A sweet tooth doesn’t really need a reason or a season, but if there’s any day to indulge in chocolate and goodies, it’s Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re shopping for a special someone or trying to drop hints to your own, there are plenty of places in the Northland to find something tasty and special. Maybe you also just want to buy yourself a treat, or you’ve got a night in with friends planned — there’s nothing better than curling up in front of a romantic comedy with a plate of chocolate and sweets (wine pairing optional).
Anita’s Famous Rolls Bakery & Box Lunch
7715 NW Prairie View Road, Kansas City
(816) 719-4422
The winner of 2023’s best bakery in Kansas City by the Kansas City Star, Anita's is best known for their dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls, as well as their excellent lunch offerings, like their soup. But if it’s your sweet tooth that needs tending to, they’ve got you covered with cupcakes, cakes and pastries, such as their best-selling Boston cream pie, German chocolate cakes and carrot cakes.
Burek and Cake
3605 NE Antioch Road, Kansas City
(816) 929-4344
This bakery is one of the more unique bakeries in the Northland, as it’s a Bosnian bakery that specializes in both sweet and savory burek and other European pastries. The bakery sells a lot of goods you won’t find many other places in Kansas City, and the couple that owns it also owns the European Store next door. Burek and Cake gets a lot of buzz on local food media and Facebook groups, so make sure to visit so you can be the first to tell your friends about it.
Classy Chocolates
18 W Kansas Street, Liberty
(816) 781-2260
This spot on the history Liberty square is one of the only places in the Northland to get locally-made chocolate goodies — but don’t stop there! On top of their chocolate turtles and chocolate-covered strawberries (a Valentine classic), they’ve got cookies, brownies and cake — whether you’re looking for a custom order or just need to grab whatever looks best in the glass display case.
Graze & Gather
7650 North Oak Trafficway, Kansas City
(816) 491-8030
Graze & Gather is actually a charcuterie business, but they do a specialty Valentine’s plate for this time of year! Whether you’re trying to feed 2 people or 40, they make a dessert tray of cookies and chocolates in a beautiful arrangement — perfect for a Galentine’s celebration or a lowkey evening for two at home!
Joanne’s Gluten Free Bakery
301 Main Street, Parkville
(816) 405-0166
Needing to eat gluten-free shouldn’t prevent you from special indulgences every once in a while, and thank goodness this new bakery in Parkville is here to the rescue. The baker, Christine, was diagnosed with Celiac in 2022 and decided to take her newfound knowledge to the public with her sweet treats. All the items at Joanne’s are gluten-free, oat-free and nut-free.
Joelle’s Baked With Love
11111 North Oak Trafficway, Kansas City
(816) 209-0942
Joelle’s bakery is the perfect breakfast stop, especially if you’re looking for a great pairing with your morning tea or afternoon tea. The bakery is known for its scones — both sweet and savory – and Joelle has served over 116 flavors so far!
Nellie’s Sweet Shoppe
115 E Main Street, Smithville
(816) 873-3663
In an adorable storefront in downtown Smithville, Nellie’s is known for their fudge, and they’ve got lots of flavors, with classics like chocolate and maple walnut or some that are a little more funky, like orange vanilla swirl and Snickers. But it’s also a great spot to stop for ice cream, floats, chocolates and old-school candies.
Old Town Sweets and Antiques
122 S Main Street, Parkville
(816) 912-2022
A friend of mine recently asked for a recommendation on where to buy bulk candy in the Northland, and I was stumped — which doesn’t usually happen! But then I happened upon Old Town, which is a treasure trove. Not only do they have a glass case of chocolate treats, but they’ve got baskets of old-school taffy flavors and also bulk candy bins so you can indulge in scoopfuls of bubblegum and jawbreakers, like a literal kid in a candy store. You can also spend your time perusing the antiques there or shopping their unique selection of sodas and candy.
Scola’s Original Italian Cookies & Pastries
8002 North Oak Trafficway, Kansas City
(816) 216-7059
If you’re looking to just stop into Scola’s and walk out with one thing, you’re going to have a hard time. Their pastry cake is filled with classic American Italian cookies that will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a New York deli. Whether you’re looking for freshly baked bread, cannoli, cheesecake, or a classic rainbow cookie, your eyes will be bigger than your stomach while you’re there. We think your Valentine might especially love a lobster tail, too — a puff pastry filled with ricotta cream.
Sugar Whipped Bakery
107 North Main Street, Plattsburg
(816) 930-0014
Sugar Whipped is a great stop any time of year, but especially around Valentine’s Day, when they make specialty cookies and chocolates that are not only delicious but beautifully made, so you can get extra points for presentation from your valentine.
Wally’s Pastry Shop
3855 North Oak Trafficway, Kansas City
(816) 452-7535
My husband’s family literally will not celebrate a birthday without a Wally’s blackout cake, and frankly, I now start craving it around every family birth date, too. The Northland staple, which has been around for decades, is under new management, but the new team was trained under the original ownership so you can still expect your favorites to be there and taste just as good as you remember.