While you’ll almost always find a line at this COVID-pop-up turned regular-weekend-affair, it’s expedited by a little-white-hat-wearing shopkeeper offering samples. The flavors are a real ode to Ridgewood, whether that’s the Waldmeister (German sweet woodruff; a vanilla-like herb) or Mak (Polish for “poppy seed”) which honor the immigrant history of the neighborhood, or the Linden, which is available only in June when the neighborhood’s Linden trees are in full bloom. There’s something undeniably whimsical about getting a cone at this micro shop, thanks, in part, to the orange puppet that runs the Instagram account, announcing Saturday and Sunday’s flavor rundown. —Jessica Sulima
Locations: Chinatown, Lower East Side, Kips Bay, Flushing, Long Island City, Downtown Brooklyn
What to order: Soft serve, of course, in flavors like ube
The most difficult part about ordering at Soft Swerve is picking which flavor you want—not because there is an overwhelming number of choices, but because each one is so delicious, you won’t be able to choose which is your favorite. The benefit? You cannot go wrong. While they do have a string of tasty hard-packed ice creams, I tend to make a beeline for the soft serve, where they absolutely excel. They serve a delicious rendition of my current favorite ice cream flavor (ube), which pairs well with black sesame—the almost marshmallowy sweetness and the sesame nuttiness being the perfect complements. While I usually stop to revel in the flavors of the soft serve alone, the red velvet or chocolate waffle cones are decadent add-ons, and there are a plethora of toppings to choose from to personalize your treat, from cereal marshmallows and Reese’s Puffs to bite-sized Mochi rice cakes. —Jamie Spain
At Lai Rai, unlikely ice cream flavors are served alongside natural wines.
Annie Zhou/Lai Rai
The Vietnamese natural wine bar sits in Chinatown and is a great place to keep cool.
Annie Zhou/Lai Rai
Location: Chinatown
What to order: Lá Chuối (Banana leaf)
At this Vietnamese natural wine bar—which comes from the same team behind neighboring Mắm and Greenpoint’s Đi Ăn Đi—you could get really nerdy about which rice wine pairs well with fish sauce caramel ice cream, or you could just enjoy an unlikely scoop with a little bit of a buzz. A chalkboard presents the rotating list of house-made flavors (expect a few sellouts) which can include the Lá Chuối, a pungent banana leaf that’s earthy and sweet, the Hoa Cúc, a chrysanthemum for floral ice cream lovers, and the Phô Mai, a creamy cheese inspired by Laughing Cow, the French provision that became a cultural staple in Vietnam. —Jessica Sulima
Courtesy of Glace
Locations: Upper East Side, Rockefeller Center
What to order: Everything…but definitely frozen hot chocolate, any of their brown butter soft serve specials, and their waffle cones