Looking for a sugar fix? Elisha Young has picked out her favourite dessert spots in Cambridge to satisfy those sweet cravings
When I was younger, my sweet tooth was a source of shame for my family. As the child of a dentist and dental nurse, it didn’t look great when I started peeling the fondant icing off a birthday cake to better enjoy its sugary goodness – or when I used a teaspoon to scoop the filling out of a Cadbury Creme Egg (to add injury to insult, I also managed to crack one of my teeth while doing this).
Modigliani on Mill Road specialises in delightful cannoli and hand-poured coffee
Happily, my many years of sugar consumption have paid off, as I can now use my experience to better inform you about my favourite places to grab a dessert in Cambridge. Don’t worry, my palate has mellowed out since those Creme Egg days, so there are no sickly or cloying suggestions here – only moreish ones!
Artisan delights
First is Modigliani, a small artisan coffee shop – so small you have to be careful not to miss it as you stroll down Mill Road – that also produces incredibly delicious desserts. The menu is constantly evolving, but when I last visited it featured vanilla, pistachio and roasted almond Basque cheesecakes, beautifully laminated sfogliatella pastries, bombolini bursting with custard, two types of tiramisu and a carefully decorated pastry made to look exactly like a real pistachio kernel. Plus, the hand-poured coffee is great if you want a hot drink to pair with your treat.
I ended up choosing a cannolo: a tube of crisp, deep-fried pastry filled with sweetened ricotta, dipped in chocolate chips and chopped pistachios and then generously coated with icing sugar. It was so good that I messaged @modigliani.cambridge on Instagram asking for more details – and it turns out they use special sheep ricotta from Sicily. At this local gem, you can expect high-quality ingredients, careful attention to detail and absolutely mouth-watering confections.
Aromi offers pistachio-flavoured treats, including cannoli and cakes
City treat
For something a bit more central, you can’t go wrong with Aromi. As well as selling fantastic pizza in the cafe and gelato from the hole-in-the-wall gelateria, this spot also serves up Italian treats like biscotti, tartelettes and occhi di bue. My favourite is the pistachio cake; it’s crowd-pleasingly rich, dense and indulgent, with a generous squiggle of pistachio cream for garnish. If you like pistachio, you’re spoilt for choice here, with pistachio-filled cornetti, biscuits and tarts, plus the pistachio gelato.
Bite-sized beauties
On the topic of Italian dessert spots in central Cambridge, it’s also worth mentioning Dulcis, which sells gelato and pasticcini (bite-sized pastries). This shop in Rose Quarter is ideal if you’re in the mood for a small, yet perfectly formed bite to round out your meal. You might struggle to pick just one item from the display case though, since it’s packed with a variety of miniature delicacies, including red velvet cake, gianduja tart and bignè alla crema.
Indulgent ices
Dulcis creates stunning, bite-sized pasticcini for when you just want a taste
It would be remiss of me not to mention my most reliable dessert spot in the city: Jack’s Gelato (a true Cambridge classic for a reason). I head here whenever I’m craving something sweet, knowing I can rely on the varied menu. There are also always vegan flavours that taste just as good as their creamy counterparts, so you can bring your plant-based friends along. If you keep your eyes on @gelatojack’s Instagram stories, you’ll see the daily ‘secret flavour’ – often using more interesting ingredients than on the main menu. Top picks include the miso blondie, coconut ube (vegan), pecan pie (with actual pecan pie chunks), grilled white chocolate, double-strength matcha and white miso with local honey.
Visit all of these dessert spots with caution – they really are addictively good!
See Elisha’s Instagram @elisha.eats and read April’s article for up-to-date reviews of eats around Cambridge
