Looking for a delicious dessert after a savory meal? Or something to celebrate a small win on a bad day? Orange County has plenty of sweet treats to offer, ranging from late-night cookies and ice cream to chewy and soft custard-filled taiyakis! These places are sure to satisfy a sweet tooth any day of the week.
Insomnia Cookies
0.2 miles from UCI –– 4187 Campus Dr Suite M174, Irvine, CA 92612
Insomnia Cookies is a cookie shop located in the Irvine University Town Center. It is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, making it a good option for a late-night snack. They offer a wide selection of classic and deluxe cookies which are always served fresh and warm. The shop also serves ice cream, which can be scooped on the side, on top of a warm cookie or between two cookies to make an ice cream sandwich.
Paris Baguette
0.7 miles from UCI –– 4503 Campus Dr, Irvine, CA 92612
Paris Baguette is a South Korean Bakery chain that offers a wide selection of not too sweet cakes, pastries and bread. Located next to the Albertsons at Campus Plaza, Paris Baguette is easily accessible to UCI students and is popular for its freshly made bread and delicious selection of coffee. Their fruit pastries and croissants are a perfect balance of soft, crispy and sweet. The store is a self-serve bakery, which means you can grab as many pastries from their shelves, put them on a tray and have them wrapped up.
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream
2.8 miles from UCI –– 5365H Alton Pkwy, Irvine, CA 92604
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is a popular ice cream parlor founded in 1945 that serves handmade ice cream and sorbet. They offer a wide variety of flavors and toppings, such as marshmallow fluff and warm fudge. For fans of their flavors, Handel’s offers two sizes of ice cream to take home: pints or quarts. They also serve banana splits, ice cream sundaes and shakes. Other than on Alton Parkway, Handel’s has two locations on Jamboree Road in Irvine and one on Oceanfront in Newport Beach.
Somi Somi
3.4 miles from UCI –– 700 Alton Pkwy Ste 125, Irvine, CA 92606
Somi Somi is a taiyaki shop that makes their pastries fresh to order. Taiyaki is a fish-shaped Japanese pastry made with mochi flour for a chewy and crispy texture. You can choose classic fillings like red bean, but they also have unique fillings like nutella, matcha and custard. Customers can also purchase soft serve along with their fresh, warm taiyaki, served either in a cup or a taiyaki cone.
85° Bakery
3.4 miles from UCI –– 2700 Alton Pkwy #123, Irvine, CA 92606
85° Bakery was founded in Taiwan in 2003. The chain bakery opened its first U.S. store in Irvine at the Diamond Jamboree, and quickly grew in the U.S. The bakery focuses on affordable and enjoyable gourmet pastries, premium coffee and bread. 85° is a self-serve style bakery similar to Paris Baguette and offers both sweet and savory options.
Jane’s Corndogs
6.5 miles from UCI –– 106 McFadden Pl, Newport Beach, CA 92663
Jane’s Corndogs serves classic American fair treats like funnel cakes, deep-fried Oreos, frozen bananas and ice cream on a stick. The store has a few savory options as well, such as corn dogs and chili cheese fries. Jane’s Corndogs is cash-only and open from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday through Friday. On Fridays and Saturdays, the store stays open until 2 a.m. It’s a good place to grab a late-night snack and enjoy the beach under the stars.
Seaside Donuts Bakery
6.5 miles from UCI –– 2108 W Oceanfront, Newport Beach, CA 92663
Seaside Bakery is a famous Cambodian-American owned bakery known for its Thai tea donuts, green Thai tea drinks and 24/7 service. The bakery offers a range of treats from donuts to savory croissants, and it’s a popular spot for residents all over Orange County. While lines get decently long, service is quick, and the pastries are guaranteed to be fresh and delicious. Located right in front of the Newport Pier, it is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike.
Seaside Donuts Bakery recently went viral on TikTok popularizing it as a premiere hang out spot explaining the long lines that go late into the night.
Denise Piolo is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the spring 2025 quarter. She can be reached at epiolo@uci.edu.
Edited by Corinna Chin and Joshua Gonzales.