Best Dessert in Atlanta for the Money?
Decatur Metro | May 7, 2013What are the go-to treats that satisfy your sweet tooth?
Fun fact: Did you know that the term “sweet tooth” has been around since the mid-13th century?
- rss
What are the go-to treats that satisfy your sweet tooth?
Fun fact: Did you know that the term “sweet tooth” has been around since the mid-13th century?
gm
Curious
J_T
lumpintheroad
Macarolina
Nittany313
BenJT
Keith F
brianc
brianc
Macarolina
brianc
Juanito
Juanito
Swillard
Latest from Decaturish
Revolution Doughnuts: Caramel and Bacon Doughnut
Zesto (L5P): Toffee Coffee Arctic Swirl, Nut Brown Crown, Banana Milk Shake
Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand: Red Velvet Cupcake Milk Shake
Morelli’s: Pistachio Ice Cream, Salted Caramel Ice Cream
King of Pops: Chocolate Sea Salt popsicle
I don’t have just a sweet tooth, I have sweet teeth! Sweet dentition. An entire sweet jaw. Head exploding with ideas:
- Authentic flan: Las Brasas
- Croissants, creme brulee, and rice pudding: Alon’s
- Best City of Decatur croissants: Pastries-A-Go-Go
- Greek rice pudding: Athen’s Pizza House
- Chocolate birthday cake: Piece of Cake
- Best pop tarts: Duck’s
But for the money? I’d have to say the German Bakery off Lawrenceville Highway–you can get a ton of fantastic, European style pastries there without spending a fortune. The pastries are not quite as exquisite and nouvelle cuisine as Alon’s, but authentic to their own style and good.
Egad! How could I forget the German Bakery?!? Apple fritters, cookies, cheese straws and coconut cake. And it’s CHEAP. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…
And I forgot YDFM. For whatever reason, I’m always in industrial shopping mode at YDFM, so the bakery line seems too long and frivolous for me at that time. But you are right that there are some unusually attractive and delicious confections there for a such a warehouse atmosphere. And reasonably priced.
I really dig the bacon brownies at Sweet ‘n’ Sinful on Pine Street in Avondale Estates. My favorite restaurant dessert treat is the Housemade Ding Dong at The Shed at Glenwood (and their Peanut Butter Bar with Nutella Ice Cream is pretty close behind).
The dark chocolate brownies and Sweet ‘n’ Sinful. Heaven.
As much as I love Morelli’s (seriously, it’s true, have I ever mentioned that before?!?), “for the money” means the only possible answer is YDFM. Cash only, but you don’t need more than two or three bucks for a carby, sugary high. I may have whined like a baby when they raised the price of the cupcakes from $1.00 to $1.25, but they’re still as good as the fancy $3 to $4 cupcakes at other places. Cakes and other pastries are all good, too.
I haven’t had the Red Velvet Milk Shake at Delia’s because I’m only ever there late-night after a few too many beers in EAV. At that point, I’d rather eat my sugar than drink it and the Double D sliders on a Krispy Kreme doughnut does that trick.
Now if we can ignore the “for the money” part, the Bakery at Cakes & Ale jumps right up to the top of the list.
Great thread. Individual rights and the earth’s tree canopy are important but good desserts keep earth’s morale going. Somehow, I didn’t know about Sweet ‘N Sinful, unless it’s the same bakery that used to be in the gingerbread Tudor stretch of downtown Avondale and it’s moved. Will have to try.
Sweet ‘n’ Sinful is the bakery that used to be in the Tudor strip in AE. It’s now located next to Pine Street Market; in fact, I believe they just opened up an interior door between the two shops this week.
Fresh hot doughnuts at 11 pm from krispy kreme. It’s only about 4 miles west on ponce. The coffee and carbs will knock some of the buzz off for the drive home. You can get you fill for $5.
And the little ones can see the doughnuts on the conveyer belt! If your family is full of 1-4 year olds, it’s a destination in itself!
Oh, sweet fluffy lord, YES! For the money, NOTHING beats a delicately glazed, meltingly tender Krispy Kreme hot off the conveyor belt. Nothing!
But if we’re venturing into $$$ territory, the macarons at Alon’s are awesome. Heck, just about anything of the dessert persuasion at Alon’s is pretty amazing.
*sigh* Now I want a doughnut!
