Ice Cream Essentials

After having a great meal, you can't skip dessert! Let's be real, no matter how stuffed you are, there is always room for some ice cream. NYC is home to a number of different ice cream shops and many of them put their own flare on this tasty treat. Here are a few ice cream shops that I feel are worth the extra calories:

• Amorino
• This cute parlor on 8th Avenue in Chelsea serves amazing gelato of all different flavors. When ordered in a cone, the gelato is scooped to look like a cute flower. If you are a chocolate lover, be sure to check out their Amorino Chocolate. They do not have toppings like most ice cream shops but they do serve macaroons that can fill the void!



Photo Courtesy of @FoodwaliNYC

• Ample Hills Creamery
• This creamery is located inside of Bubby's restaurant which sits underneath the High Line. Ample Hills' ice cream as well as the toppings are made from scratch. They use hormone free milk and organic cane sugar for a natural flavor. All of their ice cream flavors are very rich and sweet. From "PB Wins the Cup" to "Nona D's Oatmeal Lace," there is a flavor for everyone to enjoy. If you can't decide which one to choose, purchase a tray of six to try a variety of flavors!



Photo Courtesy of @AmpleHills

• Big Gay Ice Cream
• If you're ready for high energy after eating dinner, this is the place to go to fulfill your ice cream craving. All of the employees are energetic and the shop is very bright. I highly recommend ordering the "Salty Pimp" if you are one who enjoys sweet and salty combos. 



Photo Courtesy of @SarahMakutaTV

• Momofuku Milk Bar
• With eight locations in NYC, you can find a Milk Bar whenever you get a sweet tooth. Milk Bar is known for their cereal milk flavored ice cream. The ice cream was created to taste like the milk at the bottom of a bowl of corn flakes. Aside from ice cream, Milk Bar also sells assorted cakes, truffles, pies, and cookies. They have something for everyone! 

Photo Courtesy of @TheReluctantFoodie

• 10Below
• Located in Chinatown, 10Below serves ice cream inspired by the streets of Thailand. The ice cream is made right in front of you! The liquid cream is placed on a cold surface and mixed with toppings of your choice. The liquid cream begins to turn into ice cream in the blink of a eye and then is rolled and served. To see how 10Below is able to create fresh homemade ice cream in less than two minutes, take a look at this video!

It's crazy that in one city, there are so many spots serving the same dish but in such vastly different ways. The next time you feel that you can spare some room for dessert, check out one of these sweet spots! Please let me know of any shops that you feel deserve the spotlight for serving awesome ice cream.