Dolce Bakery & Cafe, St. Charles

On the bank of the Fox River sits Dolce Bakery & Cafe, a family-owned sanctuary of sweetness specializing in Italian pastries and desserts. Here, the tiramisu cake is soaked in coffee, filled with a creamy mousse, and surrounded by succulent ladyfingers. The profiterole, a classic Italian delicacy, is a tower of hazelnut cream puffs, topped with chocolate shavings and garnished with whipped cream and cherry buttons. Dolce also whips up soft, moist cupcakes slathered in a made-from-scratch buttercream frosting, and a host of cookies including macaroons, amaretti, and lemon taralli. On the savory side of things, Dolce's chefs prepare light Italian cafe fare such as paninis, flatbread pizza, and pasta.