Okay, dessert heaven’s a real place and it’s on Light Street in Federal Hill. I got to visit Buns & Roses, Baltimore’s first chimney cake shop, and the lovely owner Deirdre hosted me for a tasting and a little behind-the-scenes peek, which was such a treat.
If you’ve never had a chimney cake, it’s a Hungarian pastry that gets spit-roasted until the outside goes golden and crackly and the inside stays soft and chewy, and Buns & Roses builds theirs into full-on soft serve cones and loaded desserts. I tried three things, but I’ll cut right to it: the Jumbo Chimney Cake with Nutella and Oreo was my favorite of everything, no contest. It’s ridiculously good, the kind of dessert you’re still thinking about the next day. If you’ve got a sweet tooth and a camera roll to feed, this spot’s a must, Nomsters!
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What Makes Buns & Roses a Standout Dessert Spot in Federal Hill
Chimney cakes are still a rare find around here, so having a whole shop devoted to them in Baltimore feels kind of special. Deirdre first fell for these in Paris and brought the concept home, opening what’s said to be the city’s very first chimney cake bakery. Everything’s freshly made in-house daily and cooked in a special rotating oven, so you’re getting the real deal, not something sitting under a heat lamp.
The pastry itself’s actually vegan, and the flavor menu rotates all the time, so there’s usually something new to try. Add in the soft serve, the loaded toppings, and the drinks, and it’s less a quick donut run and more a full dessert experience. That combo’s what sets it apart.
What to Order at Buns & Roses
Here’s everything I got, and how each one landed.
The Jumbo Chimney Cake (Nutella and Oreo)
This one’s the newer, bigger version of their signature, and it comes without ice cream, just the pastry loaded up with the combo of your choice. I’m a Nutella and Oreo girl through and through, so that’s what I asked for, and it was absolute perfection! The soft, chewy inside against that crispy, caramelized outside made for the most incredible texture, and it quickly became my favorite thing of the whole visit. If you only get one thing, make it this.
The Ohhh So Cookie Butter Chimney Cake
This beauty’s the full soft serve treatment: vanilla bean soft serve tucked into a Biscoff-crusted cone, slathered with Biscoff cookie butter, topped with Biscoff cookie crumbs, then drizzled with Biscoff cookie sauce and caramel. It’s delish, no question, but it does lean sweet, like fully-committed-to-sugar sweet, so this one’s for a serious sweet tooth or for splitting with a friend. Order it when you’re ready to go all in.
The Unicorn Latte (Taro)
The Unicorn Latte comes in three flavors, and I went taro because it’s one of my favorites. The taro came through really strong, which I loved, and it even arrives with a shot of espresso on the side, so it doubles as a little pick-me-up. Mine came topped with a beautiful edible butterfly too, which, yum and adorable. It’s made with local Zeke’s Coffee, if you’re wondering.
Beyond what I ordered, the menu runs deep: rotating chimney cake flavors like Strawberry Crunch, Oreo Smash, Fruity Pebbles, and Toasted Chocolate S’mores, plus a plain chimney cake if you want it without all the toppings. They also do apple dumplings, croissants, homemade banana pudding, and even a Furry Puppicino for the pups.
What Exactly Are Chimney Cakes?
If you’re new to them, chimney cakes (kürtőskalács in Hungarian) come from the Hungarian-speaking parts of Transylvania, and they’ve been around for centuries. The dough gets wrapped around a spit and slow-roasted while it spins, so the sugar on the outside caramelizes into this crackly, golden shell while the inside stays pillowy and soft.
Buns & Roses cooks each one to order, then either serves it plain or turns it into a cone for soft serve. Quick heads-up: the pastry on its own is vegan, but the soft serve’s dairy (they do offer a lactose-free version), so ask if that matters for you.
The Vibe and Experience
The space used to be a bookshop, and they’ve turned it into the cutest little pink-and-white dessert nook, faux florals everywhere, neon magenta lighting, and yes, an actual phone booth you’re basically required to take a photo in. It’s super clean, the aesthetic’s on point, and it’s very much built for the ‘gram.
There’s bar seating up front and in the back plus a bit of patio space, so you can sit and eat your chimney cake while it’s still warm. It’s a great sweet stop for a date, a catch-up with friends, or a treat after wandering Federal Hill. If you’re making a whole Baltimore sweets day of it, the chocolate chess pie at B-More Pies is another one worth the detour.
And if you want to anchor the evening with dinner before the sweets crawl, Cosima in Hampden is a gorgeous Southern Italian restaurant in a historic mill building that’s genuinely worth building a whole night around.
Good to Know
- 📍 803 Light Street, Baltimore, MD, right in Federal Hill, and it’s Baltimore’s first chimney cake shop.
- Hours have shifted around since my visit, so double-check their website or Instagram before you head over.
- Walk-in, no reservations needed. Everything’s made to order, so give it a few minutes.
- The chimney cake pastry’s vegan on its own; the soft serve’s dairy, with a lactose-free option if you ask.
- They take all the major cards (Amex, Visa, Mastercard, Discover) plus cash.
- Parking’s metered street parking on Light Street and around S. Charles and E. Cross, and it’s a residential permit zone, so mind the signs.
- Beyond desserts they pour Unicorn Lattes (made with Zeke’s Coffee), mint tea, peach lemonade, and more, and there’s even a treat for your dog.
Is Buns & Roses Worth It?
Yes, especially if you’ve got a sweet tooth and love a dessert that’s as pretty as it is fun to eat. The Jumbo Chimney Cake with Nutella and Oreo is the move, and honestly it’s worth the trip on its own. Just know the loaded ones run rich and sweet, so come hungry or bring someone to split with. It’s one of my favorite dessert stops in the city, and it more than earned its spot in my guide to the best desserts in Baltimore.
If you’re on a Baltimore sweets crawl, also add Double Bunny to your route, a woman-owned pop-up at the Fells Point Farmers Market with giant gourmet cookies (think half-pound, $5-6 each) and bubble tea.
Have you guys been to Buns & Roses yet? Let me know your go-to flavor in the comments, Nomsters, and if you build a wild chimney cake combo, I need to see it. Save this one for your next Baltimore dessert run, and send it to whoever in your life has the biggest sweet tooth.