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).
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.
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
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