This Popular Dessert Often Isn't Worth It At Upscale Restaurants

Our best tips for dining at a fancy restaurant often deal with unspoken etiquette rules. But, to get the most out of an elevated sit-down dinner, a crucial element of the experience is knowing what to order — and what to not. When sweet-toothed foodies lay their eyes on the dessert cart, it can be all too easy to let your heart (or your stomach) order for you. However, a word to the wise: Avoid ordering ice cream at an upscale restaurant.

A fine dining establishment may be known for its out-of-this-world prime rib or its seafood tower, but when it comes to the dessert course, the ice cream offering is often simply a commercially-available product sold at a significant markup. Not unlike how the same bottle of wine that costs, say, $10 at Target will run about 300% higher when ordered tableside, paying a steep markup for the same ice cream you can get at the supermarket really isn't worth it.

Still, it's worth noting that some fine dining establishments do make their own ice cream in-house, or source it from a specialty local confectioner – in which case it can be okay to order for dessert. Some Italian restaurants might also offer traditional or imported gelato. Don't be shy about asking your server to find out for sure. If not, however, order a dessert that you can't get from the store or easily make at home. 

To steer clear of desserts that are overpriced and underwhelming at a fancy establishment, follow the signs of craftsmanship. Unless you're ready to fire up the kitchen torch yourself, chances are you won't be making crème brûlée or baked Alaska at home on a regular basis. Desserts that require special tools to assemble are prime candidates to order out. Other confectionery creations that require laborious hands-on prep work — such as French mille crêpe – also make great choices to enjoy in a restaurant setting. Interesting or unique flavors that you can't find elsewhere (lavender-pistachio torte, anyone?) might also be worth the splurge.

When an ice cream craving strikes, foodies are better off visiting their local ice cream shop. Just like the specialty dishes for which a fine dining restaurant is known, the ice cream parlor is a master of its unique craft, and it's where the tastiest (and often more affordable) cones can be scored. Or, consider shelling out a little extra on your next grocery run for a premium store-bought ice cream brand. Graeter's, Whitey's, Smitten, and Jeni's are some of our favorites. To help budget-conscious gourmands get the most out of their next upscale dinner out, we've rounded up eight more desserts you should avoid ordering at a fancy restaurant.