The Best Desserts of 2026 So Far

It’s hard to believe that this is my third cycle of roundups for Sweet City, which in a way just serves as a reminder that this newsletter has been chugging along like Thomas the Tank Engine for over two years. Crazy!

I enjoy the bi-annual pause to reflect on all the good eating I’ve done over the last six-or-so months, but the big difference this year is that there are more restaurant meals in my photo album—including some great restaurant desserts.

So, in addition to the most memorable bakery sweets and random treats I ate in service of this newsletter, I’m also including five especially good desserts from my review meals.

Thanks as always for being here.

Tocino de Cielo @ Bartolo

250 words is often not enough to touch upon the desserts at a restaurant, but I ended my review of Bartolo with a note about dessert because it was worth mentioning. Specifically, the tocino de cielo, or “heavenly bacon” as it translates. It was a remarkable Spanish flan with a smooth, thick-set custard served with whipped cream, soft turron Jijona, cooked pears, and buttery cigar cookies. Rich, sultry, indulgent—just like the restaurant.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake @ Odre

From the winter menu at Odre, the natural sugars and almost smoky flavor of this caramelized sweet potato dessert fit perfectly with the tart cream cheese mousse. A scoop of makgeolli ice cream captured the fruity rice wine flavor of the beverage without the alcoholic burn. The menu has since changed to reflect more summery ingredients, but maybe they’ll bring this dessert back when the weather turns.

Clafoutis @ Le Chêne

The île flottante at Le Chêne is as elegant and ethereal as the pithivier there is grand, and I said as much in my review. Elsewhere on the dessert menu from earlier this year, the clafoutis could very well be its opposite—a warm, rustic puddle of custard with the vanilla-y rawness of undercooked cake batter and seasonal quince.

Tiramisu @ Lucky Charlie

I’ll admit, not everyone may love the slightly burnt coal oven style of pizza at the Brooklyn pizzeria Lucky Charlie, which I gave two stars, but the tiramisu is sure to be a universal hit. It’s especially thick with a good, strong coffee flavor and the right proportion of espresso-soaked sponge to cream. I ordered the dessert intending to have one bite before letting my dining partner finish the rest, but we were fighting over spoonfuls of mascarpone to the end.

Nanaimo Bar @ Barker

After one bite of the chef Gracie Gardner’s Nanaimo bar at Barker, I was convinced that this was going to be the latest restaurant dessert destination in NYC, following the likes of Little Egg and Amanda’s Good Morning Cafe. Barker is a contemporary lunch counter that makes lovely sandwiches from scratch, which are a draw all on their own, but the sheet trays filled with baked goods, like these silky no-bake bars, are just as praise-worthy.