Fear not, dessert lovers, Afters Dessert Bar only took a short hiatus to move into an even bigger space at Brightleaf Square this winter. With an ever-growing, seasonally-inspired menu containing both sweet and savory treats (including gluten-free options), Afters is a great downtown stop for satisfying your sweet tooth. For morning pastries, enjoy muffins and scones, or pick up a scratch made cookie cream pie or chocolate as an afternoon treat or after a meal (get it?).
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Hours:
Monday: Closed Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Friday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Highly recommend the cookies, they aren’t too sweet and have good depth of flavor! I got 2 of each in the 1/2 dozen. The cookies are relatively smaller but perfect size for a sweet treat after a full dinner. The owner also has a very cute dog.
Arthur Zak
Jan 17, 2026
3
Solid desserts, but I was overall not particularly impressed with the offerings here. I came for after dinner treats. It was a bit confusing walking in - there are multiple places that two different menus are. It was visually not appealing or easy to grasp. It is not great when you have to ask what they have and where things are in a bakery.
The cornmeal pound cake was pleasant, the cookie cakes were nice, as were the cookies, but for me personally, they weren't something I'd come back for to eat again.
Ed Stapleton Jr.
Jan 11, 2026
5
Was in the mood for some dessert on a Sunday afternoon and came across Afters Dessert Bar and I’m glad I did. It was excellent. The owner was great and his dog who’s there on the weekends was fun to play with. Sat there for 30 minutes watching a football game while drinking coffee and eating some dessert. My favorite bite was definite the salted caramel chocolates 🤤
Louise Lindegaard
Dec 21, 2025
5
We bought a couple deserts for some friends we were having over and each one blew us away! Really high quality, absolutely delicious! Special shoutout to the cheesecake, cinnamon bun and cookie bites and Dap the dog! Highly recommend if you are hosting or just looking for a delicious sweet treat!
Miranda Miranda
Oct 4, 2025
5
Popped in at the right time yesterday. Got a scone, cookies and got to try a cinnamon roll. The cinnamon roll was the perfect texture! Prices were perfect for size and quality.
Troy W.
Sep 27, 2025
5
When you first walk in, you are greeted by the most friendly dog ever. His name is Dap. The owner is equally as friendly, and his desserts were very tasty! It was freshly made.
Justin Frye
Aug 20, 2025
5
Amazing product—but a place named Afters that’s a “dessert bar” should definitely be open later than 5pm 😬
Niyah McLean
Jun 18, 2025
5
My mom and I were in Durham for my 21st birthday and decided to grab some scones before our candle-making class. We’re from a small town, so scones were new to us—but wow, we were blown away. We tried the cheddar and herb, apple cinnamon, and brown sugar ham scones, plus the special of the day, and every single one was incredible. We even went back for more! The cookies were just as amazing—soft, rich, and unforgettable. I go to NC Central, so I’ll definitely be a regular once the semester starts. Thank you for an amazing experience!
CH Deniz
Jun 3, 2025
5
Had a gluten free Cacio and Pepe scone, heated up. It was amazing. Highly recommend the gf desserts too.
Randy Bassett
Apr 20, 2025
5
The guy who makes these desserts is a genius when it comes to flavor and texture combinations. I lack the culinary vocabulary to properly articulate how good everything is but I've loved everything I've tried here.
Lila Rieber
Apr 8, 2025
4
The prices are very good for downtown Durham, but the cookies were just okay, nothing special. Very sweet.
