Destination Dessert: Where to Sate Your Sweet Tooth in Tacoma

Treat yourself to a single cupcake or please a crowd with a box of one dozen at Hello, Cupcake.

 

By Margo Greenman

lucky eagle casino logo NEWHow sweet it is. The sugary smell of an ice cream parlor, the alluring aroma of a bakery, or that unmistakable feeling you get stepping into a candy store. Whether your sugar cravings are infrequent or a regular indulgence, there are countless confectionaries across Tacoma where you can find your fix and sate your sweet tooth.

Find simple treats and extravagant sweets for everyday or formal occasions at Tacoma's Corina Bakery. Gluten-free, vegan and soy-free options available.
Find simple treats and extravagant sweets for everyday or formal occasions at Tacoma’s Corina Bakery. Gluten-free, vegan and soy-free options available. Photo credit: Corina Bakery.

Corina Bakery
Corina Bakery is a popular destination for all things decadent and saccharine. Elegantly decorated cakes, impressive pies, humble scones, and an array of other sugary morsels are all on the menu at this beloved bakery. What’s more, for those with dietary restrictions, Corina Bakery offers a variety of gluten-free, vegan and soy-free sweets. Pop into the store to see what’s fresh in the case, or call ahead and place an order. Corina Bakery offers an extensive menu of classic and specialty desserts. They’ll even make your wedding cake! Corina Bakery also doubles as a breakfast spot (when you want something salty to go with your sweet), serving up savory stratas, quiche and more.

Corina Bakery
602 Fawcett Ave
Tacoma, WA 98402
253-627-5070

Hours:
Monday – Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Legendary Doughnuts
Local maker of deep fried dough, Legendary Doughnuts, offers a unique and tempting selection of raised and cake doughnuts. But wait, there’s more. This specialty doughnut shops takes things to the next level with their doughnut-croissant hybrid, the doughsant. Add sugary glazes, unconventional toppings, and a few other surprises, and this doughnut shop has something for everyone. You can view their full menu here, or visit them at their 6th Avenue location.

Legendary Doughnuts
2602 6th Ave
Tacoma, WA 98406
253-327-1327

Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 5:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 5:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sunday: 5:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Johnson Candy Company has been a local source for chocolates and other candies for nearly 100 years.
Johnson Candy Company has been a local source for chocolates and other candies for nearly 100 years. Photo credit: Johnson Candy Company.

Johnson Candy Company
For nearly 100 years Johnson Candy Company has been in the business of all things sweet. Originally an ice cream store turned lunch counter, Johnson Candy Company decided to add handcrafted chocolates to their sweet selection in the mid 1920s and has been a full-fledged candy shop ever since. And the selection doesn’t disappoint. The shelves at Johnson Candy Company are lined with assorted cream-filled chocolates, caramels, nut clusters, truffles, toffee and everything in between. Candies are sold by the pound, so you can purchase as little or as much as you want. Fill up a box of your favorites for yourself, or create a custom assortment of candies and surprise that special someone with something sweet.

Johnson Candy Company
924 Martin Luther King Jr Way
Tacoma, WA 98405
253-272-8504

Hours:
Monday – Friday: 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Treat yourself to a single cupcake or please a crowd with a box of one dozen at Hello, Cupcake.
Treat yourself to a single cupcake or please a crowd with a box of one dozen at Hello, Cupcake. Photo credit: Hello Cupcake.

Hello, Cupcake
Downtown Tacoma’s Hello, Cupcake specializes in one thing and one thing only: cupcakes! The menu is simple and features a modest selection of classic flavors like chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, carrot and mocha, with a few signature favorites like Boston cream, chocolate hazelnut, and Shirley temple, to name a few. Each handcrafted cupcake is baked to perfection then topped with a swirl of sugary buttercream frosting for the finishing touch. When you’ve got a hankering for something sweet, purchase a single cupcake for yourself for a mere $2.80, or surprise your friends and family with a box of one dozen for $30.

Hello, Cupcake
1740 Pacific Ave
Tacoma, WA 98402
253-383-7772

Hours:
Sunday and Monday: 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Brown & Haley has been making Mountain Bars and Almond Roca locally in Tacoma since 1912.
Brown & Haley has been making Mountain Bars and Almond Roca locally in Tacoma since 1912. Photo credit: Brown & Haley.

Brown & Haley Factory Store and Almond Roca Gift Shop
Everyone knows the name Almond Roca, but did you know that the internationally known and loved candy is made locally right here in Tacoma? That’s right. Brown & Haley, founded in 1912, is based right in our very own backyard! For more than 100 years Brown & Haley has been a local maker of popular candies like Almond Roca and Mountain Bars. And, while it’s true that you can find these delectable candies just about anywhere across the state (and in the country), Pierce County residents needn’t travel far to get their fix of the sweet stuff. Visit the Brown & Haley Factory Store in Tacoma or the Almond Roca Gift Shop in Fife and chances are you’ll be the recipient of a sweet sample, on the house. Want to take a virtual tour of the factory? Check out the Almond Roca Channel on YouTube for a behind the scenes look at this local candy factory.

Brown & Haley Factory Store
3500 C 20th St
Fife, WA 98424
253-620-3030

Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Sundays

Almond Roca Gift Shop
110 East 26th St
Tacoma, WA 98421
253-620-3067

Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

tacoma ice cream
Flavor combinations at Ice Cream Social are endless. Featured here: Mad Hat matcha green tea and blueberry ice cream. Photo credit: Margo Greenman.

Ice Cream Social
For a sweet lick of hand dipped goodness, Ice Cream Social is a hotspot for cool treats. Sweet, creamy classics like vanilla and chocolate are obvious choices, or get adventurous with rotating flavors like roasted banana, fresh fig, and buttered popcorn, to name a few. You can get the full scoop on this local parlor, click here.

Ice Cream Social
2914 6th Ave
Tacoma, WA 98406
253-327-1660

Winter Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 3:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Friday: 3:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Saturday: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.