Until I was 10 years old, my family lived in Jersey City, NJ. Our house was next to a basketball court and the Mister Softee truck came by every day around 6 p.m. If we’d already had dinner, I was allowed to get a chocolate cone with chocolate sprinkles, whipped cream, and a cherry on top.
When we moved to Hollywood, Florida, and I asked for that cone at our neighborhood ice cream shop, the owner shook his head and said, “That’s too much for a cone. I can do it in a cup.” I had no idea my favorite ice cream order was unique. My 11-year-old self assured him it would not. “The cherry will make it fall,” he said. I told him I always got this cone in Jersey. I mean, I had to have the cherry. The cherry was everything. He shrugged, made my cone, topped it with the cherry, looked at the swirly, sweet confection, and smiled. That cherry sat proudly on top of the whipped cream. “Well, look at that,” he said.
Ice cream is one of those foods that come with memories. It’s celebratory, like a parent taking their kid out for ice cream as a reward for a great report card. It’s consolatory, like diving into a pint of Ben & Jerry’s after a heartbreak or horrible day. And it’s fun, like sharing an ice cream sundae with someone you love.
July is National Ice Cream Month, so I decided to take a road trip down Biscayne Boulevard and through Wynwood to check out some ice cream shops. Hey, it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!
ANITA LA MAMMA DEL GELATO
The first stop on my ice cream odyssey down Biscayne is Anita La Mamma del Gelato, 19015 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura, located in a plaza with a Publix and a Bagel Cove. The shop has been in Aventura for about three years and they have several locations in New York. It's a pleasant, spacious shop done up in sage green and dusty pink, with the feel of an old-fashioned ice cream parlor.
The young man behind the counter, Eliyah, tells me the shop features a rotation of flavors and that everything is made fresh in their kitchen. They also offer an array of coffees including cappuccino. Three display cases house the gelato, and each flavor looks like a colorful volcano. I taste the dark chocolate raspberry, which is one of my favorite flavor combos, and it was incredible. I also taste a unique flavor, Ricotta Mascarpone Strawberry, which was also delicious. I opt for a small cup of Affogato, a refreshing blend of vanilla and coffee with little swirls of chocolate. Yum! My ice cream odyssey is off to a great start.
(Photo: Mary Damiano)
Karen, the owner of Taiwan Ice in North Miami Beach, creates rolled ice cream.
TAIWAN ICE
My next stop is Taiwan Ice, 16165 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach. It's a long, narrow shop with three tables for two and a counter with stools. One wall is covered with children's drawings, which makes the shop bright and fun.
The Dark Knight, a finished cup of rolled ice cream topped with mochi, rainbow jelly, jimmies, and whipped cream.
All the ice cream is made on the premises from a family recipe using only fresh, natural ingredients. Karen, the owner, tells me all about their specialty, rolled ice cream. I opt for one of the shop’s most popular flavors, The Dark Knight, which has Nutella – I’ve never met a hazelnut I didn’t like. Karen starts the rolled ice cream process by pouring the creamy ice cream base on a freezing cold, flat metal pan. She mixes it with two metal spatulas and adds the flavoring. Karen forms a very thin sheet of ice cream into a square, then cuts it into five sections and uses the spatula to roll each section, forming firm, layered cylinders, which she loads into a deep cup. Then it’s time for toppings. Usually, two toppings come with a cup of rolled ice cream, but Karen wants me to try things, so she loads me up with mochi, sort of a rice flour gummi, jimmies, and cubes of rainbow jelly, topping it off with a generous swirl of whipped cream.
It’s a dizzying concoction, and I can't imagine how all these flavors and textures will go together, but it is honestly one of the best things I've ever had in my life. I can taste the purity of the homemade ice cream, and the toppings, especially the mochi, blend beautifully with the ice cream. The result is a rush of tastes and textures that is both playful and indulgent.
Chill-N
(Photo: Mary Damiano)
Gabriella , serving a cup of biscotti nitrogen ice cream in front of the menu at Chill-N in North Miami Beach, where the menu is designed to resemble the periodic table.
Taking in the decor of Chill-N, 17831 Biscayne Blvd, in Aventura, you might think you’re in a science lab. Chill-N is a South Florida chain that began in Pinecrest that serves nitrogen ice cream. This shop is their second location. It’s situated in a plaza with Ace Hardware, tucked into a corner near the Rendez-Vous Restaurant and Bakery.
This is another place where the ice cream is made to order. A chart on the wall explains the process, and the menu uses two-letter abbreviations for everything, just like the periodic table. A row of stainless-steel standing mixers behind the counter adds to the sciency, industrial feel.
Gabriella, who says she worked there a long time, explains the process to me. The ice cream, or frozen yogurt base, starts out as liquid and is measured into one of the standing mixers. Nitrogen is added, and when it hits the liquid, cold vapors surround the mixers, making dessert look like a cool science experiment.
After the affogato gelato and the rolled ice cream, with all of those sumptuous toppings, I decide to give my blood sugar a break and order a no-sugar-added ice cream base, with the Biscotti flavor. Gabriella says it’s one of her favorites. I get the rainbow sprinkles as my topping because I think they’ll look pretty on the ice cream, but surprise – Gabriella adds them to the mixer. When it’s finished, she scoops it into a cup, forming it into a beautiful, creamy mountainous peak. I dig in. It's delicious, like cookies and milk all melted into one creamy cup.
