Dessert Restaurants near Santa Monica, CA

“Interesting as after handles..this was ok..
great outing met with excellent welcoming staff.
Hand made icecream since 1945..are a treat to feast..amazing flavours..great lines..happy faces an active school playground and a royal strawberry moon on the horizon. We took peanut flavor..nice swirl and great value.“

“Great place to have ice cream or drinks and bests. You can make the hole cons ready yourself with whatever toppings you want, ranging from a simple 128 and a 1/2 dollars over a complete 1 at 12 and a 1/2 the final cake, it's simply superb cones are very fresh and with the weather. It feels like big treat, amazing footfalls and great service“

“Very good turkey chili and chicken pot pie“

“OK, it’s cookies, not pastries… but oh, my, oh, my!! Delicious, imaginative cookies. We went in for 2, came out with a dozen (+ 1 for a baker’s dozen‼️).“

“I feel bad for the one and only employee working there today who's coworker left her with no cookies baked and unable to fulfill the orders. She did the best she could and was apologetic and explained the lack of product. Need to have more than one person running a store like this.“

“Delicious ice cream and best red bean paste! We can’t wait to go back!“

“As a Parisian girl who grew up eating incredible pastries, I have very high standards. Since moving to the U.S., I’ve tried so many bakeries across the country, and I can confidently say: Artelice does not play around!

Their pastries are perfectly executed—from the flavors and quality of the ingredients to the beautiful presentation. Everything is refined, balanced, and visually stunning.

The best pastries I’ve had in the U.S. so far. Bravo to the Artelice team! 👏“

“Delicious flavors! I love them 😍 will have to visit more often“

“My review is for the new thin cookies.
I went during the free thin cookie giveaway and bought the Dubai style chocolate cookie. $7 for 2 thin cookies. I got the brownie batter and it was great, falling apart but good. Taste wise for Dubai chocolate was also good. Cookie quality in terms of taste is not the issue. I love chewy cookies but I'm giving it 3 stars for value and also how my cookies stuck together by the time I got home, which was less than 2 miles, so packaging fail. The ladies working at the shop was nice and quick. But $7 for 2 filmsy cookie is a bit expensive in my opinion.“

“Still absolutely amazing after all these years!

Staff is fantastic, churros are hot, fresh, and crispy, made the perfect way just like Miami or Spain or wherever! Coffees and drinks are all amazing.

I love this place and I wish they were closer! But I am happy to visit whenever I am nearby“

“I’ve never had an ice cream dessert quite like this before! It was such a unique experience and absolutely delicious. It was a little messy to eat, but completely worth it. I’d definitely recommend coming here and trying it for yourself. I’ll absolutely be back to explore more flavors, especially the hojicha and matcha! Updated from previous review on 2026-08-25“

“The best non dairy ice cream in LA! For me it’s like a thick slurpee but better“

“The dessert box was a big hit even by seasoned bakers. The kids claimed their favorites first. I highly recommend saving your host time and worry. Take the best. My host had a sneak bite and energized with a huge smile to greet her guests with a huge smile knowing the grand finale was going to be stunning and delicious! BIG HIT“

“I came here for gelato, and it was absolutely delicious! Both the sugar cone and the cup were excellent. The strawberry flavor is my favorite, and it was simply perfect. We also brought our little dog with us, and she was welcomed so warmly and received lots of attention. We’re so happy we found this place. The atmosphere is beautiful, clean, and thoughtfully maintained down to every detail. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a delicious afternoon treat.“

“This creamy, delicious ice cream hit the spot! The center well of tasty sauce just adds to the joy! The lovely owner clearly made each treat with love as they were thoroughly covered in the toppings. Making each bite more delectable than the last!
We sought them out in NY and were thrilled they are on the West Coast! We can’t wait to return.“

“I ordered these for my son's culture fair at school. He was presenting facts on Brazil and asked me to make 100 brigadeiros, which I had never done before. Instead I found this shop across the country and boy did I make the right choice. The classic chocolate brigadeiros were absolutely delicious and were a hit at my son's culture fair. The shipping was fast and Maya was the sweetest. Will definitely order again!“

“the grapes are great!!!!!“

“I been waiting for a long time for this moment love shave ice I just tasted it is delicious:)“

“Creamery really rises to the cone-casion — pun intended

Creamery is a true Manhattan Beach institution. Generations of locals have ended beach days here, and it’s easy to see why. While the ice cream is excellent, the real star is the legendary ice cream sandwich—freshly baked cookies wrapped around generous scoops of ice cream. Simple, messy, and absolutely worth it.

The atmosphere is casual and friendly, with that classic Southern California beach-town charm. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a longtime local, Creamery is one of those places that never seems to go out of style.

