NoCo's Best is all about finding the best of the best local food. Each of the top three spots below has been voted as the best by you, the people of Northern Colorado. Because who knows NoCo better than the people who actually live here?

Grabbing a sweet treat makes any outing an event. And many sweet opportunities exist among Northern Colorado cities and towns.

But when it comes to the best sweets and desserts in Northern Colorado, residents go for traditions with a twist.

What is NoCo’s Best?

Each year, Townsquare Media Northern Colorado and its family of local radio stations (Retro 102.5, K99, 99.9 The Point, 94.3 The X and Power 102.9) seek the best eats in Northern Colorado. We turn to the region’s residents to make a master list. Then we put that ballot to a vote of the people. From there, our team indulges, eating out and filling up what you said is the best so we can share the inside info with you. Then, we announce the ultimate winners at Townsquare Media’s Taste of Fort Collins. And while the event is in FoCo, NoCo’s Best is about our great region — the best restaurants in Northern Colorado.

What are the top bakeries and sweet spots in Northern Colorado?

Nominees ranged from bakeries of beautiful treats like those at Fiona’s in Fort Collins to Cuban pastries and baked goods found at Babalu’s Cuban Café and Food Truck.

Ultimately, the finalists for NoCo’s Best Sweets are Crumbl Cookies, Mary’s Mountain Cookies and Walrus Ice Cream.

NoCo’s Best Finalist Crumbl Cookies

Crumbl Cookies is the Apple store of cookies. White. Ultraclean. Tech forward. A limited selection each day of well-designed cookies. Hip staff engaged in their art.

Crumbl has three Northern Colorado locations:

  • Fort Collins: 3300 S. College Ave., Suite 120, in the redeveloped mall area.
  • Johnstown: 4948 Thompson Parkway, in the 2534 development.
  • Greeley: 4421 Centerplace Drive B, behind Target near U.S. 34 and 47th.
Crumbl Cookies Fort Collins
TSM Christine Kapperman
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Crumbl Cookies’ social media presence has earned the brick-and-mortar store acclaim as the chain grew its menu and outposts from its Logan, Utah, birthplace in 2017. But even among its 200-some cookie concoctions, it only offers a limited weekly menu. And then, recently, Crumbl announced it was knocking off a fave forever. No more pink sugar cookie.

Flavors such as cinnamon fry bread, buttermilk pancake, blueberry cheesecake and snickerdoodle cupcake create a sweet, crisp, out-of-this-world cookie experience.

NoCo’s Best Finalist Mary's Mountain Cookies

Mary’s Mountain Cookies has all the crunchy flair that is Colorado. Cool staff. A mountain of a spread. Lotsa stuff to look at, taste and observe in the front-and-center operation with the kitchen right there for all to see.

Its flagship store sits at Front Range Village Shopping Center on Harmony Road in Fort Collins.

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TSM Christine Kapperman
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Mary’s Mountain Cookies stand out for their thick chewiness and variety — from traditional to gourmet to delectable ice-cream filled cookie sandwiches (we’re talking full cookie sandwiches).

The local fave has grown since 1986 to have several Northern Colorado locations, and it’s expanding across the west.

Northern Colorado locations include:

  • Loveland, downtown at Fourth Street and Lincoln Avenue and in Centerra at 6055 Sky Pond Drive.
  • Fort Collins at Front Range Village and downtown at 123 N. College Ave., Suite 106.

The Brookie — a fantastic blend of brownie and cookie — is a not-to-miss specialty creation.

NoCo’s Best Finalist Walrus Ice Cream

In real estate and, well, the restaurant business, too, the secret is location, location, location. And Fort Collins’ Walrus Ice Cream has had it for 35 years. Sure, it’s not ALL location. Service. Experience. Quality and consistency. They all add up to a restaurant—or in this case ice cream shop — that stands out weekend after weekend, month after month and year after year.

Since 1986, Walrus has been a tradition for nights and weekends out in downtown Fort Collins. The shop launched mix-ins before it became the thing of certain chain ice cream outlets.

walrus ice cream loveland
TSM Christine Kapperman
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Pop over – or wait patiently for your turn in the long line – pick your favorite base and watch the ice cream artist’s magic as they add your favorite mix-in on the cutting board.

Or stick with simple ice cream flavors. Among its 29 creations, staff say, current faves include Jack Chip (chocolate, chocolate chip and bourbon) and caramel sea salt.

And in true Fort Collins fashion, they don’t leave the dogs behind. Sunday is doggie day in which pups get a free scoop to enjoy on the patio.

Stop by for the ghost story if the ice cream or night out downtown doesn’t do it for you. A barber, Fort Collins booster and café/boarding house owner of the early 1900s is said to have stuck around in the building.

NoCo's Best 2022 winners will be announced at the 2022 Taste of Fort Collins.

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