5 sweet spots in Calgary to get desserts

Restaurant dessert menus are getting interesting these days.

Rather than the standard cheesecake, chocolate,cake and ice cream offerings of decades past, chefs are paying more attention to the meals finale.

Whether youre after something sweet to finish dinner, or looking for a spot to go for dessert and drinks, here are some of Calgarys sweetest spots.

• And click on the "Listen" button above to hear Julie's roundup of what to expect during The Big Taste here in Calgary, which kicks off this weekend.

Cucina Market Bistro

The dessert menu at Cucina Market Bistro is rustic-chic, just like its interior.

There are modernized classics like tiramisu from the Berloni family recipe; a reverse affogato consisting of house-made espresso gelato topped with warm vanilla cream; warm apple thyme tart with cinnamon-chantilly cream; and a spectacular passionfruit mousse topped with fresh raspberries.

Theres even a daily sorbetto and Phil and Sebastian coffee to wash it all down.

515 8th Ave. S.W., 587-353-6565

Yellow Door Bistro

At thebrand-new Yellow Door Bistro in the Hotel Arts (where the St. Germain used to be), pastry chef-sugar guru Karine Moulin has created a series of elegant French-inspired pastries.

Try the lemon curd tart with lavender meringue and raspberry sorbet, le Flottante sesame and orange zest meringue on a bed of crme anglaise or a selection of cheeses with an aperitif, port or specialty coffee.

119 12th Ave. S.W., 403-206-9585

Market Calgary

Chef Geoff Rogers new haunt in the 17th Avenue space that once was the Yardhouse has a dessert menu thats part science experiment.

Try the pressured caramelized panna cotta with lavender and almond gremolata, or a liquid cheesecake made using liquid nitrogen and served with pink lady apple gelato.

Or because its winter, and were in Alberta, go old school with a slab of chocolate beet cake with beet ice cream.

718 17th Ave. S.W., 403-474-4414

Cibo

Go for the $5 pizzas at Cibos mid-week happy hour, and stay for Italian specialties.

Try theNutella calzone, made with their own chewy pizza dough and served with chokecherry curd and toasted hazelnuts; cannoli with ricotta mascarpone and pistachios; or sticky dark chocolate date budini with white chocolate gelato, salted caramel sauce and cocoa nibs .

1012 17th Ave. S.W., 403-984-4755

Oxand Angela

The latin-inspired tapas menu at Oxand Angela is perfect for sharing, and so areits irresistible homemade churros, served with molten chocolate for dipping.

528 17th Ave. S.W., 403-457-1432