In the midst of midterm season, one of the best ways to wind down is with a sweet treat — either from home or from one of the many places on and off campus. For this week’s editorial, The Pitt News is recommending some of our favorite sweet treat locations to get through this time of year.
Insomnia Cookies // Emma Hannan, Opinions Editor
As the weather starts to get colder, there is truly nothing better than picking up a warm cookie from Insomnia for a late-night study session. The cookies are relatively cheap, and they also offer bundles if you want some to last through the week. Additionally, it is relatively close to campus, making it a favorite to quickly grab something to eat. For some personal flavor recommendations, I would get Double Chocolate Chunk and Peanut Butter Chip. If you want a flavor that’s in season, Caramel Apple is a great pick.
Giant Eagle Bakery Section // Emily Harris, Co-Copy Chief
They say don’t shop on an empty stomach, but such sage advice grows obsolete when perusing at Giant Eagle. Let your eyes be your taste buds and sweeten that weekly grocery shopping list with the best baked goods a local chain grocery store can provide. You can’t go wrong with soft-baked Giant Eagle cookies — chocolate chip, double chocolate chunk and, of course, frosted sugar cookies. Then there are the more satiating desserts — cookie cakes, cheesecakes and pumpkin pies. I mean, is there anything as convenient and delicious as a store-bought bakery pumpkin pie? My favorite Giant Eagle sweet treat is the mini blueberry lemon bundt cake. It’s a decadent assembly of flavors — rich in citrusy zest, tart berry and sugary icing — all to be enjoyed on a perfectly moist bundt cake. Giant Eagle is affordable, local and it allows you to stock up on your sweets — save a late-night trip through campus and walk no further than to your kitchen cabinet.
The Milkshake Factory // Kyle Bozzetti, Co-Copy Chief
While I’m definitely no stranger to just throwing some store-brand ice cream and milk into a blender and calling it a day, there’s something to be said for perfecting the simple things in life, and the Milkshake Factory certainly knows how to perfect a milkshake. While I perhaps wouldn’t go every day, some days, you need a treat where you try to ignore the calorie count and just enjoy yourself. Additionally, being close to campus and accepting off-campus dining dollars makes this a pretty convenient option in many cases — provided you’re willing to wait in line, since this is perhaps the only place I’ve seen get more crowded the later at night you go. In any case, I’d highly recommend their Bananas Foster or Cookie Brownie Fudge Shake if you need a sweet treat close to campus.
Dave & Andy’s // Sage Rosenfeld, Culture Editor
There is simply nothing better than a scoop of your favorite ice cream in a crisp waffle cone. Located on Atwood Street, Dave & Andy’s offers a plethora of flavors — rotating through new and exciting creations often. If you are concerned about the upcoming cold weather conflicting with your ice cream eating agenda, don’t fear — Dave & Andy’s offers a “fall flavors” menu featuring autumnal classics such as Honey Comb, Maple Pancake and Pumpkin Cheesecake. Their Cake Batter flavor is my favorite of their classics, as it has actual chunks of cake in it. My roommates and I love to grab a cone after a long day of studying or on a sunny weekend afternoon — making sure to try each other’s flavors on the walk home.
The Pitt News editorial is a weekly article written by the opinion editors in collaboration with all other desk editors. It reflects the collective opinion of the current Pitt News editorial staff.