I’m not really big into the whole artisan ice cream fad that’s sweeping NYC. Don’t get me wrong: I, too, will “scream for ice cream” now and then. As you probably have figured out, I’m more of a savory guy than a sweets guy. But who doesn’t like ice cream, right? It’s just that my soft spot when it comes to ice cream is soft serve. Typically vanilla, and Carvel if possible; no sprinkles either, and in a cheap-ass wafer cone, too. I know, I know. That’s boring crap. But it’s my boring crap. It’s what I like.

Anyhow, with a set-up like that I you might get a sense that I am super critical when it comes to scooped ice cream, because I generally don’t dig it the same way everyone else does. And then once you trust me in my ice cream criticalness, I could tell you something like “HOWEVER, AFTER TRYING VAN LEEUWEN, I AM A CHANGED MAN,” and you’d lick it up, thinking “Well, it must be good if the guy who hates ice cream even likes it.”

Well, that’s sorta what I’m doing. But I’ll be honest: I’m not really a changed man, per se. I will still choose soft serve vanilla Carvel over the best ice cream in town, but I now understand the draw to these new artisan ice cream joints.

We tried an array of scoops. Six, I believe. The lemon meringue, butternut squash, and sour cream apple flavors really stood out as amazing.  (Those are my wife’s cake balls that we put on top)

And a few of these were even VEGAN! They pull it off. You’d never know you were eating hippie food.

I actively disliked Morgenstern’s, but I truly enjoyed Van Leeuwen. But get this: I was there with ice cream aficionado JustAFoodieNYC. This guy is legit. He eats more ice cream than anyone I know, and he’s been at it since he was a kid. A true ice cream enthusiast. I trust his judgment; he is to ice cream what I am to steak. Anyway, Van Leeuwen is one of his top picks, but he tells me that Ice & Vice is even better. So I will have to give that shit a try soon.

VAN LEEEWEN
204 Wythe Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11249