New York’s Coolest Ice Cream Spots

Summer is undoubtedly here. Fortunately, it’s the best time to treat yourself and your kids every now and then to a refreshing pick-me-up—ice cream! Here are, in no particular order, some of the best ice cream shops around New York City for the whole family to take a well-deserved break.

1. il laboratorio del gelato

Located in Lower Manhattan, this organic gelato store has been serving handmade gelato and sorbet since 2002. The store is exactly as the name suggests: a lab where customers can treat themselves to a vast variety of flavors, ranging from Cheddar Cheese to Wasabi, Avocado to Black Sesame. The clean and sleek lab-like interior provides a refreshing change in scenery that city-goers crave in the hot weather as much as their gelato. laboratoriodelgelato.com

2. Popbar

For a store just as innovative, check out Popbar located in the West Village, which offers all the rich and creamy tastes of ice cream in a handy, no-mess ice pop form. For parents with messy kids, this is a selling point enough. But it gets better: with the options of popGelato, popSorbetto, YogurtPop, there is sure to be a treat for everyone in the family. Customers can also customize their own ice pops, or buy half-sized miniPops so the kids don’t spoil their appetites. pop-bar.com

3. Victory Garden

To change things up, why not try this West Village ice cream store’s signature fresh goat milk soft serve? This unusual ice cream is made from fresh goat milk and yogurt from local farms, with a whole host of benefits. Besides the unique flavor and texture, it’s lower in fat and higher in vitamins and minerals than run-of-the-mill ice cream. Their menu follows a Middle Eastern tradition that makes use of floral essences in interesting flavors like VG Herbal and Dark Chocolate Rosemary. victorygardennyc.com

4. Sundaes and Cones

Located in the East Village, this Brooklyn-founded ice cream store serves up classic and novel flavors alike in the tried and true forms of sundaes and cones. While their store has an old-school look and feel, you can find on their menu inventive homemade flavors including Honeydew, Tiramisu Lavender, and even Corn ice cream! They also offer non-fat and no-sugar-added ice cream as well as frozen yogurt for a healthy alternative. sundaescones.com

5. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream

For those with a taste for the classics, this homemade ice cream shop is the place to go. Originally just two ice cream trucks in 2008, they have since expanded with stores in East Village and Brooklyn. Their more traditional menu of Strawberry, Pistachio, Cinnamon, and so on makes it no less delicious as other stores’ ice cream as their fresh, all natural ingredients guarantee a smooth, rich, and flavorful treat. vanleeuwenicecream.com

6. Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

With over 28 years under their belt, this ice cream shop stands as one of Chinatown’s oldest businesses. Well-loved by locals, their ‘exotic’ menu offers uncommon Asian flavors like Lychee, Red Bean, and Taro. It’s true that lines are always long, but that just shows how popular the shop is. On the upside, service itself is fast and the long lines move quickly, which is a plus for busy parents. chinatownicecreamfactory.com

7. Big Gay Ice Cream

The ice cream at this shop, located in both the East and West Village, are as crazy as their names are. On the menu you can find indulgent, off-beat treats like the Salty Pimp, Cococone, and American Globs. Depending on what you order, ice cream cones come loaded with pie pieces or crushed pretzels, or covered in chocolate or rainbow sprinkles. Both parents and kids will get a kick out of these decadent desserts. biggayicecream.com

8. Momofuku Milk Bar

This shop serves a variety of treats including cakes, cookies, pies, and of course ice cream, in five locations around New York City. They are known for their trademark Cereal Milk soft serve that is exactly what it sounds like: the flavor of that bit of leftover milk in your cereal bowl at the end of breakfast. The mix of salty and sweet brings a new twist on a familiar taste that kids will love. milkbarstore.com

9. Ample Hills Creamery

There is no fresher ice cream in New York anywhere but at Ample Hills, which sources their eggs and dairy fresh and hormone-free from local farms. Though located a bit out of the way in Brooklyn, this creamery is well worth the trip. The store has a cozy, fun aesthetic to match its ice cream flavors, which include Cotton Candy, Sweet As Honey, The Munchies, and more. amplehills.com

10. Melt Bakery

If you or your kids find yourselves bored of the traditional, plain ice cream sandwiches found in stores, pay a visit to Melt Bakery, New York’s first ice cream sandwich store. Fans of Red Velvet Cake can indulge in the Lovelet, which has Cream Cheese ice cream sandwiched between Red Velvet cookies; others can try the Morticia, which consists of Malted Chocolate Rum ice cream between Crackly Chocolate cookies. In any case, this shop, located on the Lower East-Side, and now on the High Line, is sure to be a treat for the whole family. meltbakery.com

Instituto Cervantes

Children and teenagers learn to understand and express themselves in Spanish, while improving their communication skills through a dynamic immersion program taught by NATIVE TEACHERS that combines CLASSES, ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS and FUN ACTIVITIES! All of our high-qualified teachers are native Spanish speakers who adapt the structure of the class to the needs and levels of each group while conducting the classes entirely in Spanish. We offer both Spanish Summer Camps and Regular Courses for children along the year to foster language learning and multicultural understanding.

The Music Institute of Long Island

Established in 1990, the Music Institute of Long Island (MILI) is a classical music school staffed by exceptional instructors from many of the most prestigious conservatories and graduate music schools in the United States and Europe. Long Island&rsquo;s foremost musical academies, its instrumental programs include violin, viola, cello, piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone and voice classes. MILI has been voted # 1 BEST MUSIC SCHOOL Consistently.&nbsp; They teach the Traditional, Suzuki, and ABRSM methods. Students participate in All-National, All-Eastern, All-State, youth orchestras, and score highly in NYSSMA and Royal Academy Music Festivals. First prize winners of competitions earn solos at Carnegie Hall and with orchestras. MILI offers Fall/Spring semesters plus Summer Sessions. Semesters include 15-17 weeks of private lessons, solo recitals with a final GALA Concert featuring chamber music. About the Directors: Carol &amp; Geri Kushner: The sisters are violinists, violists, chamber coaches &amp; performers. They believe in instilling the love of music, &nbsp;fostering proficiency, success, confidence &amp; believe all MILI students achieve success. Degrees BM, MM (+), K-12 certifications, attended Manhattan School of Music, Queens College &amp; Stonybrook University.They have been adjunct professors at Syracuse University, Aaron Copland School of Music Pre-College &amp; Five Towns Colleges, Stonybrook University &amp; have taught in L.I. public schools.