Where To Go For Your Ice-Cream Fix In Dubai
It’s our go-to for cooling down when it’s hot, for treating (bribing) the kids, for getting over that really crappy day. We’re talking ice-cream – in cones, cups, piled high in glasses and sprinkled with toppings – there’s nothing that a seriously good scoop (or three) can’t fix. So we’ve done the hard work and licked our way around Dubai to find the very best places to get your ice-cream fix, satisfy those cravings and keep your cool…
1. Ice Cream Lab
If you want your ice-cream to come with a little theatre on the side then head to this science-lab inspired store for a sweet taste of molecular gastronomy. Made to order, your ice-cream is frozen instantly using liquid nitrogen – think impressive looking machines and billowing smoke. The base is organic vanilla and you get to choose whatever flavours you want to add (the salt lick crunch is to-die-for and we need to go back to taste the divine sounding lava mud chocolate crunch). And here’s the good part – these guys use only the very best ingredients (we’re talking no preservatives, additives or emulsifiers) and the ice-creams are lower carb too – yup this is as guilt free as it comes.
Dubai: Dubai Mall
Abu Dhabi: Near Corniche Park – 6 Al Amani Street
Instagram: @icecreamlabmena
2. Mirzam Chocolate Makers Factory & Store
A chocolate factory which not only makes the most delicious treats from scratch(they roast their own beans and handwrap each bar) but also its very own ice cream in a cool new Al Quoz space – it doesn’t get much better than that right?! Watch chefs at work as they create chocolatey wonders behind the glass while you indulge in some of the the most silky-smooth ice cream we’ve ever tasted. There aren’t hundreds of flavours to choose from here but it’s about quality over quantity – from gentle pink strawberry soft-serve to rich dark chocolate – there are regular limited editions too (hurry up and come back please rose & raspberry sorbet!). We tried the saffron gelato with hot Halwa Caramel sauce and have been dreaming about it ever since…
Top tip… it’s pretty chilly in the Mirzam café (they have to keep all that chocolate from melting) so if you feel the cold then take extra layers!
Dubai: 4th Street (Behind the Audi Showroom) Al Quoz 3
Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street
Instagram: @mirzamchocolate
3. IScream
Imagine this – a perfectly fluffy cotton candy cloud on a cone, topped with ice-cream and sprinkles. Yup this vision of beauty actually exists and is known as the ‘ice cream cloud’ at IScream, a tiny little set-up in JBR which produces some seriously cool flavours and insta-worthy creations. Fancy trying falafel as an ice-cream flavour? Or spicing things up with Mexican chilli chocolate? These guys churn out some of the most funky flavours we’ve tasted – and some awesome new ways of serving ice-cream too. From Desert Sushi (that’s ice-cream wrapped in crepes and eaten with chopsticks) to Scream-O-Burgers (yes you guessed it, an ice-cream burger), Mrs Sugar’s Burritos to trays of Minion Cones (for when you want to try all the flavours), it’s fun, it’s delicious and it’s worth a drive across town for…
Dubai: JBR, Opposite the Sheraton Hotel
Sharjah: Oasis Mall
Instagram: @iscreamuae
4. Grom
For when you can’t get to Italy (I mean, it seems unfair but it’s just too far to go for dessert), getting an Italian gelato is almost the next best thing. And at Grom you’ll be getting the real deal – we’re talking authentic gelato originating in Turin, made from only the very best ingredients and methods. No flavourings, no colourings, no tricks. First up, a little lesson – gelato is different from ice cream because it uses less cream, more milk and a slower process which results in a richer flavour. And Italians take their gelato very seriously so you can expect nothing but deliciousness – with flavours inspired by the Mediterranean (you won’t find bubble gum here) the only difficulty is choosing which to go for – pistachio, chioccolato, stracciatella – we love them ALL!
Dubai: Box Park, The H Hotel, Dubai Mall
Instagram: @gromarabia
5. Sweet Salvation Ice Cream LLC
Toronto born and locally grown, Sweet Salvation is a cute little ice cream shop in City Walk that’s become much loved by the Instagram crowd and for good reason. Not only is the location gorgeous but so is the ice-cream – beautiful to look at and just as amazing to taste. Cones include Krusty The Cone (the ice cream take on the crazy Simpson’s clown) with cotton candy and rainbow sprinkles – a bit hit with the kids, Bangin’ Brownie for the chocoholics among us (guilty as charged) and Birthday Cake – plus loads more. There are also pints of ice cream for sharing (or not, we’re not judging) and ‘Hot Mess’ versions which come with sauces and delicious add ons like gooey cookies and Belgian waffles. Yum.
Dubai: Al Mustaqbal Street (City Walk Boulevard)
Instagram: @sweetsalvation
6. Yuki No Hana
It’s no wonder that this Japanese dessert house has become one of Dubai’s sweetest hotspots with a cult following – we are obsessed! Serving up authentic Japanese ice cream in loads of unusual flavours including charcoal, vimto and cerelac (yes that’s the baby food product – now available as a surprisingly delicious frozen treat!), every ice cream is presented beautifully in an (almost) too pretty to eat way. The lotus flavour is heaven, so is the rose…and the kinder..and pistachio. Ok you get the picture – drop into one of their locations and give them all a try…
7. M’oishi
Specialising in little parcels of ice cream wrapped in deliciously chewy rice paper (think of it as a mini ice cream sandwich)- M’oishi is where we go for Japanese treats that are as yummy as they are beautiful. With flavours including authentic green tea, lychee and yuzu plus everything from salted caramel to passion fruit, bubblegum to rose and loads more, you can order one mochi or a whole box – a single portion is the perfect little mouthful if you want your ice cream hit while not wanting to devour an entire tub (but if you want the latter then they’re also available here). You can also order online if you get that middle-of-the-night craving. We’re addicted.
Dubai: Nakheel Mall, Gallerias Lafayette, City Walk, Dubai Opera House, Kite Beach
Abu Dhabi: The Galleria Mall
Instagram: @moishi.uae
8. Bianco Italy
Once only available at some of Dubai’s most exclusive hotels (at which point we’d schedule a visit to Jumeirah Al Naseem just to get our hands on a scoop), this artisan luxury gelato is now available on deliveroo – hooray!! Perfect for ordering in when you want nothing more than a Netflix session accompanied by a tub of ice cream or for serving up as dessert for guests (yes, it’s that good), Bianco Italy is made with ingredients imported from southern Italy and each spoonful takes you straight to the Med. With up to 70% less sugar and no GMO’s, every flavour is wow but our favourites are the chocolate (orgasmic), salted caramel (Himalayan pink salt mixed with toasted butter caramel…I mean come ON!) and Ferrero, featuring hand-harvested hazelnuts from Piedmont. Look out for chefs special flavours too – trust us, the deliveroo driver will become even more of a regular at your place.
Instagram: @biancoitaly
9. Temple Creamery
Oh hello super cool new (ish) ice cream place that’s literally walking distance from home (dangerous!). Temple Creamery takes funky cereals (you know, the ones you were never allowed for breakfast as a kid) and blends them with their original recipe vanilla ice cream – and then offers cool toppings too. They do the same with fresh fruits if you prefer getting one of your five a day in ice cream form – and with brownies, cake – pretty much everything yummy! Set up in a cute little spot on Al Wasl Road in Umm Suqeim 1, we foresee this becoming a regular haunt…
Dubai: On Al Wasl Road between Al Manara and Umm Al Sheif
Instagram: @templecreamery
words by Kaya
featured image by Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
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