Summer has (finally) arrived and brought with it the long, hot days (and nights) that mean beach, sunscreen, patios and, most importantly, frozen dessert. The timing couldn’t be better for the veritable flood of new creameries hawking their fruit-filled, nitrogen-formed, shaved or pumped iterations. Whether on a cone or in a bowl, filled with fruit or made into snow, it seems there’s a spot for every day of the week for months on end. Here are a few new stand-outs that offer something a little different and delicious.
Soft-serve
Soft-serve is such a thing right now. At Uyu (the name is Korean for “milk”), the beautiful creamy ice cream is made from organic milk, and comes either in a cup or cone. The three or four flavours available on any given day rotate frequently, but the original (plain) version is a constant. Try the matcha if you can, and enjoy toppings such as freeze-dried raspberries, dark chocolate almond bark, black sesame powder. Depending on how many toppings you have, prices range from $4.75 to $5.75. You also get a free squeeze of one of their drizzles, such as honey, caramel or passionfruit.
433 Abbott • 778-379-9986 • UyuIceCream.com
Other soft-serve options
Soft Peaks in Gastown (25 Alexander, SoftPeaks.ca) is the original artisan soft-serve shop. Flavours are limited to plain milk or dark chocolate (or a twist), which are organic, but toppings include cornflakes, honeycomb, Himalayan pink salt, toasted coconut, yuzu marmalade and more. Also available are ice milk bars and milkshakes in rotating flavours.
Nitrogen Cool
It sounds like a schtick, but there’s some real science behind the use of liquid nitrogen in the making of ice cream. At Mister, the ice cream is made fresh to order, with primarily local ingredients, including milk from a Port Coquitlam dairy. The ingredients go into a mixer and then the nitrogen is added, resulting in a mist (hence the name). No toppings here, as the owners want you to focus on the flavour of what’s in the cup. A bit dear at around $6-$7 per, but there’s no questioning the quality or taste. Try the crème brulée (with a real bruléed top) or the lemon frozen yogurt.
1141 Mainland • 778-379-2833 • MadeByMister.com
Other nitrogen-based options
Lik on Robson Street (320 Robson, Twitter.com/LIKN2IceCream) was the first to offer this hyper-cool treat. In addition to rotating flavours like vanilla-blueberry, latte, caramel and chocolate, all made to order, you can also get toppings and custom creations, like the banana cream pie with fresh banana over the caramel ice cream, topped with whipped cream, graham cracker crumbs and bits Skor. Opt for the “syringe” of sauce in the centre of your concoction for extra, oozy goodness.
Asian Shaved Ice
Large bowls of beautifully-arranged fruit with ice cream, often served in a fruit shell. Think a cantaloupe gourd filled with ice cream and carved rounds of honeydew, cantaloupe and watermelon. 17°C Dessert Café is one of many places that specialize in a creamy take on this popular Korean and Taiwanese treat. That honeydew melon bowl is around $15, but it’s big enough to share and the Oreo version is only $7.99.
2229 Kingsway • 778-379-9055 • Facebook.com/SeventeenDessertCafe
Other shaved options
Snowy Village, Icepik Shavery, Icy Bar, Doolami…the list goes on and on. This is also one treat you will find at practically any Taiwanese café, so let loose and explore Vancouver (and Richmond) for more shaved treats, whether icy or creamy.
Vegan
Those following a plant-based diet deserve a treat once in a while, too, right? Nice Vice Creamery in Yaletown is Vancouver’s first exclusively-plant-based ice cream shop, meaning no dairy. This organic “nice” cream is also free of soy, allergens, GMO and cholesterol, meaning it’s as nice for you as it sounds. There is an extensive list of flavours, including banoffee pie, blood orange, passionfruit hibiscus, chocolate lavender, and even Earl Grey bergamot with activated charcoal (yes, it’s a thing and it’s good for you). You can also sprinkle some flavoured salts over top, or indulge in a sundae or float.
1022 Mainland St. • 778-379-6423 • NiceViceCream.com
Other plant-based options
Sorry, Nice Vice is the first and only of its kind so far, but places like Earnest Ice Cream and Bella Gelateria have some outstanding flavours worth checking out.
Anya Levykh is a freelance food, drink and travel writer who covers all things ingestible. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @foodgirlfriday.
