Pittsburgh — and Western PA, in general — is home to no shortage of desserts and sweet treats. Here, we’ve highlighted a few of our favorites. The best part? Unlike the influencer-laden bakeries and restaurants of bigger cities, most of these spots are easily accessible, with few lines in sight. Their owners are proud and often working behind the counters … and, if you’re nice, you might even get a sample.
The Best Desserts to Try Around Pittsburgh
The Butterwood Bake Consortium
5222 Butler Street, Lawrenceville
Late-night anything is tough to find in Pittsburgh, much less late-night desserts. But the Butterwood Bake Consortium has you covered! This cozy dessert café in Lawrenceville serves show-stopping layer cakes, delicate pastries, and warm ambiance until 11 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Pair your Olive Oil Love Cake with a piping-hot cup of coffee made from locally roasted KLVN beans or a selection from their tea menu.
Sarris Candies & Ice Cream
511 Adams Avenue, Canonsburg
You’ve seen the Sarris stand at the airport, but have you ever been to the Canonsburg location? A Western PA classic, Sarris is renowned for its playful candy molds, 1,500-pound chocolate castle, and old-fashioned ice cream parlor complete with a player piano. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a sundae drizzled in Sarris’s own hard cap or pick up some chocolate-covered pretzels to take home.
Oram’s Donuts
1406 7th Avenue, Beaver Falls
Since 1938, this family-owned shop has been making dozens of different flavors of donut, from basic staples like glazed and chocolate to seasonal specials like Key Lime Pie, Peach, and Orange Creamsicle. Feel free to try them all, but it’s the Cinnamon Roll that’s worth an early-morning drive to Beaver Falls. Oram’s might make the best Cinnamon Roll in the world.
350° Bakery
2427 Soth 18th Street, South Side
Tucked into a corner in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes, 350° Bakery is a small-batch bakery that prides itself on fresh, from-scratch treats. Their rotating menu includes sweet rolls, pies, and indulgent breakfast pastries. Their popular hand pies and biscuit sandwiches make a terrific breakfast, but for the sweet tooth, go for the Strawberry or Cookies and Cream Puff Tart.
Page’s Dairy Mart
4112 E Carson Street, South Side
Open seasonally since 1951, Page’s is an institution for ice cream lovers. Enjoy classic cones, sundaes, and shakes, or splurge on their signature “Avalanches” — soft serve churned with candy bits, fresh fruit, or cookie dough. Make it a perfect family outing or date night by taking your selections up to nearby Mt. Washington and eating with a view!
Butterjoint
208 North Craig Street, Oakland
Perhaps better known for its inventive cocktails and locally sourced savory fare, Butterjoint also shines with a small but superb dessert menu. Seasonal fruit pies, custards, and other sweet specials — often using ingredients from Pennsylvania farms — make this spot an unexpected hidden gem. Adventurous eaters should try the Vinegar Pie!
Panaderia Jazmín
300 Beverly Road, Suite A, Beechview
A little taste of Mexico in Pittsburgh! This neighborhood bakery in Beechview focuses on traditional Mexican breads and pastries, including conchas (sweet breads), churros, and tres leches cake. It’s perfect when you’re looking for a sweet pick-me-up with unique flavors!
La Gourmandine
Lawrenceville, Mt. Lebanon, Hazelwood, Downtown, Oakland
If you’re looking for a taste of Paris in Pittsburgh, look no further than La Gourmandine. Their croissants, macarons, and fruit tarts are meticulously crafted by French-trained bakers, and the rich, buttery pain au chocolat might just be the best in the Steel City!
Madeleine Bakery and Bistro
609 S Trenton Avenue, Regent Square
A hidden gem located behind the equally hidden Biddle’s Escape Coffee Shop near Regent Square, Madeleine Bakery and Bistro specializes in European-style breads and pastries. We love their sandwiches, but when it comes time for dessert, the shop makes incredible madeleines, bouchons, scones, and cookies — including a show-stopping gluten-free double chocolate.
Jak’s Bakery
4310 Main Street, Bloomfield
Ever had a Bulgarian dessert? This shop is a labor of love from Zhelyazko (Jak) Latinov, who ran a bakery in his native Bulgaria for twenty years, and Molly Freedman Latinova. It might be the only place in Pittsburgh to find poach, kifla, banitsa, and tutmanik. Want to learn how to make the treats yourselves? The bakery offers classes!
Story by Kenny Gould
Styling by Keith Recker
Photography by Laura Petrilla
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