Best of Burque Restaurants 2011

The Sweet Stuff

Just desserts

Eric Williams ericwphoto.com

Best Chocolates: Chocolate Cartel

Best Desserts

Flying Star Café

See A.M.: Best French Toast for contact information.

An apple turnover that will make the world feel right again. A carrot cake you’ll actually like, maybe even love. A chocolate mousse cake that will satisfy all your urges. And it’s open late.

2) Cravin' Cookies ... and More!
3) Olo Yogurt Studio

Best Chocolates

Chocolate Cartel

315 Juan Tabo • 797-1193
chocolatecartel.com

Raspberry and rose truffles? A Chimayó red chile bar? A chocolate cup filled with caramel and covered in ground almonds and milk chocolate? When you want artisan cocoa made with creativity, you sate your sweet tooth with Chocolate Cartel.

2) The Candy Lady
3) Tie: Buffett’s Candies, Theobroma

Best Cupcakes

Cupcakeology

3400 Constitution NE • 266-1115
cupcakeology.com

Forty-five flavors from pink Champagne to classic Boston cream. Cupcakeology balances flavor, density and texture for palm-sized treats that turn heads and taste like a dream.

2) The Grove Café and Market
3) Tie: Cake Fetish, Gold Rush Cupcakes

Best Cookies

Tie: Cravin' Cookies ... and More!, Flying Star Café

Cravin' Cookies
10420 Fourth Street NW • 298-2597
cravincookiesandmore.com
Flying Star Café
See A.M.: Best French Toast for contact information.

Cookies are boundless creations, limited only by the imagination and skill of their baker. Cravin’ Cookies and Flying Star have both to spare. They joyfully churn out every flavor and texture they can conceive of.

2) ABC Cake Shop
3) Al’s Big Dipper

Best European Bakery

La Quiche Parisienne Bistro

See P.M.: Best Quiche for contact information.

Looking to carbo load? You can do no better than La Quiche Parisienne Bistro and its cases filled to bursting with tarts, éclairs, rolls, croissants and—mais oui—postcard-worthy baguettes. But get there early. Those cases empty out quick.

2) Le Chantilly Pastry Shop
3) Le Paris French Bakery

Best Frozen Desserts

Olo Yogurt Studio

3339 Central NE • 718-4656
oloyogurt.com

One of the nicest things about Olo—outside of the rotating menu of 10 or so sweet-to-tart velvety frozen flavors—is that you get to customize everything yourself. Yogurt combinations, serving size (it's self-serve, pay by the ounce), a plethora of interesting toppings—it's all up to you. Talk about a dessert snob's paradise.

2) Ecco Espresso and Gelato
3) Chillz Frozen Custard

Best Milkshakes

66 Diner

1405 Central NE • 247-1421
66diner.com

Your retro-bedecked server will happily make you any shake you can imagine. When it hits your table, he'll bring a metal cup with all the extra stuff that didn't fit into the glass. Split an Elvis Presley with your sweetie.

2) Route 66 Malt Shop
3) Owl Café

Best Smoothies

Keva Juice (landslide)

Fourteen locations in Albuquerque: complete list of addresses and phone numbers at kevajuicesw.com.

One of Keva's most refreshing drinks is the pineapple splash smoothie. But if you try picking just one flavor among the nutritious blends and Yo Keva frozen yogurts, you you should plan to spend the afternoon there.

Results reported by Sam Adams, Jessica Cassyle Carr, Christie Chisholm, Marisa Demarco, Ari LeVaux, Laura Marrich, Devin O’Leary and Mina Yamashita