Liam AndersonThere was a time when I tried to pretend that a double-shot espresso could be dessert. It’s rich, it’s dark, and if you squint, I mean really squint — that crema on top kinda looks like frosting, doesn’t it?
But let’s face it, even the biggest coffee fanatic eventually needs something that’s actually sweet.
So I did it all in the name of “research” (and in a bout of sweet-toothedness) and explored the sweetest Vancouver had to offer over the course of a few weeks. And, well, suffice to say I came across more than a couple of treats worth writing home about.
If you’re looking for the city’s best desserts, these are places you’ll want to make sure are on your radar — espresso or not.
1. Thomas Haas
– Media credit: thaaschocolates
Address: 2539 W Broadway
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday – 8 AM to 5:30 PM
Phone: +16047361848
Price: $$
If you’re the type who quietly judges a city by its bake shops, Thomas Haas is where you’ll feel seen. The blak cake has a dark chocolate mousse so smooth it melts in your mouth. The almond cake underneath only adds to the sweetness.
I’m always torn between that and the caramel chocolate pecan brownie, which hits this perfect salty-sweet spot and is somehow never too much. The truffles are glossy and precise and just really, really good.
Even their mango coconut cheesecake is bright and light, as if it’s trying to make up for all the chocolate. Their coffee is good too, which says something for a city of coffee snobs.
| Pro Tip: Make your own box of truffles at the counter. It’s way more fun than the pre-packed ones, and you’ll get exactly what you want. |
2. Crackle Crème
– Media credit: cracklecreme
Address: 245 Union St
Hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 2 PM to 9:30 PM
- Sunday – 2 PM to 9 PM
Phone: +17788478533
Price: $
Crackle Crème is for anyone who dreams of eating crème brûlée all day long. While the usual flavors (like vanilla and salted caramel) are good choices, the ever-changing menu is the reason to stop by this place.
You might find black sesame, pandan, or even Ferrero Rocher. Sometimes, they even have boozy flavors like bourbon butterscotch.
The custards here are soft and smooth, and they have that crackly top that’s so pleasing (which isn’t always a given around here!).
The place itself is small, so you’ll probably be standing while you eat, but that’s part of what makes it cool.
| Pro Tip: Don’t forget to check out the character macarons, which are both cute and yummy. Grab a few to eat later—they’re easier to take with you than the crème brûlée. |
3. Winter Bear dessert
– Media credit: winterbearbc
Address: 907 Denman St
Hours:
- Monday to Thursday, Sunday – 2 PM to 10:30 PM
- Friday & Saturday – 2 PM to 11 PM
Phone: +17787377896
Price: $
If you grew up on bingsu or just want a dessert that’s more about texture than sugar, Winter Bear is worth a stop. The shaved ice base comes in milk or matcha varieties—fluffy, cold, and not too sweet.
Toppings are where it gets interesting: you can go nostalgic with Frosted Flakes or build something weirdly addictive with lychee jelly and mango poppers.
The signature combos (mango cheesecake, banana cream pie) are fine, but the real move is to build your own and see what works. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure for people who don’t want to commit to just one flavor.
| Pro Tip: If you see tanghulu (candied fruit) on the menu, order it. It’s not always available, and when it is, it sells out fast. |
4. Bahar Bakery
– Media credit: bahar_bakery_cafe
Address: 579 Robson St
Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 7:30 AM to 6 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 8:30 AM to 5 PM
Price: $
Bahar is where you go for Persian pastries that actually taste like someone’s grandmother made them.
The qottab—flaky, nut-filled, and just sweet enough—is always fresh. Meanwhile, the rosebud cookies have a subtle floral thing going on that’s more grown-up than you’d expect.
The Medovik (honey cake) is dense, layered, and not shy with the honey. The baklava is lighter than most, less syrupy, and more about the nuts.
But if I’m being honest, it’s the cardamom cupcakes that stick with me: fragrant, not cloying, and gone in about three bites.
| Pro Tip: Whole cakes require 48 hours’ notice, but walk-ins usually score a good mix of smaller pastries. |
5. Le Parfait
Address: 812 Homer St
Hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 9:30 AM to 9 PM
- Friday – 9:30 AM to 11 PM
- Saturday – 9 AM to 11 PM
- Sunday – 9 AM to 10 PM
Phone: +16044288741
Price: $$
Le Parfait is the spot for Lebanese booza. Lebanese booza is different from Western ice cream. It’s chewy, elastic, and almost stretchy from the mastic; Le Parfait nails the texture.
