The Best Desserts in Sydney Worth Saving Room For

Sydney’s best desserts span the city, from the Fullerton Hotel’s 32-layer chocolate cake in the CBD to Rivareno’s made-to-order tiramisu and Hakiki’s stretchy Turkish dondurma in Newtown. Dessert is undoubtedly the highlight of every meal, and luckily for us, Sydney’s dining scene agrees, from dedicated patisseries and bakeries to artisan gelato, you don’t have to travel far to satisfy your sweet tooth in this city.

We can assure you we’ve done our due diligence here, sampling our way around town, from delicate white chocolate creations to hot cinnamon scrolls, and this lineup, including Black Star Pastry’s Instagram-famous watermelon cake and Butterboy’s debaucherous cookies, is built on genuine research, not hype. Ready to uncover the best dessert in Sydney? Jump on board and embark on your very own dessert tour with this edit as your guide.

Editor’s Pick

Picky Pudding

If you’ve been dreaming of the legendary banana pudding that’s become a New York icon, your wait is over. Picky Pudding, a new Haymarket spot, is serving up its own take on the cult-favourite dessert, layering silky vanilla pudding, fresh banana and melt-in-your-mouth wafers for the ultimate sweet treat.

Suburb: Haymarket
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Dessert Bar
Best For: Quick bite, locals

Best Cakes and Patisserie in Sydney

The Fullerton Hotel’s 32 Layer Chocolate Cake

Stop what you’re doing, we’ve found Sydney’s best chocolate cake and we feel the need to shout it from the rooftops. If you’re ever in the CBD, make a point of stopping in at the gorgeous Fullerton Hotel and asking for a slice of their 32 layer chocolate cake. As the name implies, this masterpiece features 32 layers of delicious, chocolatey goodness, that somehow (despite it’s size) isn’t too sweet, rich or dense. The result is an incredibly balanced slice that’s perfectly moist and chocolate-forward, but not overpowering in the least. It’ll also arrive with a side of chocolate sauce and whipped cream which pulls everything together perfectly. We’re already planning a return visit…

Suburb: Sydney CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Dessert bar
Best For: Special occasion, group dining

Black Star Pastry

As home of the most Instagrammed cake in the world, Black Star Pastry needs no introduction. Black Star’s signature strawberry watermelon cake catapulted them to global fame and features two layers of almond dacquoise, rose-scented cream and fresh watermelon topped with strawberries, pistachios, and dried rose petals. Beyond its most famous flavour, Black Star’s precision-perfect pastries and cakes can be found across multiple locations around the city. 

Suburb: Various locations
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Bakery
Best For: Special occasion, quick bite

Afternoon Tea Trolley at The Charles

Indulge your sweet tooth in style at The Charles Grand Brasserie with their incredible afternoon tea trolley. Dessert doesn’t get better. This bad boy will be wheeled right up to your table where you’ll be able to select from the day’s fresh bakes. A selection of decadent desserts from tarte aux pralines to marjolaine and stonefruit and frangipane tart will be on offer. Don’t make the mistake of passing up the 28-layer honeycomb and dulche de leche Russian honey cake. Trust us. 

Suburb: Sydney CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Edge case, closest fit is Cafe, raise at WIP
Best For: Special occasion, group dining

15cenchi

If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to sink your teeth into a slice of 15cenchi‘s Japanese Basque cheesecake, then you’re doing dessert wrong. This heavenly confection is everything we could ever want from a dessert and more. Creamy and silky, tangy and caramelised, it offers a unique flavour profile that will melt in your mouth whilst you float off into a state of bliss. Best of all, they offer a heap of fun flavours from matcha to Earl Grey and are all gluten-free!

Suburb: Various locations
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Dessert bar
Best For: Quick bite, locals
Need To Know: All flavours are gluten-free

Sweet Belem Cake Boutique

The Lisbon suburb after which this darling patisserie is named is famous for one thing, Portuguese tarts. They’re known as pasteis de nata in their native tongue, but to Sydneysiders, they’re the lip-smacking gooey custard tarts we can’t get enough of. Served piping hot from the oven and with a dusting of cinnamon, one bite and you’ll be begging for more. Sweet Belem Cake Boutique’s other traditional treats include cornbread, Portuguese lamingtons, creme caramel, and poached meringue. Delicioso!

Suburb: Petersham
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Patisserie
Best For: Quick bite, locals

Best Gelato and Frozen Custard in Sydney

Cuss

Cuss has landed in Newtown and it’s serving up fresh frozen custard, made fresh every day. Made from three simple ingredients: jersey milk, cream and egg yolks – it’s thick, dense, creamy and perfectly indulgent. Their signature menu item, a ‘concrete’ is made with a custard flavour of your choosing, mixed in with toppings and sauces to make unique and fun flavours! Our favourite? It’s got to be the ‘Salty Business’ – made with pretzels, caramel fudge and Smiths Potato Chips! It’s the perfect mix of salty and sweet!

