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Have you heard the scoop? Ice-cream season is in full force. No matter what kind of ice cream you’re looking for, we’ve got your back. Drum roll… Presenting the ultimate guide to Hong Kong’s best ice cream!
For the Instagrammer
Impress your friends with the Insta shot. These shops serve showstopping ice cream creations that are a feast for both your eyes and taste buds.
Holly Brown
Photo credit: @nicoleisapig
Specialising in “hand-tossed” gelato, you can witness the staff at Holly Brown folding various toppings into your gelato on their special “cold plates”. Try HB’s signature blue vanilla gelato ($68) on its own or snag one of the over-the-top waffle gelato cups ($68). Options include The Mermaid (Central branch exclusive), which features a blue vanilla gelato base adorned with white chocolate bark and a pink chocolate mermaid tail, and My Bad, featuring chocolate gelato, peanut butter, Oreos and Reese’s Puffs cereal. We also recommend the Danish toasts (from $118) for the ultimate carby indulgence. Thick and warm, honey-infused toast topped with ice cream and an avalanche of toppings – what’s not to love?
Central: 22 Stanley Street, 2869 9008
Lai Chi Kok: Shop G01, G/F, D2 Place TWO, 15 Cheung Shun Street, 2371 2826
Barista by Givrés
Photo credit: haru.food_daily
Givrés has patented the gelato rose (from $50), so you won’t find this anywhere else in Hong Kong! Mix and match your own flavours and witness your gelato rose come to life or pair it with coffee for a rose affogato ($68). Vegan flavours are also available. While pairing a gelato rose with an egg waffle ($75) would make an excellent Insta shot, beware that the waffle tends to get soggy quickly.
7 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central, 9659 0816
Emack & Bolio’s
Photo credit: Love Vera
We’re sure you’ve seen Emack & Bolio’s extravagant cones all over Instagram. While their flavours are bold in and of themselves – such as cake batter, bananas foster and salted caramel chocolate pretzel ($45/small) – their cones (from +$10) are equally big and bold. Choose from E&B’s impressive display of cones, which includes Rice Krispies and Froot Loops. They serve very generous portions too!
Central: 26 Cochrane Street, 2505 6626
Wanchai: Shop G09–10, G/F, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East, 2952 3883
I Cremeria
Photo credit: eddie_ilovefood777
I Cremeria is the place to go for some next-level Japanese soft serve. Go for the classic soft serve in milk or Uji matcha flavours ($40) or try the signature Japanese premium melon deluxe parfait ($280), which showcases soft-serve ice cream nestled in the centre of a honeydew melon half. The Japanese premium peach soft cream parfait ($108) pairs succulent peach with milky soft serve – a dreamily creamy combo. If you’re extra fancy, go for the cremadoro ($98) for a soft serve topped with edible gold leaf!
Branches around town; click here for locations
Elephant Grounds
While Elephant Grounds is known for its brunch menu, did you know they operate their own creamery in Hong Kong? They offer unique flavours such as Hokkaido milk with honeycomb, Earl Grey cookie and Thai iced tea ($40/scoop). We love their ice-cream sandwiches – don’t miss out on The Peanut Gallery ($68), which has peanut butter ice cream smushed in between two gooey chocolate-chip cookies. They also have an exclusive ice-cream sandwich flavour every week.
Branches around town; click here for locations (note that the Pacific Place Tea Room does not carry ice cream)
For the ice-cream connoisseur
Perhaps you aren’t that into gimmicky presentations; you just want ice cream that impress your taste buds with bold flavour and irresistible creaminess. Head to these shops for some quality ice cream.
Via Tokyo
Of course, we couldn’t forget Via Tokyo! Their Japanese soft-serve ice cream is extremely creamy and smooth. All three of their signature flavours (matcha, hojicha and milk) are equally intense in flavour and not watered down in the slightest. The best soft serve in Hong Kong, perhaps? Enjoy your ice cream on its own (from $35) or pair it with a variety of fruits, shiratama (a type of mochi), mochi, adzuki red beans and crispy rice (from $43). You can also enjoy it as part of the Omotesando set ($95); each set includes a roll cake, warabi mochi, ice cream and Japanese tea. Flavours can be mixed and matched, and seasonal flavours are also released from time to time – we tried the chocolate flavour awhile back and it was to die for.
