There have been more than a few instances where I’m out and about, and a sweet craving hits. I’m sure I’m not the only one. We’ve all been there, walking around Sydney city, post-dinner hankering for a dessert, sweet refuge from the cold.
Fortunately, I’ve always been able to get my sweet tooth fix. So, I decided to round up my favourite late-night desserts in the city because there’s nothing more disappointing than having a cheesecake craving, only to realise most cafes and patisseries close at 3pm.
So, for those times when you too, want to treat yourself in Sydney, here are my go-to late-night dessert spots in the city.
Warike, Surry Hills
‘Warike’ in Peruvian loosely translates to a hidden restaurant where people can eat delicious food—a fitting name for the cosy restaurant helmed by Peruvian-born Hector Chunga. The menu is steeped in his family’s recipes from the Coast of Peru, with a touch of his love for Japanese techniques. Think Peruvian potato stack, pasted with Huacatay sauce and topped with a narrow sliver of Angela chu anchovy and Peru’s other raw fish dish, Tiradito, which, if you ask me, is better than ceviche.
However, we’re here to talk about dessert, so let’s get back on track. The dessert that had me clinking spoons with my dining companion was the Lucuma, which Chunga tells me is a fruit of the Pouteria lucuma tree native to South America. The dessert, looks like a lava pudding. It’s fluffy and spongy, but when pierced, it oozes yellow lucuma fondant, which can only be described as sweet like butterscotch, with a maple syrup-caramel taste lingering on the tastebuds. It melds perfectly with the hazelnut crumb and quenelle of chocolate ice cream, especially when it’s all scooped on the spoon together. Hot and cold is a match made in dessert heaven.
Each bite leaves you craving for more.
Charlotte Bar and Bistro, McMahons Point
When it comes to crafting amazing desserts, the French really know their stuff. At Charlotte, the new bar and bistro serving nostalgic French classics on the North Shore, the desserts deserve a separate menu. You’ll find several sweet treats on the list, including a Paris Brest; however, when I asked the waiter for his recommendation, he didn’t hesitate to name the Tarte aux pommes (apple tart). Paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this dessert arrived as an artwork, with delicately layered apple slices forming a rose. Accompanied by a quenelle of apple ice cream, a chocolate stick, and dollops of rhubarb coulis, the first bite delivered an explosion of flavours, from sweet apple to buttery, crumbly pastry, and the cold embrace of vanilla ice cream. It’s the kind of dessert you’d crave more of, and at $17, it’s a treat I’d gladly indulge in again and again.
Bottega Coco, Barangaroo
Bottega Coco, a recent addition to Barangaroo’s culinary ventures, has quickly become a favourite among locals, including myself. The all-day Italian eatery serves an impressive lunch and dinner offering. The tortellini in brodo is worth a visit alone, but the desserts speak for themselves. The in-house patisserie, helmed by Executive Chef Pier Davide Maiuri’, is unlike anything Sydney has seen before.
Drawing on Michelin-starred experience, Maiuri creates the classics, such as macarons and croissants, to be displayed on the glass counter all day. Although, during dinner service, if you ask for the dessert menu, you will find everything you need to satisfy any sweet cravings. Adding a fresh twist on a classic, expect a round mound of Tiramisu, a lemon meringue tart topped with raspberry and pistachio, and the signature dessert, which became a signature by accident, Coco’s L’opera House.
Yes, this dessert is shaped just like the Opera House. It might sound like a novelty, but there are no shortcuts here. The chocolate is tempered to perfection, using quality ingredients; inside, a coconut sponge with lamington mousse and a tart berry coulis balances out the sweetness of the chocolate. A crunch wattle-seed biscuit base adds texture. For $25, it can feed four, although you’ll be fighting over the last piece.
Loulou, Milsons Point
Loulou is another all-day eatery inspired by French fare, including a boulangerie, delivering pastries and other baked goods all day, and a traiteur for all your take-home meals, including sausage rolls and country terrine. Although they close at 4 pm, so after dark, if you’re left wondering where to go, head next door to the Bistro.
The dinner menu has one of my favourite dishes in Sydney, the John Dory farci swimming in Champagne sauce, although when I’m not here for dinner, I come for dessert. The dessert menu has a few options, including petite madeleines that are tiny pillows of heaven and should be dipped in chocolate mousse.
Although if I had to pick one dessert, it would be the Crème caramel. It’s jiggly, creamy, and sweet enough to curb sugar cravings but light enough not to be sickly. The bistro also offers a romantic atmosphere, perfect for those late-night sweet bites with a loved one. For $18, this dessert was made for two people to share.
Bouillon L’Entrecôte, Circular Quay
One word: crème brûlèe. This French restaurant makes for a beautiful long-lunch or romantic dinner spot with its quirky vintage posters and natural light-flooded dining room overlooking Circular Quay.
Although, if you find yourself wandering around the area late at night, preferably before 10 pm, slink upstairs and order the crème brûlèe. Think of a glass-like shell of sugar protecting a creamy, rich vanilla custard base. It’s velvety, simple, and worth $17. My only criticism, you need to order one each. This is a dessert you want all to yourself. Trust me on that.
NOMAD Sydney, Surry Hills
If you haven’t already tried NOMAD, do yourself a favour and book a table now. The mushroom and bone marrow empanadas are perfection. Although, we’re all about dessert right now, so let’s focus on the olive oil ice cream sandwich. This tasty morsel is unlike most desserts.
Executive Chef Jacqui Challinor brings her heritage into this dessert, and it’s well worth the trip to Surry Hills. The sandwich is made up of olive oil ice cream, covered in pistachio, a drizzle of honey, and bits of halva, a traditional Middle Eastern sweet candy. You can never go wrong with this slab of indulgence.
Uncle Tetsu’s, CBD
Sometimes I just want to eat a whole cheesecake. Don’t judge. When I’m craving cheesecake, I turn to Uncle Tetsu’s. The fluffy, jiggly, lighter-than-air cheesecakes are always ready for takeaway. You can get different sizes, too, including one perfectly portioned for one person. They also sling tripe-baked cheese tarts and match cheese tarts. The whole in-wall store on George Street is open until 9pm.
Related: Life Is Sweet! Meet the Cast of ‘MasterChef Australia: Dessert Masters’