Portland: Treat Your Sweet Tooth!

Whether you know me or not, know this: I love sweets. Usually, I stick to chocolate, but there’s no limit to what sweets I’ll indulge in, any time of day. After all, dessert is the best meal of the day. In Portland, there’s no shortage of places to find sweets, either. Aren’t you lucky I rounded up a few of my favorite places? (You’re welcome, as always!)

cupcakeLove Kupcakes:

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been a cupcake girl. I have tried some interesting ones, but Love Kupcakes is so good! One of the things that makes them stand out is their commitment to having vegan and gluten free options for their customers. So although I don’t personally identify as either of those, I can try those offerings too, like their heavenly Margarita cupcake, complete with a little bit of salt on the top! Other intriguing flavors include the Blueberry pancake, or the maple bacon! It’s easy to be naughty when they are in Monument Square, which is literally just a few minutes away from where I work on Casco Street…

gorgeous gelato straciatellaGorgeous Gelato:

I have loved Gorgeous since I tried them during my first summer in Portland. Trust me when I say, this gelato is on par with Italy’s gelato. It helps that the owners are from Italy, and are extremely dedicated to making authentic gelato, exactly the way it’s made in Italy. I will never understand how the only two places to get gelato in Portland are right across the street from each other, but I do like both, don’t get me wrong. The problem is Gelato Fiasco’s gelato is processed differently, and their gelato makes me sick (thanks body for being lactose intolerant). Gorgeous Gelato making their gelato authentic means I can eat actual gelato from them, and that’s a big cause for celebration, because their Straciatella is literally my favorite gelato on the planet.

(Bonobo’s Gelato Fiasco Window): Closed til Next Season!

So, that being said, I also live right down the street from the West End’s Gelato Fiasco window. Lucky for me, there is always at least one dairy free item at the window that I can get, while I look on enviously as my boyfriend enjoys their gelato. Hey, a girl can dream, right?

I love this spot because it’s convenient. The hours are a little funky (Thursday-Saturday, from 6 pm-8 pm) but if you can catch them, it’s a really nice way to end your night! Also, it’s a great excuse to go in and grab a slice from Bonobo too. The window closed right before Labor Day weekend, so remember it for next summer, when it will reopen!

Dean’s Sweets:

I’m a chocoholic at heart, and Dean’s Sweets just gets me. I love their truffles! This is chocolate at its best, and I love it even more because I’m supporting a local business who does amazing things with truffles and chocolate. My personal favorite: the champagne truffles. They are light and a perfect pairing with wine for a date night in or just because. This is my go to place when the chocolate craving comes on hard!

mount dessert island sorbetMount Dessert Island Ice Cream:

I may be lactose intolerant but it’s really hard to say no to ice cream. MDI is a favorite of not only Portland, but also President Obama, which is pretty cool. They get a lot of love because of their unique ice cream flavors, which you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. Besides that, they have really creative sorbet flavors! For a lactose intolerant person, this is huge, because sorbet can be so…hum drum sometimes. You’ve had one raspberry sorbet, you’ve probably had them all (except from Stone Fox Creamery, their raspberry sorbet tastes like it has real fruit in it!) MDI has sorbet like lime and cucumber, or nectarine prosecco sorbet to name a few recent ones I’ve tried.

shaved snow bubble teaBubble Mainea:

This is one of those places that kind of gets lost in the shuffle, because it’s next door to the Nickelodeon and most people don’t even know that they have food. Besides food, they are most popular for having bubble tea. You know, the frozen treat with tapioca balls at the bottom? Personally, I can’t stand the tapioca balls (it’s a texture thing) but the bubble tea is awesome! If you’re not a bubble tea person, they also have shaved snow. It’s more commonly known as shaved ice, but it’s essentially the same idea. Shaved ice, condensed milk, and topped with fruit or other toppings. Every place that sells it prepares it a little bit differently, but it’s always good! Theirs is a great sweet treat, because you can go more complex, and top it with fruit, chocolates and other sweets, or just keep it simple. Go try it!

Let me know if I missed your favorite place for sweets in Portland…I will eventually try them all, promise!

Sarah Gelber

About Sarah Gelber

A recent graduate from the University of Southern Maine, Sarah has always had a passion for food. Follow her escapades around Portland, trying every new restaurant in her path! Conquering Portland, one meal at a time.