Looking to hit your sweet spot? North Shore residents don’t have to venture very far, as Evanston has plenty of decadent offerings that will have you skipping straight to dessert.
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DB3
- Address: 1704 Central St., Evanston
With daily rotating donut flavors, your taste buds are always in for a surprise at DB3. Popular flavors that frequently make it on the menu include maple bacon, pistachio cream, Nutella chocolate mousse and coconut marshmallow snowball. DB3 is also known for its cereal donuts, with flavor variations in fruity pebbles, cinnamon toast crunch and lucky charms.
Bennison’s Bakery
- Address: 1000 Davis St., Evanston
A North Shore institution for more than 80 years, there’s always plenty of chatter about Bennison’s macarons. Owner Jory Downer, a certified master baker from the Retailer’s Bakery Association, makes sure to follow a rigorous process – hand pipe each cookie onto parchment then bake for 12 minutes, cooled and then filled. Every color is a different flavor, and everyday staples include salted caramel, strawberry, lemon, pistachio, chocolate and red velvet with cream cheese inside.
Will’s Place
- Address: 7027 Lincoln Ave., Skokie
Will’s Place is a nonprofit café, creating meaningful jobs for adults with disabilities. Will’s is famous for its chocolate chip cookies – a special recipe from owner Will Schejbal which took many years to perfect. While it is simple, this cookie does not skimp on taste. This sweet, buttery treat has the perfect ratio of a sweet, doughy center with crispy edges. Will makes sure he approves every batch himself!
Tags Bakery
- Address: 2010 Central St., Evanston
For generations, Tag’s Bakery in Evanston has been providing elegant and tasty baked goods and desserts for all occasions. The beloved bakery has the best pie around. Choose from fruit pies with double crust (apple, blueberry, cherry, peach), Dutch crust (fruit pie topped with streusel), or cream pies (banana cream, coconut cream, Boston cream, key lime, lemon meringue). Make sure to get in line for seasonal favorites like pumpkin and strawberry rhubarb, which sell out fast.
Hartigan’s Ice Cream Shoppe
- Address: 2909 Central St., Evanston
Reminiscent of an old ice cream parlor, Hartigan’s is always stocked with more than 40 flavors of everyday ice cream (blueberry waffle cone, cookie monster, peanut butter and chocolate ecstasy, 15 seasonal flavors (play dough, deep dish apple pie, eggnog) and half a dozen rotating specials each month (Carolina peach, scotcharoo, Irish coffee). Watching your weight? They also offer low fat, no sugar and non fat varieties. Turn any scoop into a sundae or opt for it in a soda fountain drink.
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