The Best Desserts in Sydney Worth Saving Room For

Dessert is undoubtedly the highlight of every meal. 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 have done our due diligence here, sampling our way around town, from delicate white chocolate creations to hot cinnamon scrolls. Jump on board and embark on your very own dessert tour with this edit as your guide. Ready to uncover the best dessert in Sydney? Read on! 

Cinnabon 

A hot Cinnabon, straight from the oven, is one of life's greatest pleasures. If you're yet to experience this moment for yourself, schedule it in. Each scroll is lovingly handmade and you can catch the whole process taking place at the Darling Square store at around 9am (though the store doesn't open until 10). The large glass window lets you watch on as scrolls are cut, spread, rolled, proofed and cooked. Hang around a bit longer and you can be one of the first in line to score a scroll hot from the oven. 

Locations across Sydney 

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. 

10 Steam Mill Lane, Sydney 

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! 

115 Bathurst Street, Town Hall 

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. 

9/18 Steam Mill Lane, Haymarket 

The Art of Cake by Four Seasons Sydney

If you’ve ever dreamt of having more than a single slice of Four Seasons’ exquisite cake in your possession, we have some excellent news. Head Pastry Chef Quentin Zerr has created a collection of cakes available to order and take home for a special occasion. The collection is entitled ‘Art of Cake’ and each creation truly is an edible masterpiece. The cakes are classic in nature yet utilise beloved Australian flavours at every turn. Think Pavlova, Lemon Meringue Tart (topped with finger lime!) and Framboisier, amongst others. 

199 George Street, Sydney 

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. 

Newtown, Sydney CBD, Roseberry, Moore Park

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. 

66 King Street, 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

Shop 9/74-78 The Corso, Manly 

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!

Locations across Sydney 

Gelato Messina

It’s hard to go wrong when paying Messina a visit. With flavours like panna cotta with fig jam and amaretti biscuit, macadamia crunch, pistachio praline and their iconic super dulce de leche, you’ll most definitely be purchasing a tub for the freezer before leaving. For those with an inclination towards sorbet, the salted coconut and mango salsa is intoxicatingly delicious. 

Locations across Sydney 

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!

35B New Canterbury Road, Petersham 

Sweet Chick

As the name suggests, this Surry Hills café has a menu that’s heaving on the sweets. And when it comes to their artisanal baked goods (namely their top-notch babka), few can compare to Sweet Chick. Serving up cosy confections that could have just as easily come out of nan’s oven, founder Rebecca Balkin and her team breathe new life into timeless classics like homemade honey jumbles and moreish melting moments. 

75 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills

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. 

181 Enmore Road, Enmore

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.

1A Darlinghurst Road, Potts Point 

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.

1a Brown Street, Newtown

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.