6 Sweet Treats To Try At IKEA's Food Court

IKEA is known worldwide for its remarkable selection of furniture, appliances, and general decor, all of which make it a must-visit store for those looking to furnish or revamp their living space. However, while there are plenty of things at IKEA that can come in handy in your kitchen — some for under $10, even — one of the nicest things about any visit to the store is getting to enjoy its restaurant and bistro. Both are often found adjacent to the checkout area and carry an assortment of delicious foods that you can't buy anywhere else.

IKEA's food court, which has origins dating back to 1950s Sweden, has become a legendary aspect of the retailer's identity. Despite many writing about its delicious Swedish meatballs in particular, one can argue that the several sweet desserts you can purchase are where the store's food truly shines the most. Four of IKEA's delicious treats are available at its restaurant, which has proper entrees and meals for you to order that take longer to make and eat. An additional two can be found at the bistro — which is designated specifically for smaller, quicker snacks. However, you'll be getting a great dessert regardless of which station you're at, as all six of IKEA's sweeter offerings have something special that makes them worthy of going out of your way to taste when at the iconic furniture store.

Nothing finishes off a meal quite like a rich piece of chocolate cake. While the recipe and size of the signature cake have evolved over the years, the item currently consists of a frosting (which many believe is a kind of ganache) wrapped around several layers within the cake. While it's not exactly known what makes up each of the layers of the center, they all come together to create a delicious, brownie-like taste. While many will swear by old versions of the sweet staple item like the Chocolate Conspiracy Cake and the Chocolate Overload Cake, the current iteration is more than capable of getting the job done for any fan of the flavor visiting IKEA's food court.

An item much more unique to IKEA's identity, the Swedish apple cake is a longtime favorite of fans of Swedish pastries, and the furniture store's rendition of it does a great job of showing why. With a crumbly top layer and a spongy, almost creamy apple filling below (which features chunks of apples for good measure), the dessert is one you won't regularly find in the United States and is thus subject to many copycat recipe-makers online attempting to match its greatness at home. Nevertheless, the novelty and remarkable taste of the dessert make it a great option for switching things up at the IKEA Swedish Restaurant.

Another IKEA item that has made massive Swedish dessert fans out of many of the store's customers is the caramel almond cake. Much like the store's chocolate cake, the caramel almond cake utilizes a ganache, but this time pairs it with almonds, a custard-based filling, and either caramel or butterscotch, depending on what sugar is being used to make it. This creates an incredibly sweet dessert with a taste that some have compared to a candy bar. However, the custardy insides are what really take it up a notch, giving it an incredibly appetizing texture for customers to enjoy.

Another more standard dessert at IKEA's disposal is its strawberry shortcake, a treat made by countless different bakers and restaurants, but one that the store still manages to put its spin on all the same. According to one IKEA employee, the dessert is similar to others on the market but is made unique through the use of both buttercream and a high-quality strawberry jam, both of which need to be chilled to maintain the layers. These ingredients — alongside the remarkably light and fluffy yellow cake that contains them – really make the classic dessert something to seek out at the retailer, even if the item is a relatively simple one.

Shifting over to what you'll find at the IKEA Swedish Bistro, the store's cinnamon buns are arguably the most legendary dessert available at the global retailer. The large cinnamon rolls are as decadent as they come, with many calling them among the best versions of the world-renowned treat. While the IKEA cinnamon bun more closely resembles the globally recognizable version of the dessert rather than the Swedish cinnamon bun known as the kanelbulle — which is almost exclusively available in Sweden — it still has a unique charm and flavor that is unlike any other. Plus, at merely $1.50 per bun, the treat is among the most cost-effective at the store.

Finally, an item that has been lauded as the most underrated item at either of the retailer's food stations, the IKEA Swedish Bistro's soft serve ice is legitimately top-notch, according to several frequent customers. The store has two versions of the treat: vanilla, a favorite of many who enjoy a more classical ice cream flavor, and strawberry, which is entirely plant-based and made with strawberry puree and other fruit-centric ingredients. This vegan soft serve — which is sometimes referred to as a sorbet — was first rolled out in 2019 in Europe and has since become a mainstay stateside, with some even expressing their preference for the dairy-free version. Nevertheless, both versions of IKEA's soft serve ice can be bought either in a cup or on a cone, making the dessert even more customizable.