Rush Patisserie

Ask any Dallasite where to find the best macarons in town and they'll point you to Rush Patasserie, a venerable sugar haven run by pastry maven and Le Cordon Bleu alum Samantha Rush. Rush's ethereal macarons, which come in indulgent flavors ranging from rose and raspberry to violet, pistachio and apricot brandy –are likely some of the most authentic you'll find this side of the Atlantic. But Rush's sugary spectrum covers more than macarons, she also knows her way around all sorts of other French pastry treats, including tarts, madeleines, mille-feuilles, eclairs, pain au chocolat, croissants and cakes to name just a few. Speaking of cakes, Rush excels at those too. So much so, that she was asked to create one to present to writer Maya Angelou for her 80th birthday. Even better than cakes are Rush's signature Un-Cupcakes, a decadent mash-up of frosting, toppings and cake all neatly compacted in a jar. Just make sure to plan ahead since items like macarons are mainly available through pre-order and most of the other goodies often sell out before midday.