

Amen to both Sweet Mandy B's (puddin. Good puddin) and Bite (I had an amazing peanut butter tart thingie there.) I have to add the italian ice place on Polk and Carpenter in Little Italy and Cold Stone Creamery. And my grandma's house when she makes pudding cake.

Maggie / April 26, 2005 4:56 PM

And I can't believe I forgot Johnnies! Johnnies in Elmwood Park has fabulous Italian Ice. (More shaved ice than gelato.)

annie / April 26, 2005 5:30 PM

hi. long time reader, first time poster.

i adore dessert!

i have to add my vote for margie's for ice cream.

bittersweet, alliance (on division), and sweet thang are all fantastic bakeries.

but my all time favorite dessert is tres leches cake where you can find the best at a place called bom bon on 18th and ashland. it comes in little cup cake tins and you have 8 different flavors to pick from. it is amazing!

Leelah / April 26, 2005 5:56 PM

Italy.

Roni / April 26, 2005 7:50 PM

OMG...Sugar is to die for. The plates look small, but you'll be hard pressed to finish. And I'm a dessert gal. Just look at me! ha!

rizza / April 26, 2005 7:52 PM

Lula Cafe has this passionfruit creme brulee that justifies the pretentious servers and escalating prices

shylo / April 26, 2005 8:47 PM

Oh, the Penguin on Lawrence has awesome, awesome frozen custard. !!

But there's something about a McFlurry.

jenny / April 26, 2005 9:33 PM

Love The Penguin.
ADORE Hot Chocolate, the new place on Damen in (gulp) Bucktown. I have had (literally) everything on their sweets menu over the course of four visits.

Bittersweet's pretty good, too. Will have to try Sweet Mandy B's.

Mike-TS / April 26, 2005 9:49 PM

Emergency dessert source - the car seats.

Good source of the wayward wrapped stick of Dentyne. Though now the breath strip plastic carton has been added to the "between the seat" inventory.

Or the lost M&M, or candy cane flavor mint medallion.

Hey, you need something sweet to fight that onion & grease burpage backwash you get once you've finished a sack of sliders while zooming down the road. Even if your passenger's been farting on it for a week.

paul / April 27, 2005 8:56 AM

Marly's in Evanston was a chocolate shop that had their chocolate displayed like jewelry, and at the same prices. But they had a great hot chocolate and a few seats. Now it's transformed into something called Ethel's (I think) which looks a lot less intimidating and a lot more comfortable. I haven't tried it yet.

Also in Evanston is a Sticky Toffee Pudding at the Celtic Knot, which is just downright dangerous.

roderick / April 27, 2005 9:26 AM

Inspired by the current thread, the girlfriend and I tried Square Kitchen in Lincoln Square. We will be going back there again.

Leah / April 27, 2005 9:32 AM

I used to not be a "go out for dessert person" until I started working at an ice cream parlor.

For ice cream, it has to be ours. (Sweet Occasions in Ravenswood/Lincoln Square.) It is Chocolate Shoppe from Madison, WI. Good Stuff.

My latest favorite is at the Candlelite Diner on Western, just south of Howard. Their only dessert is the chocolate chip ice cream sundae. They bake a giant chocolate chip cookie in a skillet, then right when it comes out of the oven they build a sundae on it. The chocolate chips are still bubbling when it gets to the table.

Oh my god, once a week I make the trek for this treat.

Mo / April 27, 2005 10:17 AM

Oh my god! I just went to the Candlelite for the first time this weekend, and everyone was eating these sundae-looking things! now I must go back, and not fill up on their delicious garlic fries so I can try a sundae!

For fun, old school reminiscent birthday cakes, go to Roeser's Bakery, west of Western on North http://www.roeserscakes.com/ . I got my sister a cake for her 28th birthday and asked them to put a "scripted A" on it for her initial, thinking it would be all flowery, and we got it back with a bad-ass old English gangster style A. It was so worth it. They also have delicious pastries, but mostly breakfast style...

also, the best italian ice i've had is at a place i can't remember the name, but it's right next to Lemmings on Damen, and you order at a window- no inside seating.

Xan / April 27, 2005 11:14 AM

For dessert, I go to my man's tender neck. I breathe deep and take a bite.

Matt / April 27, 2005 11:49 AM

I just love going to Artopolis in Greektown. They usually serve desserts until they close. And the atmosphere is a lot of fun. Sugar is a lot of fun, too, but not something that I can do on a weekly basis. It's a smidge too expensive to do on a daily basis. There used to be a cute little old fashioned ice cream parlour on Diversey and Pine Grove - it's now a bakery. Then, of course, my newest fix is Cold Stone. Something is nifty about watching them mix fresh candy into my ice cream.

len / April 27, 2005 12:23 PM

The Brownstone, a bar on Lincoln just south of Irving Park, also has a delicious skillet cookie. I got this one time when I was PMSing and craving chocolate hardcore, and it was the best thing ever. Gooey warm chocolate chip cookie dough with french vanilla ice cream, covered with melty chocolate syrup. Simply divine.

My go-to desert place is usually Zephyr on Wilson, except the portions are HUGE. good for sharing though.

Tommy / April 27, 2005 12:42 PM

The absolute best is the tiramisu at Basta Pasta in Edison Park. The place is located in what was the first bank in the area (circa 1900) which makes for great atmosphere. Not to mention they make one kick ass martini.....

Rebecca / April 27, 2005 4:06 PM

Vegetarian Fun Foods on the Southside. They have awesome vegan milkshakes and killer vegan bannana pudding (with those vanilla waffer things on top).

And then of course the vegan soft serve ice cream flavor of the day at Soul Vegetarian East.

Veronica / April 27, 2005 6:59 PM

Here here to those who said Sugar! It's expensive and it can get kind of meat-market-clubby, but the desserts are YUM. And the literary themed menu satisfies my inner geek.

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