Opinion | Best places on campus to get a sweet treat

If there’s anything The Pitt News opinions desk writers love, it is a sweet treat. From quick to-go coffees to late-night guilty pleasures, here are plenty of spots on and around campus to indulge and get that dopamine boost.

Sidecar // Irene Moran, Senior Staff Columnist

Sidecar is a cute little cafe located right in North Oakland on North Craig Street. It is not too far from campus — only about an 8-minute walk from the Cathedral of Learning. Sidecar usually seems like a busy spot whenever I go in there, and it’s for a great reason.

I used to live in North Oakland, so whenever I wanted a little treat, Sidecar was my spot. I’m a huge matcha person, and their matcha is absolutely delicious. They also have some really great cinnamon rolls and breakfast sandwiches. Not only that, but all of their baked goods are homemade and half off after 4 p.m. most days.

Sidecar has such a cozy atmosphere to be in, even when it is busy. You can put on your headphones and read a book — it is a great place to do work at as well. 

The staff is always super nice whenever I go, and every drink I have from there is always fantastic. I highly recommend checking this place out. Walk there or take a bus — either way, it’s worth it.

Starbucks // Emily O’Neil, Senior Staff Columnist

I know Starbucks may not sound like the ultimate place to get a sweet treat on campus or the most exciting, and trust me, I don’t disagree. For me, I live in the William Pitt Union most of the week for my on-campus job in New Student Programs, and I’m always passing by when I’m leaving the Union. 

Starbucks is the most accessible place for me to stop and grab a pick-me-up, a sweet treat or my needed daily caffeine intake — which, to me, is a sweet treat when I don’t make it at home.

When I look back at my college career, grabbing a sweet treat from Starbucks will always hold a special place in my heart. Since Starbucks is so close to WPU, it’s always the place my coworkers and I immediately think of to go grab something. Last year, my coworker Gloria and I would go to Starbucks almost every single Friday when we were in the office. Now, I go with another coworker quite frequently as well. It’s just the place we continuously venture into. 

Starbucks is my go-to and the place I know won’t let me down when I’m looking for something yummy or a coffee for my caffeine addiction. Plus, it’s open until 9 p.m. most days, so it’s reliable to stop at before my nighttime Hillman sessions.

Insomnia Cookies // Julianna Steach, Staff Columnist

I never tried Insomnia Cookies until coming to Pitt. Everyone hyped it up, but I simply couldn’t believe that a chain bakery could compare to homemade cookies fresh out of the oven. Then, I tried their chocolate chip cookie. This warm, gooey sweet treat is everything it should be. 

Insomnia is on Meyran Avenue, on the way down to Forbes from Fifth. It’s small inside, so don’t be surprised on weekends if the line is out the door after 10 p.m. This isn’t a spot many people frequent during daylight, and the bakery is open until 3 a.m.

It is the perfect end to a night out, a lovely addition to a chill night in or a much-needed pick-me-up during a stressful week. You can go to the shop or get cokies delivered. 

One thing about these cookies is they are meant to be shared. Choosing flavors and dividing the box is a terrific way to bond with friends — until you get to the last cookie and have to figure out how to split it, of course. 

My personal favorite at Insomnia is the chocolate chunk cookie. It’s a classic. My roommate is a die-hard fan of the double chocolate chunk. If one person orders this cookie and someone wants to try it, get two. One bite isn’t enough, trust me. The snickerdoodle, double chocolate mint, classic with M&Ms and oatmeal raisin are all staples of Insomnia that you can never go wrong with adding to your purple box. 

So, next time you’re up way past your bedtime, get yourself some Insomnia Cookies. It’s good for the soul. 

Oh, and pro tip — pop your leftover cookie in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to get it back to the perfect temperature that melts the chocolate chips. 

Fuku Tea // Alaina McCall, Senior Staff Columnist

An Ode To Fuku Tea.

A staple of any day that’s not a bad one is Fuku Tea. If you’ve never had bubble tea, you’re massively missing out. It’s like if drinking a sweet treat was a game, where you get to pop the bubbles in your mouth as they enter. And they have every flavor profile you can imagine. Hot drinks, cold drinks, coffee, fruity drinks, chewy tapioca pearls, sweet strawberry popping balls, anything and everything you can imagine, all right on the corner of Forbes and Oakland. And while Fuku has signature items on its menu, you can also get anything you dream up with its create your own option. If you want to get the most perfect beverage known to mankind, aka my order, you should get the large iced green tea, strawberry flavored, no milk, with strawberry popping bubbles. If that doesn’t appeal to you, get some taste buds, I guess. 

But honestly, Fuku has so many other great options available for the flavorly disinclined. And if you’re not a bevvy type of person, they have a pastry case of pretty good options, including macarons and Swiss roll-like cakes. But seriously, if you haven’t tried bubble tea, you’ve got to try it here. Not only is it the best bubble tea place in Oakland — I’ve tried everywhere else with disappointing results — but in Pittsburgh, too. Possibly the world, but I personally can’t attest to that. 

Dave and Andy’s // Thomas Riley, Opinions Editor

Dave and Andy’s is back from the dead with all the same recipes and slightly less decorated walls. Some would say a brisk October night is not the ideal time for a scoop of ice cream. Those people are wrong. There are few activities more enjoyable than standing on the curb of Atwood, bundled in a sweatshirt, slowly licking away at a cone of ice cream that won’t immediately melt onto your hands like it did over the summer.

The rotating flavors are all delicious, and if you’re a creature of habit like me, they force you to branch out and try something new. Our young lives are so filled with daily political and existential terrors — it’s nice to have an evening when the most exhilarating part of your day is ordering a flavor with a somewhat ambiguous name and hoping for the best. Or, I guess you can just ask for a sample.

Dave and Andy’s has been a staple of Oakland since far before I arrived at Pitt, and they have never left me out to dry when I’m craving a sweet treat of ice cream on my way home from a night class. Don’t even think about passing up on it just because the days are getting colder.