From Midwest classics to savory bites, Milwaukee's dessert scene has something for everyone

Holidays and desserts go hand in hand, and if you have a sweet tooth, desserts are always something to be enjoyed and explored year-round.

In this month’s issue of Milwaukee Magazine, writer Ann Christenson wrote all about local desserts in her article, “How Sweet It Is.” She explores everything from classic Midwestern comfort treats to creative made-to-order restaurant experiences, so there’s something for everyone to crave.

"Yes, [desserts have] to be wonderfully flavorful and have this texture that is just fantastic," notes Christenson. "But it also, in my opinion, needs to conjure up something like a memory—anything, really. I feel like desserts are so connected to memory, more so maybe than any other foods."

So, what places in the Milwaukee area checked these boxes for Christenson? She has a few dessert recommendations to get you started on your own sweet-seeking adventure:

Midwest Sad

"I kind of love that the owner, Sam Sandrin, named it Midwest Sad because, you know, it taps into Midwestern comfort but also the idea of seasonal affective disorder and how maybe eating desserts is kind of uplifting—they're kind of the antidote to that. But I also just really love the stuff that she does there. She's got everything from chocolate chip cookies—really thick, fluffy but chewy—to banana pudding with vanilla wafers. You look at it and you taste it, and you're like, 'Oh! This isn't about being a highfalutin pastry chef; this is just a really delicious, satisfying dessert.' And I feel like her baked goods are very much like that."

Arts & Culture

At Midwest Sad, expect sweets and snacks, seasoned with nostalgia

Lina Tran

Listen • 12:57

EsterEv

"I talked to the pastry chefs [Val Bartram and Syd Zweig] who do pastries at EsterEv, and both of them come from savory backgrounds ... but honestly, I think that's something we're going to see more of," notes Christenson. "These desserts that come from this idea of it's not going to be achingly sweet, you know, but you want something that scratches that itch, though, too, for something sweet ... I just think the definition of desserts can be changed, and it can evolve—and it is evolving."

Sweetly Baked

Sweetly Baked owner and baker Amanda Buhrman first opened during the COVID-19 pandemic, carving out a niche with baked goods infused with CBD. "If you're looking for that, that's great, but over the course of time [Buhrman] has branched out to offer baked goods that also are just non-CBD infused," says Christenson. "So she's got like macarons and cookies and just little petit fours type things ... and she decided to open late on weekend nights... [so if] you want a place to have a cocktail or a glass of wine or there's something and a dessert, that's a place you can go to and that's what you get specifically. And I think it's a really fun idea, and I also love that she pairs and curates a lot of these beverages and desserts so that they really work together."

Sanford Restaurant

"I have to give a shoutout to Sanford because I don't know that people are aware of how great the desserts are there, and they're all made to order ... To me, that is just spectacular—somebody making a dessert for you right at that moment," says Christenson. "... Their desserts are just incredible, and I don't think they get enough credit for their pastry chef, to be honest."

Honeypie

"[Honeypie and SmallPie] specialize so intricately in pies—doing fruit pies, cream pies, specialty pies—and their pies are just fantastic," says Christenson. "So when I was doing that, I specifically wanted to get a pie that I knew was a top seller for them, so that's why I went with the cherry pie with the crumble on top. I would say that was one of the best pies that we sampled—and that was a staff sampling of all those pies."

Photography by Marty Peters & styling by Keturah Michael & Chelsea Mamerow

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Milwaukee Magazine