I have a tradition: at the end of an especially hard week, I pick up something sweet to enjoy over the weekend to help me relax. I have tried various goodies in stores in Walla Walla, but I have eight top favorites I keep returning to again and again. So, here is a list of my favorite goodies and where to find them so you can go try them!

Macarons ~ Walla Walla Bread Company

This weekend I brought home a box of six macarons from the Walla Walla Bread Company, located downtown on Main Street. There are new flavors every time I visit! So far I've tried salted caramel, strawberry-fennel, lemon, earl grey, mocha, chocolate raspberry, pumpkin spice, chai, and passionfruit (passionfruit is my favorite so far). In addition to macarons, the Walla Walla Bread Company serves various other sweets, breads, sandwiches, and entrees.

Bubble Tea ~ Coffee Perk

The cool thing about getting bubble tea (aka boba) at Coffee Perk is that you can create your own drink! While they do have a menu with their favorite bubble tea picks, you can add boba to any cold drink. My favorites are taro with boba and thai tea with boba!

Gelato ~ The Colville Street Patisserie

Forget the pre-packed gelato impostors you can buy at Walmart! Go down to the Colville Street Patisserie and get a few scoops of the real thing. The Patisserie uses locally-grown produce in their sweets, so there are always fresh flavors to try! They usually have some type of vanilla, chocolate, berry, and nut flavor. So far my favorites have been pistachio, basil, and gingerbread.

Italian Sodas ~ Roger's Bakery and Cafe

I unashamedly admit to drinking way too many of these during finals week... so many that the staff already knew what I wanted when I walked in. They make Italian sodas perfectly, with just the right ratio of soda to cream to syrup. My favorite flavor is peach (with whipped cream on top). Roger's Bakery is a great stop for WWU students because it's only one block from campus. Be sure to grab a sun-dried tomato or jalepeno bagel, toasted with butter, while you're there too!

Tiramisu ~ The Olive Marketplace & Cafe

Anything from the dessert display case at The Olive Marketplace & Cafe is going to be delicious, but the tiramisu is my favorite! It's light and fluffy, not too sweet and not too bitter. The Olive does tend to run a little more pricey, but it's totally worth it. A great place for a dessert date or an end-of-finals celebration!

Loose Leaf Tea ~ D'Olivo

My sister introduced me to D'Olivo by getting me a teapot and two bags of loose leaf tea for Christmas, and I've been hooked every since. They carry a variety of herbal, decaf, and caffeinated teas which they sell by the bag or by the ounce. I love curling up at the end of the day with a steaming cup of Orange Dream Green Rooibos tea (delicious with or without honey). Even if you don't drink tea, you should stop by D'Olivo for the experience. The owner is very welcoming and will let you taste everything - the tea, the cooking salts, the oils, and the vinegars. He will even show you how to mix oils and vinegars together to create your own vinaigrettes and dipping oils! (Ok, that part isn't a dessert, but you might as well get the whole experience while you're there).

Scones ~ John Wheatland's Bakery

I love pairing my Orange Dream tea from D'Olivo with some fresh peach or raspberry scones from John Wheatland's Bakery! John is the kindest bakery owner you will ever meet. He always has a bargain shelf full of goodies at discounted prices (each colored tie represents a certain percentage off), and on some items he allows you to make him an offer (he'll give you the lowest price he can afford). Besides scones, the bakery also has lots of cookies, danishes, sweetbreads, pies, and cinnamon rolls as big as your head! For more information, you'll have to stop by the bakery in person, located at 1828 E Isaacs Ave.

Khaja and Chai Tea ~ Govinda's Indian Sweets and Spices

Govinda's Indian Sweets and Spices is relatively new to Walla Walla, so if you haven't heard of it or haven't stopped by you must do so soon! Their menu rotates monthly, but there are always amazing desserts. My favorite is the Khaja, which is kind of like a cross between a doughnut and a croissant. It's flakey, crispy, sweet, and has a delicious cardamon flavor. They also make THE BEST chai tea in town. It has a strong tea and chai flavor, but without the bitterness that black tea sometimes has. It's significantly less-sweet than most versions you'll find at other restaurants (cough cough Starbucks), so if it's your first time trying it, I recommend ordering it with sugar (it will still be less sweet than you expect, but stick with it, it will grow on you).