Where can you find one of the best ice cream shops in the country? According Thrillist, that would be in Greenwich Village. Last week the online media website covering food, drink, travel and entertainment, published its annual list of “The 40 Best Ice Cream Shops in the U.S.”
Only two New York spots made the ranking, the top one an ice cream hot spot in Greenwich Village — Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream— whose flagship is located at 88 W. Houston St., and is known for such unusual creations as its Banana Frosted Flakes Sunday, Vietnamese Coffee Rum Shake, and its Burnt Bourbon Vanilla.
On their website they describe themselves as “a contemporary ice cream parlor serving small batch ice cream and smash burgers.” The ice cream confections come in many forms: “cones, shakes, sundaes, pints, ice cream cakes and soft serve.” Of course, given today’s market trends, they offer Vegan options as well. The ice cream shop has 15 different categories of unique flavors: classics, vanillas, chocolates, cookies, caramels, miscellaneous, coffees, strawberries, peaches, raspberries, bananas, tropics, nuts, citrus, and sorbets.
Here’s what the people from Thrillist had to say about the Lower Manhattan spot:
“In addition to cold treats, Morgenstern’s also launched a special burger program last summer with a lineup of specialty burgers that founder Nick Morgenstern spent two years developing.” Thrillist declared Pineapple Salted Egg Yolk the hottest flavor of the current season.
The runner-up ice cream shop in New York City to make Thrillist’s list was Sugar Hill Creamery in Harlem.
This sweet spot describes itself as “a love affair between community and food” and is “dedicated to local collaborations” using the best ingredients for handmade, small batch ice cream and non-dairy frozen desserts. Their flavors, both seasonal and classic available year around, are inspired by the Caribbean and Midwestern cultures, as well as by the Harlem neighborhood that they have been in for more than 15 years.
Named after the noted Harlem neighborhood located between 145th and 155th Streets, the shop was meant to evoke the ‘sweet life’ that so many generations hoped to find in Sugar Hill. The first Sugar Hill Creamery store opened in 2017 within the Mount Morris Park District of Harlem and on Halloween of 2020, a second location was opened in Hamilton Heights, just a few blocks from the first.
