Craving something sweet? We get it. A little sugar rush is sometimes all you need to get you through the day. There are plenty of cafés, bars and bakeries that are little treasure troves of sugary delights. From ice cream and milkshakes to cakes and cookies, they’ve truly got it all. We’ve found nine must-try dessert spots in DC in which to satisfy your sweet tooth. To make things easier, we’ve created a neat little map (check it out below) that you can save for your next sweet emergency arises. Enjoy!
1. Baked & Wired, Georgetown
Get ready to stuff your face full with this bakery’s delicious gourmet cupcakes. Whether you go traditional with their red velvet or feel adventurous and decide to try their Elvis impersonator with candied bacon on top, Baked & Wired’s “cakecups” are a mouthful of sugary goodness.
And if you’re not feeling the cupcake vibe, try some other of their small-batch treats such as their OMG bars, a graham-cracker bar topped with caramel, marshmallow, and bittersweet chocolate.
Baked & Wired is currently open for takeout, pickup, and delivery every day from 8 am until 4 pm.
Find Baked & Wired at 1052 Thomas Jefferson St NW.
2. Olivia Macaron, Georgetown
Are you a fan of the almondy French treats? Then you better run over to Olivia Macaron right about now. This Georgetown shop is entirely dedicated to producing delicately gorgeous macarons that we can’t stop staring at.
Olivia Macaron carries traditional flavors such as salted caramel and vanilla bean, as well as seasonal flavors like lemon meringue and Mexican chocolate.
If your favorite seasonal macaron goes off the menu, don’t worry, they offer to make batches of all of its past seasonal flavors upon order. You’ll never have to mourn the loss of your favorite macaron again! Olivia Macaron is only open for takeout at its Georgetown location, but you can also get their delicious confections online on their website!
Find Olivia Macaron at 3270 M Street NW
3. Georgetown Cupcake, Georgetown
An absolute must and a total DC classic! Georgetown Cupcakes may now have locations all across the US and ships nationwide but there’s nothing like going back to the roots. Head back to where it all started and buy their delicious cupcakes from the original Georgetown Cupcake store.
Georgetown Cupcakes is currently open for pre-order pick-ups only, no in-store service is available!
Find Georgetown Cupcakes at 3301 M St NW.
4. District Doughnut, Georgetown
Holy moly are these doughnuts good!
They may not be square but boy, do they take gourmet doughnuts to a different level. With flavors like Vanilla crème brulêe and Cannoli, you know you won’t go wrong when choosing District Doughnut to satisfy your need for something sweet.
District Doughnut’s Georgetown location is now open 8 am until 4 pm Monday through Friday and 9 am until 5 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Find District Doughnut at 3327 Cady’s Alley NW.
5. Thomas Sweet, Georgetown
Are you an ice cream fan? Do you enjoy a good retro dessert? Then you got to visit Thomas Sweet! This old-timey Georgetown sweets shop has something for everyone in the family, including ice cream, frozen yogurt, fudge, and truffles.
So if you’re on the hunt for a place that’s stocked up with a range of sweet treats, then this place is your best bet. Yum!
Find Thomas Sweet at 3214 P St NW.
6. Levain Bakery, Georgetown
NYC’s beloved Levain Bakery opened its first store outside of the Big Apple in September 2020 when it came to Georgetown.
At Levain, you’ll find a wide range of cookie flavors including the classic chocolate walnut, dark chocolate-peanut butter chip, and oatmeal raisin, as well as a nut-free, double chocolate chip one and a gluten-free chocolate walnut one.
The best part?
You can also get them with milk (both traditional and non-dairy) and if you head over to Levain in the morning there’ll also be coffee and cold brew.
Find Levain at 3131 M St, NW.
7. Astro Doughnuts, Downtown
This downtown spot isn’t just your average doughnut shop–no sir. At Astro Doughnuts, you’ll find fried chicken and doughnuts and they’re not sold separately. Oh, yes, this spot sells mind-blowing fried chicken doughnuts if you’re up for the adventure.
But, if you’re looking for a good ol’ fashioned doughnut to satisfy your cravings, this shop has some pretty banging flavors. Regular ones at their D.C. store include crunchy crème brûleé, PB&J, vanilla glaze and maple bacon. And if those weren’t enough to satisfy your sweet craving, they also have special flavors like moon pie, chocolate mud pie, tropical crunch, dulce de leche and their current special–chocolate chip cookie dough.
Find Astro Doughnuts at 1308 G Street NW
8. Tatte Bakery, Dupont Circle
The Israeli-inspired bakery has become a total hit in its native town of Boston and has now finally landed in the Nation’s Capital. Tatte Bakery’s menu is full of delicious Mediterranean-inspired options, including mouthwatering halva treats, tiramisù and babka.
If you’re looking for more traditional sweet treats, the bakery has some other incredible options including mini cheesecakes, croissants, and cinnamon rolls. And you can even get freshly baked bread here, too.
Find Tatte Bakery at 1200 New Hampshire Avenue NW.
9. Ted’s Bulletin, Shaw
Ted’s Bulletin is one of our favorite spots to grab pancakes for breakfast but it also has some pretty awesome goodies if you’re looking to get your sweet fix, including their famous Ted Tarts.
These home-made pastries come in several different flavors including strawberry, brown sugar & cinnamon, s’mores, blueberry cheesecake, and a seasonally rotating flavor–they’re latest seasonal flavor was raspberry cream. Yum!
Find Ted’s Bulletin at 1818 14th St NW or 505 8th St SE.