Erica / June 8, 2005 2:25 PM

This is an appropriate questions considering my alarm woke me up this morning in the middle of a dream about eating chocolate cake!

The chocolate chunk/nutty cookies at Delmonico in the 233 N. Mich. Ave. pedway area are amazing and huge and only $1.50. I would never go there otherwise -- their buffet is a total waste.

The paleta man is always serving up something sweet on the residential streets of Logan Square.

Can't beat Margie's candies on Western for some ice cream (I recommend a scoop of cheese cake ice cream in a waffle cone).

And, Fannie May for a Trinidad. Heaven is paved with Trinidads, yo.

Emerson Dameron / June 8, 2005 2:29 PM

I don't crave the sweet stuff so much, but I second Margie's and nominate Cold Stone Creamery, yupdafication be damned.

Kevin / June 8, 2005 2:44 PM

Margies. Fuckin' A man, I chug three of those hot fudge boats and then get one to go! I swear to god, that has got to be the best fudge or "stuff you pour over ice cream" that I've ever tasted.

Theres also some chocolate place on Wells (next to Zanies) that rocks too.

jima / June 8, 2005 2:53 PM

I think all of the best suggestions were in the desserts discussion. When I need a quick sugar fix during the day, I just hop on downstairs to the shop in my office building. Overpriced, but at least I don't have to go outside.

Naz / June 8, 2005 3:22 PM

Alliance Bakery - on Division, west of Ashland.

Sweet Mandy B's - Webster and Racine.

Innjoy has the biggest slice of the moistest triple layer chocolate with a slight caramel drizzle I have ever had. Innjoy is actually surprisingly good - Division, west of Damen.

Filter, Pick Me Up, Earwax and Chicago Diner all have easy to go brownie style bars. Some are vegan, some are not. But all are good.

In a pinch and for cheap eats or quick energy, you can't go wrong with Little Debbie or Hostess.

salty / June 8, 2005 3:45 PM

At work, I go to the vending machine in the basement of my building and get Peanut M&Ms.

For cravings that hit when I'm not at work, I like to go to Walgreens and pick up a Cadbury's Fruit & Nut bar. Sooo good. And Walgreens are everywhere in Chicago! :-)

Y A J / June 8, 2005 3:48 PM

for southsiders, sweets in the summer all comes down to 2 words: Rainbow Cone

LeahW / June 8, 2005 4:49 PM

At work in Evanston: I used to go to Marly's Chocolates, but now it's an Ethel's so I go get stuff at the Belgian chocolate store near the Main Street El stop.

At home in Lakeview: Bittersweet when I get off the train, Windy City Sweets nearer to my place, Bobtail when I'm feeling indulgent.

Out with friends in Andersonville: Oh my pancreas. Taste of Heaven, Bon Bon, Boost (closing this month, sniff), Ann Sather, almost anywhere.

When I'm feeling indulgent: Mmmmm, Hot Chocolate. (insert Homer Simpson Noises here). Yeah, they have other food, good food, but... Mmmm, hot chocolate.

robin.. / June 8, 2005 4:51 PM

woah, LeahW, boost is closing??? it lost the "two cafes go into the cage and only one! comes! out!" grudge match with taste of heaven? details!

Brenda / June 8, 2005 5:15 PM

World Market. They have the biggest collection of Haribo gummy candy in the city. I can always find my beloved gummi cola there (grown-ups and kids love it so). Fortunately for me (or unfortunately?) I just started a job that is 1/4 block away from a World Market, so I can get my fix any time I want. *whew*

Ellen / June 8, 2005 6:02 PM

I know it is in Forest Park, hey, it moved from the city....Silverland Brownies.... they are just decadent.

