Here in Cary, NC, we have many local dessert shops that offer one-of-a-kind sweets. So, in case you can’t resist your sweet tooth, we have listed nine must-try dessert shops in the Cary, North Carolina area!
Duck Donuts (100 Wrenn Drive Suite 101 Cary, NC 27511)
What began in the Outer Banks in Duck, North Carolina is now offered here in Cary, NC. Duck Donuts is a family-owned, fresh donut shop that offers made-to-order donuts with special toppings. Additionally, you can even watch the donuts being made and choose from their variety of flavors. One customer praised Duck Donuts by saying, “Quite close to being the perfect doughnut. So light and airy with incredible flavor and toppings. And definitely amongst the freshest doughnuts you can have (can even watch them being individually made for you). Awesome doughnuts, super friendly and helpful staff, and a nice clean fun interior.”
Cafe Soul Cups (643 Mills Park Dr, Cary NC 27519)
In need of a cafe but want to try something different and more local? Cafe Soul Cups has everything you need and more! Being the first Korean dessert cafe in Cary, the cafe offers quite an assortment of foods and drinks. While, of course, there are the usual coffees and lattes, there are also the more special drinks, like the sweet Dalgona Crunch Latte made from famous Korean candy, or the traditional Sikhye, a sweet-tasting “rice punch.” For something cold, one must try the shaved ice, the “Bingsoo,” a traditional milk-based, shaved ice dessert. Large and shaped like a mountain, it’s the perfect dessert to share with another! Pastry-wise they also have the Bungeo Ppang, a fish-shaped pastry that can have an assortment of fillings in it such as custard, Nutella, red bean, and more! There is also the Croffle, a croissant-waffle mix originally made in Korea in 2018! This desert cafe even has some lunch foods, like the K-Dogs, which are Korean corn dogs that have a great taste to them! Finally, there are the mochi donuts, which are made from mochi, a glutinous rice grain that gives these treats a soft and tasty texture! Cafe Soul Cups has the whole Korean dessert experience, so it’s a must-try!
Andia’s Ice Cream (10120 Green Level Church Rd, #208 Cary, NC 27519)
Andia’s is a local, premium, and award-winning ice cream shop that offers over 20 flavors, several toppings, and homemade waffle products. As a way to keep things fresh, they offer around 6-7 exclusive flavors that switch every month. In addition, a popular Instagram-worthy item on their menu is the Andia’s Monster Shake, which even appeared on Good Morning America. Another must-try is their ice cream brulee which is made with their award-winning French vanilla ice cream, topped with sugar, and made right in front of you! Overall, as a local ice cream shop that has been ranked both nationally and locally, Andia’s is a must-try if you live in the Triangle!
Asali (107 Edinburgh Drive, Suite 106-A, Cary, NC 27511)
Asali Desserts and Cafe specializes in Mediterranean desserts, cakes, small plates, coffee, teas, and more. The types of desserts they offer are cakes, pies, tarts, and a variety of specialty desserts such as baklava, lady fingers, and kullaj. One customer on Yelp said, “Sweet staff, high-quality drinks/food, and an amazing selection that makes you want to keep coming back to try more!”
Bakers Dozen (1309 Buck Jones Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606)
If you want some fresh donuts, and a wide variety to choose from, Bakers Dozen Donuts should be next on your list. They offer very reasonably priced donuts, and their apple fritters are super popular. If you plan on visiting, customers recommend you come early before they sell out of their most popular donuts! One customer exclaimed, “If you’re in Raleigh do yourself a favor and go get donuts from Bakers Dozen. Whether you’re getting their famous apple fritters or just a simple glazed donut, everything is high quality, soft and delicious!” So, don’t miss out on this great local sweet shop!
Fresh Local Ice Cream (138 East Chatham Street Cary, NC 27511)
Despite its small size in comparison with the likes of Goodberry’s or Baskin Robbins, Fresh has some of the best ice cream in the area. As a small business, it offers an assortment of about 20 flavors, with holiday and monthly specials often showing up too! Their ice cream has an almost indescribable creaminess and softness to it that is really lacking at every other ice cream place. That quality, along with their relatively low prices makes Fresh Local the best ice cream place in town! To add to all that, they can also make milkshakes out of their ice cream, and even have treats for pets!
Once in a Blue Moon Bakery (115-G W Chatham Street Cary, NC 27511)
This small bakery offers a variety of items from cupcakes, to breads, to pastries. They also offer a wide assortment of cake flavors for special occasions or even just to enjoy casually. If you are ever planning a wedding or party, try Blue Moon, as reviews rave about how good their cakes are. All in all, Once in a Blue Moon Bakery has friendly staff and beautiful and delicious dessert items to choose from.
La Farm Bakery (4248 NW Cary Pkwy, Cary, NC 27513)
One of the larger businesses on this list, La Farm Bakery is an excellent bakery with locations all around the Cary/Raleigh area. As a French bakery, the assortment of breads and pastries are baked fresh every day, along with their monthly and holiday specials too! The pastries range from buttery croissants to sweet tarts, to coffees at their cafe too! A must-try is their signature La Farm sourdough bread, which is five pounds worth of delicious boule. On top of all that, they even have baking classes to pass down the art of baking to anyone who might want to learn.
