Carbone London Dessert Review: Sugar After the Hype

There’s a certain kind of confidence that comes with ordering dessert at a place like Carbone London. This is a restaurant that doesn’t need to impress you—it already knows it’s booked out and hyped-up. We have to add, we might have caught some faces we all love and recognise from the TV.

After doing what everyone comes to Carbone for (yes, the spicy rigatoni vodka), we turned our attention to the dessert tray—a moment that feels both theatrical and deeply old-school.

What's on the Carbone Dessert Tray?

Carbone keeps things classic, leaning into Italian-American nostalgia rather than modern pastry theatrics. On offer:

• Lemon cheesecake

• Carrot cake

• Coconut cream cake

• Tiramisu

• Cherry flambé

It’s comforting, indulgent, and refreshingly uninterested in trends (we had too many cookie and ice cream plates lately). This is dessert for people who know exactly what they like—and aren’t afraid of butter, cream, or sugar.

From the lineup, we chose the lemon cheesecake and the carrot cake, two desserts that sit at opposite ends of the flavor spectrum and give a good sense of what Carbone does well.

Lemon Cheesecake: Bright, Balanced, and the Clear Winner

Let’s be clear: the lemon cheesecake is the unsung hero.

Texturally, it’s spot on—dense and creamy without crossing into heavy or cloying territory. The acidity of the lemon cuts cleanly through the richness, creating a balance that feels intentional rather than indulgent-for-the-sake-of-it. This is a cheesecake that understands restraint, even while being undeniably luxurious.

The flavor profile is elegant: fresh citrus upfront, followed by a smooth, dairy-forward finish that lingers just long enough. It’s particularly satisfying after a rich meal, acting almost as a palate reset rather than a sugar overload.

On top sits a candied lemon slice, which adds brightness and aroma. Our only note? Texture. We wanted it to lean more crunchy than chewy—something brittle to contrast the creaminess beneath. Still, this is a small critique on an otherwise excellent dessert.

If you’re ordering just one sweet thing at Carbone, make it this.

Carrot Cake: Well-Executed, Just not Our Love Language

Carbone’s carrot cake clearly has its loyalists, and from a technical standpoint, it’s easy to see why. The cake itself is beautifully moist, with a tight crumb that holds together without feeling dense. The cream cheese frosting is generous, smooth, and tangy—exactly what you want structurally and flavor-wise in a classic carrot cake.

The spice profile leans confident and warming, with cinnamon and clove leading the charge. For fans of deeply spiced desserts, this will absolutely hit the mark. For us, though, the balance tilted a bit too far toward spice-forward, where sweetness plays more of a supporting role.

Presentation-wise, it’s undeniably striking. The herbal garnish gives it a sense of drama and intention, though visually it felt slightly more green than indulgent. When we order dessert, we personally gravitate toward cues of richness and decadence—and this one leans more playful.

All that said, this is a thoughtfully composed, well-made dessert. It simply caters to a different palate than ours—one that appreciates warmth, spice, and subtlety over sugar-driven indulgence.

Final Thoughts: Worth Saving Room - If You Choose Wisely

Carbone may be pasta-first, but dessert is far from an afterthought. The offerings are classic, confident, and clearly made for diners who appreciate tradition done well.

The lemon cheesecake alone justifies staying an extra 20 minutes, loosening your belt slightly, and ordering dessert even when you didn’t plan to. As for the rest of the tray, there’s more to explore—and next time, we’re setting our sights on the cherry flambé.

Because if you’re going to do dessert at Carbone, you might as well commit.