7x Best Ice Cream Shops to Cool Off in the City

Ice cream is that type of dessert that you can eat all year round, but it especially comes in handy when the weather gets hotter! Whether you're taking a stroll in the city, wandering from one place to another, or heading to an outdoor festival or picnic, this guide will save you some time trying delicious ice cream this summer in New York City.

Lafayette Street 265

Restaurant • Lunch • Italian

This gelateria is a cute chic place located on Lafayette Street. They serve ice cream in waffle cones and pink cups - the choice is yours. Delicious gelato options, including classic flavors of vanilla, chocolate, and hazelnut, and a make your own option with the possibility of choosing whatever base you want, whether it's a seasonal gelato or sorbet as a base and plentiful toppings that you can add in there as well.

2. Taiyaki NYC

Baxter Street 119

Ice cream • Hip • Quick bite

With 3 locations around the city, Taiyaki serves original ice cream cones with the most unique, delicious ice cream flavors. Make sure to try their Sakura Cherry Blossoms and Matcha ice cream. It has an original taste and goes very well with sprinkles on top of it.

3. Milk & Cream Cereal Bar

Mott Street 159

Ice cream • Bakery • Hip

New York's famous cereal bar is on the mission to connect the old with the new, bring back memories, and create new ones with the help of unique recipes of ice cream made in Milk & Cream. The trick here is cereal-infused ice cream with many quirky flavors and drizzles on top. This place is so worth the visit!

4. Big Gay Ice Cream

Front Street 207

Sweets • Ice cream • LGBTQ

This is a New-York based company that started off as a food truck and now has 3 locations in the city! Big Gay Ice Cream reminds people to keep being lighthearted and fun with high-quality ingredients, traditional flavors, and unexpected twists! You'll find your perfect ice cream even if you're in the mood for unique, old-school, crunchy, fruity, or non-dairy options!

5. Emack & Bolio's Fort Greene

Fulton Street 741

Sweets • Ice cream • Chill

Emack and Bolio's offers the most outrageous flavors with seven locations in New York! The best part about this shop is that it is ethically sourced; the owners deeply care about what goes into production and tailor their products to everyone's needs (hence the sugar-free and vegan options)! Emack and Bolio's received many great reviews from giants like the New York Times for being "an ice cream shop with more than a lick of promise." Over 75 flavors and new products every week will never make you bored!

6. Mikey Likes It Ice Cream

Avenue A 199

Sweets • Ice cream • Chill

Homemade organic, all-natural, artesian ice cream.

Influenced by pop culture, Mikey Likes It is a cute spot on 199 Avenue A, with the freshest options of ice cream made in small batches to keep it delicious. The flavors are insane and very creative: mint and fudgy chocolate brownie, banana pudding, butter pecan, pineapple and cayenne pepper swirl, bitter melon, and sea moss. You gotta try it!

7. Soft Swerve Ice Cream

Allen Street 85B

Ice cream • Sweets • Chill

Are you in the mood for Sundaes in this hot weather? I know I am! A variety of unusual flavors in Soft Swerve lure you to try everything at once. Would you choose purple yam ice cream with fruity pebbles and cereal marshmallows? Or vanilla soft serve with strawberries and vanilla cookies? How about matcha ice cream with crushed oreos and milk chocolate drizzle? The toppings (including crunchy and chewy options) are almost literally endless, so you'll definitely find something to your liking!