Suburb: Newtown
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Edge case, closest fit is Ice cream, raise at WIP
Best For: Quick bite, locals

Rivareno Gelato

Rivareno has long been a Sydney gelato staple, but their current dessert lineup is giving us even more reasons to visit. The star of the show is the freshly crafted tiramisu which is made to order in store with layers of velvety mascarpone cream, espresso-soaked Savoiardi biscuits and a dusting of cacao. Can’t decide? They also do a tiramisu affogato (gianduia gelato, mascarpone and hot espresso poured tableside) and a tiramisu gelato for something more classic. This winter, they’ve also launched three limited-edition semifreddo cakes to take home, and trust us, the pistachio with gianduia and chocolate cookie crumble is very hard to walk past.

Suburb: Various locations
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Gelato
Best For: Date night, locals
Need To Know: Tiramisu is made to order in store

Cow And The Moon

Hailed as producing the world’s best gelato, Cow And The Moon knows exactly what they’re doing and boy, do they do it well. The daring gelato connoisseurs spruik flavours including strawberry balsamic pannacotta and salted banana caramello as well as serving excellent coffee – making any time of the day the perfect time for a visit. 

Suburb: Enmore
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Gelato
Best For: Locals, quick bite

Best Soft Serve and Frozen Yogurt in Sydney

OH MY YO

OH MY YO is the newest cool kid on Sydney’s dessert block — a frozen and drinkable yogurt concept that’s as playful as it is photogenic. Taking over a vibey corner of Dixon House in Haymarket, this self-serve spot is all about creativity, culture and customisation.

Start with one of their tangy, silky bases (we’re obsessed with the matcha and coconut), then load up at the DIY toppings bar with mochi, fruit, cookies and nostalgic sweet snacks. But if you really want to dial up the drama? Go for the limited-edition Moutai frozen yogurt — an unexpected collab featuring the iconic Chinese spirit. There’s also a range of drinkable yogurts (hello, avocado and purple rice) that are refreshingly fun and far from ordinary.

From the bold flavours to the sleek Hong Kong street-style interiors and a pet-friendly “OH MY DOG” corner in the works, every detail here is dialled up to delight.

Suburb: Haymarket
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Ice cream
Best For: Quick bite, locals

Freo 

Always ones to nail the brief, Freo is the latest offering from the creators of LuMi Dining. The concept? Premium frozen yoghurt topped with whatever your heart desires. There are a heap of unique flavours ranging from Taro to Japanese strawberry, as well as 35+ toppings that are switched up regularly. Naturally, we can’t go past the giant mochi balls. Open until 10:30pm every night, it’s the perfect treat after a night in the city. Move over ice cream! 

Suburb: Town Hall
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Ice cream
Best For: Late night, quick bite
Need To Know: Open until 10:30pm every night

Kuki 

Specialising in soft serve and cookies, Kuki is a very welcome addition to the Sydney dessert scene. The cookies are soft, chewy and warm, as they should be, and the soft serve is cloud-level melt in your mouth. Our pick for first-timers is the Kuki Classic Sundae featuring a warm brown butter choc chip cookie, vanilla soft serve and a drizzle of salted caramel. 

Sitchu Tip: Order the taro mochi cookie or live to regret it.

Suburb: Haymarket
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Edge case, closest fit is Ice cream, raise at WIP
Best For: Quick bite, locals

Best Cultural and Traditional Desserts in Sydney

Hakiki

For a dessert experience that’s as much a performance as it is a treat, Hakiki in Newtown delivers in true Turkish style. Specialising in dondurma — Turkey’s famously stretchy, chewy ice cream — this vibrant spot has become a go-to for those chasing something a little out of the ordinary (and seriously Instagram-worthy).

The flavours here are steeped in tradition, with ingredients like pistachio, rosewater, mastic, and tahini bringing a rich, aromatic edge to every scoop. Whether you’re in it for the viral pull-and-snap theatrics or simply keen to try a dessert that’s been made the same way for centuries, Hakiki offers a sweet escape from the ordinary. Don’t skip their house-made baklava while you’re at it — flaky, syrupy perfection.

Suburb: Newtown
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Turkish
Best For: Date night, locals

Daifuku

You no longer have to take a trip to Tokyo to treat yourself to freshly made mochi. This newly opened store is Japanese minimalism at its best. Upon entering, you’ll find a display case showcasing a small selection of seasonal flavours. Bite into the pillowy mochi to uncover whole fruits and freshly made bean pastes. Heaven in a mouthful. Pair with a matcha and you’ve got a perfect morning on your hands.

Suburb: Lane Cove
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Japanese
Best For: Quick bite, locals

Matcha-Ya 

This sweet cafe tucked down Steam Mill Lane is the perfect place for a long overdue catchup. Linger over a ceramic mug of 100% pure matcha or houji-cha and choose from a range of extras including marshmallow, honeycomb, sakura and chocolate. Feeling extra? The parfait, topped with Matcha-Ya‘s incredible matcha or houji-cha soft serves is a fan favourite. If you’ve got the space, delve deeper into the dessert menu which features traditional Japanese desserts like zenzai mochi, waffle sundaes and signature roll cakes. 

