/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67672276/Miru_Sesame.21.jpg)
Satiate those sweet tooth cravings
View as Map
The final bites of a meal can often leave a lasting impression. That’s why Chicago’s top restaurants and pastry chefs have focused on creating memorable desserts that diners should save room for. From lavish ice cream sundaes to indulgent cakes and pies, the following offerings provide a sweet and satisfying conclusion every time.
If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.
Daisies reopened in an expanded location in March, continuing to serve handmade pasta with seasonal ingredients and creative cocktails mixed with shrubs and syrups that incorporate kitchen scraps. The new digs also let executive pastry chef and partner Leigh Omilinsky shine with a daytime coffee bar offering sweet and savory pastries along with a dessert menu for diners looking to end their meal on a sweet note. A summer highlight is sweet corn panna cotta topped with candied sunflower seeds and popcorn ice cream. Make a reservation with Tock.
Extravagant Maple & Ash is adored by many for its selection of dry-aged beef, fresh seafood, and other high end delicacies. The steakhouse keeps it sweet and simple, though, for its signature dessert — a customizable sundae. Bowls of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice creams are brought to the table alongside a two-tier silver tray of toppings. Diners are welcome to customize their frozen treats with hot fudge, toffee, whipped cream, sprinkles, fruits, and more. Make a reservation here.
The quintessential Chicago steakhouse experience isn’t just about the beef. Regulars know to save room for a slice of macadamia turtle pie at the end. The massive and decadent dessert is stacked high with vanilla ice cream, toasted macadamia nuts, and chocolate and caramel sauce. It’s also available at sister restaurant Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
The work of pastry chef Antonio Incandela can be seen throughout a meal at Obelix, from the foie gras macarons to the restaurant’s signature beef wellington. Dessert brings a summery spin on baked Alaska with butter cake, truffle, sweet corn ice cream and Chicago mix popcorn. Dinners who didn’t save enough room can still try one of the a la carte bite-sized desserts like a pistachio financier. Book a table on Resy.
River North restaurant TAO Chicago provides luxurious spins on Pan-Asian favorites like beef and broccoli with aged New York strip and crispy orange chicken with steamed bok choy. Its signature giant fortune cookie is stuffed with white and dark chocolate mousse, lined with chocolate and almonds, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served atop a bed of fruit. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
A satisfying conclusion to every meal is guaranteed at Mastro’s thanks to its warm butter cake. The popular dessert boasts a crisp exterior and a gooey, buttery center. A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top makes it even better. Make a reservation here.
The Magnificent Mile restaurant serves decadent dishes and drinks such as maple-glazed double-smoked bacon, a 32-ounce tomahawk ribeye, short rib truffle pasta and the Golden Goat, a gold-leaf topped cocktail made with all of the basketball legend’s favorite spirits. But the ultimate indulgence comes for dessert, where Jordan’s retired Bulls number serves as the inspiration for the ultra-rich 23-layer chocolate cake swirled with whipped cream.
Rick Bayless’s flagship restaurant showcases the regional flavors of Mexico, but the legendary house dessert is a wholly unique creation. Gooey chocolate pecan filling is baked inside a flaky crust and topped with a dollop of Kahlua whipped cream. While the rest of the dessert selection changes seasonally, this pie has been on the menu for decades and remains a favorite today. Book a table through Resy.
The swanky steakhouse from Lettuce Entertain You and celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic pulls out all the stops to provide a memorable experience. Dessert offers guests an opportunity to sink their sweet tooths into a milk and dark chocolate cake flecked with edible 14-karat gold. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
Nearly every major steakhouse in Chicago has a signature dessert and Bavette’s is no exception. The standout chocolate cream pie features a silky, fudgy filling in a crumbly Oreo crust with a giant dollop of whipped cream on top for good measure. Book a table through Resy.
