Life is short – eat dessert first! October is one of the sweetest months on the calendar, marking the National Dessert Day on October 14th. Dedicated to decadence in all it’s delicious forms, National Dessert Month is a time to forget about the calories and dig into the desserts we all love. Luckily, when looking to celebrate, you don’t have to look far! We’ve compiled a few of our favorite local desserts for you to delight in.
Tantalize your taste buds with every bite of JRDN’s Chocolate Futomaki. It’s complete with chocolate-date cake, candied kumquats, hazelnut, Asian pear, and green tea.
Photo below: Chocolate Futomaki
Take a bite of the tropics with TRUST Restaurant’s Pineapple Barbados. Pineapple cake topped with coconut sorbet and an orange-rum sauce, your taste buds will be in island heaven.
Photo below: Pineapple Barbados
The Westgate Room is the perfect date-night spot before or after you see a show downtown. Try their French take on a classic: Strawberry Crème Fraîche Cheese Cake served with strawberry marmalade and pistachio ice cream.
A good Italian meal is not complete without dessert. While Bencotto boasts quite a few to choose from, their Semifreddo Al Pistacchio steals the show. Indulge in pistachios half-frozen mousse, hazelnuts, and sour black cherry sauce.
Cereal is not just for breakfast anymore. Hundred Proof has reinvented your favorite childhood cereal and transformed it into dessert. Introducing the Cap’n Crunch Sundae with cap’n crunch ice cream topped with berries and a peanut butter cookie.
Come for the cheese wheel, stay for dessert. Monello’s authentic Italian menu offers a variety of handmade pasta, house-made vermouth and certainly doesn’t skimp on dessert. An Italian classic, be sure to save room for their Torta Della Nonna with chocolate custard, whipped cream, berries, and almonds.
Photo below: Torta Della Nonna
You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy dessert. Enticing new downtown eatery Route 29 promises the essence of wine country with rustic-modern atmosphere, relaxed surroundings and dedicated elements of wood, iron and copper décor. Taste the sweeter side of life with the Rosemary Crème Brulée, layers of tangy apple orange walnut chutney, lavender honey and tart meyer lemon over crème brulée in a picture perfect mason jar.
Be sure to save room for dessert at Wokou Ramen & Yakitori, the Asian dining destination that is shaking up the Carmel Valley culinary scene. After your meal, treat yourself to the one-of-a-kind Ice Cream Bao Sandwich, two sweet bao buns stuffed with green tea and black sesame ice cream paired with a house-made cinnamon-sugar whipped cream, fresh strawberries and chocolate syrup.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with much anticipated grand introduction of the newest decadent dessert at Woodstock’s Pizza. Debuting this National Dessert Day, dig your fork into an order of the Nutella Cinnabread, a warm dessert pie smothered with brown sugar, cinnamon, icing, fresh-sliced seasonal fruit and a thick drizzle of molten Nutella!
Sink your teeth into contemporary Mexican food at City Tacos, turning up the heat in North Park with innovative bites of fresh Mex. Indulge in a traditional dessert celebration with a tasty twist with their Buñuelo, a crispy fried flour tortilla coatedin cinnamon and sugar, topped with flambeed granny apples and raisins over a Greek yogurt and cream cheese and a sprinkling of marzipan bits and warm homemade caramel.
Escape into sugary paradise at The Taco Stand, the family-owned taqueria inspired by the taco stands of Tijuana! Enjoy the local made, all natural Paletas, chilled Mexican popsicles with fruity flavor, or dive into a bag of fresh-made Hot Churros with a healthy helping of cinnamon sugar.
The very best things in life are sweet at barleymash, the Gaslamp Quarter’s fun, high-energy bar and eatery that celebrates the richness of American bar fare. Get in the spirit of National Dessert Day with The Mash-Up, a hot-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookie and dark chocolate brownie “mashed” side by side with a topping of bourbon vanilla ice cream and a salted caramel sauce.
Bleu Bohème stands out by serving traditionally French fare lightened up with SoCal influences. One of the most popular desserts is Gâteau au Chocolat, a flourless chocolate cake served with house-made vanilla ice cream.
Mezé Greek Fusion is a family-owned and operated restaurant that serves unique twists on traditional Greek fare. One of the standout desserts is saganaki glyko, pan-seared kasseri cheese flambéed in Grand Marnier tableside, finished with sesame seeds, dried figs, Greek honey and fresh orange.
BANKERS HILL BAR + Restaurant features a menu of American classics with a gourmet twist. One of the indulgent desserts is the warm chocolate brownie topped with espresso Baileys ice cream, pretzel crunch and house-made chocolate sauce.
Death By Tequila, one of North County San Diego’s newest restaurants, reimagines Mexican food and cocktails with locally grown fruits and vegetables and global influences. Guests cannot resist the tequila flan with caramel and lime; it gets an unexpected and delicious twist with fresh Manchego cheese grated tableside.
Primavera Ristorante is family-owned and operated Italian restaurant. One of the most popular desserts is limoncello mousse topped with mascarpone, crème fraiche and fresh seasonal berries.
Stay sweet, San Diego! If this list left you drooling, follow the call of your sweet tooth and dive into the wonderful world of dessert to delight in decadence all around San Diego in honor of National Dessert Month.