Suburb: Haymarket
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Japanese
Best For: Long lunch, locals

Café de la Fontaine

Potts Points meets Paris at Café de la Fontaine. Part creperie, patisserie and ice creamery, this chic corner café is a mecca for all things French with sweets spanning across the sugary spectrum. Desserts lean traditional but with a modern twist – think meringue-topped tarts, éclairs and of course, crepes boasting experimental flavours like salted caramel popcorn and tiramisu.  Complete with its very own Eifel Tower glittering in the window, the interior exudes French provincial charm with its eclectic assortment of antiques and home décor also available for purchase.

Suburb: Potts Point
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: French
Best For: Date night, long lunch

Best Cookies and Pies in Sydney

Butterboy

Few words get sugar addicts more excited than cookie dough, and trust us when we say, Butterboy does it best. Specialising in thick, debaucherously delicious cookies, owner James Sideris’s unparalleled baking pedigree (he’s also the man behind Rollers Bakehouse) is evident through Butterboy’s highly addictive flavour combos. Milk chocolate is a tried-and-true classic but the red velvet with its gooey whipped cream cheese centre is in a league of its own. New menu additions also worth a try include the soft-serve an

Suburb: Manly
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Bakery
Best For: Quick bite, families

The Pie Tin

Somewhat of a rarity in Sydney, the dessert pie is celebrated by this homely Newtown bakery and will leave you wondering why you didn’t try one sooner. The coconut cream pie and the lemon brulee are big hitters, and who could turn down a slice of comforting pecan pie on a cold, wintery night? Generous servings and reasonable pricing make The Pie Tin a favourite stop when dinner didn’t fully hit the spot.

Suburb: Newtown
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Bakery
Best For: Budget-friendly, quick bite

Best Reimagined Classic Desserts in Sydney

Rocksalt’s Take on the Classic Iced VoVo

Brace yourselves, dessert lovers — Rocksalt has taken the iconic Iced VoVo (you know, the golden biscuit, pink fondant, raspberry jam, and coconut triplet) and turned it into a sultry, plated dessert that feels like a cheeky wink to Aussie childhood. Think soft biscuit base, pillowy raspberry fondant, jam that packs a punch, and shredded coconut for texture — only here, it’s drenched in enough grown-up flair to make it worthy of a night out.

Suburb: Menai
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Edge case, closest fit is Dessert bar, raise at WIP
Best For: Date night, special occasion

Frequently Asked Questions about the Best Desserts in Sydney

What is the best dessert in Sydney right now?

Sydney’s dessert scene spans everything from elevated patisserie to cultural specialties. Standouts include the Fullerton Hotel’s 32 layer chocolate cake in the CBD, Rivareno’s made-to-order tiramisu, and Black Star Pastry’s strawberry watermelon cake, one of the most photographed desserts in the world. For something more unusual, Hakiki in Newtown serves genuine Turkish dondurma, while Daifuku in Lane Cove offers Japanese-style mochi made fresh daily. The city’s dessert offering covers cakes, gelato, frozen yogurt and traditional sweets, so the best choice depends on what kind of sweet experience you’re after.

Where can I get the best cheesecake in Sydney?

15Cenchi is a standout for Japanese Basque cheesecake, known for its creamy, caramelised texture and available in flavours from matcha to Earl Grey, with locations across Sydney. It’s a strong pick for anyone chasing something richer and tangier than a traditional baked cheesecake, and all varieties are gluten-free.

What is the best gelato in Sydney?

Cow and the Moon and Rivareno Gelato are two of Sydney’s most highly regarded gelato spots. Cow and the Moon, based in Enmore, is known for daring flavours like strawberry balsamic pannacotta, while Rivareno’s current lineup includes a made-to-order tiramisu gelato and limited-edition semifreddo cakes available across its Sydney locations.

Where can I try traditional Turkish ice cream in Sydney?

Hakiki in Newtown specialises in dondurma, the stretchy, chewy ice cream Turkey is famous for, made with traditional ingredients like pistachio, rosewater, mastic and tahini. It’s served with a theatrical pull-and-snap presentation and pairs well with the venue’s house-made baklava.

What are the best cake shops in Sydney for celebration desserts?

The Fullerton Hotel’s 32 layer chocolate cake and The Charles Grand Brasserie’s afternoon tea trolley, which includes a 28-layer honeycomb and dulce de leche Russian honey cake, are two of Sydney’s most impressive options for a special occasion. Both are in the CBD and suit anyone looking for a genuinely showstopping dessert rather than an everyday treat.

Loved our edit of the best desserts in Sydney? Extend your sugar rush with our favourite croissants, cake shops and bakeries in Sydney. Keen to try your own hand? Bake your way to happiness with these delicious cakes recipes you’ll want to try immediately.