Inside Scoop: The Best Ice Cream NYC Has To Offer
Summer in NYC is rough, and there is no relief in sight. Well, aside from… the BEST ICE CREAM NYC has to offer! There's nothing like a sweet treat to help you beat the heat - or any time at all, as my sweet tooth will attest! As a self-proclaimed connoisseur of cups and cones, I have rounded up my personal favorite ice cream parlors, gelato, and more!
the best hard scoops in nyc
1. Chinatown Ice Cream Factory |📍 65 Bayard Street
Scooping up cones & dishes under the iconic yellow dragon flag since 1978, Chinatown Ice Cream Factory makes some of the best ice cream NYC keeps coming back for! Some of our favorite flavors include Lychee, Black Sesame, Red Bean, Ube, and Banana - but they're always rotating in special flavors like Cherry Pistachio, Pumpkin Pie, even Durian (yes, DURIAN) flavored ice creams! This second-generation-run “unofficial landmark” of NYC is a sure thing and ranks highly for me personally among the best ice cream NYC boasts.
2. Van Leeuwen / 📍 Various Locations
One of the best ice cream NYC makes right here at home, Van Leeuwen is hard to spell but easy to enjoy, as they offer a variety of flavors both with dairy and without! Vegans & the lactose-intolerant, rejoice! Starting off as a cheerful yellow ice cream truck in 2008 right here in NYC, Van Leewen has proliferated the NYC ice cream scene with their classic standbys. I am always torn between my favorites, like their Earl Grey Tea and Black Cherry Chip flavors, and their experimental and exciting seasonal specials. Van Leeuwen is not one to shy away from pushing the envelope of what is acceptable in ice cream (remember the viral Mac n Cheese flavor controversy?), yet with their ice cream wizardry, they always manage to stick the landing!
3. Oddfellows / 📍 various locations
A trip to Oddfellows is definitely … a trip! Wind-up Monkeys are the mascot for this manic sweet spot, whose classic flavors offer a subtle twist (Sprinkles IN the ice cream? Strawberry JAM, not plain strawberry?), but it’s the specials you gotta watch out for. My first taste of Oddfellows years ago was a scoop of Miso Cherry, a special that still brings me back. Oddfellows in DUMBO, Brooklyn is where I happened to try their fleeting special of Wasabi Chocolate Chip, which blew my mind as one of the best “wacky” flavors I’ve EVER tried. Oddfellows is really not afraid to GO THERE with the flavors, and if that’s your kind of circus, these are YOUR kind of monkeys.
4. Malai / 📍 268 Smith Street, 2025 Summer Pop-up at 9 Christopher Street
Drawing on South Asian flavors from founder Pooja Bavishi’s childhood, Malai has been the destination for some of the most unique, best ice cream NYC locals have been searching for since 2015. My friends and family have been following Malai from various pop-ups and to their Brooklyn shop for their ice cream treats, including Kulfi - ice cream bar popsicle treats - and their Gulab Jamun Ice Cream Cake is still held in high esteem at family gatherings. Their 2025 summer popup location on Christopher Street brings their sweet treats to the epicenter of culinary excellence in Manhattan, an easy stroll over from Washington Square Park! Ice cream connoisseurs such as myself are excited to see what the next ten years hold as Malai continues to grow!
the best Soft Serve in nyc
1. Mister Dips / 📍 89 South Street, Pier 17
On a hot day Downtown - or any day, really - you will likely find me & my husband at Mister Dips! I have been a loyal fan of their soft-serve since the days of their seasonal airstream trailer in Vale Park in Brooklyn. Now located in the Seaport District, they just might be the coolest spot downtown. Literally. It's ice cream. Get it? Their signature sundaes are solid, but the seasonal specials - like the dip cone in the shape of a Christmas tree for the holiday? - will keep you on your toes. That's if your socks aren't knocked off by their spicy cheese fries (yum) or their boozy milkshakes!
