Vegan Desserts in St. Louis
"...preferably plant-based."
My diet has never adapted a veggie-forward agenda. At best, I participate in the infrequent "Meatless Monday," but I don’t want to rid my diet of dairy for an extended length. Desserts are my love language and what goes best with desserts. MILK! Enjoy now and pay the price later. I'm talking about flatulence, y'all. However, I am mature enough to explore a point of view unlike my own. Enter the little lady visiting from Chicago.
A decade of laughter and lifetime of memories.
I'm blessed to have a friend that loves me even though I'm a fun-loving goofball that's twice her height. Alanna and I met during our senior year of college. She's one of the brightest people I know, and that's saying a lot; my friends are better than your friends. About three years ago, she started exploring her perspective for a "preferably plant-based" diet. Like many people in the States, I've witnessed the vegan and plant-forward options groundswell. When I invited Alanna to visit our new house in St. Louis, Alanna suggested a vegan dessert tour. After landing at Lambert International Airport a few Fridays ago, I picked her up, and the next stop was food. I was thrilled to explore a side of my local community that I've yet to engage in, and St. Louis loves to show off its food scene.
First Stop: Lulu's Local Eatery
Who's hungry?
Any person that enjoys a delicious vegan meal likes Lulu's Local Eatery. Located on the South Grand strip, this little flower has a reputation that blooms year-round. Not that I go looking for bad news, but I've never heard anyone give this place a poor review. Even though the greater St. Louis community is segregated, this restaurant draws people from neighboring communities and counties. I knew this had to be our first stop on our culinary tour.
In addition to our dinner, we picked up a sweet potato brownie. Wow, the flavor was fantastic! A chocolate explosion with earthy goodness aftershocks. The sweet potato flavor plays an essential role in the brownie; the mellow flavor grounds the sweetened cocoa blast. For me, a little taste goes a long way. The close texture provides a rich mouthful. After a few bites, my sweet tooth was satisfied—a great way to start our tour.
Second Stop: Fiddlehead Fern
"…the Cashew would be amazing."
I like a boutique coffee shop just as much as the next person with disposable income. Saturday mornings at Fiddlehead Fern Cafe are bustling, both staff and customers. I stopped by to grab lattes for Alanna and my husband, Justin. Assuming they would have Alanna's preferred dairy alternative, coconut milk. They did not (my fail), but a good vibe was a moment away. I sent her the list of the other dairy alternatives, and she exclaimed about the homemade Cashew milk option; she told me that it was a rarity to come across it in Chicago. So don't move there; come to STL!
As I stood in line to place my coffee order, I spied a dark purple cookie with a delicate dusting of powdered sugar among the beautiful array of sweet pastries and desserts. Ube cookie? A few #nosaddesserts followers have recommended Fiddlehead Ferns' Ube cookie, and why yes, it is vegan. Picking up this treat was an unexpected stop on our tour, but when life works, it works. I love good vibes.
The texture of the Ube cookie was delectable. I love a soft, chewy, sweet cookie. The taste of ube is challenging for me to explain because it's such an unfamiliar flavor. It certainly has a robust nutty profile, but some moments are mellow and sweet. These cookies were a great introduction to Fiddlehead Ferns dessert world, and I'll be back to sample more goodies soon.
Third Stop: Sweet Art
A Neighborhood Staple.
Much like the name, Sweet Art, suggests the creations that come out of this store represent the spirit and creativity of this baking team. I tried my first gluten-free cupcake from this place years ago when I moved to St. Louis City. This restaurant is tucked, sweetly, in the residential neighborhood of Shaw. The brightly colored storefront is hard to miss as you walk down 30th street. There are several savory options that are vegan-friendly, but we came for the desserts. The shop has some delicious options, but I was in the mood for a classic chocolate chip cookie. Let's talk about this cookie. Firstly, this was my favorite dessert of the weekend. Some chocolate chips are flattened and layered in the baked dough and the cookie is sprinkled with a few salt flakes. It was so delicious and, I'll be back to sample the vegan brownie soon.
Stop 4: Clementine’s Creamery
Late Night Ice Cream Run
After a delicious dinner in the Loop at Fork and Stix, we drove to Lafayette Square for our final dessert of the weekend, Clementine’s Creamery. This ice cream shop is located one block east of the park on 18th street. Over the years, I've enjoyed my fair share of scoops from this neighborhood staple. Let's do some quick maths.
Little Rachel buys five ice cream cones, priced at $4.50, every year for seven years. How much money does little Rachel spend on her Clementine's habit? (Bonus credit: Show adjustment for inflation)
My point is I know my way around a Clementine’s Creamery shop.
Lattes at The Mud House
Per my previous email, I'm quite happy with my animal-based diet, so I never looked twice at their vegan options. However, I welcome a change. The late-night hours rolled on, and we were all happy with our selections. I chose the vegan Lemon Poppy Seed selection. It is one of my all-time favorite flavors, so I thought for sure, let's go with that, and I am happy I did. Tart, refreshing, and sweet; the texture was like a sherbet, and since there is no cow's milk in this treat, no farts that night!
I enjoyed these desserts, and I loved that I have a friend that wanted to support #nosaddesserts by encouraging me to try something new. I've lived in St. Louis for ten years, and this allowed me to see the city in a new light, and it reminded me why I like living here. There's an endless supply of treats and new and exciting experiences.
The vegan dessert tour of St. Louis was a success, and we had a great weekend, and I cherish my memories for years to come.
Here is a complete list of all the eateries with vegetarian and vegan meal options that we visited over the weekend:
