Best Desserts

Check out Out & About's five favorite restaurant desserts.

Posted 4:30 p.m. Dec 5, 2011 — Updated 2:28 p.m. Jan 13, 2012

I am a huge fan of dessert! But to stay healthy, I try only indulge once a week. So, I am constantly on the lookout for the best places to treat my sweet tooth.

Here are my five favorite restaurant desserts in no particular order:

The Pit (Raleigh) - I can't eat here without getting their banana pudding. Even if I am full, I get it to go. It is that good. Vanilla pudding layered with bananas, wafers and marshmallow fluff topped with meringue = joy in your mouth.

Angus Barn (Raleigh)- Their chocolate chess pie, topped with vanilla Häagen-Dazs ice cream, has gotten recognition from the LA Times. It melts in your mouth. With your bill, they do give you the recipe, but it never seems to come out the same when you make it at home.

Shuckers Grill & Oyster Bar (Wake Forest) - If you are looking for the ultimate chocolate brownie dessert, you need to check out Shuckers. Their Double Chocolate Brownie is made with buttershots liqueur, topped with vanilla ice cream, warm cinnamon sauce and candied pecans.

518 West (Raleigh) - This Italian restaurant boasts several great desserts, but it makes the list for its Fresh Banana Brioche Pudding (carmelized bananas baked between custard soaked layers of brioche and topped with cinnamon ice cream, toasted walnuts and caramel sauce) and its Tiramisu.

Cafe Capistrano (Raleigh) - This restaurant boasts a sweet delight for dessert - Mexican Wedding Cake. The moist, white cake is soaked in sweetened creams, topped with real whipped cream and drizzled with raspberry sauce.

Honorable mentions: Winston's (Raleigh) for its homemade ice cream and chocolate souffle, Battistella's (Raleigh) for its bread pudding, Andy's Burgers, Shakes fries (Raleigh, various locations) for its amazing frozen custard, Piebird (Raleigh) for basically all of its pies and Twisted Fork (Raleigh) for its Whoopie Pies.

I will definitely be breaking these into Five Fave categories in the coming weeks - pies, cakes, chocolate, ice cream, etc.

I couldn't possibly name every place I love. So, what places and desserts did I miss? Tell me in the comments section below.

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