Leelah / June 8, 2005 6:43 PM

I second Rainbow Cone!!! Pistachio caramel sundae...

donna / June 8, 2005 9:07 PM

oh sweet god yes rainbow cone!

moe / June 8, 2005 11:16 PM

Keep it simple. Many 7-11's or Wag's have either the BIG Reese's peanut butter cup OR Peanut Butter M&M's. The BEST M&M. Payday works too.

curtsy / June 9, 2005 8:55 AM

On the north side, it's a Taste of Heaven. On the south side, try Bon Jour on 55th & Harper. But this reminds me, I gotta take the twins to Margie's for a turtle sundae now that it's hot!

Overwrought / June 9, 2005 9:01 AM

1) Margie's
2) Taste of Heaven
3) The freezer, if ice cream is stocked
4) I wish I lived in the southside just to have a rainbow cone other than at Taste of Chicago.

pang / June 9, 2005 9:33 AM

I can't say no to ice cream, ever. We take a walk to a little ice cream shop that's right next to the Damen Brown Line stop. I have temporary amnesia and can't remember the name of it. The ice cream rocks and they have candy too.

And Fox and Obel have killer giant cupcakes.

sam / June 9, 2005 9:35 AM

My preference is the small bakeries that sell at local farmer's markets. The best are found at the Green City market (near North/Clark in Lincoln Park) and the French Market at Nettlehorst School (near Broadway/Belmont). They sell amazing brownies at the latter.

sam / June 9, 2005 9:36 AM

and I second the Fox and Obel brownies. Oh yesss.

Erica / June 9, 2005 9:55 AM

When I lived in Lakeview East, I enjoyed Windy City Sweets at
3308 N. Broadway. Candy, fudge, ice cream -- you name it.

Kim / June 9, 2005 10:09 AM

Regarding Boost - they aren't closing due to Taste of Heaven's presence. The building they are in was sold.

Regarding sweets, I recently discovered Ethel's Chocolate Lounge on Armitage. The chocolate fondue is amazing.

roderick / June 9, 2005 10:29 AM

pang - that ice cream shop is Sweet Occasions. Fortunately for me it is down a block from my place.

Cafe Selmarie in Lincoln Square is my girlfriend's and my new favorite place for anything sweet.

Bittersweet is always nice, but I wish they would put a dedicated seating area there though that isn't their sparse few tables. I always seem to be there when it is raining/snowing/insert inclement weather and would rather sit and savor.

Moonstruck on Michigan just south of Wacker is good for chocolate truffles - I first heard of it when I was at school in Champaign, and was very pleased to see it in Chicago.

Of course Rainbow Cone - my favorite place whenI was growing up. Now I only get to the southside if I visit my parents, which is seldom at best.

amyc / June 9, 2005 10:48 AM

Speaking of World Market, they also carry Milka bars, which I used to get almost every day when I lived in Germany, and imported Cadbury stuff. Always go for the imported Cadbury. It's made with real milk, not "reconstituted milk-esque solids" like here, and it makes a big difference in taste and texture. Irish shops and Indian groceries also sell the imports. Oh, tasty vestiges of colonialism!

In my neighborhood, there's a candy store on Damen & School that sells old-timey sweets like Curly Wurly bars. And MoJoe's on Roscoe often has good cookies and chocolate croissants.

Niz / June 9, 2005 10:50 AM

Carol's cookies--they're sold at Whole Foods' bakery department. The chocolate chip, oatmeal cranberry chocolate chip and sugar cookies are fabulous, amazing and fabumazing. (http://www.carolscookies.com)

Also, big ups to the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie at Potbelly's.

Roni / June 9, 2005 11:46 AM

Ditto on the Carol's chocolate chip cookie & Potbelly's oatmeal choco-chip cookie.

In terms of ice cream - I love orange dreamcicles. Orange serbet + vanilla ice cream...Mmmm.....

Cinnamon / June 9, 2005 11:48 AM

Not for those allergic to nuts, but Ambala on Devon near California is awesome! I never know what I'm going to get but they'll let you try everything if you like.

LeahW / June 9, 2005 12:27 PM

Yeah, while the demise of Boost is due to real estate and not kneecappings from Taste of Heaven, I'm still going to miss it.

