These bakeries, ice cream and chocolate shops hit the sweet spot in a big way
A monthly roundup of ethnic eats, counter service chow and other tasty bargains.
This month, we seek sweet consolation for the sad fact that we’re too old to go trick-or-treating. Turns being a grownup at Halloween isn’t so bad after all.
Here are some of our favorite sweet spots.
Anisette
Two Raleigh locations: 209 Bickett Blvd. and 222 N. Bloodworth St.
919-758-356
Sweet consolation: Daily changing assortment of cakes, candies, cookies and tarts. Cherry black pepper nougat and lavender walnut Turkish delight are surefire cures for a jaded palate.
Annelore’s German Bakery
308 W. Chatham St., Cary; also sells at the State Farmers Market, 1249 Farmers Market Drive, Raleigh
919-267-6846
Sweet consolation: Apple strudel and honey-sweetened Bienenstich Kuchen (literally, “bee sting cake”) are just two of the sweet temptations you might find in the display case at this authentic German bakery.
Bittersweet
16 E. Martin St., Raleigh
919-977-3829
Sweet consolation: This downtown Raleigh dessert and cocktail bar is the ultimate grownup consolation for aging out of trick-or-treating. Pumpkin creme brûlée and a cayenne-spiked Fireside Old Fashioned are just what the doctor ordered.
Cocoa Cinnamon
Three Durham locations; see website for details.
Sweet consolation: Dessert takes liquid form at this popular coffeehouse, with options ranging from single origin hot chocolate to chai latte sweetened with house-made vanilla bean syrup.
Escazu Artisan Chocolates
936 N. Blount St., Raleigh
919-832-3433
Sweet consolation: Artisanal chocolate bars, truffles, drinking chocolates and scratch-made ice cream — your cup runneth over with ways to get over your childhood crush on Hershey’s Mini Bars.
lucettegrace
235 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh
919-307-4950
Sweet consolation: A rainbow assortment of macarons, cakes and pastries ranging from lemon tart to pecan pie croissant beckon alluringly at this artful French pastry shop in downtown Raleigh.
Meet Fresh
407 Meadowmont Village Circle, Chapel Hill
984-999-4983
Sweet consolation: International chain specializing in Taiwanese desserts offers an exotic route to sweet tooth bliss. And we do mean exotic, as in hot taro balls in red bean soup, icy grass jelly, and black sugar fresh milk boba tea.
Milk Lab
6418 Tryon Road, Cary
984-200-0016
Sweet consolation: You say you haven’t yet indulged in Thai rolled ice cream, the trendy frozen treat made by pouring a liquid base of cream and sugar onto a super-chilled steel slab, topping it with mix-ins (anything from caramel to Fruity Pebbles), and scraping the instantly frozen result up into rolled cylinders? Well, here’s your chance.
Mithai Indian Cafe
744-F E. Chatham St., Cary
919-469-9651
Sweet consolation: Don’t let the exotic names at this Indian cafe scare you away. The website provides a full description of each confection (many of which are vegan and gluten-free), from pista burfi (pistachio fudge) to kaju katli (vegan cashew nut marzipan).
Rose’s Noodles, Dumplings and Sweets
121 N. Gregson St., Durham
919-797-2233
Sweet consolation: If ever there was a grownup version of “a kid in a candy shop,” it’s the feeling you’ll get as your salivate over the delights of Rose’s display case. Do you go with the sour cherry hand pie, or the chocolate-dipped cream puff? What the heck, make it one of each — and throw in a couple of those salted caramels.
Vida Dulce
856 E. Chatham St., Cary
919-378-9722
Sweet consolation: Dilemma: choosing among the 28 homemade ice cream flavors, with options including Ferrero, pineapple, marshmallow, and key lime pie. Solution: get the churro split, a Mexican riff on a banana split that gives you three scoops. Extra credit: pick up a few paletas (Mexican popsicles) to take home and pop in the freezer.
Videri Chocolate Factory
327 W. Davie St., Suite 100, Raleigh
919-755-5053
Sweet consolation: You can’t really go wrong with any of Videri’s artisanal chocolate bars or truffle assortments, but this time of year the choice is obvious: the Halloween Skull Bonbon Box.
This story was originally published October 30, 2018 at 7:28 PM with the headline "These bakeries, ice cream and chocolate shops hit the sweet spot in a big way."