Skip dessert? Certainly not! It’s the last chance a restaurant has to leave a lasting impression. Some are savory, and others are sweet, but one thing is certain—they rarely disappoint. Our Inspectors traveled across Canada and the United States in 2023, and these were some of their favorite finales in each destination.
Atlanta
White Bull
Peach Pie
“Served in a sundae dish was a scoop of lemon buttermilk gelato at the base topped with balsamic caramel sauce and a half-moon shaped, fresh peach hand pie. The hand pie was hot, just out of the oven so the contrast of that and the ice cream was incredible.”
Chicago
Kasama
Truffle Croissant
“A petite croissant, served over a brass cooling rack dotted with Pearl sugar and honey, it was filled with a gooey Délice de Bourgogne cheese and finished at the table with black truffle. It’s clever using this as a cheese course. The technique and execution were exemplary.”
Denver
Beckon
Pear, Buckwheat and Celeriac Dessert
“Served in a white bowl, with a wide lip was this warm, delicate individual fluted tart made of buckwheat with a custard filling. It was topped with a cocoa nib-crumble and a quenelle of cinnamon and celeriac ice cream, all sitting on a caramelized pear sauce. The ice cream sounded interesting, but was spectacular; subtle yet flavorful. The buckwheat crust was crumbly, yet rich, the elements of pear, cinnamon and celeriac were nuanced, and the coca nib added real texture.”
New York
Bad Roman
Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake
“Bad Roman may be on a lot of Instagram posts as of late, but there’s no questioning the desserts, especially this tiramisu ice cream cake with its distinct layers of sponge cake, vanilla ice cream, a thin layer of chocolate chips and espresso ice cream. It’s a proper wedge with clear flavors at every level—and shockingly easy to finish in its entirety.”
San Francisco
Nari
Dreaming of Lod Chong
“Served in a small bowl, it’s a square of pandan parfait in a sauce of salted coconut cream. Crushed ice is added as a final flourish, too. It was an unexpected success, expertly balancing sweet and salty notes. The ice also added great texture. It was a solid finish.”
Toronto
Alder
Coconut Cream Pie
“We didn’t think we’d make much of a dent but the whole thing disappeared like a magic trick. The macadamia crust is buttery, crumbly and light, as is the coconut cream, chantilly cream and the garnish, which is a torrent of shaved white chocolate and dark chocolate that has been pressed with hazelnut crust. This is impressively light. We hope it never leaves the menu!”
Vancouver
L’Abattoir
Mille-Feuille
“It’s a totally deconstructed presentation with torn layers of ultra crisp and buttery pastry sheets tucked with a salted honey cream, and crunchy, caramelized buckwheat interspersed and at the base. Bourbon ice cream rounded out the dish. It was salty, sweet, buttery, rich, clean, sweet…so good!”
Washington, D.C.
Maketto
Egg Custard Tart
“This was a wonderful take on a classic Chinese dish. Flaky pie crust, a smooth vanilla egg custard filling, and then the whole thing is finished with sugar and bruleed like a crème brulee. It’s leagues ahead of the classic version you typically see in most dim sum restaurants.”
West Hollywood
Ardor
Mojito Pie
“This was a memorable finale at the attractive Ardor in West Hollywood. A buttery graham cracker crust arrived with a very light lime and mint mousse that was dusted in lime powder to resemble an actual lime. This was served with a lime sorbet and spritzed with rum. It was adorable to look at and even better to eat."
Hero image: Anson Smart/Nari
Thumbnail: Adahlia Cole/Nari
