My Favourite Vegan Desserts From Around the World
A global selection of plant-based sweet treats.
Kind of Wild is a weekly newsletter on trying to live ethically while still enjoying life. I am a 40-something published author, podcaster, public speaker, charity PR specialist and writer. I speak four languages and live in Brighton, UK. I’ve been vegan for over a decade. I want to save the world - but I also want to experience it.
If you know one thing about me it’s not that I’m vegan, that I speak four languages, or that I occasionally stand naked in a public square for a living.
It’s that I love desserts.
I’d go as far as saying that a passion for a sweet treat is one of my defining traits - I’ve been known to spend absurd amounts of money on a birthday cake, sit on a bus for an hour to sample a specific local delicacy when travelling, and yes, the classic: enjoy cake for breakfast. I am still sulking because in 2019 my husband insisted we leave a restaurant in LA before I had time to eat a particularly spectacular donut. There is no such thing as “too sweet” in my world (my dentist says hi from his five-star Bahamas holiday) and the question of “sweet or savoury” is not a question for me at all. So naturally over the years I’ve amassed an impressive collection of around-the-globe favourite sweet creations to fondly look back on or fantasize about when the only vegan dessert option is lemon sorbet.
Warning: a lot of tiramisù ahead. If you are triggered by tiramisú, you might want to skip this post. Or read it to face your demons, whichever you prefer.
Disclaimer: I’ve only included desserts that people can buy. So if you are a friend who has made cake for me through the years, don’t go “WTF?” upon seeing your creations missing from this post. Please know that your cake is probably top of the list, but since no one can sample it, I couldn’t include it here. Love you. Let’s get coffee next weekend.
In no particular order - this is not a “top 10” or anything like that. It’s just a delicious dump of all the yummiest sugar bombs I’ve enjoyed while travelling.
Belgian chocolate cake with whipped cream, Hermans, Stockholm, Sweden
If I REALLY love a dessert, I keep getting it for my birthday, and by now the team at Hermans know to have this cake ready when I come round, which is all the time. This repeat offender was a shoo-in for this list as it somehow keeps getting even more delicious each time I order it. My husband, a self-proclaimed “not a dessert person” (I know, how could I marry such a man) loves it too. It’s not included in Hermans’ (fantastic, incredible) vegan buffet but trust me, this one is worth paying extra for.
Tiramisù pancakes, Mallow, London, UK
One fine day, a friend sent me a reel on Instagram. Expecting cute dogs, I eagerly clicked the link. Well, it wasn’t dogs, but it was the next best thing: tiramisù pancakes. I repeat: tiramisù pancakes. THIS IS NOT A DRILL, PEOPLE. If you are in any vicinity of London, get your (vegan or non-vegan) butts over to Mallow asap, because these babies are not to be missed. Do note that there is an option to “make it a triple” on the menu - this means adding an extra pancake, which of course you must do. I enjoyed my supersized stack with aforementioned friend on a sunny Saturday not too long ago, and it exceeded any expectation (and trust me, the expectations were Shard-high).
Oreo milkshake, Comet 984 Diner, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Now, I had this one when getting over the nastiest stomach bug of my life, and that’s saying something. Even in those conditions, I could not say no to this beauty - and I’m glad I didn’t pass it up, because this milkshake is a masterpiece. I got it “to share” with my husband, but we all know how that usually goes: he gets to polish off the “shared” fries, while I finish the dessert. There are many reasons why Comet 984 Diner earned a spot on the list of my favourite vegan restaurants in the world, and this top-notch milkshake is one of them (side note: since Oreos are vegan, it should be law that anything Oreo-flavoured be vegan, am I right?). I wouldn’t normally include a milkshake on a dessert list, but this is like a full-on liquid cake. Almost makes me want to go back to Mexico just for another hit of its Oreo goodness (without the faint hints of nausea this time).
Vegan pasteis de nata, Vegan Nata, Lisbon, Portugal
As I was heading to Lisbon, the messages dropped in: “you have to go to Vegan Nata!” “Go to Vegan Nata!” “Have you heard of Vegan Nata?” The consensus among my friends was that this place just could not be missed, so I was googling before I had even left the airport. Pasteis de nata is a Portuguese custard tart that has become synonymous with the country’s food culture - and of course, the original version is not vegan (because when is it ever). But Vegan Nata, which has three locations in Lisbon, has perfected the recipe. “What do you know about that?” the non-vegans reading this (hi guys, great you’re here!) will scoff. “You’ve never had the original version!” Well, I’ll have you know, as we were enjoying our custard treats, a non-vegan family stopped by and the husband got chatting with David, confirming that this sweet treat was “just as good as the original.” Only downside: they are teenier than a supermodel’s waistline. Or maybe that’s an upside, as it gives you an excuse to go back for a second one (not that we need the excuse).
