Unique Sweet Treats in Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon is a great city to visit for a multitude of reasons--it's got great culture, a quirky atmosphere, amazing restaurants, and is in close proximity to hiking (Mt. Hood) and amazing pinot noir (Willamette Valley).

You can easily fill almost a week there and still not run out of things to do, which is something not too many American cities can boast. What makes Portland especially sweet, however, is its amazing selection of unique specialty boutiques--especially those that cater to those of us with a sweet tooth.

Read on for more about where to find Portland's best sweet treats.

Candy Babel is a a gummy-lover's paradise. Tucked away in a neighborhood, this small store is packed full of sweet goodness. The glass bins and jars are filled with gummies from all over the world, from green army men to fried eggs to penguins to chicken feet.

There's also an assortment of licorice, as well as different chocolates and candy bars. The best part? The candies come from all around the world and are free of GMOs, preservatives, and other bad-for-you stuff that so often fills American candy.

The friendly, knowledgeable proprietor also makes over 300 flavors of cotton candy, from chai to caramel to passionfruit, and always reminds you to brush your teeth.

Must haves at Candy Babel: the chicken feet gummies and the caramel robin's eggs.

You can visit the Candy Babel website at www.candybabel.com or visit the store itself if you're in town at 1237 Northeast Alberta Street.

For the soda connoisseur, stopping in at Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop in Portland, Oregon is a must-do. The walls and shelves within the store are lined with every kind of soda imaginable. There are sodas that may induce a cringe, such as ranch dressing, peanut butter and jelly, and buffalo wing, and there are also sodas that will take you back into decades prior--Frostie, Bubble Up, and Cheerwine. And then there are modern-day brands with fabulous flavors, such as blackberry and blueberry.

The store is also filled with candy, both imported and American-based, and they have many kinds of soda already chilled so you can drink it right away.

Must-try items at Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop: Cadbury Wispa Bar and Rocky Mountain Soda Co. Breckenridge Blackberry Soda.

Visit the website at www.rocketfizz.com or the store itself at 535 SW 6th Avenue.

Though you may identify great ice cream with warmer climates, Portland has some truly awesome offerings in the ice cream market. Two contenders stand out in regard to "farm to fork" ingredients and complex, delicious flavors: Cool Moon Ice Cream and Salt & Straw, both of which have multiple locations within the city and both of which are worth a visit.

Salt & Straw is a better experience overall, with a rustic and appealing interior. Their ice cream is handmade and uses organic, sustainable ingredients--unlike many brands of commercially-made ice cream, it's not cloyingly sweet or heavy. The flavor list rotates, with both seasonal offerings such as chocolate blueberry rice krispie treat and regular favorites such as salted caramel. Another great thing about Salt and Straw? You can get an ice cream "flight" for $9 and try four different small scoops--taking away the stress of picking just one or two flavors.

Cool Moon Ice Cream also offers handmade ice cream, with all-natural ingredients. It has a bit more of a generic ice cream store feel, though the flavors are anything but. Cool Moon has a rotating menu as well, with established favorites and seasonal offerings.

Both shops offer a gourmet ice cream tasting experience--if you can handle that much ice cream, try them both!

Must-try flavors at Salt & Straw: Strawberry Balsamic with Cracked Pepper, Salted Caramel, and Chocolate Blueberry with Rice Krispie Treat.

Must-try flavors at Cool Moon Creamery: Summer Rose and Cinnamon Toast.

Portland, Oregon, has been named one of the up and coming food cities in America, and after visiting you'll see why--the range of restaurants and food trucks offering unique and cutting edge cuisine, a lot of it organic and local, is amazing! The dessert and sweet treat scene is also hard to beat, so if you have a sweet tooth and you're in Portland, you won't be disappointed.