In a cone, on a stick, or sandwiched between cookies, there is no wrong way to eat ice-cream, and we're going to make sundaes while the sun shines. Here’s our guide to 16 of the best ice-cream spots in Dublin right now.
Milo's, Drumcondra & Two Boys Brew, Phibsboro
Sadly the ice-cream filled brioche at Milo's has gone bye-byes, but their affogato is still going strong. Vanilla ice cream from Cork is topped with a double shot of Root and Branch Brazilian espresso with the option to add homemade caramel, roasted almonds and a dark chocolate nut crumb. Can affogato get any sexier? Find it in both spots for the rest of the summer.
Bakeology, Dublin 8
There's a brand new addition to the city's soft serve and sundae selection. Argentinean bakery Bakeology have branched out and started serving their dulce de leche on ice-cream - there's even an option with their famous alfajores.
Grump's, Foxrock
Another contender in the affogato stakes, Grump's have taken the humble dessert and super-charged it, with a choice of chocolate, Ferrero, biscoff, salted caramel, Kinder Bueno, or cookies and cream to pour your espresso over. We very much approve.
Nobó, Ranelagh
Vegan ice-cream? Don't knock it till you've tried it. Nobó take their homemade, chewy chocolate chip cookies, and stuff them with Irish salted caramel ice-cream, for one of the best looking cookie sandwiches in town.
Three Twenty, Drury Street
Three Twenty's Drury Street ice-cream lab loves a flavour special, and right now it's their Harry's Nutbutter collab that has everyone talking. Their summer menu also includes lemon meringue, raspberry cheesecake, and their signature crème brûlée, so lots of reasons for repeat visits.
Chimac, Aungier Street
Seasonal flavours often feature for Chimac's legendary ice-cream sandwiches, but currently it's salted caramel, pretzel, or malted cornflake with chocolate chip. They freeze fantastically so if you can get an extra one (or five) home before they melt we would really recommend it.
Scoop, Four Locations
We're hereby petitioning Scoop to bring back their potato and rosemary gelato, because we never got to taste it and it's about seven levels more interesting sounding than Nutella or Strawberry. Until that happens, head in for a scoop of Eton Mess, passion fruit sorbetto, or vanilla macadamia, or go full on dessert with sundaes, waffles and crêpes.
Murphy's Ice-Cream
We've long struggled with the price of Murphy's ice-cream, and have walked in and out more times than we'd care to admit while grumpily refusing to pay €7.00 (€7.50 in Killarney) for two scoops of ice-cream in a cone. But the brown bread and Dingle sea salt flavours continue to draw the tourists and visiting TV shows, and once you've parted with your inheritance it does taste very good.
Cream of the Crop, Various Stockists & Online
Cream of the Crop estimate they've saved almost 20,000kg of food from going to the waste pile so far, leading to Brazilian founder Giselle Makinde winning the green sustainability award at the National Enterprise Awards earlier this month. Flavours like banoffee pie, white chocolate and raspberry, and vegan chocolate and pumpkin seed praline, can be delivered to Dublin and some surrounding counties (free over €28), or find them in various delis and food shops - check stockists here.
Dae, St. Stephen's Green
What was Leamhain has been rebranded as Dae, but the brand's vegan, gluten-free and nut-free commitment is the same, Their scoop shop is in the godforsaken food court in St. Stephen’s Green shopping centre, but they’ve also expanded to supermarkets and delis across Ireland, with their vanilla caramel and chocolate cookie ice-cream sandwiches. See their current stockists here.
Two Pups, Francis Street
Two Pups in The Liberties covers a lot of bases - fantastic coffee, great brunches, dog-friendly outdoor seating, and the cutest miso caramel and brownie soft-serve sundaes in the city.
The Best Of Italy, Ranelagh
The Best Of Italy's gelato has been described as "spectacular", and the pistachio, Tiramisu and coffee flavours in the ice-cream fridge at the back are better value than most at €2.75 a scoop. Get them before they're gone for another year.
Goat In The Boat, Skerries
Goat in the Boat has long been the sophisticated Skerries option for ice-cream, and once you've tried their homemade gelato in 16 flavours, you won't consider going anywhere else again.
Cold Boi, Delivery in Dublin
Cold Boi have said goodbye to their St Anne's Park stand and gone online only, delivering around their ice-cream sandwiches around the capital twice a month. June's flavours included ingredients like Wexford strawberries, maple black sesame brittle, and honey-soaked cinnamon rolls, and they go for €6 a pop or you can buy a 12 pack for €66. There's free delivery within Dublin, or within 10km of Dublin for €5. Order through their Instagram page.
Le Chocolat de Frèd, Dún Laoghaire
If you’ve been on Instagram ever in your life you’ve probably seen a hot chocolate or galette from Le Chocolat de Frèd in Dun Laoghaire (along with their lovely chocolate tap). Summer however is all about the ice-cream. Tubs of soft-serve vanilla with strawberry shortcake, pecans with whipped cream and an embarrassing amount of chocolate, an affogato if you're trying to keep things real. A long walk on the pier afterwards will get your heart moving again.
Sorrento's, Arbour Hill
Our frustration with the phrase “hidden gem” is well-documented, but this one is sailing pretty close. You’d walk past Sorrento’s thinking it’s just another run-of-the-mill chipper, but stick your head in and you’ll find fresh sourdough and focaccia, and enough house-made gelato to make you super glad to have a second dessert stomach.
Scrumdiddly's, Dún Laoghaire and Donabate
Have you been to Dún Laoghaire on a sunny day if you haven’t queued with a bunch of teenagers outside of Scrumdiddly’s? Have you really had an ice-cream if it doesn’t come with your choice of loads of sauces and sweets on top? No, so just make peace with it and get in that queue. With any luck, one of the teens will be blasting out some modern new music, like Kate Bush.
Arctic Stone, Blackrock Market
Arctic Stone have been keeping the good people of Blackrock in rolled ice-cream for years now. Pick your fruit or chocolate combo and watch it mangled onto a freezing cold metal plate by someone we can only imagine has really well-managed anger issues, then mixed with a creamy custard. The resulting ice-cream is then spread and rolled into a cup, with even more topping and sauces. They also have full tubs retailing from stockists across Dublin, or you can order from their stand in Blackrock Market.
Cloud Nine, Bachelor's Walk
Cloud Nine once described themselves as “the most Instagrammable pink ice-cream shop in Ireland”, but we parked those preconceptions to give it a go. Is it one of Dublin's best? No. Is there plenty of opportunities for Instagram backgrounds? Yes. Your choice.
Teddy's, Dún Laoghaire
There’s probably some law against compiling a list of the best ice-cream spots in Dublin and not including Teddy’s. It’s the Granddad of Dublin ice-cream and its legacy is well-deserved. We’re not sure if it’s the quality of the ice-cream, or just the massive nostalgia element, but we defy anyone to walk past Teddy’s and not immediately want a '99.
Did we miss your favourite ice-cream spot in Dublin? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.
