5 Best Ice Cream Shops In NYC
As the weather warms up in New York City, our minds start to think about our favorite things of summer. One of those is definitely ice cream. We've narrowed down the five best ice cream shops that are scooping up exotic flavors and creations as well as everyone's classic favorites. By Carly Petrone.
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With fun flavors like Salty Pimp (vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche, sea salt, chocolate dipped) and Mermaid (vanilla ice cream, key lime curd, crushed graham crackers, whipped cream) there's no wonder crowds flock to Big Gay Ice Cream. Even fans of Golden Girls can order the Bea Arthur – vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche, and crushed nilla wafers. Top off your scoop with exotic toppings like olive oil & sea salt, wasabi pea dust, or elderflower syrup. More of a shake person? Try their horchata, ginger-curry, or chocolate peanut butter flavors.
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When you first hear the word Sprinkles, you probably think of cupcakes, right? Now the popular cupcake chain has opened up Sprinkles Ice Cream (next door to the cupcake shop) and let's just say it's cupcake and ice cream heaven. Choose from classics like red velvet or black & white and sandwich a scoop of ice cream in between. Choose from sweet ice cream flavors like Cap'n Crunch, Malted Milk Chocolate, and Salty Caramel. You can even add your choice of candy topping (if you can handle it). The mix of cake, ice cream, and frosting is enough to put you in a sugar coma but it's worth it. They also offer fun treats like frozen hot chocolate, cookie and brownie sandwiches,and decadent shakes – there's an actual cupcake blended into two scoops of ice cream. Or just grab a scoop on red velvet waffle cone. You really can't go wrong.
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Grab a scoop of ice cream and enjoy a view of Manhattan at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. Located inside an old fire boat house on the Fulton Ferry Pier, it offers sweeping views of the city as well as the Statue of Liberty. The menu is simple: choose from vanilla, chocolate, vanilla chocolate chunk, chocolate chocolate chunk, strawberry, peaches & cream, butter pecan, or coffee. Order up to three scoops or take some home in a hand packed pint. You can also get sundaes, milkshakes and banana splits. This is the perfect place to sit back and enjoy your ice cream as much as the ambiance.
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It's hard to pass by il laboratrio del gelato and not stop inside. It's sleek interior compliments the simple yet classic flavors being scooped every day. There are so many flavors to choose from but who doesn't want to try cheddar cheese, meringue, sesame, avocado, or rose petal gelato? Don't worry, there are also traditional favorites like hazelnut, blood orange, and vanilla chocolate chip. Those looking for a lactose-free option should check out their sorbet menu. With flavors like champagne, celery, and honeydew, you'll probably want two scoops!
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You'll definitely find off-the-wall flavors at Brooklyn's OddFellows. With a rotating menu of 12 flavors, you could stop in everyday and have a different experience. They've scooped everything from Tobacco, Smoked Chili & Huckleberry to Popcorn flavors. In order to create such high quality ice cream, they pasteurize their own ice cream base using locally sourced, hormone-free and additive-free dairy. They're also a company that gives back. For every serving of ice cream, they donate $0.05 to the Food Bank for New York City. So grab a seat at the counter and get a waffle cone or go big with a banana split. Check website for today's list of flavors.
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Carly Petrone is a freelance writer living in New York City.