I believe it's open through... the 20th? I just glanced at the sign on Monday. If you need one of those labor-inducing salads, you better get on it quick,

accident prone / June 9, 2005 12:29 PM

i like going to farmners markets in the summer and finding folks who dabble in their own homemade sweets.
right now i'm also digging the goodness from the bleeding heart bakery (i think they mostly do business online, though i've seen their goods around town...) and its incredible selection of vegan/vegetariancentric confections made of organic ingredients. the vegan marshmallows are especially good for one who has avoided them for years because of that whole use of "hooves" thing.

accident prone / June 9, 2005 12:44 PM

oh, and if it's a pressing need for sweets, i'll head down the hall and liberate some chocolates from the office candy dish.

Benjamin / June 9, 2005 1:03 PM

Rolf's Patisserie
4343 W Touhy Ave, Lincolnwood
Holy Crap Batman! That's good stuff. It's not technically in the city, but just north. Worth the drive. stop by Lincolnwood produce while you are in the hood.

Naz / June 9, 2005 1:18 PM

Amyc - there is nothing like chocolate from abroad. Cadbury's is the stuff I grew up with and oh lord, trips to World Market or these once in a while Indian-run convenience stores (at Clark and Newport and another at Halsted and Wrightwood) that have these imports like Cadbury's or stuff like Turkish Delight, Lion Bars, Maltesers, Whipser, Bounty, etc....

Ray / June 9, 2005 2:52 PM

Count me as a Margie's fan, too. Once at mini-golf I mediated an out-of-bounds dispute for the party of four in front of us that was playing a fierce round...loser to buy ice cream at Margie's.

Blommer's factory store is also worth a few minutes out of the way on the bicycle.

I no longer patronize Fannie May. Alpine Confections' revival of the brand may use the same recipes and ingredients as the original, but closing the Chicago factory and eliminating union jobs left a bad taste in my mouth.

Flynn / June 9, 2005 3:00 PM

It's not really in the city, and I can only get out there about once a month, but I love stocking up on the Japanese caramels and chocolate at Mitsuwa Marketplace.

They are also home to my most favoritely named (and logo'ed) bakery ever: Pastry House Hippo!

susan / June 9, 2005 3:20 PM

Sweet Mandy B's for an iced molasses cookie, and Yoshi's Cafe for green tea ice cream.

susan / June 9, 2005 3:56 PM

Most of the time, my kitchen--I've been on a four-month-long baking and candymaking kick.

On those rare occasions when I do venture out, I enjoy Delightful Pastries on Lawrence (I've had little but their paczki, but that's all I need to know, especially the ones with fresh strawberries or plum butter). Also, I second Leah's recommendation of Hot Chocolate, particularly the dessert with the salted caramel ice cream atop molten chocolate cake (topped with an abstract pretzel). I don't normally go for chocolatey desserts, but that one...holy shit. (Also, are my friends and I blind, or is it really hard to read the sign on Hot Chocolate?)

Also, Bonjour Bakery in Hyde Park for perfect lemon-pistachio cookies that I wish I could copy.

Lorraine / June 9, 2005 4:46 PM

Gayety's Ice Cream on Ridge Rd. in Lansing, IL- 90% butterfat and hot fudge that sticks to the roof of your mouth (oh, yes, they also make delicious chocolates).

JT / June 14, 2005 1:41 PM

Ooh, for a Rainbow Cone on the north side! In summer, I can't go wrong with decent ice cream, or even a slushie (7-11's, I love ya).

However, the grapefruit Italian Ice you can get off of Armitage in Lincoln Park is quite heavenly on a steamy summer evening...

jm / June 14, 2005 5:44 PM

For the far northwest-siders, the Greek bakery within the City Fresh market has these wonderful little hazelnut & coconut cookies...and Tre Kronor is always serving up some lovely sweet desserts.