Flavors lean floral and nutty: rosewater, miske, ashta, and the occasional avocado or pistachio, usually finished with a fistful of chopped nuts. It’s not subtle, but it’s not supposed to be.
The crêpes are a surprise hit—especially Nutella pistachio, which is less sweet than it sounds, with a bit of crunch from the Osmallieh.
The fruit cocktails are layered, creamy, and over the top, but if you’re in the mood for something you can’t get anywhere else in town, this is it.
| Pro Tip: The Exotic fruit cocktail is a meal in itself—don’t try to tackle it solo unless you skipped lunch. |
6. Beta5 Chocolates
– Media credit: beta5chocolates
Address: 409 Industrial Ave
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday – 10 AM to 5 PM
Phone: +16046693336
Price: $
Beta5 is for people who want their chocolate to surprise them.
The polygon bars are visually striking, but it’s the flavor combos—taro pork floss, potato chip, seaweed—that make this place stand out (sometimes for better, sometimes for “at least I tried it”).
The Trademark Collection is the safe bet: 12 bonbons, each a little experiment in flavor and texture, and most of them work. The shop itself is more production facility than a boutique, so don’t expect a cozy linger.
| Pro Tip: If you’re buying a gift, go for the bonbons over the bars—more variety and less risk of someone not “getting” the experimental flavors. |
7. Passione Gelato
– Media credit: passionegelatoyvr
Address: 55 Smithe St
Hours:
- Monday to Thursday, Sunday – 11 AM to 11 PM
- Friday & Saturday – 11 AM to 11:30 PM
Phone: +16044234099
Price: $
Looking for gelato that tastes like it should? This spot’s got you. They skip the fake colors and strange aftertastes.
The flavors change, but try the pistachio if you can – it’s nutty, creamy, and not that fake green color. The Amarena cherry is tart and tastes like real cherries.
The tea flavors (hojicha, matcha, Earl Grey) are gentle and sophisticated. The tiramisu is a great take on the classic – boozy, creamy, and not too sugary.
| Pro Tip: Get the waffle cone. They make them fresh, and they’re great. Can’t decide? Ask for a sample; they’re happy to let you try stuff. |
8. UNNI Pastries
– Media credit: unnipastries
Address: 1773 Robson St
Hours: Monday to Sunday – 8 AM to 9 PM
Phone: +16048287476
Price: $$
If you like donuts, go to UNNI Pastries. UNNI’s brioche donuts are the softest in the city—almost cake-like, with fillings that range from classic (strawberry, chocolate caramel) to the more niche (mochi red bean, matcha).
The crème brûlée donut is the one to beat: torched sugar on top, custard inside, and just enough bitterness to keep it interesting.
Cakes are a sleeper hit—Earl Grey Flowers is floral but not perfumey, and the chocolate strawberry is all about texture. It’s a small operation, so not every flavor is available every day.
| Pro Tip: The mini donut platter is the best way to try the range if you’re with a group—or just indecisive. |
9. Rain or Shine Ice Cream
– Media credit: rainorshineyvr
Address: 1926 W 4th Ave
Hours: Monday to Sunday – 12 PM to 10 PM
Phone: +16044287246
Price: $
Rain or Shine is where you go for ice cream with bold flavors made with local ingredients and, best of all, huge scoops.
London Fog and Honey Lavender both taste like the real thing, not “sugary flavored” versions. Blueberry Balsamic is a sleeper hit: tart, sweet, and not afraid to lean into the vinegar.
