When we were planning for our trip to the Big Apple, we told ourselves that we would go on a hunt for New York City’s Best Ice Cream and Gelato. For some reason, we look out for ice cream at every city we travel to. It is like an instant mood-lifter, and it makes every trip complete. And we are starting to sound like kids.

But you see, we don’t love ice cream because it is good or right or healthy. We love it precisely because it is not. And with ice cream, there is no such thing as moderation or enough; we just go on and one, one cone after another.

Being at New York City means having access to so many great ice cream and gelato options – from the simplest to the craziest flavours, nothing is gonna stop the New Yorkers from enjoying their cones. And you can too, with our guide to New York City’s Best Ice Cream and Gelato.

#1 BIG GAY ICE CREAM

It is definitely not deliberate that we list Big Gay Ice Cream as the first. Because it might just be the first on our must-eat list when we are at The Big Apple. Big Gay Ice Cream has enjoyed their popularity for years now, but everyone still seems very fascinated with their huge cones. Long queues are an everyday thing at every outlet, but your wait will be paid off with an insane treat.

The highlight at Big Gay Ice Cream is pretty much their huge cones. With a base of vanilla soft serve, the smooth creaminess is complemented with toppings of nuts, marshmallow, cookie crumbs, sea salt, chocolate dips and whatever you fancy. There are prefixed creations for you to pick from, or you can build your own. Whichever way you end up with, that will be your road to happiness.

61 Grove St, New York
NY 10014, United States
Tel: +1 212 414 0222
Sun to Wed: 12pm – 10pm
Thu to Sat: 12pm – 12midnight
Nearest Station: Christopher St/Sheridan Sq

#2 GROM

Grom should be no stranger if you frequent Italy. The renown brand is top-of-mind for many when gelato is concerned. The stores offers a range of exquisite flavours, from the most basic to elegant creations. And now, Grom has anchored themselves in New York City too. Sitting on Bleecker Street and Broadway, you can find your way to the two outlets for creamy scoops made with the finest ingredients.

233 Bleecker St, New York
NY 10014, United States
Tel: +1 212-206-1738
Sun to Thu: 12pm – 12midnight
Fri & Sat: 11am – 1am
Nearest Station: W 4 St – Washington Sq

#3 MOMOFUKU MILK BAR

Synonymous with the famed Cereal Milk Soft Serve (USD 5 for 4 oz. cup, USD 10 for a pint), Momofuku Milk Bar opened its first humble store in East Village seven years ago and had since amassed a legion following of loyal fans. Today, Momofuku Milk Bar has six stores across New York City.

The Cereal Milk Soft Serve is a soft serve ice cream made with milk, brown sugar, cereal and a sprinkle of salt. Even those without a sweet tooth found themselves irresistibly hooked!

Momofuku Milk Bar
251 E 13th St, New York
Tel: +1 347 577 9504
Daily: 9am – 12midnight
Nearest Station: 3 Av

#4 MORGENSTERN’S FINEST ICE CREAM

It is easy to miss the inconspicuous outlet if you are not paying attention, but look out for their signature blue signage and you are on your way to ice cream heaven. Morgenstern’s is a new American ice cream parlour that are dedicated to serving ice cream in small batches to ensure the texture is precise. The owner insists on staying away from addictives and processed stabilizers; this promises you nothing the freshest scoops.

At USD 4.50 per cup/ cone of single scoop of USD 6.50 for two scoops, the flavours are exciting no less. The Burnt Honey Vanilla was so amazing, but the Salted Pretzel Caramel really left us speechless. Other interesting flavours to look out for include Szechuan Peppercorn Chocolate, Cardamon Lemon Jam and Durian Banana.

2 Rivington St
New York, NY 10002
United States
Tel: +1 212 209 7684
Sun to Thu: 8am – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 8am to 12midnight
Nearest Station: Bowery

#5 ODDFELLOWS ICE CREAM CO.

OddFello Ice Cream Co. is a humble ice cream shop from Brooklyn which makes small batches of ice cream from scratch. At its East Village shop, there are eight flavours available at one time, and they rotate regularly so that there is always something to look out for.

