Eight dessert shops in Rice Village to get your sugar fix

By Sarah Motteler     10/29/24 11:17pm

As the semester creeps along, it’s more important than ever to have many options for sweet treats to celebrate or soothe ourselves after submitting an assignment or finishing a midterm. Below is a list of eight options for doing just that.

Cupcakes and cookies: Sprinkles Cupcakes

Sprinkles Cupcakes offers cupcakes and cookies both within their store, as well as through the “cupcake ATM” outside. Their cupcake menu offers an assortment of flavors, both permanent and seasonal, as well as two different sizes: Customers can either buy full-size cupcakes in individual units or mini cupcakes in packs of three or 12. Sprinkles also accommodates dietary restrictions with vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free options.

---

---

Spicy-sweet desserts and street food snacks: Refresqueria

If you’re looking for something cooler, try the Refresqueria in Rice Village. They offer various cold desserts, both with and without dairy, including a whole chamoy section for those who like spice with their ice. If you don’t have as much of a sweet tooth, they also offer many combinations of chips with toppings, as well as elote and hot dogs.

Fancy cakes and baked goods: Badolina Bakery

Badolina Bakery offers a range of baked goods, both sweet and savory, and hot and cold drinks, providing a tasty sugar-caffeine combo to help tired students cram for an upcoming exam. They also offer whole cakes for larger parties, along with individually portioned desserts that are as good to look at as they are to eat. The outdoor seating area with a green space provides a perfect study space as the weather gets cooler.

All things chocolate: Winfield’s Chocolate Bar

If it’s chocolate, Winfield’s has it. This candy shop on University Boulevard offers truffles, baked goods big and small and chocolate sculptures in a plethora of styles, ranging from charming, familiar owls to patriotic cowboy boots. The store also offers a plethora of seating, both inside and outside on its back deck. There are also options for non-chocolate lovers, in case there are any in your party, with cacao-less offerings in their ice creams, cakes and cookies.

Bougie ice cream: Van Leeuwen

Founded in New York City in 2008 and currently scooping in nine states, Van Leeuwen offers ice cream by the scoop and the pint. This option is on the pricier side, charging $6.60 for a single scoop and $11 for a pint, but Van Leeuwen promises that the top-quality ingredients make the cost worth it. Their flavors list also boasts a variety that goes beyond your standard parlor: Their freezers contain 17 permanent dairy flavors, eight permanent vegan flavors and four rotating monthly flavors, ranging from honeycomb and earl grey tea to carrot cake dulce de leche swirl and marionberry cheesecake.

French pastries and more: Croissant-Brioche

Croissant-Brioche, like Badolina Bakery, offers coffee, cakes and pastries, although this cafe’s inspiration is French rather than Middle Eastern. They also have menu options for a light lunch or early dinner, including quiches, sandwiches and soups. Croissant-Brioche has plentiful indoor seating, making it another great location for studying or working on projects.

Crepes and waffles: Sweet Paris

Sweet Paris has a range of sweet crepes and waffles to satisfy any type of sweet tooth. If you’re looking for more of a meal, they also offer savory crepes, along with salads, paninis and breakfast plates. They also offer a variety of beverages ranging from cold to hot, sober to boozy. Sweet Paris also has a notable “Sweet Passport” program via their mobile app, which provides rewards for purchases and exclusive promotions, such as free crepes on special days and a “birthday bonus” on your special day.

Things to look forward to: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and MACARON by Patisse

Two new dessert shops are coming to Rice Village in the near future. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, a nationwide artisanal ice cream chain, will be opening a scoop shop on Morningside Boulevard. MACARON by Patisse, a Houston-based macaron boutique, will also be adding a Rice Village location. The opening dates of both locations are yet to be announced, but they will certainly add even more options for future Rice students to partake in.

---