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A baking tray of triangle-sliced cream tarts.
Desserts from Emmer & Rye.
Emmer & Rye

16 Austin Restaurants Where Dessert Steals the Show

Sweet satisfaction

by Nadia Chaudhury Updated
2 comments / new
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Desserts from Emmer & Rye.
| Emmer & Rye
by Nadia Chaudhury Updated
2 comments / new

Dessert is the best course of any and every meal. No matter how full a person gets, everyone makes room for a sugary finale. And there are different ways to go about satisfying that sweet tooth, from something light and refreshing like a parfait, or indulgently rich like chocolate cake, here are Austin’s very best dessert restaurants. End your meal right, order dessert first, or just eat nothing but sweets, these restaurants will do just fine.

There are the composed plates from Japanese restaurants Uchi and Uchiko, the cakes of Chez Zee, Texas produced-filled wonders at Odd Duck, and much more.

For the purposes of this map, only restaurants that have dessert menus (not businesses dedicated to desserts) are included. Look elsewhere for these picks: bakeries, cakes, pies, cookies, ice cream, soft serve, and icy treats.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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District Kitchen

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The desserts at both locations of the New American restaurant from pastry chef Dennis Van are decadent, like the blueberry-lemon buttermilk cake with a lemon cream cheese frosting, almond crumbs, citrus curd, plus chocolate ice cream. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

7858 Shoal Creek Blvd, Austin, TX 78757
(512) 284-7837
(512) 284-7837

Chez Zee

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Indulge in the longtime Austin restaurant’s wide array of classic desserts, from mile-high layer cakes, creme brulee, and shareable apple pie. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

5406 Balcones Dr, Austin, TX 78731
(512) 454-2666
(512) 454-2666

Uchiko & Uchi

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The desserts at both branches of the Japanese restaurant, under the helm of executive pastry chef Ariana Quant, are creative and thoughtful with unexpected touches. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 916-4808
(512) 916-4808

Also featured in:

Lutie’s Garden Restaurant

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Austin is a lucky place because executive pastry chef Susana Querejazu came back into town for this new hotel restaurant. Her dessert prowess is on full display, especially with the kouign amann-studded ice cream. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

4100 Red River St, Austin, TX 78751
(512) 675-2517
(512) 675-2517

Also featured in:

Birdie's

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The Chestnut wine restaurant’s luscious vanilla soft serve has already become an iconic dessert in Austin. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2944 E 12th St Unit A, Austin, TX 78702

Also featured in:

Swedish Hill

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Head to Clarksville bakery and cafe for some of the best of the best desserts from the various McGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality restaurants. It serves as a home base for all things sweets from pastries to cakes to cookies to tarts to gelato. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor services.

1120 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 472-1347
(512) 472-1347

Also featured in:

Better Half Coffee & Cocktails

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Executive pastry chef Lindsay O’Rourke is working up magical sweets over at the Clarksville-adjacent restaurant. The menu often changes, but usually, there’s a slice of burnt cheesecake topped with tart cherry jams, orange blossom crullers, and citrusy ice box cakes. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

406 Walsh St, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 645-0786
(512) 645-0786

Also featured in:

Emmer & Rye

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Of the Emmer & Rye group’s businesses, it’s at the Rainey Street restaurant where the desserts shine because of executive pastry chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph. Much like the rest of the menu, grains are the focus of the sweets, like the sorrel cake paired with a watermelon rind or the brioche with blueberry compote and a mango-ginger yogurt. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

51 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 366-5530
(512) 366-5530

Also featured in:

Irene's

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With Mary Catherine Curren at the helm of pastries, the downtown restaurant serves strong dessert staples, like strawberry cake and chocolate cookies with Nutella. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

506 West Ave, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 298-0853
(512) 298-0853

Also featured in:

Odd Duck

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The South Austin restaurant’s often-changing dessert menu highlights Texas produce (hello, watermelon and peaches) for desserts such as cobblers, budinos, and sorbets. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 433-6521
(512) 433-6521

Justine's

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For absolutely great French desserts, the East Austin restaurant is your answer. There are creme brulees, peach melbas, and chocolate mousses. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

4710 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78702
(512) 385-2900
(512) 385-2900

Also featured in:

Launderette

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Okay, so founding pastry chef Laura Sawicki left the Holly restaurant late last year, but her impact on the dessert menu still lives on. Take the ever-Instagrammable birthday cake ice cream sandwich, which is really that good. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2115 Holly St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 382-1599
(512) 382-1599

Also featured in:

Maie Day

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Alas, another amazing pastry chef has left Austin with the departure of former MaieB’s Jules Stoddart of Southern restaurant Olamaie and this hotel American restaurant. Luckily, her decadent ginormous Texas chocolate cake slice is still available on the menu, a rich and delicious layer cake with coffee chantilly, benne seed crackers, and raspberries. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 942-0823
(512) 942-0823

Also featured in:

Lenoir

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Desserts at the South First restaurant are lighter items like the chocolate cream pie with mint and coconut flakes and the blue corn/cherry cake with lime curd and whipped ricotta. The restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1807 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 215-9778
(512) 215-9778

Also featured in:

Jack Allen's Kitchen

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For simply well-done desserts to fulfill those sweet cravings, the Texas comfort food restaurant mini-chain provides pies, cobblers, cakes, and a lot of chocolate from pastry chef Dee Dee Sanchez. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

