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10 Best NYC Ice Cream Spots

Staying cool in NYC isn’t always an easy feat. When temperatures soar, cool off with a scoop or two from one of the city's innovative ice cream shops. Some feature unexpected flavor combinations such as Oddfellow Ice Cream’s Chorizo Caramel Swirl, while others such as Cones focus on more traditional faves. Regardless of which flavors you fancy, this lineup of the ten best ice cream destinations in New York is sure to delight.

Amorino Gelato Al Naturale

Artisanal gelato shop Amorino Gelato Al Naturale uses organic and natural ingredients to craft its enticing menu of gelato. Flavors range from the traditional such as Amarena Cherry and Banana del Brasile to the more exotic tastes of Organic Sicilian Citrus, Lime Basil, and Ginger and Blood Orange. There are several locations throughout Manhattan, including Greenwich Village.60 University Pl., 212-253-5599, amorino.com 

Ample Hills Creamery

Ample Hill Creamery

flickr/Stu Spivack

Named after Walt Whitman’s poem “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” Ample Hills Creamery celebrates Brooklyn’s former landscape, which once featured grassy hills. The shop's proprietors are dedicated to the old-fashioned art of crafting ice cream—slowly, by hand. Signature flavors include Salted Crack Caramel, Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, The Munchies, and Snap Mallow Pop. Ample Hills boasts two Manhattan locations, including Bubby’s High Line. 73 Gansevoort St., 646-590-1288, amplehills.com

Big Gay Ice Cream Shop

Big Gay Ice Cream Shop

flickr/m01229

This vibrant ice cream shop is full of flavor and playful personality. Its dynamite cones are topped with wacky fixings such as Wasabi Pea Dust, ginger syrup, cayenne pepper, and crushed Nilla Wafers. With locations in the East Village and West Village, Big Gay Ice Cream Shop is a spinoff from a seasonal food truck that made its debut in 2009. Ranked as the No. 5 best ice cream parlor worldwide by USA Today, Big Gay Ice Cream Shop was the highest ranked American ice cream parlor on the list. 125 E. 7th St., 212-533-9333, biggayicecream.com 

Cones Ice Cream Artisans

This West Village hotspot scoops delish gelato in traditional and exotic flavors, which range from vanilla chip, strawberry cream, mint chocolate chip, dark chocolate, and white chocolate to ginger, zabaione, dulce de leche, tiramisu, and more. 272 Bleecker St., 212-414-1795

Davey’s Ice Cream

Davey's Ice Cream

flickr/Scott Lynch

Voted Best Ice Cream by the Village Voice in 2014, Davey’s scoops are created on-site from raw ingredients. The scoops boast seasonal ingredients, and cream bases made from all-natural milk and cream hailing from Salem, New York’s Battenkill Vallery Creamery. Some of the classic flavors include Peppermint Chip, Strong Coffee, and Roasted Pistachio. Davey’s also taps into the local flavor by teaming up with other Manhattan businesses and restaurants to swirl up unique, limited-edition flavors. 137 First Ave., 212-228-8032, daveysicecream.com

Ice & Vice

An experimental, contemporary ice cream shop, Ice & Vice churns out innovative handmade flavors such as 9AM—a fusion of French roast coffee, chicory, Saigon cinnamon, condensed milk, and donut truffle. Other flavors include Tea Dance, which features unexpected combinations such as Nilgiri tea leaf, lemon charcoal, and salted caramel. There’s also Milk Money—a blend of toasted milk, chocolate ganache, and sea salt. Dive in! 221 East Broadway, 646-678-3687, iceandvice.com

Mikey Likes It Ice Cream

Fusing locally sourced ingredients with innovation and a dash of pop culture personality, Mikey Likes It offers a seasonal lineup of delectable flavors. The fun tastes flaunt engaging names such as Foxy Brown—an artful blend of mocha, crushed chocolate wafer cookies, and sea salt caramel swirl. Tune into the flavor of Pink Floyd, which fuses double strawberry and cheesecake, or Brady Bunch—a blend of banana pudding, Vienna Fingers, and crushed vanilla wafers. 199 Ave. A, 646-896-1836, mikeylikesiticecream.com

Oddfellows Ice Cream

Oddfellows Ice Cream Signature Sandwiches

Oddfellows' Signature Sandwiches

Specializing in artisanal ice cream sandwiches, Oddfellows Ice Cream in the East Village is renowned for its Signatures, which are layered with crunchy and gooey goodies. Its menu also features “OddPockets,” a warmed-up version of an ice cream sandwich. Brioche bread is stuffed with ice cream and a few toppings, and then heated on a panini press. The house's wild and wacky flavors, which change regularly and throughout the day, include Buttermilk Honey Blueberry, Miso Cherry, Avocado, Black Pepper, and Chorizo Caramel Swirl. 75 E. 4th St., 917-475-1812, oddfellowsnyc.com

Serendipity 3

Tracing its storied history back to 1954, Serendipity 3 has lured some of Manhattan’s most notable A-listers—from Marilyn Monroe to Andy Warhol to Jackie O. Legend has it that the former First Lady once tried to purchase the recipe for the iconic Frrrozen Hot Chocolate for a fete that she was hosting. Beyond scoops this sweet shop, which has been spotlighted in several romantic flicks, includes a lineup of sundaes as well. 225 E. 60th St., 212-838-3531, serendipity3.com

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream

van leeuwen chocolate toast ice cream

Image: Van Leeuwen chocolate toast ice cream via Van Leeuwen Twitter.

In 2008 the Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream truck rolled through the streets of New York on a mission to revive the classic American ice cream truck and the art of traditional ice cream making. Van Leeuwen offers classic ice creams made with fresh ingredients: milk, cream, cane sugar, and egg yolks. Its flavors include chocolate, honeycomb, Earl Gray tea, and Sicilian pistachio. Vegan scoops use house-made cashew milk, organic coconut milk, organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic cane sugar, pure cocoa butter, and organic carob bean. Flavors there include coffee bean, salted caramel, and vegan matcha green tea. 48 E. 7th St., 718-715-0758, vanleeuwenicecream.com

About the Author

Regina Molaro is a freelancer writer whose work spans from luxury to fashion, art, lifestyle, and beauty. Her work has appeared in Modern Luxury Hawai‘i, as well as Bespoke Magazine and In Season—the in-house magazines at the St. Regis and Mandarin Oriental New York.

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