Ever since the rise of the cupcake industry in the early 2000s, unique dessert shops have taken the world by storm. During my internships in New York City over the past three summers, I’ve witnessed dozens of stores become the latest trend before falling victim to a new competitor. The most popular places typically have lines out the door and are featured in a variety of newspapers and magazines.
While I’ll always pick a salty snack over a sweet one given the option, I find it extremely difficult to resist the novelty of these cute little shops. Having visited a few myself, I can attest to the fact that they’re often well-worth the time and money spent to try these delicacies out. With that being said, here are the top three dessert shops that you need to add to your bucket list ASAP.
1. Eggloo - New York, New York
When I was a little kid, I was obsessed with a soft, doughy dessert known as Hong Kong cakes - the Chinese version of tiny, bite-sized pancakes. You could buy a pack of twenty for a dollar at the street vendor near my grandma’s apartment, which I took full advantage of.
So imagine my excitement when someone decided to take those same Hong Kong cakes and turn them into waffle sundaes! Eggloo is essentially my childhood dream: Hong Kong cakes combined with ice cream and unlimited toppings for $7 (cone) or $8 (sundae). Choose between original, chocolate, and green tea for the waffle flavor and vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry for the ice cream scoop. I split one with my cousin a few weeks ago and it definitely lived up to the hype (although I’ll always be a tried and true plain Hong Kong cake fan).
2. Bubbie’s - Honolulu, Hawaii
I’m not quite sure how to explain my love for this one. I was three years-old the first time I walked into Bubbie’s and I’ll definitely be bringing my children when the time comes. Bubbie’s makes the most amazing mochi ice creams - bite-sized ice cream wrapped in a sweetened rice confection. These little things are absolutely amazing and come in a variety of exotic flavors such as Sakura, Lychee, and Li Hing Mango.
They sell Bubbie’s at Whole Foods and I’ve seen a few competitors at Trader Joe’s and local Asian markets, but I refuse to tarnish my memories of the best ice cream I’ve ever had by eating the grocery store version. Try one for yourself and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
3. Blockheads Shavery Co. - Los Angeles, California
Now I’ve never been to this third dessert shop, but I do love all things shave ice and I have visited a few of their NYC counterparts (i.e. Snowdays and Bing Box). Blockheads is famous for their “snow cream,” which is essentially shaved ice cream. The texture is light and fluffy, allowing for the inclusion of delicious toppings and drizzles.
After checking their menu online and seeing flavors like brown sugar and pineapple whip, I know I’ll be checking this place out the next time I’m in L.A. Hope I see you there!
Do you know of any to-die-for dessert shops? Leave them in the comments below!
