On a typically torrid, sizzling and humid Summer day in New York City, a cold, refreshing cup of ice cream is one of the best and most fun ways to beat the heat. Ah! When that first sinfully rich, creamy, seductively delicious spoonful hits your mouth the pleasure factor is off the charts. There's absolutely nothing like it! Whether your scoop of ice cream comes in a cup, a dazzling sundae with endless toppings, inside of a thick milkshake, or atop a cone, THIS is what me-time is all about. Come on and indulge.
You KNOW that you deserve this. And, if you are lucky enough to call the charming neighborhood of Astoria, Queens home sweet home, then you're in luck. No matter where you work or hang your hat, you'll find a delightful and welcoming ice cream shop within walking distance. So, let's look at some newcomers to the ice cream scene and a few tried and true spots that never go out of style.
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream - Astoria, Queens
Located on bustling Ditmars Blvd. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream has, after only a few months, already achieved a reputation as THE place to be when the temperatures soar. The brand started on the streets of the Big Apple in 2008 when the founders, brothers Ben and Pete Van Leeuwen and friend Laura O'Neill began scooping ice cream out of a cute yellow truck in Brooklyn. Over the years, the company has grown exponentially with scoop shops having been opened all over NYC as well as New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Texas, California, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. Although all three partners have input and love taste-testing the product; Ben is the one who is primarily responsible for coming up with new and enticing flavors at their kitchen / Laboratory in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Here's a Fun fact for you: A few years ago Ben was a contestant on Howie Mandel's hit series Deal or No Deal. And he had a blast doing it.
The ice cream wizards at Van Leeuwen believe that great ice cream starts with great ingredients. The team carefully sources the milk, cream, eggs and cane sugar that goes into their product. Not to mention the coconuts, cashews and oats that make Van Leeuwen's VEGAN ice cream indescribably delectable. The style here is French ice cream. This recipe is uber delicious as it calls for using twice as many egg yolks as you will find in most other brands' standard ice cream products.
Now, we can't list all of their flavors or we'd be here all day. But, we'll name a few and that will give you an idea of how diverse Van Leeuwen's lineup of ice creams is. The peanut butter brownie honeycomb is made with a touch of real honey while their black cherry chocolate chip ice cream is filled to overflowing with slices and bits of real luscious cherries. You may also choose from chocolate caramel cheesecake, hazelnut fudge cookie and Sicilian pistachio flavors. The Ditmars shop, as do most of the other locations, also carries some very tasty ice cream sandwiches; the kind that you remember enjoying as a kid, but just a bit elevated. Getting back to the vegan side of things; some of the brand's flavors include strawberry shortcake, cookies and cream caramel swirl and churros and fudge.