Causeway Bay: Shop 1A–1B, G/F, Leishun Court, 106–126 Leighton Road, 2895 1116
Wanchai: Shop WC–W3, 1/F, Wanchai Ferry Pier, 4610 3188
Venchi
Photo credit: olfooddiary
A chocolatier from Italy, Venchi takes chocolate very seriously. Chocoholics must not miss out on the Cuor di Cacao (from $55), made with 75% dark chocolate (a lighter version is also available). Other chocolate flavours include stracciatella (milk ice cream with chocolate nibs), gianduiotto (hazelnut chocolate) and more. Non-chocolate flavours, such as mango and pistachio, are also available. You can also upgrade your cone to one of Venchi’s many gourmet cones (+$15).
Branches around town; click here for locations
Baekmidang
Photo credit: Yan~*
Another soft serve, but this time it’s from Korea. Baekmidang specialises in milk ice cream, and their signature flavours include original, soy and milk, chocolate and dark chocolate. They are all made with organic milk and are extremely creamy, with a dense bite – think Japanese soft serve that holds its shape more. Other flavours include jujube crumble and jo-chung (crispy rice) and ginger, as well as seasonal options. Enjoy your ice cream in a cone (from $48) or in one of their many fresh fruit parfaits (from $78).
Branches around town; click here for locations
Nippon Kitchen
Enjoy Japanese-tea-flavoured ice cream everywhere with Nippon Kitchen’s new Japanese tea ice-cream cup series ($29.90/cup). Flavours include matcha, hojicha and matcha-genmaicha. While the hojicha flavour is on the lighter side, the matcha flavour comes through without being overly sweet. However, we suggest trying the matcha-genmaicha flavour, since it’s the first of its kind in Hong Kong. Both green teas have roasted undertones and pair well with each other.
Available at foodpanda pandamart and at 7-ELEVEN, AEON, J’s Garden, Market Place by Jasons, SOGO and YATA branches around town
Oreo ice-cream sandwich
Photo credit: U Food
You may be rolling your eyes at this one, but we do think it deserves a mention. The humble Oreo never fails, and while there are other Oreo ice-cream products available, such as the ice-cream cup and frozen dessert bar, nothing quite beats the Oreo ice-cream sandwich ($19). Imagine two giant and thick Oreo cookies, sandwiched with a generous layer of cookies and cream ice cream in between. The ice cream is refreshingly smooth and the cookies chewy. Surprisingly, it isn’t overwhelmingly sweet either. Heaven in every bite, no?
Available at convenience stores and supermarkets around town
For those with an adventurous palate
Bored of the regular ol’ chocolate, vanilla and matcha flavours? These shops offer a spectacular selection of creative flavours, so be prepared to have your mind blown!
Igloo Dessert Bar
Photo credit: eataroundwithme
Voted Foodie Forks 2019 Readers’ Choice Best Desserts, Igloo Dessert Bar whips up funky flavours that represent Hong Kong. Their White Rabbit candy gelato shook the city awhile back (watch Foodie’s video), and other unique flavours such as peanut butter toast and Horlicks-Malteser ($34/scoop) are also available. Consider having your gelato with an egg waffle (from $54) – there are six waffle flavours to choose from, including mochi and green tea – in a cookie bowl (+$14) or in a parfait (from $50). Recently, Igloo also released five of their flavours in take-home gelato cups.
Shop C, G/F, Pier 7, Star Ferry, Central, 2656 3318
Gelato cups are available at YATA branches in Kwun Tong, San Po Kong, Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun
DAMA
Photo credit: Lolinglingg
DAMA serves an amazing selection of vegan soft serve that doesn’t compromise on flavour or texture. The red dragon fruit ($42) in striking pink and the coconut-infused black Hawaii ($42) are some of our favourite flavours. Enjoy a twisted soft serve (+$4) to get the best of both worlds! You can also upgrade your soft serve to an egg waffle dessert (+$26); while DAMA’s egg waffles are on the crunchy side, they complement the smoothness of the ice cream.
Shop 411, 4/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 9527 2033
XTC Gelato
A home-grown Hong Kong gelato brand, XTC Gelato switches up their flavours from time to time and offers many creative options, from Okinawa brown sugar pineapple, to clove honey yoghurt, to ginger ($40/scoop). If you’re on the fence as to which flavour to choose, don’t worry – the staff will patiently let you taste different ones. XTC’s gelato is lower in fat and lighter than its ice-cream counterparts. Take-home gelato cups and tubs are available for ordering; you can also pick them up at supermarkets around town.
Branches around town; click here for locations
Take-home gelato cups and tubs also available at city’super, Feather & Bone, Great Food Hall, Il Bel Paese, JustGreen, Market Place by Jasons, Oliver’s and Wellcome branches around town or order online
2020 just got a little bit sweeter…
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