The vegan options are legit—Chocolate Peanut Crunch could fool a dairy lover. The toppings bar is overkill, but if you’re into customization, go wild.
| Pro Tip: You can mix flavors in a milkshake, which is the move if you want to try something new (like Malted Milk Chocolate with Coffee Toffee). |
10. Drunken Chocolate
– Media credit: drunkenchocolatier
Address: 223 W Broadway #108
Hours:
- Wednesday – 11 AM to 5:30 PM
- Thursday – 10 AM to 5 PM
- Friday – 10 AM to 5:30 PM
- Saturday – 10 AM to 6 PM
- Sunday – 12 to 5 PM
Price: $
If you like chocolate truffles that are not like the usual packaged stuff, you should try Drunken Chocolate. Their truffles are far from plain. They have flavors like Apple Pie, Blackberry Biscoff Cheesecake, and even Coconut Sambal (which surprisingly has a little spice!).
I am totally hooked on the Apple Pie truffle. It gets that warm, nostalgic feeling right, with just the right mix of cinnamon, apple, and chocolate.
And their drinking chocolate is really rich, but the Tonka Brown Butter is the best. The nutty, almost burnt flavor with vanilla from the tonka bean always makes me want more.
| Pro Tip: Try one of their chocolate bars like Caramelized Earl Grey or Brown Sugar Milk Tea. |
11. Billy Button Dessert
– Media credit: billybutton_yvr
Address: 3568 Fraser St
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday – 12 PM to 5 PM
Price: $
Billy Button Dessert is where you go if you like mini cakes that skimp out on the taste.
Their pastries are as much about texture as flavor—Earl Grey Walnut is all about the contrast between airy cream, dense éclair, and crunch.
The Yuzu cake is sharp and citrusy, not just sweet. Miso Apple is the most interesting: savory, sweet, and not something you’ll find anywhere else. The shop is tiny, and quantities are limited, so don’t expect a full case late in the day.
| Pro Tip: Order ahead if you want something specific—most of their cake orders need to be placed at least 48 hours in advance. |
12. Chocolate Favoris
– Media credit: chocolatefavoris_bc
Address: 14 Water St
Hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 10:30 AM to 11 PM
- Friday & Saturday – 10:30 to 11:30 PM
- Sunday – 10:30 AM to 11 PM
Phone: +16043366955
Price: $$
Chocolats Favoris is for all the chocoholics amongst us who have a soft spot for soft serve.
Chocolats Favoris’s chocolate-dipped soft serve with a shell so thick you need to crack it with a spoon. The flavors are unapologetically sweet (Dulce de Leche, Cookies and Cream), and the Kooky Cakes are sugar bombs dressed up for Instagram.
It’s fun, but subtlety isn’t the point here. The fondue is a good group move, especially if you want to dip everything in sight.
| Pro Tip: If you’re not a sugar fiend, split a dipped cone or cake with a friend—the portions are huge. |
13. Patisserie Lebeau
– Media credit: patisserielebeau
Address: 1728 W 2nd Ave, Vancouver, BC V6J 1H6, Canada
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday – 8 AM to 4 PM
Phone: +16047313528
Price: $
Patisserie Lebeau is where you go if your idea of dessert is waffles.
Lebeau is the rare spot where the waffles actually taste like Brussels: crisp outside, airy inside, never soggy. The fruit-and-custard combo is classic, but the Le Fraisier (chocolate, strawberries, whipped cream) is the one I’d cross town for.
I like how they balance the sweetness of the strawberries with the richness of the chocolate and the waffle. The tarts—especially the lemon and pecan—are better than they need to be for a place known for waffles.
| Pro Tip: They also make delicious crepes and have various brunch items available too. |
14. La Glace
– Media credit: laglaceicecream
Address: 2785 W 16th Ave
Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 2 PM to 9 PM
- Friday – 2 PM to 10 PM
- Saturday – 12 PM to 10 PM
- Sunday – 12 PM to 9 PM
Phone: +16044280793
Price: $
La Glace is where I go for a little taste of ice cream off the streets of France. The big difference? Their ice cream tastes richer than normal plain dairy vanilla from the grocery store. The crème anglaise base means every flavor is dense, eggy, and almost custardy.
Frasier (strawberry, sponge cake, white chocolate) is the most balanced, and the Tarte au Citron is basically lemon meringue pie in ice cream form. The madeleine flavor is pure nostalgia if you grew up on French pastries.
I also like how they have cool to-go glass jars for take home pints—aesthetic and reusable .
| Pro Tip: Go for the tasting flight if you’re indecisive or with friends—four or six small scoops is the best way to cover ground. |
