The best ice cream in London

Milk Train apparently doesn’t believe in such a thing as too much sugar, enveloping their ice cream cones in fluffy clouds of candy floss. The highly photogenic creations are not only deliciously cool, they’re sure to make your feed pop, especially if you snap a photo against the café’s pretty, floral-printed backdrop. Afterwards, devour your treat in gloriously messy fashion in one of the snug booths.

A fixture of summertime in the city, Chin Chin Ice Cream pioneered using liquid nitrogen to hand-churn their ice cream. Add in fearless experimentation with unusual flavours such as coffee & olive oil or tahini halva, as well as a flair for colourful, social-media-friendly dessert arrangements, and it’s easy to understand the hype. In addition to classic flavours such as strawberry shiso or Valrhona choc and an array of toppings, the different locations offer exclusive flavours and desserts as well.

Gelupo is a sibling venture from the proprietors of the Bocca di Lupo Italian restaurant across the street, using quality ingredients to whip up fresh daily batches of authentic gelati and sorbetti. The flavours are inspired by the various regions of Italy, with the Etna showcasing the Sicilian fondness for pistachios, for example, or the Torino recreating the rich coffee textures of Turin’s bicerin drink. Refined takes on more classic choices such as raspberry or bitter chocolate are available as well.

Pan-n-Ice is the esteemed provider of authentic Thai ice rolls in the UK, with five permanent locations, including three in venues around London. Their journey began in 2015, when the owner, Henry, embarked on a transformative trip to Thailand with a friend and was mesmerised by the artistry of rolled ice cream. He eventually brought the concept to his homeland in England, where they now serve the ice cream at more than 300 events annually.

Indulge in Japanese mochi, expertly crafted and freshly baked daily by a skilled baker at Japan Centre, conveniently located in Central London. Sink your teeth into an enticing selection, including mochi doughnuts, mochi ice cream, mochi cookies, mochi daifuku, and mochi dango. To complement the mochi, they also serve refreshing bubble tea.

Snowflake Gelato made headlines with its expensive “billionaire’s soft serve”, which involved Persian sea salt, edible gold pearls, a macaron and edible 24-karat gold. Aside from such decadence, the artisanal brand uses natural, locally sourced ingredients to handcraft over 50 flavours, including award-winning classics such as raspberry or dark chocolate, as well as more unusual choices such as torta della nonna or date & honey. Many of their boutiques also offer other tempting treats, for example gelato pastries.

Mamasons serves “dirty ice cream”, but don’t go calling the health inspectors on them just yet – that’s just a nickname for the ice cream sold on Manila’s streets. It’s whipped up in a steel drum and features flavours that are seldom seen in the West, so don’t count on plain old vanilla – this is a place for adventurous scoops of purple ube yam, black coconut and even cheese. Alternatively, try the award-winning toasted ice cream sandwich.

Oddono’s has been a fixture on the city’s ice cream market for nearly two decades, making authentic Italian gelato and sorbet from globally.-sourced ingredients. The in-house recipes are inspired by founder Christian Oddono’s grandmother, and the company has made more than 130 flavours during its existence. These include classic bestsellers such as chocolate, mango or coconut, as well as more unusual choices along the lines of lemon vodka or basil. The ice cream parlours also serve hot drinks.

The Romeo and Juliet behind this beloved gelateria are a Romanian couple whose time living in Verona inspired them to open their dream ice cream parlour in Stoke Newington. They make fresh, creamy gelato according to an artisanal recipe from Rome, with a variety of classic yet intense flavours to choose from, for example lemon sorbet, tiramisu and salted caramel. In 2022, they expanded for the first time, bringing their rich scoops to Leyton.

Queues out the door have been a constant here ever since Lorenzo Nardulli first opened his ice cream parlour in 2009. A bastion of Italian authenticity, the tubs of creamy gelato at the shop are crafted according to traditional recipes, using conscientiously sourced ingredients from around the world. Instead of flavour experimentation, the gelateria relies on a comprehensive range of classics such as vanilla or pistachio, with popular highlights including fig and coffee. The latter is also a big draw in its hot liquid form here.

The hip, Instagram-friendly creations at Shoreditch’s Soft Serve Society quickly became one of Boxpark’s highlights, with patrons charmed by the striking, charcoal-coloured milkshakes, black cones and green matcha sundaes. You can complement one of the small number of ice cream flavours with toppings such as Oreo crumbs, salted caramel sauce and butter-cookie crumbs to ensure you won’t lack for variety. They also do bubble tea and hot drinks.