Chill-N is certified Kosher and they also sell pints and quarts so you can enjoy the yummy, nitrogen goodness at home.
I SCREAM
(Photo: Mary Damiano)
The gelato selection at I Scream in Wynwood. Some flavors have little flags right now in honor of the World Cup.
My first stop in Wynwood is I Scream, 2445 NW 2 Ave., a whimsical shop in the heart of the artsy mecca, just down the block from Voodoo Donuts. I Scream is very insta-worthy, with a floral mural that reads Sweet Memories and stadium seating with tables attached to risers and peach cushions and seats. There’s even an egg-chair nook made for taking a cute photo with your treat.
The insta-ready nook at I Scream for fun posts withyour sweet treat.
I Scream specializes in gelato. Everything is made on site in their South Beach store and brought to the Wynwood location. They also offer dessert and a full complement of coffee beverages. Mikee, who’s working the counter, tells me about a unique dessert called the Fettuccine Crepe. She says that they take crepes and cut them into strips to resemble fettuccine, and then plop them in a bowl with gelato and toppings.
I’m a little ice creamed out, so at I Scream, I sample a lot of flavors. There are vegan options in the form of sorbet. Mikee explains that because vegan is non-dairy it's hard to make vegan gelato. I sample the Mixed Berry and it’s bursting with flavor. I also try a water-based Dark Chocolate which is so rich and fudgy it’s hard to believe it’s dairy-free.
Mikee says the two most popular regular flavors are Pistachio, which is made with real pistachios; and Gianduia, which is their version of a Ferrero Roche hazelnut candy. When I taste the Pistachio, the only word that comes to my mind is serene. Somehow its texture and flavor instills calm in me. It's a nice feeling, and I don’t think I’ve ever encountered an ice cream that stimulates more than my taste buds.
I Scream also offers plump, freshly made waffles, the perfect accompaniment to the gelato. It conjures up the memory of the candy store in Jersey which, during the summer, offered waffle ice cream sandwiches. I haven't run across many places with that combination, but here they are.
I Scream has another unique item, the bubble waffle. It's made on a waffle iron that accentuates puffy circles rather than indented squares. The bubble waffle is angled into a special cup so it cradles the gelato and toppings. There are silicone examples of the bubble waffle cones, and even they look appetizing.
MORELIA
A raspberry sorbet paleta with dipped in hazelnut milk chocolate at Morelia in Wynwood.
Just around the corner from I Scream, there’s Morelia, 185 NW 2 Ave., which specializes in paletas, Mexican ice cream on a stick.
Morelia is a pleasant shop with one wall artfully covered with giant photos of paletas with various coatings. There is a long banquette with tables and a few other spots for enjoying your treat. The back wall features a door with a mural surrounded by foliage, topped with a cheeky, neon pink sign that reads: It's not gonna lick itself.
The paleta is an ice cream or sorbet bar on a stick which is dip-coated and then covered in toppings. Mary, the woman working the counter, tells me the shop is named for the capital of the region where paletas come from. Morelia is a chain that started in Coral Gables and has branched out all over South Florida.
I choose the raspberry sorbet. It’s a sweltering day and I need something refreshing. For the coating, I pick milk chocolate hazelnut. I’m not sure how that will play with sorbet, but like I said, it’s hard for me to resist hazelnut. I eschew any extra toppings because the hazelnuts peeking through the chocolate look inviting enough. I take a bite before snapping a photo, and I see the hot pink sorbet enrobed in chocolate. The taste is out of this world. The rich chocolate hazelnut coating and the nuts mingling with that cool raspberry sorbet is a contrast in flavors and textures that blend perfectly together. As I alternate between eating my paleta, writing, and snapping photos, I'm amazed at how my paleta doesn’t melt. The chocolate hazelnut coating is very hardy and keeps the sorbet in place.
Morelia also serves shakes that are made from several paletas removed from the stick and then put in a blender. There are many locations, including one in Aventura.
ICE CREAM SURPRISES
Ice cream and ice cream shops have come a long way since my childhood of ice cream cones from the Mister Softee truck and the neighborhood spot. The thing that surprised me the most about my ice cream odyssey down Biscayne and in Wynwood was the vast array of unique experiences. I had intended to sample a lot of flavors, but just sampling is impossible when your ice cream is created on the spot. There are so many more places I’d like to try, and I’ve included more ice cream shops in the box. So, whether you like your ice cream in a cone, in a cup, rolled, on a waffle, or on a stick, celebrate National Ice Cream Month in style with a sweet, frozen treat. As the pink neon sign at Morelia says, It’s not gonna lick itself.
Biscayne Ice Cream Shops
Here are a few more ice cream shops along the Biscayne Corridor and in Wynwood offering unique experiences.
The Baked Bear
59 NW 24 St., Wynwood
Specializes custom ice cream cookie sandwiches, brownies, and sundaes.
Midtown Creamery
2690 NE 2 Ave., Miami
Offers custom options, including cereal bowls, waffle cones, and guava milkshakes.
Rolly’s Bistro
401 Biscayne Blvd., Bayside
Features rolled ice cream and milkshakes; plus real food including pizza, sandwiches, salads, and breakfast.
Salt & Straw
246 NW 25 St., Wynwood
A chain ice cream shop known for clever selections and a monthly menu series with themed flavors.
Skoops
401 Biscayne Blvd., Bayside
Popular spot known for kosher ice cream, gelato, vegan, and sugar-free options in a fun, steampunk atmosphere.