River Roast offers striking views of the Chicago River along with whole fish, tender roast beef and apple wood-smoked chicken carved tableside. Add on some comforting sides like mac & cheese with garlic herb breadcrumbs and crispy fried potatoes, but save room for a massive slice of carrot and parsnip cake layered with cream cheese icing and crowned with golden fried carrot shavings. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
Lettuce Entertain You launched Miru in May in the St. Regis Chicago Hotel, serving maki, sashimi, robata skewers and glasses of sake in a space overlooking the Chicago River and Navy Pier. Pastry chef Juan Gutierrez, who won Netflix’s School of Chocolate when he was at Adorn, brings his skills to the dessert menu with a spin on mochi featuring charcoal-vanilla ice cream surrounded by mochi sponge and black sesame praline. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
DineAmic Hospitality’s casual Italian spot in West Loop dishes out a variety of approachable bites. The dessert menu in particular is full of crowd pleasers, such as bomboloni. These hole-less doughnuts are filled with flavors including salted caramel, chocolate hazelnut, and strawberry. Folks can also get them from Bar Siena’s walk-up window, dubbed BomboBar. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
Located in the Heart of Italy, this old school restaurant has been serving hearty Italian fare since 1933. The excellent tiramisu is composed of espresso-soaked ladyfingers layered with sweetened mascarpone cream and cocoa powder, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with slices of strawberries. Just like Bruna’s, the dessert is a timeless classic that diners keep coming back to.
One of Chicago’s most popular breweries moved its operation to a new venue in 2019 and added a restaurant as well. Head to the Bar at Moody Tongue to try executive chef Jared Wentworth’s fine-dining-caliber dishes paired with brewmaster Jared Rouben’s beers. The German chocolate cake is a must-try that features 12 layers of rich chocolate cake, chocolate buttercream, espresso cheesecake, and German chocolate filling with toasted pecans and coconut. Book a table through Resy.
Chefs Erick Williams and Damarr Brown have both won James Beard awards for their work at this Hyde Park restaurant, which has elevated the Chicago’s Southern cuisine to new heights. It also earned a spot on Eater’s list of the best restaurants in Chicago for highlighting heritage recipes with modern twists. For dessert, don’t miss pastry chef Becky Pendola’s classic banana pudding studded with vanilla wafers and topped with housemade Cool Whip. Make a reservation through SevenRooms.
Famed pizzaiola Nella Grassano is known for impressive Neapolitan-style pies and folks can even enjoy a dessert version. Her wood-fired Nutella pizza features dough filled with a layer of the hazelnut cocoa spread and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar and slices of banana and strawberries. Make a reservation through Toast.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72556548/Nutella_1.0.jpg)
Link copied to the clipboard.
Daisies reopened in an expanded location in March, continuing to serve handmade pasta with seasonal ingredients and creative cocktails mixed with shrubs and syrups that incorporate kitchen scraps. The new digs also let executive pastry chef and partner Leigh Omilinsky shine with a daytime coffee bar offering sweet and savory pastries along with a dessert menu for diners looking to end their meal on a sweet note. A summer highlight is sweet corn panna cotta topped with candied sunflower seeds and popcorn ice cream. Make a reservation with Tock.
Extravagant Maple & Ash is adored by many for its selection of dry-aged beef, fresh seafood, and other high end delicacies. The steakhouse keeps it sweet and simple, though, for its signature dessert — a customizable sundae. Bowls of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice creams are brought to the table alongside a two-tier silver tray of toppings. Diners are welcome to customize their frozen treats with hot fudge, toffee, whipped cream, sprinkles, fruits, and more. Make a reservation here.
The quintessential Chicago steakhouse experience isn’t just about the beef. Regulars know to save room for a slice of macadamia turtle pie at the end. The massive and decadent dessert is stacked high with vanilla ice cream, toasted macadamia nuts, and chocolate and caramel sauce. It’s also available at sister restaurant Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
The work of pastry chef Antonio Incandela can be seen throughout a meal at Obelix, from the foie gras macarons to the restaurant’s signature beef wellington. Dessert brings a summery spin on baked Alaska with butter cake, truffle, sweet corn ice cream and Chicago mix popcorn. Dinners who didn’t save enough room can still try one of the a la carte bite-sized desserts like a pistachio financier. Book a table on Resy.
River North restaurant TAO Chicago provides luxurious spins on Pan-Asian favorites like beef and broccoli with aged New York strip and crispy orange chicken with steamed bok choy. Its signature giant fortune cookie is stuffed with white and dark chocolate mousse, lined with chocolate and almonds, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served atop a bed of fruit. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
A satisfying conclusion to every meal is guaranteed at Mastro’s thanks to its warm butter cake. The popular dessert boasts a crisp exterior and a gooey, buttery center. A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top makes it even better. Make a reservation here.
