Willy Wonka Your Way Around Niagara Falls USA

Got a sweet tooth? From chocolate factories and Italian bakeries to gluten-free bakeshops and charming custard shacks, Niagara Falls USA is sugar-coated and delivers a treat to remember. So whether you saved room for dessert, are looking for the perfect artisanal gift, or just fancy an early morning sugar rush with your coffee, here’s our tour of the best desserts in Niagara County.

Half Baked Cookies

The recently opened Half Baked Cookies brings ooey gooey goodness to the Niagara County food scene. This charming spot in Lockport offers over 15 cookie flavors each day, ranging from classics like chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin to more unique creations like s’mores and hazelnutella. A full selection of Perry’s ice cream and locally roasted True Bean coffee is available, too.

Kith & Kin Bakeshop & Bistro

Welcome to gluten-free heaven! It can be tricky to separate the wheat from the chaff when finding true celiac-friendly businesses, but Kith & Kin’s Bakeshop & Bistro in Lockport does just that. Their outfit creates 100-percent gluten-free delights including cookies, muffins and pies — there’s even a colossal savory menu, too.

Scripts Cafe

Located in downtown Lockport, Scripts Cafe is where people come for their caffeine fix and stay for dessert. Daily fresh-baked delights span a rainbow of flavors and colors — from homemade macarons to giant cookies and strawberry-basil scones to creamy pop-tarts.

Platter’s Chocolate Factory

Did you know that Niagara County boasts its very own chocolate factory? Since 1938, Platter’s of North Tonawanda has operated as a real-life Wonka wonderland, creating delicious specialties like orange chocolate sponge candy and pecan chocolate frogs. Get the full story with a factory tour or visit their tempting cafe and choose from a menu of chocolate and non-chocolate delights, like coffee and homemade custard.

Lake Effect Ice Cream

Love ice cream? Then make your way to Lake Effect in Lockport, where they whip up their own artisanal flavors daily. Ridiculously tempting sundaes include the Wee Bite of Scotland (with whiskey brown sugar and shortbread) and Sweet Salt & Smoke, featuring walnuts and bacon. Ice-cream cakes and icicles are available to cool you down, too.

Hibbard’s Original Frozen Custard

Offering a scoop of quaint Americana and delicious dairy goodness, Hibbard’s custard shack in Lewiston has been soft-serving Western New York for 80 years. Most visitors opt for their frozen custard sundaes, but you can also find floats, slushies and shakes in a seemingly endless spectrum of flavors. Seasonal.

Sanger Farms & Bakery

Taking farm-to-fork to a whole new level, Sanger Farms & Bakery in Youngstown creates all their scrumptious baked goodies right on their family fruit farm. Pay a visit to their Back Barn Cafe and you’ll savor delights like scratch-made fudge, cookies and fruit breads. A tip? Don’t forget to try their famous butter tart.

Frankie’s Donuts

Start your morning with coffee and donuts and you’re already winning at life, but go one better in Niagara Falls and make a stop at Frankie’s Donuts. A local icon, Frankie has been mastering the art of the perfect donut for decades, and his freshly baked varieties from red velvet to orange frosted never disappoint.

DiCamillo’s

Almost a century old, DiCamillo Bakery has been Niagara Falls’ maestro of Italian baked specialties since 1920. Pop into one of their local bakeries and you’ll be greeted with the arresting aroma of fresh breads, authentic biscotti and dreamy panettone. Pick up a treat — or one of their gorgeous gift baskets — to go. Buonissima!

Bye’s Popcorn

Lights, camera, popcorn! If you dig a little savory with your sweet, then make a beeline to the oh-so-charming Bye’s Popcorn, located in the equally quaint town of Olcott on Lake Ontario. Popcorn purists can indulge with their classic butter twist, while sweet-lovers will love their mega-mix caramel with pecans. Seasonal.