Sweets Raku, the Chinatown Staple for Delicate Desserts, Is Closing

The dedicated dessert cafe, Sweets Raku, is closing its doors after nearly ten years of serving delightfully delicate dishes of vanilla cream puffs, mango sorbet, and chestnut cream cakes. The tiny Chinatown cafe, located in the same plaza as its sushi and charcoal grill sister restaurant, Aburiya Raku, will close its doors permanently at the end of June of this year.

Photo: Raku

Sweet Raku opened at 5040 Spring Mountain Road in August of 2013 with påtissière Mio Ogasawara, who designed the French-style Japanese pastries and coursed meals that are served in the intimate 21-seat restaurant. A popular spot for early evening and late-night bites, Sweets Raku garnered attention online for its showstopping desserts like the Mount Fuji, a fluffy sponge cake with chestnut cream and chocolate, and the Carib — a coconut panna cotta and mango sorbet served in a wine glass with a white chocolate lid that gives way when topped with warm mango sauce. It’s locally regarded as one of Las Vegas’s best dessert restaurants.

Amelinda B Lee

The tight menu also includes light savory bites like those of quiche, soup, and cheese plates. The restaurant has a selection of about 40 wines, including dessert wines, plus a robust menu of green and black teas, all intended for pairing with layered raspberry and chocolate mousse Framboise, fluffy rolled cakes with strawberry slices, flaky tarts piped with mascarpone, and quenelles of raspberry sorbet.

Located inside the plaza on Spring Mountain Road at Decatur Boulevard, Sweets Raku is just a few doors down from the Chinese comfort food restaurant, Big Wong, which is closing this month. According to an Instagram post, Sweets Raku is closing due to circumstances beyond its control. The restaurant has not yet responded to a request for further details. Sweets Raku’s last day will be June 30, 2023.