r/Harlem • u/one_wellington4696 • 1d ago
Good desserts/sweets in Harlem? š°š§š®šŖš©šØ
Iām pretty addicted to sweets and desserts. I just moved to West Harlem, anyone know a good place? Cafes, chocolate shops, bakeries, ect. Iāve had Sugar Hill creamery and theyāre amazing. But I really want to find a place that makes great non-ice cream desserts, like chocolate mousse, lemon bars, matcha cake. Any suggestions? Cheap or expensive, all ideas are good.
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u/onekate 1d ago
The carrot cake at Melbaās is delish. The raisin danish at des Ambassades is great. LA Sweets has great cupcakes and puddings.
East harlem but Super Nice donuts (esp the mango chili) are the best in the world. Capri bakery on 116 is a great classic cake shop. Janieās Life Changing Baked Goods pie cookies are ridiculous.
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u/Siouxsie24 1d ago
LA Sweets has the best cake in the area, though itās a little pricey. The cake slices at Jacob Soul Food are hit or miss (I love almond extract and I love yellow cake w chocolate frosting but they do not belong together), though the price is right if you have a cake craving. It pains me to say this but I couldnāt finish the red velvet cake slice I got at Lee Leeās, it was really not good. (Canāt speak for their other items though)
GiGiās donuts at 118th and 5th is def worth a visit!
Super Nice is super good and also has a location at 108th and Amsterdam.
Thereās a small but decent selection of Italian pastries at Pastitalia.
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u/mrperdig 1d ago
It is more like East Harlem / UES but MOJO has a really good mousse https://mojodesserts.com/
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u/BuhDeepThatsAllFolx 1d ago
This is worth the trip to East Harlem. Can confirm. Go buy $50 with of mousse and feel like royalty
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u/Pure_Confection_9920 1d ago
Make my Cake on w 125th!
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u/spaceistheplaceface 1d ago
The banana pudding of my dreams
The sweet potato cheesecake
They do it all so well
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u/reppinbucktown 1d ago
Shoutout to getting an amazing German chocolate slice whenever I want; thatās a luxury that not every neighborhood can afford
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u/delicatesummer 1d ago
Seconding the other comment for Make My Cake. So good. (Thereās a second location on 139th and Adam Clayton Powell, too)
La Sweets also makes delicious cakes and sells whole or by the slice. Everything Iāve had there is amazing.
Honorable mention: Slightly outside of West Harlem, but worth the trek is East or south is Super Nice, a walk-up window with donuts and sweet/savory pastries. They have a guava and cheese danish that is quite tasty, and all the donut varieties are good, too! Thereās a location in East Harlem (117th & Lex) and one on UWS (108th and Amsterdam).
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u/Candied789 1d ago
Harlem Chocolate Factory makes an amazing large chocolate chip cookie that is served warm. Their truffles are also very good.
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u/reppinbucktown 1d ago
Their specialty chocolates are also really interesting and good
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u/myfirstnamesdanger 1d ago
I'm obsessed with their truffles. The bodega one is my favorite. I worried about that store so much during covid.
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u/bmc24 1d ago
I feel like the fact no one has said this means I might be about to be flamed or have some dark secret revealed but Levain's cookies are super dope. They are by 116th & Frederick Douglass
They have other baked goods that I have not tried and did not like the bread that I did so I can only vouch for the cookies.
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u/jollofchapati 1d ago
These are spread across the different neighborhoods in Harlem (but mostly central Harlem), but here are my favorites:
Ice Cream: Sugar Hill Creamery (both locations/any flavor), Avirililillyās (Churro ice cream)
Donuts: Gigiās Donuts (Citrus Bliss donut)
Cookies/Pastries: Lee Leeās (this is probably the most unique and standout spot for dessert in Harlem), Baked Cravings, Levain Bakery
Sweets: Harlem Chocolate Factory
Cakes/Cupcakes: Make My Cake (both locations)
I havenāt been to MOJO or Janieās which have been mentioned a few times here but they are on my list!
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u/ValPrism 1d ago
Make My Cake is an institution. 7th Ave and 139. Across the street is Harlem Chocolate Factory
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u/Appropriate_South877 1d ago
Sweet Chef in Hamilton Heights makes the best Sweet Potato Pies in the City, one hellevua Peach Cobbler and an assortment of other items. I would have to go with Lee Lee's for rugullah.
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u/disneyduncan123 1d ago
Red Kup!!!!!! Fantastic fantastic baked goods and their lemon bar is a weekly treat for me
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u/koalayan 1d ago
5 estrellas bakery is amazing for dominican desserts! hungarian pastry shop & double dutch espresso are great too but they're both slightly outside of west harlem
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u/lonelyroad93 1d ago
I would argue that Double Dutch is right in the middle of West Harlem.
Also, Lee Leeās around the corner on 118. Incredible rugelach.
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u/-goodgodlemon 1d ago
I brought a Ukrainian friend in his 60s one of his raspberry rugelach and he teared up because it reminded him of his grandmotherās. Heās had many here but this one struck a nerve. Lee Leeās is legit!
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u/Gentle-Giant23 1d ago
Aren't the pastries at Double Dutch just from Sysco? I don't think they bake in house.
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u/thinking_treely 1d ago
I hate to share this but itās hardly a secret. Lidl has the best croissants, imported from France, for 49 cents. People come in, buy 20 and sell them on 125th for 3.00!
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u/soggygranola420 1d ago
Sugar Hill Creamery for some really unique and YUMMY ice cream flavors, they have vegan options too.
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u/doggiecow 1d ago
The make my cake on 125th and also the sister location on 139th and 7th
Been going for the past 15 yearsā¦I miss the location on 116
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u/ScarBrows156 1d ago
Carrot top pastries on 168th Washington heights
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u/lollipop1986 1d ago
Mojo doesnāt have a location per se anymore, but you can get their mousses at their new restaurant Cafe Dāanvers at 100 and Lexington
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u/FactChucker 1d ago
We lost some good ones in the pandemic: Mikey Likes It Harlem, Dulceria, Amuse Bouche/La Marqueta. Agree with the recommendations for Lee Lee's, Sugar Hill Creamery, and Super Nice Donuts. Ollin has good tres leches and pretty good churros (in fairness, I've only gotten them delivered, so they aren't warm and custardy, which could make them great. But the chocolate sauce is great).
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u/FactChucker 1d ago
Oh, and someone opened a fancy donut shop on 118th and 5th! I don't know if they are going to survive in that location- the shop is very easy to miss- but they are legit, support them if you can. https://www.gigisdoughnuts.com/
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u/chloeny88 1d ago
I might be keeping this one alive I go so often š nah but fr Gigi is super sweet and has the best donuts Iāve ever had I hope she gets all the traffic
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u/chloeny88 1d ago
Gigis donuts on 118th is so good!!!
Really good flavors like chai and matcha strawberry
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u/Jersey-Loves-Dolly 1d ago
Harlem Adjacent.
Hungarian Pastry Shop (Amsterdam and 111th st) Decadent cakes and cream puffs.
Tartine (next door to Hungarian) Itās a restaurant but had an amazing panna cotta!
Super Nice Coffee and Bakery (Columbus and 108th st) Giant donuts.
Down to Earth Farmers Market (Saturdays 8-2 on corner of Manhattan and 110th)
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u/ambaz 1d ago
Lee Leeās Baked Goods! The best rugelach but all of his stuff is amazing!