The Texas Sweet Life — Where Desserts, Ice Cream and Candy Treats Reign

Ready to treat your sweet tooth to a Willy Wonka worthy array of handmade candy, gourmet ice cream, macarons, cupcakes, gelatos and crepes? By this point, we all deserve a treat. Or three.

Luckily, it’s the season for sweet treats and several Texas mixed-use centers are upping the ante with offerings galore. Whether it’s unique ice cream, candy you cannot find in a regular store or fresh, mouth-watering crepes, Midway’s districts have you covered. These mixed-use innovators have always understood the value of something sweet in building a community.

From Houston’s CITYCENTRE to College Station’s Century Square to Kingwood’s Kings Harbor and more, there’s a sweet spot waiting to serve you summer’s coolest treats. So grab a spoon or a cone and dive right in. The sugar’s just fine.

This is your guide to the Texas sweet life:

CITYCENTRE

Bateel

This luxe date shop is just one of two in the entire United States, and the only location in Texas. Bateel brings a fresh take on dessert, selling pesticide-free dates grown and harvested on namesake farms in the Middle East.

The CITYCENTRE shop offers seven types of plain dates, varying in sweetness, color, texture and firmness and 19 varieties of filled dates, packed with different types of roasted and caramelized nuts or candied fruits. The chocolate dates are just as exquisite, with the chocolate sourced from the finest cacao beans in Madagascar and Peru.

The packaging, like the dates, is opulent, making Bateel’s gift boxes the ultimate treat to give and receive.

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Fellini Gelato & Caffé

You know Fellini is a delicious destination for freshly brewed coffees, but it’s also a gelato-lovers delight, with more than 25 different flavors, plus sorbetto and gelato pops. Need a quick gelato refresher?

Gelato can be a healthier choice when compared to ice cream. Gelato typically contains four to eight percent butterfat, versus 14 to 20 percent for ice cream, so you can expect the ultimate creamy experience. And less calories.

Fellini makes traditional flavors such as Stracciatella and Tiramisu, but you will also find Mint Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Cookie and Almond Fig in the mix.

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Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams has garnered a cult following of ice cream aficionados who simply can’t get enough of the sweet stuff. Created by James Beard Award-winning ice cream maker Jeni Britton Bauer, her namesake ice cream throws ordinary expectations out the window with flavors like Brambleberry Crisp, Gooey Butter Cake and Texas Sheet Cake.

If dairy’s not your thing, you can still savor Jeni’s selection of ice creams made with coconut cream and her mix of signature ingredients.

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SWEET

This CITYCENTRE bakery lives up to its name, offering hand-crafted desserts that delight with every bite. Cakes are baked every day for those craving just a slice. Or get a whole cake to share. Elevate your cupcake game with salted caramel, tiramisu, s’mores and gluten-free chocolate flavors. Macarons, cake truffles, cookies, mini key lime pies and pot de cream round out an irresistible menu.

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Sweet Paris Crêperie & Cafe

Your tastebuds will say “Ooh La La” with every bite at Sweet Paris Crêperie & Cafe. Look for the Tiffany Blue awning and prepare to be swept away to the City of Lights. The light-as-air pancakes are packed with your choice of delectable fillings, including Cinnamon Crème Brulee, Berry Agave, Dulce de Leche and S’Mores and can (definitely should) be topped with vanilla bean ice cream for the sweetest of flourishes.

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Tiff’s Treats

Truly, there’s nothing better than fresh-from-the-oven cookies, and Tiff’s Treats serves up cookies and brownies every day with great aplomb. There isa reason those Tiff’s Treats boxes are coveted.

Yes, you can have fresh-baked brownies and cookies delivered to someone special, but you can also pop by the shop to grab chocolate chip, sugar and oatmeal raisin cookies (and many more selections) on any ordinary day. It’s guaranteed to make the day that much sweeter.

Pro Tip: Don’t miss out on trying Tiff’s Treats limited-edition Rocky Road cookies. They are cookie nirvana.

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Century Square

Century Square in College Station is a community hub, drawing locals and out-of-town visitors for shopping, memorable events and dining. Both Tiff’s Treats and Sweet Paris Crêperie & Cafe have homes in this bustling Midway center too.

Yes, that means cookies and crêpes are always within reach. Still looking for a sugar rush? Head to ShareTea for bubble teas and sweet coffees and Hey Sugar for cotton candy, unique popcorns and distinctive candy galore.

ShareTea

You get the cool combo of creamy and sweet at ShareTea, a Boba Tea spot at Century Square. Sip on flavors like Mango Ice blended with Ice Cream and Oreo Ice blended with Boba pearls.

Hey Sugar

Awww, old-fashioned candy just like grandma used to have at home. That’s just some of the sweetness you’ll find at Hey Sugar. This colorful shop is a sensory whirlwind that smells as good as it looks. So go ahead and indulge in nostalgic candy, homemade ice cream and waffle cones, milkshakes, flavored popcorns and cotton candy.

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Kings Harbor

The Berry Bar

Cool off and chill out this summer at The Berry Bar at Kings Harbor. This family-owned business blends fresh fruit smoothies and specialty lemonades daily, while also wowing frozen yogurt fans with flavors like Cake Batter and Cookies and Cream.

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