Sweet Tooth Boston
Bakeries too often make their cupcakes all about elaborate decorations. The actual cake, meanwhile, is a dry, disappointing afterthought. That’s not the case at Sweet Tooth, where fluffy, super-moist cupcakes are more than a match for the rich pompadours of creamy frosting that crown them. The chocolate-ganache-topped Boston Cream, in particular, is a tasty twist on an iconic local treat. 371 W Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127, sweettoothboston.com.
Blueberry Daiquiri, P. B. Sharon's
When the berries are in season, this is the finest drink Boston has to offer the sweet tooth. When they're not, the cognac library here isn't a bad alternative to the alternative. 14-20 Marshall St., Boston, MA .
Café Vanille
Experienced sweet-tooths know exactly where to turn when sugar cravings hit. Vanille's pastry cases are chock full of tantalizing treats: cappuccino cheesecake, chocoholic bliss tart, Boston cream pie. Don't fret if you can't decide. Just sample the bakery's petit fours—bite-sized sensations that include the ethereal diva (chocolate and caramel mousse) and the encore-deserving opera (coffee buttercream cake). We dare you to resist becoming addicted to this Beacon Hill sweet spot. 70 Charles St., Boston, MA frenchmemories.com.
Paul Connors, Radius
For the second year in a row, we've been unable to resist the delectable charms of Radius patissier Paul Connors. The mere mention of his name in Greater Boston sweet-tooth circles produces a range of reactions from barely audible moans to downright drools. Chef Connors' meal-ending treats are passionate, inspired, and sometimes even quirky: The guy is as adept at "candy cape mushroom ice cream sandwiches" as he is at classic creme brulee. And he's a team player: Connors' desserts are the perfect complement to executive chef Michael Schlow's elegant continental dishes, never overshadowing their savory flavors. Calling all pastry chefs: Consider the bar raised. 8 High Street, Boston, MA radiusrestaurant.com.
Little Stevie's
Miss your adolescence? The Formica booths at Little Stevie's aren't just seats, they're time machines that sweep you right back to braces, babysitting money, and after-school specials. And the pizza's right there with you: pillowy, bubbly, and doughy edges with a paper-thin and oven-charred crust, sweet and tangy tomato sauce, and a hot, dense layer of mozzarella. Say what you will about teen angst; pie this good makes it all seem worthwhile. 1114 Boylston St., Boston, MA littlestevespizzeria.com.
Modern Pastry Shop
Given the drool-inducing array of cakes and freshly filled cannoli, sweet tooths should not cross the threshold unchaperoned. 257 Hanover St., Boston, MA 2113, .
Sorella's
For the sweet-toothed there's the cinnamon-raisin-vanilla waffle; for the diet-conscious, a healthy heaping of strawberries, apricots, and kiwi on multigrain. The combinations are limitless and breakfast is served well into the afternoon. 386-388 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA .
Choco Choco House
Sweet tooths won't be able to resist the convention-defying ingredients in Aliya Wali's artistic confections, among them goat cheese, edible flowers, plum wine, Hawaiian sea salt, and cardamom. 83 Pembroke St., Boston, MA 2118, .
Silvertone Bar & Grill
There are perhaps no greater late-night food cravings than for French fries or macaroni and cheese. Fortunately for Boston barhoppers, Silvertone serves mean versions of both in its soothingly dark subterranean bar and lounge. Slip down the stairs and settle into a booth to order from a menu filled with a mix of comfort food and gourmet dishes, served quickly and efficiently by the casual, friendly staff. The full bar means that those who still have the aptitude for one last tipple can wash down their BLTs with an ice-cold draft. What's more, the location (smack-dab in the middle of the newly trendy Ladder District) makes Silvertone an easy addiction to indulge. 69 Bromfield St., Boston, MA silvertonedowntown.com.
Truly Jörg's
Who would expect to find the recherché charm of an exquisite Champs-Elysées café in Chelsea? Anyone who knows Truly Jörg's—the tiny European-style patisserie crammed with utter delicacies—that's who. Co-owner Jörg Amsler has created desserts for Dubya's dad in Kennebunkport and was trained as a pastry chef and chocolatier in Switzerland, and it shows in every crumb. His chocolate croissants are a perfect blend of bittersweet satisfaction. The tantalizing cakes on sale here range from decadent coffee buttercream and mocha genoise torte to deeply tart-sweet raspberry swirl cheesecake. The dainty petit fours, bite-sized treats that melt on your tongue, will have the most discriminately sweet tooth addicted at first bite. 131 Arlington St., Chelsea, MA trulyjorgs.com.
L.A. Burdick
We love the cozy tables in the storefront overlooking Brattle. We love the tiny chocolate mice, complete with colorful ribbon tails. But what we really adore is the fact that all of the chocolate in this sweet-tooth cafe is handmade, down to the decadent hot chocolate, whipped up from equal parts chocolate and milk (!). The heavenly libation comes in dark, milk, and white chocolate (sometimes), and is so thick it sticks to the roof of our mouth. Imbibe with caution: It's been known to make even the most jaded gourmands swoon. 52D Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA burdickchocolate.com.
Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium
While every scoop shop on the Vineyard proffers a rainbow of flavors, none do so with as much imagination as Ben & Bill's, which mixes things up with options that include chai tea and lobster, and a knockout Kahlua, Grand Marnier, and Baileys concoction called KGB. Portions are enormous, and you're allowed to sample endlessly. The place doubles as a candy factory, too, leaving no sweet tooth uncoated. 20A Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs, MA 2557, .
Ledger
Whether you’re looking to soak up your hangover with pork belly and grits, satisfy your sweet tooth with French toast pancakes, or stay on your health kick with salmon and avocado toast, there’s something on Ledger’s Sunday-brunch menu worth getting out of bed for. And you won’t want to sleep on the cocktails, either, including the “Electric Relaxation,” featuring cognac, cr&_egrave;me de cacao, RumChata, and chocolate, as well as a 22-ounce bloody mary made with organic Prairie vodka and “secrets.” 125 Washington St., Salem, MA 01970, ledgersalem.com.
Comedor
The toasted meringue rests, like a stormy cumulus cloud, atop the thick piece of buttery brioche, daring you to break into it and let the molten chocolate ganache underneath flow freely. This is Comedor's s'mores French toast, and it's brought us back for Sunday brunch again and again. But there's so much more to love at this Chilean-American restaurant in Newton Centre, from the scrambled-egg tacos with cotija to the gut-busting breakfast burger, topped with a fried egg and scallion salsa. For those who still haven't satisfied their sweet tooth, the house-made doughnut, which arrives dripping with dulce de leche and more of that chocolate ganache, should do the trick. 105 Union St., Newton Centre, MA 2459, comedornewton.com.
Kristen D. Murray, No. 9 Park
Some desserts are among life's sweetest rewards precisely because they aren't too sweet. Kristen D. Murray understands this. Consider her walnut pain perdu, a soft and almost custardy bread laden with tart red currants, rich, nutty crunch, and tangy water-buffalo-milk yogurt sorbet. Or feast your eyes—and stomach—on her black pepper cheesecake, a masterpiece of smooth cheese jolted with black pepper and cut with the soothing sweetness of caramelized pineapple and tart-as-can-be-green apple compote. 9 Park St., Boston, MA no9park.com.