7720 W Highway 71, Austin, TX 78735
(512) 852-8558
(512) 852-8558

Also featured in:

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Dee Dee

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For a simple take on mango and sticky rice, laced with drizzles of condensed milk, look no further than this Thai truck. The truck only makes it if it has the absolute perfect mangos. Preorders must be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

4204 Manchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78745

Also featured in:

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District Kitchen

7858 Shoal Creek Blvd, Austin, TX 78757

The desserts at both locations of the New American restaurant from pastry chef Dennis Van are decadent, like the blueberry-lemon buttermilk cake with a lemon cream cheese frosting, almond crumbs, citrus curd, plus chocolate ice cream. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

7858 Shoal Creek Blvd, Austin, TX 78757
(512) 284-7837
(512) 284-7837

Chez Zee

5406 Balcones Dr, Austin, TX 78731

Indulge in the longtime Austin restaurant’s wide array of classic desserts, from mile-high layer cakes, creme brulee, and shareable apple pie. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

5406 Balcones Dr, Austin, TX 78731
(512) 454-2666
(512) 454-2666

Uchiko & Uchi

4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756

The desserts at both branches of the Japanese restaurant, under the helm of executive pastry chef Ariana Quant, are creative and thoughtful with unexpected touches. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

4200 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 916-4808
(512) 916-4808

Lutie’s Garden Restaurant

4100 Red River St, Austin, TX 78751

Austin is a lucky place because executive pastry chef Susana Querejazu came back into town for this new hotel restaurant. Her dessert prowess is on full display, especially with the kouign amann-studded ice cream. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

4100 Red River St, Austin, TX 78751
(512) 675-2517
(512) 675-2517

Birdie's

2944 E 12th St Unit A, Austin, TX 78702

The Chestnut wine restaurant’s luscious vanilla soft serve has already become an iconic dessert in Austin. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2944 E 12th St Unit A, Austin, TX 78702

Swedish Hill

1120 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78703

Head to Clarksville bakery and cafe for some of the best of the best desserts from the various McGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality restaurants. It serves as a home base for all things sweets from pastries to cakes to cookies to tarts to gelato. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor services.

1120 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 472-1347
(512) 472-1347

Better Half Coffee & Cocktails

406 Walsh St, Austin, TX 78703

Executive pastry chef Lindsay O’Rourke is working up magical sweets over at the Clarksville-adjacent restaurant. The menu often changes, but usually, there’s a slice of burnt cheesecake topped with tart cherry jams, orange blossom crullers, and citrusy ice box cakes. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

406 Walsh St, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 645-0786
(512) 645-0786

Emmer & Rye

51 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701

Of the Emmer & Rye group’s businesses, it’s at the Rainey Street restaurant where the desserts shine because of executive pastry chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph. Much like the rest of the menu, grains are the focus of the sweets, like the sorrel cake paired with a watermelon rind or the brioche with blueberry compote and a mango-ginger yogurt. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

51 Rainey St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 366-5530
(512) 366-5530

Irene's

506 West Ave, Austin, TX 78701

With Mary Catherine Curren at the helm of pastries, the downtown restaurant serves strong dessert staples, like strawberry cake and chocolate cookies with Nutella. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

506 West Ave, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 298-0853
(512) 298-0853

Odd Duck

1201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704

The South Austin restaurant’s often-changing dessert menu highlights Texas produce (hello, watermelon and peaches) for desserts such as cobblers, budinos, and sorbets. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 433-6521
(512) 433-6521

Justine's

4710 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78702

For absolutely great French desserts, the East Austin restaurant is your answer. There are creme brulees, peach melbas, and chocolate mousses. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

4710 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78702
(512) 385-2900
(512) 385-2900

Launderette

2115 Holly St, Austin, TX 78702

Okay, so founding pastry chef Laura Sawicki left the Holly restaurant late last year, but her impact on the dessert menu still lives on. Take the ever-Instagrammable birthday cake ice cream sandwich, which is really that good. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

2115 Holly St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 382-1599
(512) 382-1599

Maie Day

1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704

Alas, another amazing pastry chef has left Austin with the departure of former MaieB’s Jules Stoddart of Southern restaurant Olamaie and this hotel American restaurant. Luckily, her decadent ginormous Texas chocolate cake slice is still available on the menu, a rich and delicious layer cake with coffee chantilly, benne seed crackers, and raspberries. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 942-0823
(512) 942-0823

Lenoir

1807 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704

Desserts at the South First restaurant are lighter items like the chocolate cream pie with mint and coconut flakes and the blue corn/cherry cake with lime curd and whipped ricotta. The restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

1807 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 215-9778
(512) 215-9778

Jack Allen's Kitchen

7720 W Highway 71, Austin, TX 78735

For simply well-done desserts to fulfill those sweet cravings, the Texas comfort food restaurant mini-chain provides pies, cobblers, cakes, and a lot of chocolate from pastry chef Dee Dee Sanchez. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

7720 W Highway 71, Austin, TX 78735
(512) 852-8558
(512) 852-8558

Related Maps

Dee Dee

4204 Manchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78745

For a simple take on mango and sticky rice, laced with drizzles of condensed milk, look no further than this Thai truck. The truck only makes it if it has the absolute perfect mangos. Preorders must be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

4204 Manchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78745

Related Maps