The Coolest Ice Cream in NYC
Not all ice creams were created equal as evidenced by these tried and true NYC hits. From soft serve reimagined to a handful of flavors you never knew you needed in your life (blueberry milk chocolate, anyone?), keep reading for the ultimate NYC ice cream tour de force.
π¦ Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream π¦
Van Leeuwen's nails the hipster foodie vibe, offering a range of vegan and non-vegan ice cream options in an array of flavors in everything from classic vanilla or chocolate, to earl gray tea, lemon meringue yogurt tart, matcha tea, or black sesame for more adventurous ice cream connoisseurs. They feature a handful of new and interesting flavors every month and selections vary per location (or truck).
Multiple NYC locations; see here.
π¦ Cha Cha Matchaπ¦
Cha Cha Matcha is tucked away between the Nolita and Little Italy neighborhoods, marked by white benches and a pastel pink awning from the outside (and the occasional line). The interior of the ice cream shop is adorned with Instagram-worthy floral and leafy themed wallpaper, accompanied by trendy, upbeat music. The pastel pink and matcha green theme continues, with coffee, ice cream and pastries offered in a range of matcha infused or flavored options. Eclectic flavors like passionfruit, red bean and pumpkin also make an appearance on the menu to complement the matcha in everything from lattes to soft-serve.
Location: 373 Broome St
π¦ Milk Barπ¦
Milk Bar is a classic NYC treatβyou've undoubtedly seen their illuminated hot pink logo scattered across your Instagram feed, accompanied by a swirl of "cereal milk" flavored soft serve and cornflakesβthe perfect mix of salty and sweet. They have multiple locations throughout the city, so it's not hard to happen upon one of their cozy spots. In addition to their signature cereal milk, Milk Bar offers a handful of milkshakes, cookies and desserts concocted from a mix of eclectic flavors.
Multiple NYC locations, see here
π¦ Taiyakiπ¦
Taiyaki is super fun and definitely worth a stop if you're in the Soho/Chinatown area. While most of their ice cream confections will set you back about $7, the soft serve comes in a range of fun flavors like sesame and matcha (my personal favorites) with mochi toppers. Their signature fish cone is filled with red bean paste at the bottom and has more of a crunchy, pastry consistency than a traditional wafer or sugar cone.
Location: 119 Baxter St
π¦ Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream π¦
Most ice creams are pretty good. Morgenstern's is great. The Nolita ice cream parlor boasts a well curated list of flavors, but I'm definitely partial to the salted pretzel caramel. From blueberry milk chocolate, to coconut espresso or black coconut ash, the options are adventuresome, but not too weird sounding to prevent you from trying a bite. 10/10 would recommend.
Location: 2 Rivington St
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