The Magnificent Mile restaurant serves decadent dishes and drinks such as maple-glazed double-smoked bacon, a 32-ounce tomahawk ribeye, short rib truffle pasta and the Golden Goat, a gold-leaf topped cocktail made with all of the basketball legend’s favorite spirits. But the ultimate indulgence comes for dessert, where Jordan’s retired Bulls number serves as the inspiration for the ultra-rich 23-layer chocolate cake swirled with whipped cream.
Rick Bayless’s flagship restaurant showcases the regional flavors of Mexico, but the legendary house dessert is a wholly unique creation. Gooey chocolate pecan filling is baked inside a flaky crust and topped with a dollop of Kahlua whipped cream. While the rest of the dessert selection changes seasonally, this pie has been on the menu for decades and remains a favorite today. Book a table through Resy.
The swanky steakhouse from Lettuce Entertain You and celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic pulls out all the stops to provide a memorable experience. Dessert offers guests an opportunity to sink their sweet tooths into a milk and dark chocolate cake flecked with edible 14-karat gold. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
Nearly every major steakhouse in Chicago has a signature dessert and Bavette’s is no exception. The standout chocolate cream pie features a silky, fudgy filling in a crumbly Oreo crust with a giant dollop of whipped cream on top for good measure. Book a table through Resy.
River Roast offers striking views of the Chicago River along with whole fish, tender roast beef and apple wood-smoked chicken carved tableside. Add on some comforting sides like mac & cheese with garlic herb breadcrumbs and crispy fried potatoes, but save room for a massive slice of carrot and parsnip cake layered with cream cheese icing and crowned with golden fried carrot shavings. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
Lettuce Entertain You launched Miru in May in the St. Regis Chicago Hotel, serving maki, sashimi, robata skewers and glasses of sake in a space overlooking the Chicago River and Navy Pier. Pastry chef Juan Gutierrez, who won Netflix’s School of Chocolate when he was at Adorn, brings his skills to the dessert menu with a spin on mochi featuring charcoal-vanilla ice cream surrounded by mochi sponge and black sesame praline. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
DineAmic Hospitality’s casual Italian spot in West Loop dishes out a variety of approachable bites. The dessert menu in particular is full of crowd pleasers, such as bomboloni. These hole-less doughnuts are filled with flavors including salted caramel, chocolate hazelnut, and strawberry. Folks can also get them from Bar Siena’s walk-up window, dubbed BomboBar. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
Located in the Heart of Italy, this old school restaurant has been serving hearty Italian fare since 1933. The excellent tiramisu is composed of espresso-soaked ladyfingers layered with sweetened mascarpone cream and cocoa powder, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with slices of strawberries. Just like Bruna’s, the dessert is a timeless classic that diners keep coming back to.
One of Chicago’s most popular breweries moved its operation to a new venue in 2019 and added a restaurant as well. Head to the Bar at Moody Tongue to try executive chef Jared Wentworth’s fine-dining-caliber dishes paired with brewmaster Jared Rouben’s beers. The German chocolate cake is a must-try that features 12 layers of rich chocolate cake, chocolate buttercream, espresso cheesecake, and German chocolate filling with toasted pecans and coconut. Book a table through Resy.
Chefs Erick Williams and Damarr Brown have both won James Beard awards for their work at this Hyde Park restaurant, which has elevated the Chicago’s Southern cuisine to new heights. It also earned a spot on Eater’s list of the best restaurants in Chicago for highlighting heritage recipes with modern twists. For dessert, don’t miss pastry chef Becky Pendola’s classic banana pudding studded with vanilla wafers and topped with housemade Cool Whip. Make a reservation through SevenRooms.
Famed pizzaiola Nella Grassano is known for impressive Neapolitan-style pies and folks can even enjoy a dessert version. Her wood-fired Nutella pizza features dough filled with a layer of the hazelnut cocoa spread and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar and slices of banana and strawberries. Make a reservation through Toast.