By Teller Thomas
Ice cream is an undeniable summer essential—especially in the profound humidity that defines New York City from June through August. Luckily, the city offers enough delicious ice cream options to make up for the unbearable heat. I’ll take the trade-off. Whether you’re into unique flavors, soft serve, classic cream, healthy alternatives, or over-the-top toppings, this list has you covered. Here are the top ice cream spots to try in NYC this summer.
Glace
Glace made a name for itself in the colder months with its hot chocolates—rimmed in marshmallow and wildly photogenic—but it’s just as essential in the summer. From soft-serve cups topped with blueberry crumble to the Nutella Fluffer Nutter (fresh ice cream scoops coated in Nutella hard shell, peanut butter sauce, and marshmallow fluff), Glace delivers pure creativity in frozen form. There are even ice cream macarons. It’s imagination, spun into cream.
Cafe Panna
An Italian-inspired ice cream and coffee shop with locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, Cafe Panna is known for its rotating daily flavors, signature whipped panna, and—of course—its unbeatable affogatos. Each day, the shop offers seven core flavors alongside new specials, which can be drowned in house-made espresso and topped with freshly churned cream and toppings. If you’re craving something sweet with a caffeinated kick, this is your go-to.
Culture
The only frozen yogurt shop worthy of breaking into the ice cream rankings. Culture: An American Yogurt Company makes and strains its own yogurt in-house, combining it with milk to create soft serve that’s equal parts gut-friendly and refreshing. Each flavor contains billions of probiotics and strikes a perfect balance of sweet and tart. With a lineup that includes original, chocolate, rotating specials, and a bar of fresh fruit and sauces, Culture delivers dessert without the post-sugar crash. Regardless of your base, I recommend chocolate chips, fresh fruit, and a drizzle of honey on top.
Taiyaki
Taiyaki in Chinatown nails the blend of cute aesthetic and culinary satisfaction. This Japanese ice cream shop serves Asian-inspired soft serve flavors in warm, fish-shaped pastries filled with red bean paste. You can’t go wrong with the Instagram-famous Unicorn Taiyaki—available in any flavor and topped with cotton candy sprinkles and marzipan unicorn ears and horn—or the Straight Out Japan, a matcha and hojicha swirl crowned with mochi and a wafer stick.
Morgenstern’s
For a classic ice cream experience with endless daily flavor options, Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream is your best bet. Offering all house-made scoops, sundaes, and milkshakes, it’s the ideal stop after dinner. This shop is perfect for anyone with particular taste: there’s a full spectrum of vanillas, caramels, chocolates, and strawberries to help you land on your perfect scoop.
