10 Delicious Desserts From Auckland Restaurants To Try This Weekend

From fruit-fillings to creamy cheesecakes and flambeed meringue – these sugary desserts will fulfil every sweet craving.

Cheesecake from Pici

This cosy and casual Karangahape Rd pasta joint has made its name for its sprawling arcade dining room and pillowy cacio e pepe. However, there’s one dessert serving that mustn’t be missed. Despite Pici’s menu being especially attentive to seasonal stocks, their cheesecake seems to be a dish that never leaves the menu – shortly after the restaurant’s opening in 2021, Jesse Mulligan told Viva readers the dessert was a must-try. Clearly, it has enduring appeal. It’s a heavy and luscious dessert serving, comprised of a cream cheese and lemon batter and finished with a generous glug of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt. It’s dense enough to split with a dining partner too – we’d recommend getting a scoop of their refreshing orange sorbet, if you’re looking to share.

Address: Shop 22, St Kevin’s Arcade, 183 Karangahape Rd.

Sticky toffee pudding from Ragtag

Ragtag categorises their serving as “Mexican-ish” but this dessert has its roots in British cuisine. Their take on a sticky toffee pudding is served with a toffee sauce, containing a splash of rum, and a scoop of Duck Island’s classic vanilla icecream. The menu at the Westmere spot also includes a basque cheesecake and boysenberry canelé – but for a special celebration, the height and decadence of this pudding would make it our first choice.

Address: 162 Garnet Rd, Westmere.

Cake for breakfast from Burnt Butter

If you’re a big birthday person, and look to celebrate your special day for its full, glorious 24 hours, Burnt Butter should be your first port of call. The Avondale diner, which shines with its bright orange storefront, serves up a towering cake for breakfast (the menu discloses it’s a “much loved” pick from regular diners). The sweet breakfast serving is an artful arrangement of baked custard and a sweet and salty crumble, made of nuts and seeds. There are also slight alterations made to the recipe in response to seasonal changes. If you’re looking to continue your sugary feast, you could pair your meal with their bottomless filter coffee and “make it naughty” with a splash of sweet condensed milk. The diner also serves up fantastic chocolate chip cookies (and plenty of other precise sweet treats), if you’re seeking a more abridged sweet treat with a savoury breakfast.

Address: 62 Rosebank Rd, Avondale.

The Melona s’more from Tokki

There’s just one dessert on the menu at this Milford restaurant serving Korean cuisine – a s’more. It’s a little more complex than its name would suggest. The one-bite dessert is a ball of meringue, which encases a dollop of melon-flavoured Melona icecream. It’s torched tableside, producing a delicious contrast between crispy meringue and melty icecream. If you order the house menu, priced at $85pp, you’ll be treated to a stream of dishes. This includes Hwe (raw fish with Korean mustard and minari), ssam (lettuce-wrapped pork galbi) and flat noodles with doenjang pork, before being served this simple but stunning dessert – making this an ideal destination for birthday celebrations.

Address: 87 Kitchener Rd, Milford.

Rum baba from Gilt

Address: 2 Chancery St, Auckland CBD.

Leche frita from Tacoteca

When Tacoteca first opened last year, it listed just one dessert on the menu – Jesse Mulligan called it “stunningly good” while sneakily omitting its name. Now that there are two sweet servings listed, we need to clarify. The leche frita featured a citrus and cinnamon custard coated in tortilla (masa) dust, served with a salted dulce leche for dipping. If you prefer a chocolatey serving, the menu now also features a molten chocolate cake made with masa flour – complete with candied peel and hibiscus flower.

Address: City Works Depot 1/90 Wellesley St West.

Chocolate marquise with potato mille feuille from Bar Magda

Creamy, crunchy, sweet and salty – this treat from this cosy Auckland CBD wine bar covers all of the bases. It’s a mix of icecream and potato chips, presented in a sleek and modern serving. The food at Bar Magda is subject to change seasonally, but this dish remains a staple on their sample menu so, hopefully, it will be available during your visit.

Address: 25b Cross St, Auckland CBD.

Metita

When senior writer Kim Knight visited Michael Meredith’s Metita at the beginning of this year, she made bold statements about one of the restaurant’s sweet servings. In response to tasting the passionfruit curd, sasalapa and coconut yoghurt, Kim wrote: “I immediately proclaimed it the dessert of my reviewing career.” The dessert is still listed on the restaurant’s menu and would likely suit the palates of those who enjoy sweet and sour.

Address: Level 3/90 Federal St, Auckland CBD.

Toffee apple tart from Forest

If there’s one restaurant that has made its name for its seasonal awareness it would be Forest. The plant-based kitchen, helmed by Plabita Florence, turns out dishes dictated by seasonal stocks. The desserts and drinks list often incite fanfare – the deep-fried jelly served throughout autumn earned the restaurant many fans. The latest creation from the kitchen, playing with a plentiful stock of apples, is this toffee apple tart. It’s garnished with a sugary, toffee-ish glaze (blasted with fire for a hint of wintry toastiness).

Address: 243 Dominion Road, Mount Eden.

Tiramisu from Lil Ragu

Tiramisu is often presented in a sharing dish flanked by multiple spoons. This can lead to some combative dessert eating, as you bat away the utensils of your dining companions to ensure you get a fair share. At this Takapuna food truck, you can relax – Jesse Mulligan praises the al fresco dining spot for its decision to serve “excellent individual portions”. Currently, the restaurant is closed, as the owners are visiting Europe to see family. However, they’ve promised they will be back in early September – what could be better than a springtime meal al fresco?

Address: 150 Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna.

More sweet treats

From bakery bestsellers to dessert recipes.

9 Auckland Bakeries Reveal Their Bestselling Treats (& Their Secrets). Bakers from beloved Auckland kitchens highlight the bestselling treats that call customers back (and theorise why they might be in such hot, toasty demand).

Meet Remnants’ Kayla McGregor, The Matakana-Based Designer Making Jackets As Sweet As Jelly Beans. Kayla McGregor is a Matakana-based designer with an affection for lollies and nostalgia.

20 Satisfying Chocolate Recipes To Curb Your Craving For Something Sweet. Baking, desserts and unexpectedly savoury recipes to sweeten up your weekend.

How To Make Doughnuts At Home. This recipe showcases delightful sugar-dusted doughnuts (made from scratch).