Today we’re looking at a decidedly subjective topic: where to get the best dessert in Nelson. In a town packed with fabulous restaurants and cafés, finding the standout desserts is a daunting task. After all, dessert itself is a tricky menu offering to get right: too sweet, too dry, too bland – we’ve all been there!
In a lifetime of desserts there’s a handful of truly memorable standouts. In no particular order, here’s our picks for the best of Nelson’s sweets, treats, and aperitifs. Enjoy!
P.S. Wondering where the ice cream representation is? We have a whole article on Nelson’s amazing ice cream offerings!
White Chocolate Cheesecake at Louie’s
Cute as a button, creamy perfection, and walks a perfect line between the savoury and sweetness that makes cheesecake so divine.
This one has been a family favourite for the better part of a decade: a tried and true Nelson dessert that proves you can’t beat the classics. 🥮👍
Tiramisu at Marzano
Marzano’s take on tiramisu is a refreshing version of an Italian classic. Forget the heavy ladyfinger base – this version prioritizes lightness and airiness, with fluffy, creamy layers of coffee-infused whip and rich custard creme.
The sweetness is still there, but balanced, making it a refreshing and flavourful end to any meal. A touch of tradition remains with a single ladyfinger cookie perched on top. A topping of praline nuts and dark chocolate wafers break up the whipped coffee flavour to keep things interesting. Delicious.
Pistachio Gelato at Marzano
Made in-house by their rotating chefs, Marzano has a small but incredible gelato selection available daily. Marscapone, vanilla bean, blackberry, and raspberry are all delicious, but when it comes to gelato, picking our #1 is easy: Pistachio.
The flavour of these flavour-packed nuts comes through full force here, with a gelato that’s a bit less smooth than their typical formula due to consistency of the nuts. Paired with a scoop of their vanilla bean as a foil to the intense flavour of the pistachio, this is one of the top desserts in Nelson!
While we can’t personally vouch for the pistachio-caramel gelato, we’ve heard rumours that’s in the running for the #1 spot. If you see either of these on the rotating gelato board, make sure to try them out.
You can find more amazing ice cream options in Nelson here🍦
Banana Split at Relish
The king of banana splits! Relish takes fresh bananas, gives them a golden-fried twist, and tops them with classic vanilla ice cream. A swirl whipped cream and white and milk chocolate bark add a hit of sweetness. To top it off, fresh apple slices are dipped in a warm cinnamon sugar mix for big of freshness to balance it out. It’s a perfect heartwarming dessert that’s plenty big enough to share. 🍌🍌
Churros at Cantina Del Centro
If you were to argue that this doesn’t really fall under typical dessert classification, we’d be inclined to agree. Churros are more of a street snack than a typical sit-down dessert, largely because they’re finger food.
Nonetheless, the churros at Cantina are decidedly delicious. Hot, fresh-cooked dough with cinnamon sugar dusting, and served alongside caramel dip for a dessert package so good it regularly becomes a final stop in a night out in Nelson.
Those are our picks for the best desserts in Nelson. Have a favourite that should be on the list? Send us a message and we’ll check it out! We’re always looking for amazing desserts, and will keep this list up to date as we discover new ones.
