6 Best Desserts in San Diego

Everyone deserves to indulge in a sweet treat now and then. Thankfully, dessert chefs at some San Diego restaurants are experts at fine-tuning sugar, kicking it up a notch by using organic and exotic ingredients.

Sit back, relax, and loosen up your belt. 

Presenting the 6 best San Diego desserts that you will enjoy. 

1. Extraordinary Desserts

2929 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103

619.294.2132 | Online: Extraordinary Desserts

When you talk about San Diego desserts, this restaurant is always mentioned. In 1988, Karen Krasne opened the first Extraordinary Desserts near Balboa Park. Educated at the best pastry schools in Paris, Krasne uses organic and gluten-free ingredients in her desserts whenever possible, adorning each luxurious treat with locally-grown fresh flowers, her signature edible gold leaf, stunning seasonal trimmings, and sinfully sweet sauces. Choose from whole cakes, petite desserts, creme brulees, custards, tarts, and pies, as well as vegan and gluten-free options.

Since becoming one of San Diego’s most prominent and unique restaurants, Extraordinary Desserts has expanded to include a second location in Little Italy, as well as a line of gourmet products and a robust online store. Extraordinary Desserts is consistently a top pick by critics and readers of both local and national publications and has been featured on national television programming including the Food Network and notable publications including Bon Appétit, The Wall Street Journal, Gourmet, Sunset, Los Angeles Times, Forbes and Pastry Arts. Located on 

2. Vintana Wine+Dine

1205 Auto Park Way Escondido, CA

760.745.7777

Located in the penthouse of the new 330,000-square-foot Centre at Lexus Escondido dealership, Vintana’s interior boasts enormous windows with views down to the center’s palm-lined reflective pool and spectacular dancing waterfall, as well as the surrounding valley and mountains. With Executive Chef Deborah Scott at the helm, Vintana’s bill of fare includes mouthwatering desserts, especially s’mores with rich chocolate custard, torched marshmallow fluff, toasted peanuts and homemade graham crackers.

"Growing up, s’mores were always a favorite dessert of mine, which inspired me to come up with a restaurant-friendly take on the campfire classic," Scott said. "By using a pot de crème along with a torched marshmallow fluff, the dessert was given a more sophisticated approach that has been very popular with our guests." 

3. Babycakes (Hillcrest)

3766 Fifth Avenue San Diego, CA 92103

(619) 296.4173

Babycakes is situated in a Charming 1889 Craftsman Home in the Heart of Hillcrest near Balboa Park and just north of Downtown San Diego. Greeted by a 1000 square foot sidewalk patio, you can enjoy the pleasant San Diego weather all year round as you sip on a gourmet coffee/latte, indulge in a pastry or dessert, or relax over a glass of wine, ice-cold beer or cocktail. Lerach cares about what she puts into each product, making everything from scratch as often as possible. A state-of-the-art teaching kitchen is on-site, making it a great destination for one of the many classes offered throughout the month or for a special party or team-building gathering. Cups also manages a thriving catering business, especially for birthdays and weddings. Babycakes serves up a spin on traditional dessert flavors like blood orange, mocha, and red velvet. This coupled with a casual atmosphere that is reminiscent of the same charm you’d expect from Grandma’s house. It makes desserts more social and conversational – definitely a place to hang out and enjoy the moment! 

4. Sugar & Scribe Bakery

7660 Fay Avenue (Suite I) La Jolla, CA 92037

(858) 274-1733

Offering everything from cookies, pies, and scones to cakes and homemade marshmallows, Sugar & Scribe Bakery serves authentic Irish specialties all year long.

"Every item is made from recipes of family or friends," explained owner Maeve Rochford. "My grandmother taught me how to make the blueberry pie when I was five. We began by going out to the bog and picking the blueberries, which are called bilberries in Ireland."

With a menu that rotates seasonally, Rochford likes to take Grandma’s Classics and bring them back to life with just a hint of magic.

"My bakery is warm, fun and magical," she said. "I tried to imagine if Willie Wonka and Mary Poppins paired up and started a bakery. What would it look like? Hopefully, I have accomplished that."

5. Dallmann Fine Chocolates

Online: Dallmann Fine Chocolates

Chocolate boutique owner and third-generation chocolatier from Austria, Isabella Knack serves up exotic truffles, bars, nuts, and hot cocoa to the real chocolate aficionado at this location in Del Mar and its sister location at The Headquarters at Seaport District. Keeping with the family tradition of using only the finest ingredients, Knack Hand makes her gourmet chocolates using the original family recipes, also specializing in exquisite artisan chocolates for the wholesale industry.

"I’m proud to keep the family tradition alive and well, combining our history with a modern twist," she said. This light-and-airy chocolate boutique is warm and welcoming, with high ceilings and many wood touches. It’s a place that Knack built specifically to indulge people who are passionate about premium quality chocolate and to educate those who are interested in learning. The display case, built to look like a jewelry case, allows plenty of seating room for people during weekly tastings.

Here you have it, Fine Magazine's best San Diego desserts. 

6. D Bar Desserts - Sorry Now Closed For Business 

3930 Fifth Avenue San Diego, CA 92103

619-299-3227 | Online: D Bar San Diego

One of the best San Diego dessert places was created by celebrity Chef Keegan Gerhard and Pastry Chef (and now wife) Lisa Bailey in Denver on May 24, 2008. Four years later—to the exact day—D Bar San Diego opened its doors in Hillcrest. Keegan has been featured numerous times on the Discovery Channel’s "Great Chefs of America," as well as the Food Network and CNN. His focus is on the three "ds" of the dining experience—drinks, dining, and dessert—and making sure everything in those categories is fun and delicious.

"We like to call it, ‘Fun dining at its finest!’" he said. "We create all the desserts right in front of our guests at a dessert bar in the middle of the restaurant, which brings a fun dinner-and-a-show element to the dining experience that people seem to love."

Staff Picks: The bonbons, three-layer chocolate cake with vanilla, chocolate, or raspberry shake, or the waffle ice-cream sandwich with bing, amarena, and griottine cherry compote. 

Also Read: Best Chocolate Stores in San Diego