diff --git a/frontend/src/components/home/DesktopHomeSections.tsx b/frontend/src/components/home/DesktopHomeSections.tsx
index 421f102..d03961f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/home/DesktopHomeSections.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/home/DesktopHomeSections.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 import { Link } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { Box, Typography } from '@mui/material';
 import ArrowForwardIcon from '@mui/icons-material/ArrowForward';
-import EmojiEventsOutlinedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/EmojiEventsOutlined';
-import FiberNewOutlinedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/FiberNewOutlined';
-import CategoryOutlinedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/CategoryOutlined';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { GlassCard, SectionHeader } from '../ui';
 
@@ -81,88 +78,3 @@ export const CategoryBrowseGrid = ({ categories }: CategoryBrowseGridProps) => {
     </Box>
   );
 };
-
-export interface QuickStatsStripProps {
-  topName?: string;
-  topScore?: number;
-  newestName?: string;
-  categoryCount: number;
-}
-
-/** Desktop-only featured strip — fills the wider canvas with at-a-glance picks. */
-export const QuickStatsStrip = ({
-  topName,
-  topScore,
-  newestName,
-  categoryCount,
-}: QuickStatsStripProps) => {
-  const { t } = useTranslation();
-
-  const items = [
-    {
-      icon: <EmojiEventsOutlinedIcon />,
-      label: t('home.statTopRated', { defaultValue: 'Top Rated' }),
-      value: topName,
-      sub: topScore != null ? `${topScore.toFixed(1)} / 10` : undefined,
-    },
-    {
-      icon: <FiberNewOutlinedIcon />,
-      label: t('home.statNewest', { defaultValue: 'Newest Arrival' }),
-      value: newestName,
-    },
-    {
-      icon: <CategoryOutlinedIcon />,
-      label: t('home.statCategories', { defaultValue: 'Categories' }),
-      value: String(categoryCount),
-    },
-  ].filter((i) => i.value);
-
-  if (items.length === 0) return null;
-
-  return (
-    <Box
-      sx={{
-        display: 'grid',
-        gridTemplateColumns: `repeat(${items.length}, 1fr)`,
-        gap: 2,
-      }}
-    >
-      {items.map((item) => (
-        <GlassCard
-          key={item.label}
-          intensity="subtle"
-          sx={{ p: 2.5, display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 2 }}
-        >
-          <Box
-            sx={{
-              width: 44,
-              height: 44,
-              flexShrink: 0,
-              borderRadius: 2,
-              display: 'flex',
-              alignItems: 'center',
-              justifyContent: 'center',
-              color: 'primary.main',
-              bgcolor: 'action.hover',
-            }}
-          >
-            {item.icon}
-          </Box>
-          <Box sx={{ minWidth: 0 }}>
-            <Typography variant="caption" color="text.secondary" sx={{ fontWeight: 600 }}>
-              {item.label}
-            </Typography>
-            <Typography variant="subtitle1" sx={{ fontWeight: 700, lineHeight: 1.2 }} noWrap>
-              {item.value}
-            </Typography>
-            {item.sub && (
-              <Typography variant="caption" color="text.secondary">
-                {item.sub}
-              </Typography>
-            )}
-          </Box>
-        </GlassCard>
-      ))}
-    </Box>
-  );
-};
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/DesktopCategoryBar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/DesktopCategoryBar.tsx
index c5b955d..bfb516f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/layout/DesktopCategoryBar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/DesktopCategoryBar.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { Box, Button, alpha } from '@mui/material';
 import type { Theme } from '@mui/material';
 import HomeOutlinedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/HomeOutlined';
 import GroupsOutlinedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/GroupsOutlined';
+import CollectionsBookmarkOutlinedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/CollectionsBookmarkOutlined';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { useAuth } from '../../hooks/useAuth';
 
@@ -66,7 +67,12 @@ export const DesktopCategoryBar = ({ categories }: DesktopCategoryBarProps) => {
           scrollbarWidth: 'none',
         }}
       >
-        <Button component={Link} to="/" disableRipple sx={tabSx(isActive('/'))}>
+        <Button
+          component={Link}
+          to="/"
+          disableRipple
+          sx={{ ...tabSx(isActive('/')), ml: -1.75 }}
+        >
           <HomeOutlinedIcon sx={{ fontSize: '1.1rem', mr: 0.75 }} />
           {t('nav.home')}
         </Button>
@@ -78,6 +84,18 @@ export const DesktopCategoryBar = ({ categories }: DesktopCategoryBarProps) => {
           </Button>
         )}
 
