By Trent Modglin

Tavern on the Point’s chocolate chip bread pudding and creme brûlée
6724 N. Northwest Highway in Edison Park
TavernOnThePoint.com

The difference in this Edison Park favorite’s version of bread pudding, according to sous chef Teresa Castillo, is that the brioche bun is soft and airy — thanks to a base of heavy cream and eggs — and then it’s baked with chocolate chips for about 45 minutes before being topped with a giant scoop of ice cream and drizzled chocolate sauce. Sounds pretty good, no?

In short, it’s the perfect combination of soft cake and cold ice cream. “I have to admit… I got it right my first time,” Castillo tells us with a smile. “I made it for my family and everyone loved it, so I knew we needed to put it on the menu.”

As for the creme brûlée, the flan is made with egg yolks, Grand Marnier liqueur and a heavy whipped cream, then baked to a perfect texture in the oven. It’s slightly caramelized by an open flame and then dusted with powdered sugar and topped with fresh blueberries and strawberries.

Pizzelle cookie taco at Zia’s Social
6158 N. Northwest Highway in Norwood Park
ZiasSocial.com

If you’re unfamiliar with the word pizzelle, it’s a classic Italian waffle cookie that is pressed and baked on a special iron. And the geniuses in the kitchen at Zia’s Social have taken the pizzelle to another level, turning it into a full dessert taco. Actually, there is quite the assortment of taco options on their dessert menu, but we chose the monthly special.

The sizable pizzelle taco, which impressively manages to keep its shape, was filled with both peppermint and Mexican hot chocolate gelato, whipped cream and crumbled biscotti, and then topped with a bunch of toasted marshmallows and a rich chocolate sauce.

It’s a great blend of a lot of favorites — and yet pleasantly not quite as sweet as we were expecting. Loved the crunchy biscotti chunks, and the peppermint balances things out nicely. It’s a perfect dessert for two, or maybe even four if you’ve indulged a bit too much in one of Zia’s pasta dishes beforehand.

Howard Street Inn’s strawberry waffle
6700 W. Howard Street in Niles
HowardStreetInn.com

With a menu filled with delectable, elevated pub food like four-cheese pizzas, steakburgers, Cuban sandwiches, pulled pork sliders, jambalaya and shrimp tacos, it’s easy to overlook the dessert options at the Howard Street Inn… or just be too full after your meal to even contemplate a sweet treat. But you should take note on your next visit, because there are some eye-catching offerings you won’t want to miss.

While teased by the giant brownie and toasted cinnamon puffs, we went with the strawberry waffle, which consists of a sugar-coated waffle that’s heated to perfection and then topped with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream and doused with strawberry sauce.

“It is sure to detect any cavity you have in your mouth, but everyone loves it,” owner Ken Hoffman says with a laugh. Don’t forget, the Howard Street Inn has some of the best daily drink specials you’ll find anywhere around, too.

Easy Street Pizza’s cookie monster
711 Devon Avenue in Park Ridge
EasyStreetPizzaChicago.com

The locally owned Easy Street Pizza — with two more locations in Chicago — has quickly established itself as a favorite spot for thin crust, deep dish, diner burgers, catching the game and much more.

It could be said that my son, going back to him spending the first five years of his life in the city, was raised on the Easy Street cookie monster. Plenty of iPhone videos of him joyously devouring one can attest to that. It’s as simple and delicious as you might imagine: hot, gooey chocolate chip cookies topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Side note: The fried Oreos with ice cream are a nice alternative.

Harp & Fiddle’s Baileys bread pudding
110 Main Street in Park Ridge

TheHarpAndFiddle.com

The history of bread pudding dates back to 11th-century English cooks who were looking for a way to repurpose leftover stale bread. Well, rest assured chefs have made big strides since then, and Harp & Fiddle’s version is one to seek out for sure.

The large square arrives at the table fresh from the oven with whip cream melting deliciously on top. It’s made from slow-roasted lavash bread and comes with a crumble topping, Baileys Irish cream liqueur sauce and layers of vanilla and cinnamon.

Boasting a rich blend of flavors, it’s actually perfect to split between a few people. But we won’t call you out for claiming it all for yourself. It’s just that good. Side note: Another favorite dessert that we’ll have to address next time is Harp & Fiddle’s caramel apple crisp.

Patina Wine Bar’s Lemon Berry Cake
112 S. Prospect Ave. in Park Ridge

PatinaWineBar.com

Patina has made quite a name for itself in just more than a year in town. A lot of that has to do with their delicious small plates, cozy vibe and vast wine selection. But we’d be remiss not to mention their seasonally rotating desserts like the lemon berry cake with vanilla wafers, fresh blueberries and layers of marscapone cream.

“It’s delightfully tart with the fruit, but lightly sweet and creamy too,” says co-owner Carissa Shaffer. “It’s a hit to share as a dessert and pairs perfectly with the locally made Bellissimo limoncello spritz.”

Amici Ristorante’s homemade cannoli
7620 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Niles

Amici-Italian.com

Amici means “friends” in Italian, so the staff at Amici, which has been family-owned and operated since 1987, takes a lot of pride in the idea of warm, genuine hospitality. The other thing they’re most proud of? A massive menu full of authentic Italian specialties. Our advice is definitely to come hungry. And take time to relax and enjoy the old-world vibe here.

Once you navigate your way through the array of generous pasta, seafood, veal and chicken dishes, you’re going to need to save room for dessert if possible. The reason: Their incredibly popular cannolis are handmade and freshly filled. With origins in Sicily, these crispy, tubed-shaped shells of fried pasty dough come stuffed with a sweet ricotta cream, and Amici’s version includes chopped pistachios, powdered sugar and drizzled chocolate sauce.

“They’re just to die for,” our waitress told us as she put the plate on the table, earning an approving nod from the next table over. Can’t argue there.