Whether or not you have a sweet tooth, these desserts--the most talked about in all of Philadelphia--will have you reaching for second helpings.
No meal at Barbuzzo is complete without a taste of the restaurant's signature dessert, the salted caramel budino. In fact, diners are known to come to this Mediterranean restaurant solely for the budino, which for the uninitiated, is a creamy custard dessert with origins in Italy.
At Barbuzzo, it arrives in a diminutive glass jar, atop a dark chocolate cookie crust and finished with a dollop of sour cream whipped cream. You'll likely agree that it lives up to the hype with each and every salty-sweet spoonful. Available for pick-up at Barbuzzo, six-packs of the dessert are a popular gift around Valentine's Day.
Salted Caramel Budino, $8/each or $45/six-pack at Barbuzzo, 110 S. 13th St. Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 546-9300More »
This legendary Italian bakery in South Philly churns out a huge array of Italian sweets, but it's the cannoli that really put this place on the map. Cannoli are filled to-order with your choice of cream (ricotta, vanilla cream, chocolate cream), ensuring the pastry shell is light and crispy when it lands in your possession.
Cannoli, $3.50 each at Termini Bros., 1523 S. Eighth St. Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 334-1816More »
Think of canelé as the handheld sibling to crème brûlée. Housed within a crunchy shell of burnt caramel, a velvety soft custard center is infused with the flavors of vanilla and rum. This fickle French pastry presents a challenge for even the most seasoned maître pâtissier, but the fanfare surrounding Market Day's canelé proves that the treat can be mastered.
Canelé, $5/two or $25/dozen at various farmers' markets across Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 922-3571More »
Decked out in brown and magenta paisley, Sweetbox's cupcake truck is instantly identifiable; however, one bite of Sweetbox's gourmet cupcakes proves that this bakery-on-wheels is anything but a gimmick. Expect cupcake creations that toe the line between adventurous and traditional: flavors at Sweetbox include strawberries and champagne, Guinness peanut butter pretzel, bacon maple pancake and red velvet. The truck's schedule changes week to week, but Sweetbox maintains a permanent storefront at 13th and Pine streets.
Cupcakes, $3.50—$4 each at Sweetbox Cupcakes, 339 S. 13th St. Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 237-4647More »
Coffee, doughnuts and fried chicken. That's the extent of the menu at Federal Donuts, an unapologetically decadent eatery with five locations across the city. This is the kind of place where doughnuts are served hot from the fryer in flavors like cinnamon and vanilla-lavender, and lines form early. Once food sells out at FedNuts, which it often does, that's it for the day, so you'd better be one of the first to arrive.
Doughnuts, $1.25—$2 each at Federal Donuts, 1219 S. 2nd St. (see full location list here), Philadelphia, Pa.; (267) 687-8258More »
With more than 20 flavors that change daily, Capogiro brings the taste of authentic Italian gelato to Philadelphia. Ingredients are seasonal and local whenever possible, imparting an unrivaled freshness to Capogiro's gelato and sorbetto. Innovative, surprising flavors include mojito, bourbon butterscotch, and chai tea with milk and honey.
Gelato, $4.75—$7.25 at Capogiro, 119 S. 13th St. (see full location list here), Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 351-0900More »
The signature creation of Flying Monkey, Pumpple Cake is especially popular around the holiday season. So what is this 15-pound hybrid dessert, exactly? It's four desserts in one: a pumpkin pie baked inside a chocolate cake and an apple pie baked inside a vanilla cake. Vanilla buttercream holds the whole thing together. Ask for it at Flying Monkey's stand within the Reading Terminal Market.
Pumpple Cake, $45—$75 at Flying Monkey, 51 N. 12th St., Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 928-0340
1. Budino at Barbuzzo
No meal at Barbuzzo is complete without a taste of the restaurant's signature dessert, the salted caramel budino. In fact, diners are known to come to this Mediterranean restaurant solely for the budino, which for the uninitiated, is a creamy custard dessert with origins in Italy.
At Barbuzzo, it arrives in a diminutive glass jar, atop a dark chocolate cookie crust and finished with a dollop of sour cream whipped cream. You'll likely agree that it lives up to the hype with each and every salty-sweet spoonful. Available for pick-up at Barbuzzo, six-packs of the dessert are a popular gift around Valentine's Day.
Salted Caramel Budino, $8/each or $45/six-pack at Barbuzzo, 110 S. 13th St. Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 546-9300More »
2. Cannoli at Termini Bros.
This legendary Italian bakery in South Philly churns out a huge array of Italian sweets, but it's the cannoli that really put this place on the map. Cannoli are filled to-order with your choice of cream (ricotta, vanilla cream, chocolate cream), ensuring the pastry shell is light and crispy when it lands in your possession.
Cannoli, $3.50 each at Termini Bros., 1523 S. Eighth St. Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 334-1816More »
3. Canelé from Market Day
Think of canelé as the handheld sibling to crème brûlée. Housed within a crunchy shell of burnt caramel, a velvety soft custard center is infused with the flavors of vanilla and rum. This fickle French pastry presents a challenge for even the most seasoned maître pâtissier, but the fanfare surrounding Market Day's canelé proves that the treat can be mastered.
Canelé, $5/two or $25/dozen at various farmers' markets across Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 922-3571More »
4. Cupcakes at Sweetbox Cupcakes
Decked out in brown and magenta paisley, Sweetbox's cupcake truck is instantly identifiable; however, one bite of Sweetbox's gourmet cupcakes proves that this bakery-on-wheels is anything but a gimmick. Expect cupcake creations that toe the line between adventurous and traditional: flavors at Sweetbox include strawberries and champagne, Guinness peanut butter pretzel, bacon maple pancake and red velvet. The truck's schedule changes week to week, but Sweetbox maintains a permanent storefront at 13th and Pine streets.
Cupcakes, $3.50—$4 each at Sweetbox Cupcakes, 339 S. 13th St. Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 237-4647More »
5. Doughnuts at Federal Donuts
Coffee, doughnuts and fried chicken. That's the extent of the menu at Federal Donuts, an unapologetically decadent eatery with five locations across the city. This is the kind of place where doughnuts are served hot from the fryer in flavors like cinnamon and vanilla-lavender, and lines form early. Once food sells out at FedNuts, which it often does, that's it for the day, so you'd better be one of the first to arrive.
Doughnuts, $1.25—$2 each at Federal Donuts, 1219 S. 2nd St. (see full location list here), Philadelphia, Pa.; (267) 687-8258More »
6. Gelato at Capogiro
With more than 20 flavors that change daily, Capogiro brings the taste of authentic Italian gelato to Philadelphia. Ingredients are seasonal and local whenever possible, imparting an unrivaled freshness to Capogiro's gelato and sorbetto. Innovative, surprising flavors include mojito, bourbon butterscotch, and chai tea with milk and honey.
Gelato, $4.75—$7.25 at Capogiro, 119 S. 13th St. (see full location list here), Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 351-0900More »
7. Pumpple Cake at Flying Monkey Bakery
The signature creation of Flying Monkey, Pumpple Cake is especially popular around the holiday season. So what is this 15-pound hybrid dessert, exactly? It's four desserts in one: a pumpkin pie baked inside a chocolate cake and an apple pie baked inside a vanilla cake. Vanilla buttercream holds the whole thing together. Ask for it at Flying Monkey's stand within the Reading Terminal Market.
Pumpple Cake, $45—$75 at Flying Monkey, 51 N. 12th St., Philadelphia, Pa.; (215) 928-0340
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