Five of the best places to get dessert in Edinburgh

Fancy something fattening? Here are five of the best places in Edinburgh to indulge in delicious desserts

Published 14th Oct 2015
Updated 9 th Aug 2023

From ice cream sundaes to child-pleasing chocolate fondues, brownies to bitter chocolate concoctions strictly for grown-ups, Scotland's capital has an excellent range of dessert options.

Paying homage to the government-sponsored National Milk Bars of the mid-twentieth century, Mary's Milk Bar is gelato heaven in a pastel-toned Art Deco package. Flavours that have to be tasted to be believed include tea and biscuits; fig sorbet; goat's cheese and honey; rose; cardamom and thyme; salted caramel and rosemary and lemon curd – all of which can be served by the scoop, sandwiched into a donut oyster, piled up in a sundae or bobbing in a hot chocolate float. Mary's is open till 7 so ideal for after lunch or an early tea, or taken home for a post-supper treat.

Love Crumbs, which deals in cake, cake, and more cake. Picture: Love Crumbs/Facebook

Love Crumbs, which deals in cake, cake, and more cake. Picture: Love Crumbs/Facebook

Garnering rave reviews since opening in 2012, Love Crumbs is proud to serve cake and cake alone – and in their cosy living room-type space on the West Port you'll find wooden dressers full of them: chocolate tarts flavoured with lavender or pistachio and orange; seasonal offerings like pumpkin peanut butter or bramble, rosemary and cardamom cake; concoctions of plum and polenta, salted caramel and rosemary; coffee and rose cake and smoked salt rye brownies – all baked by hand fresh each day using as many local, seasonal ingredients as possible. Only open till 6pm, this is where to head for your third course post-lunch or take your treats to go to serve after dinner at home.

The famous conveyor belt at the Chocolate Lounge. Picture: Harvey Nichols/Facebook

The famous conveyor belt at the Chocolate Lounge. Picture: Harvey Nichols/Facebook

Calling its all-too-tempting conveyor belt set-up a “catwalk for chocolate”, the Chocolate Lounge at Harvey Nichols has proved a hit with kids and grown-ups alike. The menu includes chocolate sandwiches of brioche and marshmallows, four types of chocolate fondue, chocolate and popcorn sundaes, chocolate brownie s'mores and a chocolate tasting plate comprising white chocolate raspberry brulée, caramel pecan brownie, toffee crunch blondie, while for the adults there are “Choctails” including cocoa-themed Martinis and White Russians.

The North Bridge Brasserie, at the Scotsman Hotel. Picture: NBB

The North Bridge Brasserie, at the Scotsman Hotel. Picture: NBB

The pudding menu at the North Bridge Brasserie at the glamorous and entirely grown-up five-star Scotsman Hotel is served till 10pm and offers up decidedly sophisticated desserts such as apple tarte tatin with juniper ice cream; bitter chocolate delice and black cherries and raspberry parfait with white chocolate and lemon, each accompanied by suggestions of which wine to pair them with. There are even dessert-themed cocktails, like the Sticky Toffee Pudding or the Lemon Tart.

Fleur de Sel, one of Edinburgh's favourite creperies. Picture: Fleur de Sel/Facebook

Fleur de Sel, one of Edinburgh's favourite creperies. Picture: Fleur de Sel/Facebook

For something a little different, head to Fleur de Sel. This New Town crêperie uses flour imported from Brittany to dish up crêpes filled with homemade Chantilly cream and chocolate sauce; apple and salted caramel with Calvados; vanilla ice cream and chestnut spread or banana, dried grape and ice cream flambéed in rum. There's also a hand-picked selection of Breton ciders on offer, including some especially for pairing with desserts. Open till 9.30pm Monday to Friday and 10pm on Saturdays.

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