Forget swiping right! The most meaningful connection you’ll make this summer might just be with a perfectly swirled ice cream cone.
Picture it: a warm breeze, the city skyline, and the creamy goodness melting in your mouth…okay, maybe you need more than just ice cream for a full rom-com moment, but it’s a great start!
To help you find “the one” (the cone, that is), we’ve compiled 20 must-try ice cream spots in NYC. Love is in the air…and in the waffle cones!
1. Sundaes And Cones
This unassuming East Village shop packs a flavor punch with over 40 homemade options. Their green tea ice cream has a cult following!
What makes Sundaes and Cones special is their perfect balance of traditional and Asian-inspired flavors. The creamy texture keeps customers coming back for more.
2. Venchi
Straight from Italy, Venchi brings authentic gelato craftsmanship to New York. Their chocolate varieties will transport you straight to Turin.
Founded in 1878, this gelato paradise offers silky-smooth cones with intense flavors. The signature chocolate-dipped cone adds an extra layer of indulgence to your frozen treat.
3. Big Gay Ice Cream
Started as a food truck, Big Gay Ice Cream now serves up playfully named cones that taste as good as they sound. Their Salty Pimp is legendary!
Soft-serve gets a creative makeover with unexpected toppings like crushed Nilla wafers and cayenne pepper. The rainbow sprinkle-covered cones perfectly match their colorful brand personality.
4. Salt & Straw
Portland’s famous Salt & Straw brings its farm-to-cone philosophy to NYC with seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. Their monthly rotating menu keeps things exciting!
Flavors like Honey Lavender and Arbequina Olive Oil push boundaries in the best way. The waffle cones are made in-house daily, creating an aroma that lures people from blocks away.
5. Ample Hills Creamery
Born in Brooklyn, Ample Hills makes everything from scratch with local dairy. Their Ooey Gooey Butter Cake flavor caused a citywide obsession!
Named after a Walt Whitman poem, this beloved shop balances nostalgia with innovation. The pretzel cones add a salty crunch that perfectly complements their super-premium ice cream.
6. Van Leeuwen
Starting as a yellow truck, Van Leeuwen now has multiple NYC locations serving both dairy and vegan options. Their simple philosophy: use the best ingredients possible.
The honeycomb ice cream features real honeycomb candy pieces. Each scoop contains just six ingredients, creating pure, clean flavors that let quality shine through.
7. Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream
Chef Nicholas Morgenstern applies fine-dining techniques to ice cream making. The result? Mind-blowing flavors like Salt & Pepper Pine Nut.
The sleek, black-and-white shops offer a sophisticated ice cream experience. Their Raw Milk flavor showcases the pure essence of dairy with nothing to hide behind.
8. OddFellows Ice Cream Co.
OddFellows isn’t afraid to get weird with flavors like Miso Cherry and Tobacco Leaf Smoked Chili Huckleberry. But they nail the classics too!
Founded by a pastry chef, this Brooklyn-born shop creates everything in-house. Their pretzel cone filled with chocolate then topped with ice cream is a structural and tasty marvel.
9. Ice & Vice
Self-described as “experimental ice cream,” Ice & Vice pushes boundaries with flavors like Tea Dance (nilgiri tea leaf, lemon charcoal, salted caramel).
Their cone game is equally innovative. The Instagram-famous Konery cones come in flavors like blue corn and toasted coconut, making the entire eating experience unique from first lick to last bite.
10. 10 Below
Bringing Thai-inspired rolled ice cream to NYC, 10 Below creates made-to-order treats on super-cold metal plates. The rolling process is mesmerizing to watch!
Choose your base and mix-ins, then watch as they transform into beautiful rolls. Served in a waffle cone bowl and topped with everything from fresh fruit to Pocky sticks.
11. Caffè Panna
Chef Hallie Meyer (daughter of Danny Meyer) creates small-batch flavors that change daily. The shop combines Italian traditions with New York creativity.
Known for their affogatos and panna (whipped cream) toppings. Their waffle cones perfectly complement seasonal flavors like strawberry black pepper and sweet corn caramel swirl.
12. Emack & Bolio’s
Founded in Boston by a music lawyer for his rock star clients, Emack & Bolio’s brings psychedelic vibes to NYC. Their outrageous cone creations feature cereals and candies!
The Grasshopper Pie (mint with Oreos and chocolate flakes) in a Fruity Pebbles-coated cone is mind-blowing. The shop’s rock music heritage gives it a cool factor other places can’t match.
13. Sedutto
This century-old ice cream shop keeps tradition alive with classic flavors made from original recipes. Their hot fudge is cooked in small batches daily!
Generations of Upper East Siders have grown up licking Sedutto cones. The butter pecan uses real butter-roasted nuts, demonstrating their commitment to quality ingredients and time-honored techniques.
14. The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
Family-owned since 1978, this Chinatown landmark serves unique Asian flavors long before they became trendy. Their black sesame and durian flavors are legendary!
What they consider “exotic” flavors (vanilla, chocolate) and “regular” flavors (lychee, red bean) reflects their cultural perspective. The handmade waffle cones perfectly complement their dense, rich ice cream.
15. Max & Mina’s
This kosher ice cream shop in Queens has created over 5,000 flavors since opening. Pizza ice cream? Garlic? Horseradish? They’ve done it all!
The colorful, cartoon-covered walls match their playful approach to flavors. While they make wild creations, their simple vanilla in a fresh waffle cone proves they’ve mastered the fundamentals too.
16. Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory
Located in a historic fireboat house near the Brooklyn Bridge, this shop focuses on perfecting eight classic flavors. No wild combinations, just ice cream done right!
The vanilla bean specks are visible in every scoop. Enjoying their peaches and cream flavor in a sugar cone while gazing at the Manhattan skyline is a quintessential New York summer experience.
17. Coney’s Cones
Located right on the Coney Island boardwalk, these handcrafted Italian gelato cones complete the classic Brooklyn beach experience. The sea salt caramel pairs perfectly with ocean breezes!
Owner Daniele Dal Sasso brings authentic techniques from Italy. Watching the sunset over the Atlantic while enjoying their stracciatella cone creates summer memories that last all year.
18. Taiyaki NYC
These Instagram-famous fish-shaped cones filled with red bean paste cradle soft-serve in flavors like black sesame and matcha. The name “taiyaki” refers to the traditional fish-shaped cake.
The unicorn cone with rainbow swirl broke the internet! Each handmade fish cone takes skill to create, with a crispy exterior and soft, sweet interior that complements their Japanese-inspired ice cream.
19. Ray’s Candy Store
This tiny 24-hour shop run by Ray himself (now in his 90s!) serves old-school soft-serve dipped in your choice of toppings. No frills, just delicious nostalgia!
Ray’s chocolate-dipped cone with rainbow sprinkles hasn’t changed in decades. Late-night ice cream after shows at nearby venues has been an East Village tradition for generations of New Yorkers.
20. Surreal Creamery
Specializing in “Float Shakes” – mason jars with upside-down ice cream cones on top – Surreal Creamery creates desserts that defy gravity and good sense. But they’re delicious!
Their regular cones don’t hold back either. The cotton candy flavor comes wrapped in a cloud of actual cotton candy.