Pro tip: Order the ice cream sandwich, no questions asked. Then take the short walk to the pier or the Strand—it’s the Manhattan Beach tradition you didn’t know you needed.“

“Best gluten free treats around! It's a small shop, but I love the vibe! I can't wait to order my birthday cake and party treats!! Parking can be tough at times...but street parking is available!“

“I happened to stumble upon this place after going to the academy museum of motion pictures, I got the oreo attack and my girlfriend got the Smores banana. The fruit was so fresh and the chocolate was excellent. The owner was very friendly and mentioned she just opened the place 3 weeks ago. I hope this business is successful because the food is good quality and the owner seems like a nice person!“

“Delicious flavor! Staff was nice. Prices decent. My only qualm is that I thought I ordered both deluxe but got a classic smaller size for one of the cookies. It was only my second time at an Insomnia Cookies so I wish the person helping me had clarified which size I wanted for my chocolate chunk since it comes in different sizes.“

“My husband and I were visiting from Florida and originally came to this area for the tacos. While we were there we spotted this small churro stand and decided to give it a try.

First let me say that the price is probably one of the best i've come across at a churro stand. For just $8, you get eight full sized churros and one dipping sauce. Since it was our first visit, the owner even threw in an extra dipping sauce for us to try.

Now on to the churros they were delicious! You could tell the ingredients were fresh, and they were made to order right in front of us. The owner's recommendation to leave the box open helped keep the churros nice and crispy. We tried the strawberry and coconut dipping sauces, and both were great, but we preferred the strawberry or honestly, no sauce at all. The churros were that good on their own!

Lastly the owners are awesome. They're incredibly charismatic and you can tell they genuinely care about their business and take pride in the quality of their product.

If you're in the area definitely give this place a try!“

“I went into this store early morning and Sara helped me. It being my 1st time here I did fall in love with your M&M cookie as well as the salted caramel.They were fresh and delicious and warm and gooey within every bite. Will be most definitely coming back. Thank you so much Sara for your help in helping me understand what your store offers.Will be signing up for the Rewards program most definitely.“

“2026-June

I’m not sure if they have parking close by since we walked from a parking garage a few blocks away. We arrived a little late, but the staff were still accommodating and friendly.

The halo‑halo was good, and overall the visit was okay. A simple spot for a quick dessert, especially if you’re already in the area.

Ice cream... yummy 😋“

“Everything here is nice at first glance. Good coffee, pleasant service, and a cozy atmosphere. The only thing that really surprised me was the tables. They are so light and wobbly that leaning on one or even setting down your drink feels risky. It almost feels like a reflection of real life: everything looks beautiful, but there is nothing you can truly lean on. Replace the tables, and this place would be so much more enjoyable.“

“GLUTEN-FREE CHURROS! Enough said.“

“We had the mini pancakes days ago and we're still thinking about this place! Soooo good! One of the best desserts I've had in a while. The mini pancakes were fresh and delicious. Topped with fresh banana and strawberry, shredded phyllo (crispy ingredient in dubai chocolate), drizzled with pistachio & nutella. So much goodness. OMG! We inhaled it. Highly recommended and we'll definitely go back.“

“I love this place. Great baristas. Great espresso. Amazing Fizzy tea“

“Stumbled upon this little hole in the wall spot run out of an Italian restaurant. I think they were possibly not open for the day yet, but the owner was very sweet to invite me inside anyway. Amazing list of options on the bakery menu; Italian desserts and other sweet treats, I was very impressed. This little local gem must be loved by the area. I didn’t check out the actual restaurant menu, but if the service is any guide, I am betting it is good. I shall return.“

“Came around 9am and got a few donuts along with a bacon, egg and cheese croissant. Donuts were nice and soft, perfectly glazed. It reminds me a lot of my aunt's donuts and I always thought she made the best donuts in the family compared to the rest of the family on both of my parents side. The croissant sandwich is good too, it has mayo, scrambled egg and bacon on a big croissant. It's good value for what you get, it's not toasted or packaged like you would get at any upscale coffee shop, but I still think it's good for a quick fix. Having grown up in a donut shop and being around family who also owned donut shops for 40+ years, I understand all the work and effort that goes into operating a donut shop. Whoever is the baker here at this donut shop is doing a wonderful job at making the donuts. Kudos to the operators for getting the right flour for the donuts as well.

All in all I think this is a great donut shop with a good selection of items without having too many things to sell like some other locations. I would come back here again if i had a hankering for donuts while I'm in SoCal.

But this is a nice quaint donut shop, and if you like softer donuts this is the place for you. But if you like the tougher donuts then I wouldn't recommend this place. The price seemed reasonable to me, especially with the cost of flour going up; it's justifiable in my opinion. There is no inside seating; only take out. The people working were friendly enough as well. If you got time, definitely give this place a try. Parking looks to be small but it wasn't packed like i had expected when i walked in that morning.“

“I used to love Beard Papa's and would come here regularly a few years ago. Back then, the cream puffs tasted much fresher and more flavorful. Unfortunately, my recent visits haven't been the same. The quality seems to have gone down, and the cream filling just doesn't taste as good as it used to. The staff is still friendly, and the location is convenient, but the product itself isn't what I remember. I hope they can bring back the quality that made this place special.“

“Oh wow!! Just had the 5” apple pie and it was absolutely incredible! It was perfect! Better than any pie I’ve ever had and my 84-year-old mom said the same thing. THIS is what pie is supposed to taste like!“