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Amelie’s (NoDa, Uptown, Park Road, Rock Hill, Caramel Commons & Atlanta)
Amelie’s is a Charlotte staple for homemade french treats and delicious coffees. Their claim to fame is their salted caramel brownie, but my heart belongs to the éclair (choose from vanilla or chocolate custard). This is a great spot to linger and read a book, or get some work done as you sip your café au lait. There are now several locations to choose from, and each one offers the same quaint vibe and full range of menu options.
Golden Cow Creamery (South End)
Golden Cow makes all of their ice cream in house, and it’s walkable from lots of South End breweries and dinner spots if you find yourself craving something sweet on a night out! Their offerings change regularly, but try to catch the Honeycomb or Dunkaroos flavors. Bonus: there is outdoor seating for those balmy southern nights.
Sunflour (Elizabeth & Dilworth)
You can’t go wrong at Sunflour--everything is made from scratch, and their baked goods are to die for. Kids of all ages love their cookies and cupcakes, while more mature palates might go for the almond croissants, vegan raspberry muffins, or the “fig newtons.” On the savory side, their cheddar biscuits are the stuff of Charlotte lore. Make sure you grab a matcha latté or a coffee, too--hot or iced. There are two locations of Sunflour--one in Dilworth and one in the Elizabeth neighborhood.
Two Scoops Creamery (Plaza Midwood & Lake Norman)
Image courtesy Charlotte Five
Check out this ice cream joint for 70+ flavors that rotate yearly and tons of toppings on deck. Crowd pleasing favorites include Cookie Monster, Crazy Cake, and the Midnight Snacker. And yes--they do offer a signature “two-scoop” cone in case you don’t like it when your ice cream flavors mingle. There is now a Lake Norman location in addition to the original Plaza Midwood spot.
Renaissance Patisserie (South End)
Photo courtesy Renaissance Patisserie website
Located in South End, Renaissance Patisserie is the real deal for authentic french pastries. Chef Sylvain Rivet delivers impressively beautiful and delicious treats such as the tarte aux pommes or kouign-amann pastries. There is not much in the way of seating here, but it would be a great place to grab a loaf of bread (and several pastries ) to munch on for the duration of your trip to Charlotte.
Ninety’s (University Area)
Ninety’s, which is located in the University area, brings levity to the Charlotte dessert scene. Their offerings are not only fun, but tasty, too! They have frozen cookie dough pops (yes, cookie dough on a stick), macaron ice cream sandwiches, and their signature yum-ee bun, which is cold ice cream is sandwiched in a warm glazed donut with lots of options for flavors and customization.
