New York City is home to the bold and the beautiful—and I’m not talking about soap opera characters, models and celebs. I’m talking about ice cream flavors. Shops all over town are gearing up for a busy summer season as the sweltering heat sets in. Six are making ice creams that look too good to eat but are even better than their appearance.
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Amorino
A rose by any other name wouldn’t taste as sweet. Amorino’s signature treat is the blooming “Macarose.” Layers of petal-shaped gelato pile onto a cone. Forget the cherry, this beauty is topped with a macaroon. Let the passersby stare, this is worth the obnoxious photo op. Click to taste
Taiyaki NYC
Taiyaki NYC took the traditional Japanese treat of sweet filled fish-shaped cakes and did what any New Yorker would do: loaded it with ice cream. The most popular item is a matcha and black sesame swirl ice cream with a red bean paste filling. It is then put into a fish cone and topped with mochi and fresh fruit. If that flavor doesn’t strike your fancy, there are other fish in the sea to try, too. Click to taste
Ample Hills
This ice cream shop is all about the cone. Ample Hill’s chocolate chip, pretzel, chocolate, sugar and vanilla bean cones take simple ice cream flavors to the next level. The rustic farm themed décor makes for a charming backdrop to guests’ drool-worthy pics. Click to taste
10Below
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Thai rolled ice cream took New York by storm a few years ago and hasn’t gone anywhere. It is made by pouring sweetly flavored milk onto an extremely cold (-35 degrees Celsius) steel plate, and then scraping sheets of ice cream off into several mini rolls. The texture is creamy like a Dipin’ Dot, but the flavors are distinctly New York. Think mint chocolate madness, key lime pie and s’mores galore. Another welcome surprise: there are waffle tacos. Click to taste
Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream
Morgenstern’s is one of those places where guests have to study the menu ahead of time so they don’t hold up the line when it is their turn to order. Morgenstern’s is famous for its black ash coconut ice cream, but the avocado ice cream toast and king kong ice cream sundae are two of the shop’s lesser known treasures. Pictures don’t need a vintage filter here, the old-fashioned parlor atmosphere speaks for itself. Click to taste
Ice and Vice
This shop boasts unique flavors in beautiful cones and a signature garnish of toasted marshmallows. Adventurous ice cream options include the Olive Garden–black garlic, olive oil and sweet corn crumble, and the Farmer Boy–black currant, goat milk and buckwheat streusel. Click to taste