Best Dessert, Donuts, and Ice Cream in Asheville

Located in Biltmore Park in South Asheville, this cupcakery and creamery offer freshly baked gourmet cupcakes, along with housemade ice cream. The cupcakes come in various sizes, and you can add ice cream to create a “SmallCake Smash.” Enjoy 12 signature flavors with regular rotating specialty flavors. Order by the dozen or create a custom cake for special occasions.

This popular West Asheville bakery whips up unique cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and other sweet treats for Asheville locals. They take custom orders for wedding cakes, birthday cakes, and holiday desserts, and also have a big variety of pastries to cure the occasional sweet tooth. A must-try is the banana pudding cupcake!

This beloved West Asheville sweet shop makes hand-rolled doughnuts, made to order. Sip on coffee in the open kitchen and watch as your doughnut is fried, glazed and delivered to you piping hot! Enjoy locally roasted coffee, including nitro cold brews, as well as herbal and black teas. Find handmade mugs for sale, t-shirts, coffee beans and more. 168 Haywood Rd

Located in downtown’s South Slope, this doughnut and coffee shop is off the charts with fun flavors like orange creamsicle and chocolate glazed with pretzel crumbles. They offer a classic menu of espresso drinks, signature drinks, and pour over style coffees. Find a variety of vegan, cake, and yeast doughnut options. See their weekly menu on their Facebook page. 32 Banks Ave, Ste 106

It’s all about flavor at this ice cream shop on historic Charlotte Street in the famous Grove Park Inn area. Small, local dairy farms provide the creamery necessary to create fun flavors like Goat Cheese Bing Cherry and boozy ice cream like Pumpkin Whiskey. Each flavor of the month benefits local nonprofits. 195 Charlotte Street

These homemade ice cream sandwiches will take you back to childhood, along with other “afterschool favorites” like SUNNY tarts, donut holes, biscuit rolls, whoopie pies, unicorn cakes, and more. Pair coffee or espresso with a fresh baked cookie or go all in with a scoop of icecream and a cookie flight. Vegan options available. 99 S Lexington Ave

This local ice cream cafe has served up hand-crafted cones since 1978. A local favorite, Hop offers free family entertainment and events at each of their 2 locations in Asheville. Parents can enjoy their coffee and espresso bar while kids enjoy the kid-friendly space with toys and things to do.

Savor hand-crafted, artisanal, organic chocolates and pastries in this extremely popular emporium, served with wine, beer, coffee or tea. Or sip liquid truffle chocolates. Next door, Chocolate + Milk features the best ice cream in town. Skip the long lines at the Lounge and pick up truffles there! 10 South Pack Square

This old world coffee shop has been serving European-style pastries and locally roasted coffee for 25 years in Asheville! Find an array of sweet offerings like tiramisu, cheesecake, pies, cupcakes and more to pair with coffee or one of their specialty espresso drinks. Their downtown location is convenient and great for people watching! 13 Broadway St

This friendly dessert heaven knows how to cure a sweet tooth with their decadent, fresh made pies. They serve a variety of classic pies, signature pies and weekly specialties. Can’t decide? Try a pie flight with 3 slices of pie and a scoop of ice cream, perfect for sharing! Also find savory pies, scones, sticky buns, cookies and more. Vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free options available. 50…

A part of Asheville’s urban landscape for 30 years, this locally owned chocolate shop churns out small batch, artisan chocolates including truffles, sea salt caramels, chocolate covered fruits and even chocolate shoes! Take a tour watching chocolatiers craft award-winning chocolates and try a variety of samples. 36 Haywood St

This family-owned, southern-style cake shop in West Asheville whips up scratch-made cakes, cupcakes, pies and pastries. Order a custom cake for an anniversary or birthday, or pick up some cupcakes to indulge in! 225 Haywood Rd

An Asheville staple since 1999, this bakery specializes in European-Style breads and pastries, as well as pies, muffins, scones, cinnamon rolls, and sweet breads like their Chocolate Cherry Sourdough. Stop in for coffee, sandwiches, soup and salads too. 60 Biltmore Avenue.