+        {user && (
+          <Button
+            component={Link}
+            to="/dashboard"
+            disableRipple
+            sx={tabSx(isActive('/dashboard'))}
+          >
+            <CollectionsBookmarkOutlinedIcon sx={{ fontSize: '1.1rem', mr: 0.75 }} />
+            {t('nav.dashboard')}
+          </Button>
+        )}
+
         <Box
           sx={{
             alignSelf: 'stretch',
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/layout/DesktopTopBar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/layout/DesktopTopBar.tsx
index 959c9f8..a9f951a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/layout/DesktopTopBar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/layout/DesktopTopBar.tsx
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ export const DesktopTopBar = () => {
   const unreadCount = user?.unread_notifications_count || 0;
 
   return (
-    <GlassAppBar>
+    <GlassAppBar toolbarSx={{ maxWidth: 1400, width: '100%', mx: 'auto', px: { md: 6 } }}>
       <BrandMark />
 
       <GlobalSearch />
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ui/GlassAppBar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ui/GlassAppBar.tsx
index 5675176..831e39a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ui/GlassAppBar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ui/GlassAppBar.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useEffect, useState, type ReactNode } from 'react';
 import { styled, alpha } from '@mui/material/styles';
+import type { SxProps, Theme } from '@mui/material/styles';
 import AppBar from '@mui/material/AppBar';
 import Toolbar from '@mui/material/Toolbar';
 
@@ -24,9 +25,12 @@ const StyledAppBar = styled(AppBar, {
 export interface GlassAppBarProps {
   children: ReactNode;
   threshold?: number;
+  /** Extra styles merged onto the inner Toolbar — e.g. to constrain its content
+   * to the page-content column so the bar aligns with the main content edges. */
+  toolbarSx?: SxProps<Theme>;
 }
 
-export const GlassAppBar = ({ children, threshold = 12 }: GlassAppBarProps) => {
+export const GlassAppBar = ({ children, threshold = 12, toolbarSx }: GlassAppBarProps) => {
   const [scrolled, setScrolled] = useState(false);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -38,7 +42,14 @@ export const GlassAppBar = ({ children, threshold = 12 }: GlassAppBarProps) => {
 
   return (
     <StyledAppBar position="sticky" elevation={0} scrolled={scrolled}>
-      <Toolbar sx={{ minHeight: { xs: 56, sm: 64 }, px: { xs: 1, sm: 4, md: 6 } }}>
+      <Toolbar
+        sx={
+          [
+            { minHeight: { xs: 56, sm: 64 }, px: { xs: 1, sm: 4, md: 6 } },
+            toolbarSx || {},
+          ] as SxProps<Theme>
+        }
+      >
         {children}
       </Toolbar>
     </StyledAppBar>
diff --git a/frontend/src/i18n.ts b/frontend/src/i18n.ts
index ce3c280..fc48d54 100644
--- a/frontend/src/i18n.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/i18n.ts
@@ -116,9 +116,6 @@ const resources = {
         hallOfFameSubtitle: 'Highest-rated flavors in the archive',
         browseCategories: 'Browse Categories',
         browseCategoriesSubtitle: 'Jump straight into a flavor line',
-        statTopRated: 'Top Rated',
-        statNewest: 'Newest Arrival',
-        statCategories: 'Categories',
         recForYou: 'Recommended for You',
         recForYouSubtitle: 'Picked by tasters who share your palate',
         popularPicks: 'Popular Picks',
@@ -652,9 +649,6 @@ const resources = {
         hallOfFameSubtitle: 'Die bestbewerteten Sorten im Archiv',
         browseCategories: 'Kategorien durchstöbern',
         browseCategoriesSubtitle: 'Direkt zu einer Sorten-Linie springen',
-        statTopRated: 'Bestbewertet',
-        statNewest: 'Neuheit',
-        statCategories: 'Kategorien',
         recForYou: 'Für dich empfohlen',
         recForYouSubtitle: 'Ausgewählt von Testern mit ähnlichem Geschmack',
         popularPicks: 'Beliebte Sorten',
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/MainPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/MainPage.tsx
index 64ad0f3..98a84f9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/MainPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/MainPage.tsx
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ import {
   EmptyState,
 } from '../components/ui';
 import MainPageRecommendations from './MainPageRecommendations';
-import { CategoryBrowseGrid, QuickStatsStrip } from '../components/home/DesktopHomeSections';
+import { CategoryBrowseGrid } from '../components/home/DesktopHomeSections';
 import { useCategories } from '../api/queries/useCategories';
 
 const TOP_LIMIT = 5;
@@ -274,16 +274,6 @@ const MainPage: React.FC = () => {
         </GlassCard>
       )}
 
-      {/* Desktop-only featured strip — fills the wider canvas */}
-      {isDesktop && (
-        <QuickStatsStrip
-          topName={currentTop?.name}
-          topScore={currentTop?.average_rating ?? undefined}
-          newestName={newestFlavors[0]?.name}
-          categoryCount={categories.length}
-        />
-      )}
-
       {/* Hall of Fame */}
       <Box>
         <SectionHeader