There’s nothing quite like dessert to make you feel all warm and cozy inside or satisfy your craving for something sweet. Thankfully, the San Francisco area is ripe with amazing dessert places! Some are dedicated to one thing, like ice cream or patisserie. Others are restaurants where you will want to leave some room after eating dinner.

Regardless, whether you’re looking for the best chocolate dessert in San Francisco or the best salted caramel ice cream, we’ve got you covered! Here’s our list of the 10 best dessert spots in the greater Bay area.

1. Tartine Bakery

Tartine Bakery offers “a thoughtful expression of modern craft through good food and warm experiences”, according to their website. Translation? We’d say they take baking seriously! While you can certainly order treats like olive oil-steeped focaccia bread, you shouldn’t miss their impressive pastries. 

2. Wildseed

Looking for vegan dessert in San Francisco? We’d call the products here killer, but it’s all cruelty-free. Needless to say, Wildseed, which is a vegan restaurant first, also happens to offer an assortment of delicious, guilt-free treats you can wash down with a green tea and feel none-for-the-worse about!

3. U: Dessert Story

Looking for insta-worthy desserts? This is the place for you. But not only are the sweet treats you’ll find in this spot pretty, but they’re also mouth-wateringly delicious. From wasabi mochi to lycee cheesecake and crepe cake, anything you want, U: Dessert Story has.

4. Sixth Course

This decidedly bougee Mission district spot describes itself as a “dessert boutique”. Serving up a panoply of delicious treats from whipped cream topped gelato to hand-crafted chocolates, it’s hard to find something unappealing here. 

5. Hanabi Desserts

Looking for an elegant and unique take on cake? Try Hanabi Desserts’ box cakes! But don’t expect to visit for treats “right now” – this place requires advance delivery – but it’s oh-so-worth-it!

6. Hot Cookie

“Putting something sweet in your mouth” is this place’s credo, and we can’t say their cookies are bad, that’s for sure! Because sometimes, you don’t need a full-on dessert, you just want to snack on well, a hot cookie!

Bonus, you can gift a cookie! Looking for something a devilishly delicious NSFW-themed treat? Try something from their “famous” collection.

7. Smitten Ice Cream

No self-respecting list of the best dessert places would be complete without at least one ice cream shop. Thankfully, Smitten Ice Cream is just that. All of Smitten’s ice cream flavors are hand-churned with extra love you have to taste to believe. 

8. Bi-Rite Creamery

Looking to pick up some ice cream sandwiches or a seasonally-flavored ice cream? Bi-Rite Creamery is the place to go.

9. Mister Bombolini

Authentic Italian desserts are made here. Whether you have a hankering for a dark chocolate filled donut or a light, creamy cannoli, Mister Bombolini’s got you.

10. The Original Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop

This historic spot was where it all started for the now-famous chocolate brand. The Original Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop is what it sounds like: a place where you can go to experience a delicious dessert in San Fran. But it also affords you the opportunity to watch the chocolate-making process or even take a photo at the Ghirardelli Arch.

Create Your Own Dessert with BiteUnite

Browse from our selection of different cooking classes in the San Francisco area today to try your hand at making your own sugary creation.