These Delectable Local Desserts Are Worth Seeking Out on Your Next Trip

Desserts can be a sweet, lasting memory of an extraordinary travel experience. When the hosts of Newsweek’s Fast Women podcast travel, we don’t leave finding the best pastries in town to chance. Instead, we ask the locals which restaurant, shop or stand makes the very best; the hotel concierge is often a great resource, too. From coffee cake at Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery in California to milkshakes at Diesel & Crème in South Africa or Sacher Torte at the Café Sacher in Austria, the sweet treats on this list are some of our favorites around the globe—and well worth a trip to discover.

Seven Sisters Butter Ring Coffee Cake at Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery
Solvang, California

Layers of almond and custard filling combine with traditional coffee cake to make a heavy pastry weighing several pounds. Get yours fresh from the bakery and travel home with it—it’s good for days after purchase and can be reheated in the oven.

Buttermilk Pie at Greenwood Grocery
Greenwood, Texas

The key to acquiring this smooth but tangy buttermilk pie is getting to Greenwood, near Dallas, early in the day. Sold commonly by the slice rather than an entire pie tin at a time, it’s so good you won’t want to share slices. Bring cash.

Beavertails at Mont Tremblant
Quebec City

Right next to the ski slopes of Mont Tremblant is a pastry shop that sells fried whole wheat dough goodness with a taste similar to an American funnel cake, topped with fresh fruit, drizzle, sprinkles, a smear of chocolate or a host of other options.

Churros and Chocolate at Chocolatería San Ginés
Madrid

Chocolate and pastry. What more could you want? Enjoy a heaping plate of fresh, hot churros along with a whole coffee mug of chocolate for dipping. A stop at the circa 1874 restaurant is the perfect way to end a day of exploring vibrant Madrid.

Afternoon Tea at The Langham
London

Get fancy when you’re in London with a proper afternoon tea. Choose from over 30 different teas to enjoy, along with finger sandwiches, tarts, assorted sweets and delicious British biscuits. Splurge on a glass of champagne to finish the experience.

Sveler on Ferries
Throughout Norway

Traveling through Norway means getting on a ferry or two, which is the best place to try sveler. Similar to American pancakes, they are served as a snack rather than for breakfast. Instead of syrup, these tasty treats are served spread with butter and a sprinkling of sugar, then folded in half for easy eating on the go.

Hot Chocolate at Caffè Florian
Venice

Take in the sights and sounds of St. Mark’s Square while you sip on a luscious cup of hot chocolate at this 300-year-old cafe. You can even get the signature chocolate blend sealed in a little brown velvet takeaway bag so you can recreate this delight at home.

Sacher Torte at Café Sacher
Vienna

This famous confection is served at the cafe inside the Hotel Sacher. Created by Franz Sacher in 1832 for Prince Metternich, this torte has layers of rich chocolate cake sandwiching a thin layer of apricot jam. The whole thing is coated in chocolate frosting, making it a dessert truly fit for royalty.

Milkshakes at Diesel & Crème
Barrydale, South Africa

This vintage diner and motel along South Africa’s version of Route 66 has delightfully creamy milkshakes that serve as a perfect sweet treat and stopping point as you head out for a day east of Cape Town. Switch up your usual order and try their unique flavors like lemon meringue or rum raisin and blueberry.

Rugelach at Marzipan
Jerusalem

Follow the enticing smell of pastries and breads to the understated entrance to this bakery on Agrippas Street in the Mahane Yehuda market. The stall sells moist, billowy rugelach (sold by the kilo) as the house specialty. Grab a sesame and honey Jerusalem bagel for the walk to your next destination, and you won’t be sorry.

French-Style Pastries at Pâtiss-Ian
Seoul, South Korea

The clean white structure of this French patisserie near Seoripul Park welcomes locals and visitors as one of the city’s must-visit dessert locations. You really can’t go wrong with anything you order, and each offering looks like a work of art with tastes that range from chocolate to mango to cheesecake and nearly everything in between.

Eton Mess at F.G. Smith Eatery
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

This casual, modern coffee shop in downtown Napier pairs their excellent flat whites with delicious house-made desserts. The Eton Mess (raspberry and white chocolate meringue, fresh berries and cream) is a perfect way to top off a day of wine tasting in the heart of New Zealand wine country.