Inside Scoop: London's best ice cream

[Celerity]

https://www.themodernhouse.com/journal/inside-scoop-londons-best-ice-cream/



There’s nothing like summer in London to inspire a few scoops of ice cream. And while the simple pleasure of pale vanilla swirls from the local ice cream van never fails to delight, the capital’s scene of cool sweet treats is as jubilantly experimental as it is diverse. There are all manners of bright, rich and colourful soft serves around the city, as well as deep-violet Filipino ube sandwiched between soft milk buns, bouncy morsels of Japanese mochi ice creams, grown-up Middle Eastern flavours topped with baklava and tart fruity sorbets made from the best seasonal British produce, hidden in the corners of much-loved grocers. Here are our picks of the best ice cream London has to cool you down when the sun shines: homemade, soft-served, machine-churned or otherwise.



1. Mamasons

How do you know a Mamasons ice cream when you see one? This Filipino parlour’s scoops come in a signature violet hue, which is not the result of experimental food dye, but rather the natural shade of native ingredient ube. This purple yam crops up in a lot of Filipino cooking, but it’s perhaps most known for being churned into creamy, coconutty ice cream. It might be even tastier in the form of bilog – dressed in a sweet, soft milk bun. There are other enticing flavours at Mamasons too, from chocolate malt and black coconut to a queso scoop, which tastes like salted cheesecake. Their calamansi (Filipino lime) is the order of the day when a London heatwave strikes.



2. Bake Street

Bake Street might be best known for its diverse brunch fare, but the ice cream here is an equal draw. Situated between Stoke Newington and Clapton, the sibling-run cafe serves Hackney residents small-batch flavours, which are concocted using the tastiest fruit of the season, from juicy cherries to zesty pineapple. It also takes inspiration from nostalgic childhood desserts, such as rice pudding and coke floats, as well as whipping up new inventions that are unusually enticing. You might, for instance, go for a tub of coffee, date and almond ice cream, studded with croissant shards and toasted marzipan cubes. If in doubt, there is always the silky soft serve of a lovely Kesar mango sorbet.



3. Romeo & Giulietta Artisan Gelateria

Even on the cooler summer days, there’ll be a queue snaking around the corner of Albion Road home to Romeo & Giulietta Artisan Gelateria. This pocket-sized shop serves scoops of Italian gelato in classic flavours like pistachio and hazelnut. But there’s also ricotta with caramelised figs, its signature Biscokrok, a biscuit base covered in a chocolate sauce – think a sophisticated take on cookies and cream – and a seriously dark chocolate sorbet. Go for a scoop and leave with a tub – they’ll mix up to four flavours.

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[Phoenix61]

1. Ube ice cream is amazing! nt