With the weather starting to warm up now, there’s a lot more freedom to go out to eat and maybe pick up some treats for yourself along the way. While the recent (and ongoing) pandemic has caused many longtime businesses to shutter their doors, there are still some good spots around town.
When I was younger, the house we lived in had a Dairy Queen close to the neighbourhood and we would walk there for a cool treat every spring and summer. Eventually, when we moved to the condo a new neighbourhood away, the Dairy Queen closed down but there was another about a 20 min bus ride away. I still make it a goal to try and get a DQ blizzard once a year as a treat, but there are other places too!
But why once a year? Well, long story short, I was not lactose intolerant when I was younger but somehow after my 20th birthday, I’ve started slowly becoming more and more lactose intolerant. It’s apparently a really common thing, but I never knew that. It does suck though because sometimes I forget and it’s never a good time. Moving on, here are some places to get sweet treats in Toronto!
Nani’s Gelato
Nani’s Gelato went from being sold out of a truck to now having two locations in Ontario, one by Bloor-Yonge and the other location in Mississauga. I got to try Nani’s Gelato for the first time last year, and I’ve been going back to buy pints every so often. They usually have new drops every week and occasionally limited pints during special occasions that I think everyone should try out! They do have different options available too so I recommend checking their Instagram for what flavours they have in stock at the moment before visiting.
Fugo Desserts
Fugo Desserts had moved locations recently and is now accessible from Osgoode Station. They have really great mini donuts in various flavours, and also sell pints and scoops of ice cream. There are various flavours for the ice cream but I think the Cookie Monster one is their signature. As for the donuts, I highly recommend their Creme Brulee ones! They also seem to be selling Cheese Tarts as well, these are things you can order online for pickup in-store.
Tsujiri
This Tsujiri location is close to the Greyhound/Long Distance Bus station by Bay and Dundas, and it’s small but the desserts there are great! I’ve tried their dango before, and I usually get their Citron float that has matcha soft-serve on top. It’s very refreshing for a super hot day, and there are multiple ways to eat it. I prefer eating the ice cream and drinking the drink separately (as much as I can since they’re in the same cup) but my mom loves to mix everything together. Highly recommend visiting if you’re close by!
Isabella’s Mochi Donuts
Okay, so this is accessible from Osgoode station and is close to Fugo. They sometimes sell out very quickly in the day, so I recommend ordering them for pickup early on. They have new flavours every week and there’s something so filling about these mochi donuts. If you’ve never tried them before they are exactly like donuts but chewier, and seem a little denser so they fill you up quickly. Some of their stores also offer drink combos with the donuts so yeah!
Dipped Donuts
Dipped Donuts is located in Kensington Market, and their store makes the entire street smell delicious honestly! They have really creative flavours for their donuts, and it’s tasty too! I don’t get to visit too often (work and school) but I make sure to get something from there when I’m around the area.
Daango Cake Lab
My mom likes to call Daango Cake Lab the perfect mix of Asian and “American” baking, combining the best of both worlds in dessert and I honestly have to agree. They are a little bit on the pricey side but their desserts are just so good. Their macarons are amazing too, so many flavours!
Craig’s Cookies
I heard about Craig’s Cookies when I was in high school, and it wasn’t until they expanded and added a store at Yorkdale, that I was able to go try out their cookies. And they’re really good! There are a lot of different types of cookies available, so I’d try and check before heading out, or you have the option of ordering them online. I have a few favourites but they change so often, so I’ll just say I love most flavours!
Oh Snap Cookie Co.
I only recently had time to order a box of cookies, and pick them up by first impressions: their cookies are really, really good! They have a lot of different cookies (I highly recommend the Matcha one!) and have two central pickup areas as well as delivery I believe, check out their Instagram about ordering and whatnot.
A little review: So their cookies are the soft, slightly-chewy kind that’s also a little delicate but hefty too. I got the Be Kinder and Matcha ones, and the Be Kinder one was just a tad sweeter. However, I think these should be parent-friendly because they aren’t too sweet! Honestly, I can see myself ordering more over time, so I highly recommend them!
And there, you go! A list of 8 Warmer Weather Treats in Toronto. Hope you enjoy the treats and the warm weather while it lasts!