Either whole wheat chocolate chip cookies at Little Tart or salted caramel at Morelli’s.
pfft, buncha poseurs is what you guys are.
1. turn on your kitchen sink tap to hot
2. while it’s warming up, grab a bowl
3. grab a frozen pint of ice cream–whatever turns you on most
4. rotate said pint’s carton under the tap water–all-around, including the top and bottom.
5. take off the lid, then turn the pint upside down above the bowl
6. watch that bad boy plop
7. commence with spoonery, reveling in that delicious admixture of pleasure and guilt
8. bonus points for doing this while watching exercise videos
Oh wait, we’re supposed to include home concoctions? I was fooled by the phrase “go-to treats”. Here are my suggestions:
1. Really good vanilla ice cream topped by real maple syrup (not “breakfast syrup”)
2. My grandmother’s basic fudge recipe from–just baking cocoa, sugar, salt, milk, vanilla, and butter. But you don’t have to wait for it to completely cool. You can start eating it as soon as it doesn’t burn your tongue.
But neither of those are cheap, though they once were. The cheapest fancy dessert at home is vanilla Junket rennet custard topped by raspberry Danish dessert–both hard to find these days.
I could go further with this concept by bridging into “Best Junk Food for the Money” but why not save that for another week?
I really like the Chocolate Overload cookies (with nuts) at YDFM. They are super chocolately and wonderful when warmed slightly in the microwave. They are also very cheap. 4 smallish ones for under $2 in the pre-packaged area.
all I want for Christmas is a YDFM cookbook!
Cakes & Ale–just about everything. I have to stop myself from going more than once or twice a week.
Miller Union’s ice cream sandwiches. Holy God.
JCT Kitchen does some awesome desserts.
Recently discovered Little Tart Bakery, and while I don’t like them as much as C&A, their vanilla bean shortbread is insane. I also like the WW chocolate chip cookies that someone else mentioned and the double chocolate cookies. My 4yo son likes the chocolate caramel tart, but I am not a fan.
Pie Shop in Buckhead is awesome. A branch of Piece of Cake is right across the street if you want both cake and pie.
Rexall Drug in Duluth has really amazing cake if you’re ever up that way.
you know, if there’s one thing i hate, it’s brand ambiguity.
re: those shops in Buckhead, if you only sell pie or a piece of cake, just come out and say it–don’t leave me wondering! makes. me. crazy.
- Cannoli from Antico Pizza
- German Bakery – simple,chocolate layer cake. Have them add crushed pecans around the top and sides…Piece of Cake is great as well.
-The donuts from Duck’s Cosmic Kitchen.
- Still in mourning over the closing of Sheridan’s custard in Tucker. But it was delicious.
I tend to drink my calories in Decatur restaurants over the sweet options. Does the Whiskey Old Fashioned at Leon’s or The Iberian Pig count?
Eiswein. Mmmm.
Speaking of Antico–you need to get their sfogliatelle when they’ve just brought it out. All the secrets of the universe will be revealed at your first bite!
How is it that no one has yet mentioned the Apple Pie from Southern Sweets?!?!?!?!? Have you ever seen one? It is the perfect combination of pie crust that is unbelievably flaky and apples cooked to perfection with just the right amount of sugar — not too sweet, but not tart.
Oh, and the cakes — the cakes! Oh, oh, oh, I almost forgot the cappuccino bars — you can’t believe how good they are!
For donuts, no one beats Revolution Donuts – all flavors.
mouth is now totally watering thinking of the Southern Sweets cherry pie. Words cannot describe it.
yes, the cherry, too, is amazing and I was remiss in not waxing poetic about it
mea culpa!
oh, words can describe it: “relaxed cut jeans”
Ooooh, how could I forget Southern Sweets and donuts from Duck’s?
Blizzard from Dairy Queen.
Alon’s Vanilla Bean Creme Brûlée- heavenly
Maybe not THE best, but Bruster’s cappuccino ice cream milk shakes are amazing
And for about $4 I can make a rice pudding that when served warm, will rock your world
Now, I have to leave this thread and try not to come back and get any new ideas. Mysteriously over the past year, all my summer clothes shrunk about 2 sizes, and while I’m sure it’s the fault of my washer and dryer, I guess I need to lose a few pounds to be able to get back into them
The Blizzards TM at Dairy Queen are quite tasty and reasonably priced especially when one joins the Blizzard Club and you get the BOGO.
