Trending: S'mores Get Fancy

What’s one of the best things to eat on summer nights? The melty combination of blistered marshmallows, gooey chocolate, and crispy graham crackers, of course. But there’s no reason that s’mores should be contained to the campsite—in fact, restaurants around Boston are offering a more refined take on the backyard original thanks to unconventional preparations and from-scratch ingredients. The dressed-up interpretations ahead are inspired by what makes this campfire classic so great. —Alyssa DeGeorge

1. S’more, $7; West Bridge
1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, 617-945-0221, westbridgerestaurant.com

This layered, parfait-like creation by chef Matthew Gaudet is a whole new kind of s’more. Chocolate panna cotta, house-made marshmallow fluff, and a smoked cinnamon-infused brown butter graham cracker is topped with miso-enhanced caramel for a creamy, contained interpretation of the summer dessert. Gaudet says its the perfect way to end a meal at West Bridge. “What’s more comforting than a s’more?” he said. “It has that sort of sweet, satisfying, chocolatey goodness.”

2. Raspberry S’more, $3; Sweet Lydia’s at Brew’d Awakening
61 Market Street, Lowell, 978-454-2739, brewdawakening.com, sweetlydias.com

Real, fresh raspberries add flavor and color to the homemade marshmallow in pastry chef Lydia Blanchard’s adaptation of the s’more, which can be found at the Brew’d Awakening coffee shop in Lowell. Dark chocolate melted over the marshmallow-graham cracker sandwich completes the dessert. If you like this flavor combination, make sure to try others by Blanchard or request your own. She takes custom orders on her website , so you can have your s’more just the way you like it. Blanchard said she enjoys creating fun combinations of a dessert that’s for everyone. “You don’t have to be a kid at camp in order to enjoy a s’more,” she says.

3. Back Deck S’mores, $6; Back Deck
2 West Street, Boston, 617-670-0320, backdeckboston.com

Photo by Brian Samuels

When owner Brad Fredericks was looking for a chef to help create a restaurant with a casual cookout vibe, the only requirement he had regarding the menu was that it include s’mores. Chef Paul Sussman’s creation features espresso-flavored marshmallows and house-made graham crackers that compliment chocolate from the original. “We use Hershey’s chocolate because I feel like that’s a defining flavor in the s’more,” Sussman says.

4. Urban S’mores, $20.25; Max Brenner (serves 2-4)
745 Boylston Street, Boston, 617-274-1741, maxbrenner.com

Get the city version of this campfire classic with a fondue dessert that offers the interactive experience that always seems to be part of what makes s’mores so great. Peanut butter, raspberry, toffee and caramelized bananas add new flavors to the mix and a chance to get creative. “It’s definitely fun for everyone – not just for the kids, but it’s fun for the adults as well,” says general manager John Iannucci.

5. S’more Cupcake, $3; Kickass Cupcakes
378 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617-628-2877, kickasscupcakes.com

Photo by Jess Swazey.

This graham cracker cupcake topped with a kiss of chocolate ganache and a torched marshmallow is a favorite cupcake of the day on Fridays at Kickass Cupcakes. “It’s got all of the elements,” owner Sara Ross says. “It’s a little crunchy. It’s a little gooey.” Try roasting it over the fire if you want it melty and warm – or save yourself the trouble and ask them to heat it up for you on the premises.

6. Taza Chocolate Canary S’more, $9; Canary Square
435 South Huntington Avenue, Jamaica Plain, 617-524-2500, canarysquare.com

Executive chef Dave Schneller says the original s’more is hard to beat, so he does everything he can to give his dessert the flavor of the woods without actually being there. “We push as much of that campfire idea into it as we can,” Schneller said. With a homemade graham cracker, a warm taza chocolate brownie, and house-made marshmallow toasted in a wood-fire grill, this s’more is better than any we’ve ever made.

7. S’most, $3; Yes Chocolates at Beacon Hill Chocolates
91 Charles Street, Boston, 617-725-1900, yeschocolates.com

Yes chocolatier Rebecca Novak created this convenient version of a s’more that can be enjoyed as a quick afternoon snack on-the-go. This homemade marshmallow on a stick is covered in 61% dark chocolate and rolled in graham cracker crumbs to maintain the traditional crunch. Novak says her take provides “a lot more marshmallow and a lot less mess.”

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