At Udderlicious, you get to have your say on the monthly flavours. You can vote for your favourites online, choosing from more than 140 different aspiring candidates. These include classic champions such as salted caramel and lemon sorbet, as well as feistier title contenders such as builder’s tea & digestive, bakewell pudding and even seaweed. It’s best to check the website ahead of paying the group a visit, as the flavour selection varies according to location as well as month, but the scoops are always handmade from quality ingredients.

Greedy Goat eschews the cows' milk preferred by most ice cream vendors in favour of British goats' milk, advocating increased calcium and magnesium, as well as high vitamin A and potassium levels, among its benefits. Their peppy Borough Market stall offers scoops of Cherry Bakewell, banana and pecan and other classic favourites.

The Ice Cream Union emphasises production techniques and conscientious sourcing of ingredients in its artisanal ice cream, striving to break conventions and redefine people’s perceptions of ice cream. Flavour-wise, this is also reflected in options such as Pimm’s, Aperol spritz and sunsweet melon sorbet. In addition to such seasonal highlights, you can choose from over 50 other flavours of the small-batch frozen delights.

Using organic milk, free-range eggs and fresh fruit, Ruby Violet brings out the flavours of British summertime through ice cream and sorbets at its charmingly vintage King’s Cross parlour. Of the more than 150 flavours created by the founder so far, best-sellers include fresh mint & cucumber, lavender and hot cross bun. If you’re finding it too difficult to choose, you can even order a tasting menu.

Supercharged by the scientific creativity of co-founder and resident ice cream maestro Antonio, the freshly made, all-natural artisanal ice cream at La Gelateria comes in a vast array of classic and bold flavours. Their shops serve a selection of best-sellers and new or unusual arrivals such as the aromatic pine nut gelato, the rich Cornish blue cheese & walnuts combo, or the tingly basil & chilli.

Chinatown Bakery is a Wardour Street institution and one of the sources of the ever-popular taiyaki, golden fish-shaped cakes with custard or other fillings. Especially in summertime, Bake's taiyaki ice cream cones are a common sight on Chinatown's streets and Instagram feeds, with the fish packed with refreshing vanilla or matcha soft serve.

At this minimalistic café in Covent Garden, you can get creamy award-winning gelato made using carefully sourced produce and traditional Turinese techniques, resulting in a smooth, creamy texture. The ice cream is available in a variety of flavours, from Italian staples such as hazelnut and fior di latte to rich scoops of gianduja, rum & raisins and nougat. You can also go for more international choices, such as Earl Grey or New York cheesecake, or pick one of the many fruit-based sorbets.

Gelateria 3Bis originated in Rimini, deciding to instigate a push onto London’s underdeveloped artisanal gelato market in 2012. More than ten years later, their parlours offer a range of authentic Italian flavours, made according to traditional techniques and from carefully sourced ingredients. In addition, you can get crepes, cakes, waffles and other treats here, including the Chocoshot – a short cone with coffee or chocolate at the bottom.

The ice cream sandwiches at Happy Endings are on another level, with tasty ice cream slathered onto crunchy pastry, smushed together and dipped in, say, chocolate for good measure. For example, their Tres Leches sando features three milks parfait and salted dulce de leche between layers of sponge cake, while The Malty One is a malted milk parfait between oaty biscuits, covered in malt crumbs and half-dipped in milk chocolate. The Happy Endings sandwiches are also stocked by shops and restaurants around London, check their website for the full list.

This compact Damascene confectionery in Marble Arch specialises in very sweet Middle Eastern treats that often use shredded filo pastry, but another big draw is the bouzza ice cream. This thick, chewy Syrian take on pistachio ice cream is beaten until all the air is driven out of it, and this place supposedly has some of the best in the world.

A family-run Richmond mainstay, Gelateria Danieli serves a changing selection of 24 flavours, including classics as well as various specials and one-offs, for example custard & cherry, pine nut, Sicilian cactus fruit or Christmas pudding. In summer, a further 18 flavours can be found at their chocolate confectionery spin-off down the street. They also serve proper Italian coffee and count Queen Elizabeth II among their customers – she was served their vanilla on her 80th.

Japanese dessert shop Tsujiri is much-loved by London's matcha fans. This modern and minimalist venue specialises in ice cream and hot and cold drinks. You can sample soft serve cups and cones, sundaes, and ice cream floats in inspiring flavours like matcha and black sesame, or get a mix. Ice cream lovers can further customise their treat with toppings like green tea power, red bean paste, and crunchy crackers.

Festok is the only producer of Lebanese ice cream in capital. Having started out at local food markets, it now offers city-wide delivery and operates a charming ice cream parlour in the Marylebone area. Using natural ingredients, Festok offers a range of flavours spanning both traditional and innovative options, with classics like pistachio and rose sitting alongside bespoke creations such as halva and date. Vegan flavours are available as well.