Summer is finally here! After what felt like an endless winter, it’s time to get out, enjoy the sun, work on our tan, and most importantly, EAT ICE CREAM! There are tons of ice cream parlors in Vancouver, but some of them really stand out from the crowd. Let me walk you through my favorite ice cream parlors, and highlight what is so good about them.
1. Dolce Amore
Vegan options available
Pistachio Padrino (one scoop waffle $6)
Dolce Amore — aka the Gelato Mafia, is an Italian family story, so their gelatos are as legit as they get. They opened their ice cream parlor in the heart of Little Italy 20 years ago and they have been going strong since then. I ran into their food truck during the Khatsahlano festival and I was not expecting much, but the Pistachio Padrino was so creamy it blew my mind. One week later, I visited their shop and I was sold! Dolce Amore has monthly feature flavors so every visit can be a new discovery.
2. Rain or Shine
Vegan, gluten-free and egg-free options available
Salted Caramel (one scoop waffle $5.5) & Peanut Butter (single cup $4.5)
This is a no brainer. Rain or Shine is an institution in Vancouver and its reputation is well deserved. Their homemade ice cream is made from scratch with sustainable, fresh and natural ingredients. They have 3 locations in Vancouver (Kits, UBC, Cambie) as well as a food truck stationed at English Bay. What’s cool is that they have limited flavors popping up every week to keep us excited. I highly recommend the Malted Milk Chocolate with Honeycomb. They also have outstanding sundaes and milkshakes, as well as (an ice cream) taco Tuesday!
3. Earnest Ice Cream
Vegan options available
Whiskey Hazelnut (one scoop waffle $5)
Next in line is Earnest Ice Cream. This ice cream parlor has a more classic flavor offering, but it doesn’t make their ice cream less exceptional. If you like ice cream sandwiches you’ll be pleased as they have a few on their menu. I recommend their Whiskey Hazelnut ice cream, which is one of their best sellers. It has a very pleasant salted and buttery aftertaste. Earnest Ice Cream has 4 locations in Vancouver, all the way up to North Van. So no matter where you are, you probably don’t need to go far to grab one of their goodies!
4. La Glace
Vegan and gluten-free options available
Vegan Cookies & Cream (one scoop waffle $7.5)
La Glace is a French artisanal ice cream shop located at the southern border of Kitsilano. The shop itself is very pretty. The light blue colors and floral patterns are somewhat reminiscent of a French 18th Century décor. All their ice cream is hand-crafted and they usually have about 12 monthly rotating flavors in store. You can also pre-order amazing looking ice cream cakes. I had their Vegan Cookies & Cream — my first vegan ice cream ever! If I wasn’t told, I would not have guessed that it was a dairy-free ice cream. The big chunks of cookies were delicious and the little meringue placed on top was a cute addition. The plus is that they have a fairly large patio, so you can relax and enjoy your ice cream on the spot!
5. Perverted Ice Cream
Vegan options available
Dirty Limerick (Lime) & Dirty Blonde (Salted Caramel) – $10 each
EVERY TIME I COME I SCREAM. Their motto sets the tone. Perverted Ice Cream specializes in soft serves, which is not very common, and their signature waffle cones are pitch dark. Their menu is rather cryptic (DiCaprio dust anyone?), but that’s what makes this ice cream parlor so unique and fun. The Dirty Blonde is my go-to but they also have an intriguing W.T.F? ice cream that can be hot or cold, sweet or salty and painful or pleasurable. Don’t ask me, you’ll have to try it!
6. Rocky Point Ice Cream
Vegan options available
Brown Butter Pecan (one scoop waffle $5)
Originally from Port Moody, Rocky Point Ice Cream has made a name for itself in Vancouver. They don’t have an actual store in the city but you can be sure that you’ll spot their food truck at any major event or festival in Vancouver. The Brown Butter Pecan was a great pick, the big chunks of pecans were very satisfying. Although they do not have parlors downtown, they have some in Port Moody, New Westminster and Coquitlam.
7. Tsujiri
Shiratama Parfait ($9.50)
Tsujiri is not an ice cream parlor, but their Shiratama Parfait can be categorized as ice cream. I LOVE Japanese sweets and I truly believe they are underrated. It might not be for everyone, but if you like matcha and mochi, you are going to love this. The base consists of warabi mochi and azuki beans. It is topped with matcha soft serve, shiratama, a beautiful chestnut and some syrup. Some kinako powder is sprinkled on top for a delicious touch of umami!
8. Passione Gelato
Vegan options available
Tiramisu and Pistachio (2 scoops in a cup $8)
Passione Gelato is a small neighborhood ice cream parlor. They use organic and seasonal ingredients to make their hand-crafted ice cream. They have about 15 flavors in store and I tried their Tiramisu and Pistachio gelatos. I would say Passione Gelato is a solid option, but it stays very standard when it comes to flavors and offerings. Note that there is no seating inside or outside the gelateria (there are a few benches nearby where you can sit on non-rainy days), but basically, you either have to stand or eat on the go, which I am not a big fan of. Regardless, if you are a purist and like ice cream without a fuss, this is probably a good match for you!
9. Uno Gelato
Vegan options available
Oreo Cookies Chocolate Waffle cone 1 scoop ($7)
Roasted Hazelnut & Akbar Mashti Waffle Cone 2 scoops ($8.50)
Uno Gelato is another well-known local ice cream parlor with 3 locations in Vancouver (Kitsilano, Downtown, False Creek). They offer gelatos and sherbets handmade in micro-batches with natural and local ingredients. I find their flavor offering limited compared to other parlors, but they change regularly so it doesn’t get boring. I tried their Oreo Cookies and had a few licks of their Roasted Hazelnut and Akbar Mashti ice cream. I enjoyed it but I must say that I regret paying an extra dollar for the waffle cones. They were industrial and tasteless, so they kind of ruined the ice cream for me. That’s too bad… next time I’ll stick to the cup.
To be continued…
All of them sounds great. If i am limited i would try thr perverted icr cream place and one yhat has the whisky hazelnut. A good round up! 🙂
They are both excellent choices. I’m sure you would love them 🙂!