Tiramisú, Veghometro, Rome
You might have gauged from this list that tiramisú is my favourite dessert - there’s just something about that mix of sharp coffee and fluffy cream layer that makes me forget the rest of the menu even exists. This version at Roman eatery Veghometro is quite possibly the best tiramisù I have ever had, and oh yes, I have sampled my share. It is ridiculously creamy - and I mean ridiculously. If you are the kind of person who really cares about the biscuits, this one may not be your cup of espresso. But if you, like me, appreciate a creamy texture in your desserts, whip out a spoon and get ready for the experience of a lifetime. “I’m glad we shared,” said my friend as we were walking back to the train station after dinner. “I don’t think I could have eaten that whole tiramisù by myself.” “Uh-huh,” I responded while thinking, “I want two more tiramisùs to go.”
Croissant cone with pistachio ice cream, British Patagonia, London, UK
I saw this posted on the Instagram Story of one of my favourite influencers. Since I only follow exceptionally nice people, I was confident she’d respond to my DM asking where it was from - indeed she kindly did. My vegan friends were incredulous to find out. “You didn’t know about British Patagonia?” Alas, I did not, but now that I am aware of croissant cones, my world may indeed never be the same again. And pistachio. Pistachio, and it’s vegan. Hot tip: come hungry. Used as I am to being the person with the biggest dessert of the table, even I was taken aback when this was served to me: it is massive. And we know size matters - puny little desserts need not apply. Unless you are a pasteis de nata, of course, in which case I will take three.
Chocolate cannoli, MOON Ortigia, Siracusa, Sicily, Italy
Cannoli had gone down in my book as one of those things I’d probably never eat. Closely tied to Sicilian tradition, they’re not exactly top of the list when it comes to stuff that’s commonly veganised. And to be honest I wasn’t exactly crying rivers over them (now, eclairs, on the other hand…) as I’ve never been a big fan of ricotta, which they are traditionally filled with. But finding myself at MOON (definitely one of the best restaurants I have ever been to, in one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to) and discovering their menu included vegan cannoli, I knew I had to try the chocolate version. Goodness me, I still dream of it. That crispy exterior. That creamy (there is that word again!) filling. That total despair when it was over too soon. The knowledge I’d likely never eat it again. Goodbye, cannoli. You will remain a uniquely delicious memory.
Snickers eclair, Cream Dream London, UK
This one was so exceptional that it earned its own post. Eclairs are a holy grail of vegan pastry-making, as they are just so damn difficult to replicate. But the wizards over at Cream Dream have done the impossible, and they’ve casually topped it with edible gold too, because why not. I had to wait nearly an hour for this to be made, and it was the most worthwhile wait of my life - if only for all the photo content I got out of it. This vegan and gluten-free cafè in London is run by Ukrainian refugees, is an Instagrammable dream with its pink interiors. And despite the eclair being a tiny bit (whisper it) pricey, I can 100% guarantee it’s worth it.
Afternoon tea, Terre a Terre, Brighton, UK
Look closely at the photo above. You see three tiers. And…you notice that all of them are dessert tiers. This is because Terre a Terre, Brighton’s oldest vegetarian restaurant, is genius enough to serve its savoury plate separately…to make room for all the sweet stuff. My kind of place! I’ve had this afternoon tea twice, and honestly if you want to go this weekend, I’ll come with you yet again. It’s the best afternoon tea I’ve ever had in my life, edging out some more expensive options. Bonus: you’ll be so full afterwards, you won’t need to cook dinner (who are we kidding, as if I’d ever skip dinner).
I’m pretty sure I forgot some really amazing dessert, and will be kicking myself once this list is published. But such is life, and if there is one thing I am sure of, it’s that there will be even more amazing vegan desserts in my future. So watch this space - a follow-up list is pretty much guaranteed.
So many delicious desserts! I need to try all of them😃
Everything looks amazing!