A lot of good choices here. I will have to add the homemade oatmeal creme pie that Oakhurst Market sells. That thing is ridiculously good.
I love the pastries at Little Tart Bakeshop – and will occasionally stop by when I make it “on the way” to the office – but it is a bit out of the way. Does Kavarna have breakfast sweets? How do they compare? Anyone been into Hilda’s at Irwin Street Market? I have heard they have good bagels, and they are truly on the way to my office. (sorry to go a bit off topic).
I love sweets – Cakes & Ale has fabulous cookies – a great pick me up any time of day. Also love the donuts from Duck’s. Anyone place in town make a good chocolate souffle?
Forgot Kavarna–it has a fruit “Danish” that is much better than most any other Danish I’ve had. It’s almost not a Danish. It’s not overly sugary and is very fresh tasting.
Thanks! I will stop by tomorrow. As long as they call it a danish, I can call is breakfast and not dessert.
I made Key Lime Custards on Sunday and maybe you’d like them, too:
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Boil a few cups water.
2. Whisk together 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk, 2 egg yolks, generous 1/4 cup Key Lime or Persian lime juice, 1/2 tablespoon minced lime zest and 6 tablespoons heavy cream. Pour into (3) 4 oz. ramekins.
3. Place ramekins in a baking dish with sides as high as the ramekins. Pour in boiling water until it comes 1/2 way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake about 15 minutes until centers are set but still quivering.
This can be doubled to make 6 desserts, or (4) 6 oz servings. This is essentially Key Lime Pie without the crust. Creamy and yummy!
And Decatur has the best Dairy Queen anywhere.
1. Fresh Warm Bread and Nutella
2. Anything from Paulo’s
3. Coconut Cream Pie from Cafe Lily.
Southern Sweets – Cherry Pie, Pecan Tart with dark chocolate drizzle, Coconut Cream Pie, and on and on and oh don’t forget possibly the best flapjack with their housemade maple butter syrup
The Sweet Potato Praline Cheesecake at Southern Sweets (and you can sometimes get slices of it at Java Monkey, but if I spot it before you do, I’ll buy it all!).
What a great question! Thanks for all the sweet ideas, Decaturites!
Almond Butter Cake or Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake at Southern Sweets
Chocolate Chip Cookie at Cakes and Ale
For easy sweets I go to Oakhurst Market and get their Oreo cookies. So yummy! And Publix has a crazy amazing bakery as well. Piece of Cake is always good for a manageable slice of cake. I do like Sugar Moon but their cupcakes are, in my opinion, a bit on the expensive side.
Southern Sweets–hands down.
Wow, so many good suggestions, some of them way, way too expensive to be considered in the “for the money” category. Cakes and Ale? Your kidding me. Not some place you ever go for a deal. Germany bakery is a great deal, as is YDFM. I also recommend the New Orleans Sno Ball Cafe on Ponce (if the weather ever gets above 75!). Shaved ice, with ice cream, drizzled with sweetened, condensed milk. So cold, so yummy, so bad for you. Delightful. And I know this will be poo pooed, but I’m partial to the Publix Key Lime Pie – for the money it is a great way to end a meal.
I like all your sugestions, including the Publix Key Lime Pie (they do half pies, which are perfect), but will say that sometimes Cakes & Ale Bakery is economical for me when I can just get 1 or 2 cookies instead of a whole desert somewhere else. Just the right amount of desert, for less money than a slice of cake at another restaurant.
No one’s mentioned the red velvet cheesecake at Big Tex? That stuff is amazing! I order it every time I go, even when I’m way past stuffed. I get it to-go and eat it later.
Nutter Butter Wafers – loved em as a kid, still love em at 42. I guess the value part goes down when I eat the entire package…
Love nutter butters. They used to be one of the reasons I give blood. Then, the Red Cross got a free snack deal with Keebler and the nutter butters disappeared! I still give blood, but I don’t enjoy the snacks anymore!
SUBLIME doughnuts! Reese’s peanut butter cup, Creamsicle, A-town cream.
Sublime doughnuts are THE BEST. It’s a good thing they are over by Tech, so I can’t get there every morning. The nutella ones are my favorite.
Wait, we’re deteriorating into Best Junk Food for the Money. That’s next week, right DM?
It’s been a while, but I had a vegan chocolate cake from Southern Sweets that was divine.