There’s no such thing as having too many options for a good dessert. Just like working out and never skipping leg day, you should never skip dessert! Read on for 13 of our favorite places for delicious eats to check out while staying at one Haustay’s vacation rentals.
1. Sprinkles Cupcakes – 8855 Villa La Jolla Dr, La Jolla, CA 92037
Located in La Jolla, this delicious cupcakery is a must-do when in the area. They bake their goods fresh daily which include cupcakes, cakes, chocolates, brownies, and cookies, and “pupcakes” for our furry friends. Sprinkles has been around for almost 20 years and has seen such great success that they even have Cupcake ATM machines for quick on-demand cupcakes. Not only is Sprinkles known for the best cupcakes in town, but they also cater to dietary restrictions by offering sugar free, gluten friendly, and vegan versions of their signature Red Velvet cupcake, along with lemon blueberry cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies that are gluten friendly.
2. Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream – 2825 State St, Carlsbad, CA 92008
This hot spot is known for their over 100 ice cream flavors all made fresh daily. With locations in Oceanside, Del Mar, and Carlsbad, you’re able to check off all your ice cream favorites with a good ol’ fashion ice cream crawl along the coast. Starting the day with a simple 4 scoop sampler in a fresh waffle cone in Oceanside, moving to a banana split in Carlsbad, and ending the crawl with world-famous hurricane in Del Mar.
3. Extraordinary Desserts – 2870 Fourth, San Diego, CA 92103
This “must stop” spot for San Diegans and it’s wonderful visitors can be visited an either of their 2 locations in Little Italy and Banker’s Hill neighborhoods. Created by pastry chef Karen Krasne, they are known for their cakes and desserts- cookies, brownies, tarts, pies, cobblers, bread puddings, ice creams, and sorbets. For those with dietary restrictions, they also offer gluten friendly and vegan dessert options.
4. Broad Street Dough Co. – 967 S Coast Hwy 101 Ste 109B, Encinitas, CA 92024
Located on the coast of Encinitas, and home of the finest hot and fresh doughnuts, they are known for serving up custom made creations that are always 100% made to order since 2014. Also offering gluten free/vegan (also known as the Vlugen doughnut), dairy free, and 100% Kosher certified doughnut options, there’s something for everyone on the menu. Whether you’re needing a doughnut fix, or customized catered order for a special event, Broad Street Dough Co. is here to help with all of your needs!
5. VG Donuts & Bakery – 106 Aberdeen Dr, Cardiff, CA 92007
This full-service bakery located in Cardiff-by-the-Sea specializes in an old-fashioned style of baking that has been thriving since 1969. VG, or “Very Good” is a local favorite offering a variety of pastries, muffins, cookies, bread, desserts, and cakes for all occasions, including weddings. Fun fact- VG is also known to make the most reasonably priced wedding cakes in San Diego! When it’s the holiday season, VG’s creates a delicious holiday menu with festive desserts, traditional baked goods, pies, and cookies.
6. The Goods – 2965 State St, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Located in Carlsbad, this doughnut dealer has perfected and crafted the finest locally sourced ingredient doughnuts, with gluten free and vegan options available every day. Popular doughnut flavors include the Vermont Maple Bacon, Classic Tahitian Vanilla Glaze with Sprinkles, Boston Cream, and Nutella Buttercream!
7. Sidecar Doughnuts – 3435 Del Mar Heights Rd d7, San Diego, CA 92130
This doughnut trendsetter is located in Del Mar and known to cause a long line, but it’s worth the wait! Offering weekly gluten free options and monthly vegan options, you can check out all of their rotating flavor options on their social media pages, including the seasonal flavors. Some of the current seasonal flavors are the Samoa and the Thin Mint!
8. Village Kitchen & Pie Shoppe – 950 Tamarack Ave, Carlsbad, CA 92008
This family owned, and operated restaurant is home of the Cream, Fruit, and Traditional pies. Located in Carlsbad, you can satisfy your pie craving with a Sour Cream Apple, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Sugar Free Banana, or a Lemon Meringue, along with a long list of flavors, including seasonal/holiday options!
9. Betty’s Pie Whole Saloon – 114 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024
Betty’s Pie Whole and Elizabethan Desserts are 2 different eateries under the same roof in Encinitas and baked with the same baker, Betty. This family run establishment has been around since 1956 and quickly became a local’s favorite pit-stop for “whole pie’s only” because Betty wants to make sure you “have it all” when indulging in a real-fruit-only fresh pie.
10. GelatoLove – 300 Carlsbad Village Dr #104, Carlsbad, CA 92008
When a biologist, chemist, creative writer, a gelato chef, yoga teacher, feng shui master, screenplay editor, business designer, food director, a few pilots, techno geek, surfer, and a photographer came together, they created GelatoLove, a tasting room and gelato lab in Carlsbad! GelatoLove is a bright gelato shop serving gourmet Italian ice cream in eclectic flavors, espresso specialties, and European desserts which include different flavors of gelato cakes. Not only do they offer indoor and outdoor dining, but they offer gelato making classes for a hands-on experience.
11. Yummy Cupcakes – 1514 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas, CA 92024
Established in 2004, Yummy Cupcakes was one of the first “cupcake only” bakeries to hit the scene, and almost 20 years and 400 different cupcake flavors and recipes later, they have now expanded to 3 different locations. The location closest to us is in Encinitas, and some of the shop specialties are Cupcake in a Jar, Cupcake on a Stick, Cupcake Pies, Cupcake Truffles, and the list goes on…if it’s a sweet treat, it can be made into a cupcake and offered at Yummy Cupcakes!
12. Solana Sumptuous Cookies – 150 Solana Hills Dr, Solana Beach, CA 92075
Serving gourmet hand crafted Artisan cookies and old fashioned craft ice cream, which were inspired by generations of American, Spanish, and Latin America baking traditions, “the best cookies in the universe” can be found in Solana Beach. Rock Your Road, 50 Shades of Chocolate, OAT-M-G, and California Magic are just a few fun flavors that can be found on the menu, while also offering a gluten free cookie flavor. Don’t forget to also ask them about their seasonal flavors!
13. Sugar & Scribe Bakery – 7660 Fay Ave Suite I, La Jolla, CA 92037
Voted “Best Bakery” in 2017, this spot located in La Jolla offers a variety of scratch-made sweet treats and pride themselves on their boujee rice krispie treats, the pastry bar, cookies, cupcakes, and so much more! They also offer signature cakes, custom cakes, and wedding cakes, all which can be made gluten free as well. Head Chef Maeve has also been known to make many celebrity appearances on game shows on the Food Network along with hosting her own YouTube channel with delicious recipes and tips!
Of course we also have a few of the more popular chain dessert hot spots to hit up in North County San Diego like Coldstone, Salt & Straw, Crumbl Cookies, and Parlor Doughnuts. Where is your favorite spot to grab dessert? Leave us a comment below!
