Philly’s Best Dessert

By SARAH BAICKER

Updated 1:08 PM EST, Mon, Feb 9, 2009

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Winter’s the best time to go on a dessert binge.

Think about it: You can hide any extra pounds you put on under a chunky sweater, and there’s at least seven months ‘til you’ll have to wear a bathing suit in public.

With those thoughts in mind, check out the list below to see your local media’s picks for top dessert spots in the city. That way, next time you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, you know where to go.

Citysearch: Capogiro
119 S. 13th St. and 117 S. 20th st.
Thank God for those little gelato spoons at Capogiro. The utensils, which have a surface area that can’t possibly be more than a couple square-centimeters, make the delectable gelatos and sorbets last longer. The gelateria’s Midtown Village and Rittenhouse locations both offer 27 rotating varieties of the sweet stuff fresh each morning, with flavors like bacio (chocolate and hazelnut filled with crushed, carmelized hazelnuts), mascarpone and heirloom apple, and dulche de leche. If you’re looking to stay warm while enjoying your frozen treat, Capogiro offers espresso drinks and hot cider, too.

AOL City’s Best: Isgro’s Pasticceria
1009 Christian St.
Any shop that’s been around for more than a century must be doing something right. At Isgro’s, it’s the cannoli. The sweet coils of sugar and cream come in a variety of flavors that includes ricotta, vanilla, chocolate and chocolate mousse—bring a box full of these to Thanksgiving, and you’ll be an instant hit. Of course, as good as the cannolis may be, they’re just the tip of the sweet iceberg at this Italian Market bakery that also makes cupcakes, ganaches, tiramisu and cookies that will keep you coming back for decades to come.

Philadelphia magazine: XIX
Park-Hyatt at the Bellevue, 19th Floor
We’re pretty sure almost everything tastes better 19 stories above bustling Center City, but the desserts at XIX would be just as good below sealevel. Offerings like the wild strawberry shortcake (pistachio butter cake with vanilla mascarpone mousse and lemon olive oil) and the new age banana split (banana crème brulee, hazelnut chocolate mousse, dehydrated strawberry vanilla ice cream, chocolate and cherry ice cream) both satisfy and awe those who try them. Come for the price-fixed three-course lunch, and the dessert bar will likely have you delerious with a crème brulee-induced sugar high. The inevitable crash is well worth it.

Around Town pick: Vetri
1312 Spruce St.
Diners don’t eat at Vetri for the dessert. But those who come for the upscale Italian restaurant’s multi-course tasting menus will often find that, as good as the gnocchi is—and it’s very, very good—it’s the desserts they’re talking about for months to come. Other publications have recognized Vetri’s surprisingly scene-stealing desserts in the past, but it’s still a little-known secret that Chef Marc Vetri knows chocolate as well as he knows prosciutto, veal and truffles. We’ll put it this way: The flourless chocolate cake will have you wondering how you've lived your whole life without it. Really.

More Best of's:
Philly's Best Burger
Philly's Best Pizza
Philly's Best Fries
Philly's Best Coffee Shop
Philly's Best Cocktail
Philly's Best Brunch
Philly's Best Sushi
Philly's Best Mexican
Philly's Best BYOB
Philly's Best Lunch
Philly's Best Seafood
Philly's Best Cheesesteak
Philly's Best Vegetarian
Philly's Best Beer Bar
Philly's Best Dive Bar
Philly's Best Thai
Philly's Best Happy Hour
Philly's Best Romantic Restaurants