It seems like Basque cheesecake has been everywhere in the past few years, and we’d be remiss not to feature the best example on this list. Fortunately, we found that example at the recently opened East Somerville boulangerie, Michette. The crustless cheesecake has a deeply caramelized top and a creamy, custardy center that’s quite possibly richer than the combined powers of Beyonce and Taylor Swift.

This popular Porter Square poke shop serves takeaway Thursday through Saturday. Go for the poke and irresistible fried chicken, and be wowed by the fan-favorite pineapple cake, which comes in individual servings. “Grandma’s recipe,” notes the menu. “Every piece is a corner piece,” meaning you’ll find the ideal balance of chewy and ooey gooey in every bite.

Often, a day can be improved dramatically by a small, jiggly, joyous piece of flan. Fortunately, La Flaneteria pops up frequently at Buenas at Somerville’s Bow Market, typically restocking on Wednesdays — watch Instagram for ordering details and updates — with a rotating list of flavors, such as pumpkin spice, honey sesame, Twix (yes, the candy bar) and more.

This charming new spot in Allston from Stillwater chef and owner Sarah Wade offers a dessert program for your inner child. Pastry chef Kaitlyn Lloyd’s mile-high funfetti cake is a must, featuring Tahitian vanilla buttercream, strawberry sauce and a big scoop of homemade strawberry white chocolate ice cream. Prepare to be obsessed.

A little less intensely sweet than the chocolate cakes, carrot cakes, and coconut cakes of this map, Pagu’s olive oil polenta cake with citrus and a side of maple soft serve, hits all the savory and sweet notes without overpowering. The ideal finisher at this Cambridge restaurant that highlights chef and owner Tracy Chang’s background cooking both Spanish and Japanese cuisine.

There’s just something about steakhouses, and Grill 23 hits all those ephemeral notes. Try to grab a seat at the bar to unwind with a glass of wine and the restaurant’s renowned coconut cake with coconut dulce de leche. The perennial favorite is an excellent finish to dinner, or enjoyed alone.

This international chain is known for its crepe cakes, each featuring at least 20 crepes with layers of pastry cream in between, available in flavors like passionfruit, green tea, and salted caramel. The Newbury Street location offers the cakes by the slice, with seasonal flavors like pumpkin brûleé being the smart choice. 

Specializing in vegan and gluten-free options – and they offer a lot of them – this Jamaica Plain bakery offers a rotating selection of sweets and baked goods. We can’t promise that they’ll have the vegan carrot or chocolate cake slices on offer, but if they do, you know what to do.