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Dessert Thali at Poppy.
Dessert Thali at Poppy.
Poppy/Official

Finish a Meal Strong With Must-Have Seattle Restaurant Desserts

Say yes to the dessert menu, even if you're full

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Dessert Thali at Poppy.
| Poppy/Official

Sweets Week wouldn't be complete without a list of restaurants in Seattle who have the ultimate digestifs: slices of cake, pieces of pie, chewy cookies, rich or refreshing ice cream, and decadent donuts available for a pleasant end to a satisfying dinner out. (Digestif is French for dessert, right?)

When you're in the mood for something sugary, but don't have the self-control to allow an entire coconut cream pie in your house, you need to find the place for a delicious bite that has a full stop at the end. That's what this list is for: the best finish to any meal — or even a glorious replacement for dinner all together.

Note: Map points are listed roughly south to north and are not ranked by preference. Have a favorite way to cap off dinner? Show it some love in the comments, send an email, or start a forum thread in its honor.

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Super Six

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Cheap can be bad — but cheap can be so, so good. The Portuguese-Hawaiian specialty at Super Six, the malasada, is the perfect example. These little doughnuts with lilikoi caramel will only set you back four bucks, and they will likely be the best things you eat all day.

Bottlehouse

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This neighborhood wine oasis boasts a killer vino list and a standout dessert board, ranging from cheese (curated by an in-house cheesemonger) to truffles. The best bet? The rotating pot de créme. With flavors like tawny port, dark chocolate vermouth, and lavender mint, it's a worthy reward for climbing the hill to Madrona.

Ba Bar

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Ba Bar’s fancy pho and other Vietnamese specialties are enough to get lines of people in the door. However, the best thing about Ba Bar might just be its pastry shelf. Macaroons, påté chaud, pineapple upside-down cake, the dessert formerly known as Cronuts™ — everything you can get here is a home run.

It’s easy to get lost in the sea of Downtown restaurants. While some are good, many simply aren't on par with the rest of Seattle's dining scene. Luckily, there's RN74 to save the day. If you find yourself Downtown and craving something sweet, head to the French eatery for hand-cut beignets, served warm with salted caramel and Macallan 12 butterscotch custard.

Dahlia Lounge

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The Triple Coconut Cream Pie is truly a Seattle institution — Tom Douglas has been making it for more than 25 years, and it has President Obama's seal of approval. With coconut in its crust, in its smooth custard filling, and resting atop its whipped cream as toasted flakes, this pie is a must-try at the end of a meal at any Douglas restaurant, even if it's not listed on the menu (the restaurateur keeps a back-up in every kitchen).

It’s rare to see a borderline health food like zucchini cake cluttering a best restaurant dessert list, but have faith that Vestal’s version with huckleberries, corn ice cream, and candied squash blossom deserves its spot.

Single Shot

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Perhaps the best ice cream in Seattle doesn’t come from an ice cream shop — it’s handmade in small batches for the customers of Capitol Hill’s Single Shot. Rotating options have included Chartreuse chocolate chip, Bailey’s, wild huckleberry, and crème fraîche — the flavors are often unexpected, always delicious.

Poppy’s Thalis, platters served individually to each guest with a variety of small dishes, allow you to sample the best of the restaurant. And no trip to Jerry Traunfeld’s Capitol Hill digs would be complete without a sweet Thali for two. The dessert option highlights house-made ice cream, pies, chocolate terrine, and more.

Anticipation is an extra ingredient in the Canlis soufflé, which takes 30 minutes to prepare. giving you ample time to enjoy your fine surroundings. The classic dessert, embossed with a Canlis “C,” drips with crème Anglaise; its texture is heavenly, its flavor redolent of Grand Marnier and orange zest. The wait is well worth it.

Delancey

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The beauty of Delancey is its simplicity — ridiculously good pizza, a couple of fresh salads, and an out-of-this-world cookie. The chocolate chip cookie with grey sea salt is available fresh from the oven or in its raw dough form for you to take home and do what you like with it (i.e. eat with a spoon immediately).

Gainsbourg

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Greenwood's dimly lit French lounge is famous for its absinthe, reasonable prices, and decadent desserts. Get the strawberry Cava cheesecake — and an actual glass of bubbles to go with it.

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Super Six

Cheap can be bad — but cheap can be so, so good. The Portuguese-Hawaiian specialty at Super Six, the malasada, is the perfect example. These little doughnuts with lilikoi caramel will only set you back four bucks, and they will likely be the best things you eat all day.

Bottlehouse

This neighborhood wine oasis boasts a killer vino list and a standout dessert board, ranging from cheese (curated by an in-house cheesemonger) to truffles. The best bet? The rotating pot de créme. With flavors like tawny port, dark chocolate vermouth, and lavender mint, it's a worthy reward for climbing the hill to Madrona.

Ba Bar

Ba Bar’s fancy pho and other Vietnamese specialties are enough to get lines of people in the door. However, the best thing about Ba Bar might just be its pastry shelf. Macaroons, påté chaud, pineapple upside-down cake, the dessert formerly known as Cronuts™ — everything you can get here is a home run.

RN74

It’s easy to get lost in the sea of Downtown restaurants. While some are good, many simply aren't on par with the rest of Seattle's dining scene. Luckily, there's RN74 to save the day. If you find yourself Downtown and craving something sweet, head to the French eatery for hand-cut beignets, served warm with salted caramel and Macallan 12 butterscotch custard.

Dahlia Lounge

The Triple Coconut Cream Pie is truly a Seattle institution — Tom Douglas has been making it for more than 25 years, and it has President Obama's seal of approval. With coconut in its crust, in its smooth custard filling, and resting atop its whipped cream as toasted flakes, this pie is a must-try at the end of a meal at any Douglas restaurant, even if it's not listed on the menu (the restaurateur keeps a back-up in every kitchen).

Vestal

It’s rare to see a borderline health food like zucchini cake cluttering a best restaurant dessert list, but have faith that Vestal’s version with huckleberries, corn ice cream, and candied squash blossom deserves its spot.

Single Shot

Perhaps the best ice cream in Seattle doesn’t come from an ice cream shop — it’s handmade in small batches for the customers of Capitol Hill’s Single Shot. Rotating options have included Chartreuse chocolate chip, Bailey’s, wild huckleberry, and crème fraîche — the flavors are often unexpected, always delicious.

Poppy

Poppy’s Thalis, platters served individually to each guest with a variety of small dishes, allow you to sample the best of the restaurant. And no trip to Jerry Traunfeld’s Capitol Hill digs would be complete without a sweet Thali for two. The dessert option highlights house-made ice cream, pies, chocolate terrine, and more.

Canlis

Anticipation is an extra ingredient in the Canlis soufflé, which takes 30 minutes to prepare. giving you ample time to enjoy your fine surroundings. The classic dessert, embossed with a Canlis “C,” drips with crème Anglaise; its texture is heavenly, its flavor redolent of Grand Marnier and orange zest. The wait is well worth it.

Delancey

The beauty of Delancey is its simplicity — ridiculously good pizza, a couple of fresh salads, and an out-of-this-world cookie. The chocolate chip cookie with grey sea salt is available fresh from the oven or in its raw dough form for you to take home and do what you like with it (i.e. eat with a spoon immediately).

Gainsbourg

Greenwood's dimly lit French lounge is famous for its absinthe, reasonable prices, and decadent desserts. Get the strawberry Cava cheesecake — and an actual glass of bubbles to go with it.

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