Some of the exotic flavours include Miso Cherry, Blackpepper Strawberry, Toasted Coconut Milk Chocolate, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

75 E 4th St
New York, NY 10003
United States
Tel: +1 917 475 1812
Mon to Thu: 1pm – 11pm
Fri: 1pm – 12midnight
Sat: 12pm – 12midnight
Sun: 12pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: 2nd Ave

#6 POPBAR

Popbar is everything a hipster popsicle bar should be. We fell head over heels in love with the place, and to simply stare at all the popsicles in the display got us all cheery and excited. So how it works is simple – you pick your desired flavour, then choose to have it naked or dipped. We say naked is not always the best, because the dips at Popbar are aplenty and there are so many ways to dress your popsicle up!

We enjoyed ours with a dip of chocolate, but you can go all out with the crushed nuts too. The combinations are endless, and we could totally see ourselves returning for more on our next trip back to The Big Apple.

5 Carmine St
New York, NY 10014
United States
Tel: +1 212 255 4874
Sun to Wed: 12pm – 11pm
Thu: 12pm – 12midnight
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 1am
Nearest Station: W 4 St – Washington Sq

#7 SUNDAES AND CONES

It is evident from the flavours that this place is run by Asians. You see, Thai Milk Tea and Azuki are such atypical Asian flavours, but that does not mean they are any less enticing. Sundaes And Cones live to serve comforting ice cream in familiar flavours; the Asians residing in New York City love the place, and so does the locals. And so do we.

The scoops are generously huge, and we took a while before deciding on the flavours. Strange enough, we actually enjoyed the Lavender the most; it is probably the least typical of Asian flavours. That said, we highly recommend the Black Sesame one too. Don’t forget to go for the peanut-coated cones for an extra kick!

95 E 10th St
New York, NY 10003
United States
Tel: +1 212 979 9398
Sun to Thu: 11am – 10.30pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 11.30pm
Nearest Station: Astor Pl

#8 VAN LEEUWEN ARTISAN ICE CREAM

This might just be the most popular ice cream truck in The Big Apple. Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream’s trucks are a common sight in the city, and they are on rotational basis. But if you do not fancy the uncertainty and regular changes, visit its brick-and-mortar shop at East Village.

The ice cream here are lighter in texture, and is ideal for people who do not prefer dense ice cream. Flavours include Espresso, Ginger, Strawberry and Mint Chip. The last one is our pick.

48 E 7th St
New York, NY 10003
United States
Tel: +1 718 715 0758
Mon to Fri: 8am – 12midnight
Sat & Sun: 9am – 12midnight
Nearest Station: Astor Pl

For more recommendations, read our food & travel guides to New York City.

Momofuku Milk Bar is renowned for their unique desserts, namely cereal milk soft serve, compost cookies and crack pies. Momofuku Milk Bar opened its first humble store in East Village seven years ago and had since amassed a legion following of loyal fans. Today, Momofuku Milk Bar has six stores across New York City and one store in Toronto, Canada.

Expect to see the unexpected at Momofuku Milk Bar. From corn cookies to birthday cake truffles, the interesting menu never fails to excite its customers. The impressive mouthwatering creations are the brainchild of celebrity pastry chef Christina Tosi. You may find her familiar – she is now a judge on Master Chef starring alongside Gordon Ramsay and Graham Elliot.

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Best-selling confections include Crack Pie (USD 5.50 per slice, USD 44 for entire pie) and Cereal Milk Soft Serve (USD 5 for 4 oz. cup, USD 10 for a pint). The former is a gooey butter cake with toasted oat crust, while the latter is a soft serve ice cream made with milk, brown sugar, cereal and a sprinkle of salt.

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The winning formula of their addictive treats is simple yet genius – salt. Tosi’s personal preference of integrating contrasting flavours for a balance has unintentionally transformed New Yorkers’ notions of confectionary forever. Even those without a sweet tooth found themselves irresistibly hooked!

From Martha Stewart Weddings magazine to even The Tonight Show, Momofuku Milk Bar has made an appearance on almost every press possible. Over the years, word of Momofuku Milk Bar has crossed continents and became a must-eat destination for foodies worldwide. We were not disappointed – Tosi’s marvelous desserts were indeed worthy of its hype!

Momofuku Milk Bar
251 E 13th St, New York
Tel: (347) 577 9504
Daily: 9am – 12midnight
Nearest Station: 3 Av

About the writer:
Hui Jun Ng is a staff writer for ladyironchef. She was previously a marketing executive and freelance photographer in the food industry. Her work has been published on Epicure, Lifestyle Asia and Meld Magazine etc.