September still carries summer's warmth on the Peninsula, which makes it a fine month for ice cream, and this list covers far more than that. Our dessert picks gather the scoop shops, bakeries, and specialty spots we return to, seeded by the award winners and the places our review team has featured, then rounded out with the favorites readers bookmark.
At Outside Eats we start these lists from places we know deliver and fill out the rest with dependable favorites. Dessert is a social outing here, a stop after dinner or the reason for a short drive, and our picks span cones and gelato, celebration cakes, and the single-focus specialists worth seeking out.
Ten picks, spread across the Peninsula, so something sweet is rarely far. Browse the sections below by city, and open any restaurant for photos, hours, and directions. While the warm September evenings last, a scoop and a stroll is a fine way to end the night.
The Best Dessert Spots in San Mateo
The Best Dessert Spots in Belmont
The Best Dessert Spots in Burlingame
The Best Dessert Spots in Palo Alto
The Best Dessert Spots in Redwood City
Looking for more? Browse all dessert spots on the Peninsula.