2. Big Gay Ice Cream / 📍 various locations
Who remembers the summer when we all chased the Big Gay Ice Cream truck all over the city? As Sophia Petrillo would say, “Picture it: NYC, 2012” - Gosh, am I as old as the Golden Girls, whose pop-art portraits hang in this edgy, campy NYC must-visit ice cream joint? While Big Gay Ice Cream serves up cones and dishes in a variety of flavors, it was their signature salted-caramel-infused chocolate-dipped vanilla treat that created a viral food trend sensation in my late 20s (oh my, I AM a Golden Girl!). Foodies simply MUST visit and see what all the fuss was about!
3. Glace / 📍 1266 Madison Ave, truck at Rockefeller Plaza
Speaking of viral food trends, I have been seeing Glace EVERYWHERE on social media. Boasting innovative and sophisticated sundaes that are ALL gluten free, you know I had to go there… on my BIRTHDAY! The allure of the Passionfruit Merengue soft serve sundae was too strong to be denied. Decadent and tart, this was a satisfyingly sweet and refreshing summer treat, as bright as the summer sun itself. This might be emerging as the best ice cream NYC has seen in recent years!
the best Gelato in nyc
1. Venchi / 📍 various locations
Venchi is my go-to for indulgent chocolates, so you know their gelato selection does not disappoint. Outstanding in both richness of texture and boldness of flavor, a small scoop packs a big bite! I’m a fan of anything Venchi does in a pistachio flavor, and most stores offer both regular and dairy-free versions of my go-to flavor. And while you're there, you might as well scoop up some chocolate from, ahem, North America's largest chocolate waterfall as well!
2. Amorino Gelato / 📍 various locations
This rose, by any other name, would TASTE as sweet. Yes, Amorino Gelato is famous for serving their signature frozen dessert in the shape of a blooming rose, but it is so much better than that! They use only naturally derived flavors, no artificial coloring, and all of their gelato and sorbetto is 100% gluten free. Talk about natural beauty! To top it off - literally - Amorino's signature move is the option to add a macaron to the center of your blooming rose, for an extra hit of sweetness and crunch! Don’t forget to try their affogato, either!
the best Frozen Desserts: Honorable Mentions
1. La Newyorkina Paletas / 📍 61 Commerce Street, Brooklyn
When you spot a summer pop-up from La Newyorkina, RUN dont walk! In past seasons, they have been spotted on The Highline, and foodie insiders can find their paletas for sale at Mijo inside Market 57. Their brick-and-mortar shop in Red Hook is a reliable spot to get the most flavorful, innovative paletas in NYC - but if you ask my husband, you gotta go with classic strawberry!
2. Grace Street Coffee and Desserts / 📍 17 West 32nd Street
Unquestionably, Grace Street is THE destination in NYC for Shaved Snow - those piled-high, silken ribbons of shaved ice topped with fruit, condensed milk, crumbled cookies, anything you can imagine! Big enough to share (or NOT!), the decadent yet refreshing mountains of frozen confection are great to bring the group together around on a hot summer night - or to post to the feed for brag-worthy status. If you feel daunted just looking at the towering shaved snow and prefer something more bite-sized, for what it’s worth, my favorite mochi in all of NYC comes from Grace Street Coffee and Desserts.
3. Butterfield Market Fro-Yo Window / 📍 various locations
After cooling off in Central Park or by strolling the air-conditioned halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a trip through Butterfield Market’s Upper East Side Walk-Thru Fro-Yo window is a MUST. Offering a short list of flavors, this spot gets a shoutout from me because the portion sizes are SO GENEROUS for the price. Seriously. On Memorial Day, I split a “small” dish with my husband, and we struggled to finish it. Though their options and flavors are limited, they do occasionally roll out special toppings (olive oil? I’m in!). Let’s be honest: sometimes you just need a GIANT dish of frozen yogurt for a couple bucks, and that’s where this spot is my hero.
Sweet tooth still not satisfied? Come with us around trendy SoHo and the West Village on our Ultimate Food Tours Dessert Tour and discover what gustatory greatness awaits in Greenwich Village. Now watch out for that brain freeze!
