Nothing quite says summertime like ice cream. From traditional home-churned ice cream to unusual and tropical flavors, cool off with the sweetest frozen confection in Miami. We give these shops “five-scoops.”
As Miami’s only gourmet pop shop, Feverish Pops serves an eclectic array of unusual, tempting flavors from decadent chocolate salted coconut to refreshing kiwi lemonade. You can also get your pop dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in toppings — think yummy crushed nuts, chips and candy bars. With a motto of “No vanilla here,” the shop is anything but traditional. Bright candy-colored walls, whimsical pictures and vintage ice cream carts add to the excitement. The pop-stars use all organic and natural ingredients, all pops are vegan and each is handcrafted, so every pop is unique. For adults, there are also alcohol-infused pops with flavors such as raspberry cream vodka, mango bourbon, and coconut lemongrass and rum. Definitely try the guest favorite sweet-and-salty peanut butter pop dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in either Lay’s potato chips or Butterfingers. This summer, chill out with their newest hot selection of cool treats: cucumber lemonade, blueberry and Seadog Beer, coconut lemongrass, and kiwi lemonade.
South Beach’s The Frieze scoops out rich, rare flavors and a vast selection of fruity sorbets and creamy indulgences, all made with fresh, local ingredients onsite. With a fun, colorful vibe, bright oversize paintings of quirky ice cream cones decorate the vividly painted Art Deco-themed shop. Tempting flavors include fancy-flavored dulce de leche and Almond Joy, decadent sweet cream and Bavarian mint chip, spicy Indian mango (a customer favorite) and Caribbean mamey. For the dairy-conscious, they also offer dairy-free, kosher pareve sorbet in yummy flavors such as tamarind, mixed berry, and a mango, ginger and lime mix). During the summer, the locally-owned shop offers other flavors such as watermelon and cantaloupe sorbet. Also new to the menu is a special ice cream flavor named for Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat: the Bosh Frieze Frenzy, a peanut butter ice cream with yummy mix-ins, with a portion of sales donated to Bosh’s foundation, Team Tomorrow.
This Little Havana ice creamery creates irresistible, housemade Cuban ice cream with all local ingredients. With a larger than life fanciful ice cream cone outside, Cuban mosaic tiles decorating the floors, the inventive shop whisks you away to a tropical paradise. Fan favorites include Abuela Maria, which is made with guava, cream cheese and Cuban Maria crackers, and Willy Cherrino that mixes bourbon ice cream with dark and maraschino cherries. The inventive selection of flavors also include café con leche, caramel flan, sweet potato ancho chile chocolate chip, spiced sugar plum, and banana with Red Hots. For summer, try novel flavors sweet corn and green apple pie. Be sure to leave a message for future customers on their colorful giant-sized chalkboards.
The mom-and-pop shop Whip and Dip, located in South Miami, swirls made-from-scratch ice cream that rotates seasonally, so you’ll always find something original. The small shop has a homey, all-American vibe with red-white-and-blue décor, and the friendly, energetic staff is always smiling, adding to the saccharine experience. They keep their ice cream and shakes pure and simple with all natural ingredients, like fresh fruits, and all flavors are churned in small batches, for the freshest scoops. Best-sellers include cookies ‘n cream, and anything coffee or peanut butter-flavored, such as the coffee fudge, peanut butter pretzel, and nuternana. In the summer, keep frosty with new, refreshing lychee, cocolychee, Thai tea or indulge in classic apple pie.
Photos Courtesy of Azucar, Fever Pops, The Frieze and Whip and Dip
