In recent years, Hong Kong has upped its game in the ice cream stakes. Imports from America have brought creative flavours and wild toppings, while historic Italian brands have kept it traditional with their divinely creamy gelatos. Take your pick from Snack Baby’s lactose-free matcha and Messina’s Hong Kong milk tea gelato, to Elephant Ground’s traditional Hokkaido milk soft serve and Digreen’s not-so-traditional coriander cone.
Snack Baby
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A newcomer to Hong Kong’s ice cream scene, Snack Baby is a retro-inspired gelateria on Hollywood Road. The store offers 14 rotating flavours with a variety of dairy-free and lactose-free options, from a refreshing Mint Stracciatella to indulgent Peanut Butter Crunch made with house-churned cashew and peanut milk. Snack Baby, however, is no baby — adults can indulge in a cocktail menu, including a decadent alcoholic affogato option made with Fior di Latte gelato.
93-95 Hollywood Road, Central District; @snackbabygelato
TEEMTONEfai
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If you’re looking for a stylish sweet treat this summer, look no further than Teemtone. The ice cream store has collaborated with renowned brands ranging from Gucci to Miu Miu to Maison Margiela. Teemtone offers a range of unique local flavours like Tofu Fa and other Asian-inspired flavours like Tottori Pear Sorbet and Hiroshima Tomato Sorbet. There’s something for even the most discerning of foodies.
B1, Hysan Place, Causeway Bay; @teemtonefai
Cone S by Aqua S
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Cone S, an expansion of the popular Sydney-based chain Aqua S, has taken Hong Kong by an aqua blue storm. While the brand is known for its signature blue sea salt soft serve, it also offers special flavours every month, such as Da Hong Pao Tea and Biscuit Gringo. Cone S also offers unique toppings like Korea’s viral flat croissant and mega-toasted marshmallows for an extra touch of delight on your frozen treat!
Shop B1, Canal Road East, Causeway Bay; @cones_hk
DIGREEN
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Another new kid on the ice cream block! Beloved Macau-based chain DIGREEN has opened its first storefront in Hong Kong. The chain went viral last year for its Vitasoy melon milk soft serve, with many Hong Kongers flocking to Macau just to try it. In Hong Kong, DIGREEN is continuing its tradition of eclectic, Cantonese-inspired ice cream flavours with Coriander and Vita lemon tea options.
Shop 7C & 7D, Yue Wong Building, Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok; @digreen.hk
Messina
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Hong Kong-favourite Messina is the gelateria to be. The name Messina pays homage to the founders’ Sicilian roots as their parents hail from the quaint town. Prepare to indulge in a tantalising array of 40 flavours, with 30 core ones that are available all year round. Additionally, Messina specially crafts 5 exclusive flavours for Hong Kong, such as black sesame tong yuen and Hong Kong milk tea. If that’s not enough, the 5 rotating specials that last for a week add an element of surprise and newness. Messina gelati are destined to be of the highest quality – each delectable flavour is made with premium ingredients such as Sicilian pistachios and vanilla beans from Tonga. Aside from gelato, the gelateria makes decadent cakes and tub ice-creams for home delivery. Be sure to keep an eye out on their Instagram and Facebook to find out their special weekly flavours!
37 Pottinger Street, Central; @messina
Barista by Givrés
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Givrés is best known for their delectable gelatos, intricately styled to mimic a rose. When ordering this unique creation, guests are given the choice to have one, two, or even three flavours to mix and match however they wish. Givrés also combines their signature gelato rose with a shot of espresso, a homemade waffle, or a cup of iced coffee, for those wishing to spice up their ice cream. As customers have complete freedom of how their gelato rose looks and tastes, each handcrafted creation is one of a kind but undoubtedly tasty.
7 Staunton Street, Central; givrés.com
Coolhaus
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Founded in LA back in 2009, Coolhaus has crossed borders to expand its horizons in Hong Kong. Made with cultivated microflora in place of milk stored in planet-friendly vessels, the brand values the collective responsibility we have towards looking after our planet. Classic flavours such as Hojicha, Molten Chocolate and Cookies N Creme are stocked in 7-Eleven stores whilst quirkier flavours like Taro ‘N Boba can be found in Wellcome supermarkets.
Available in 7-Eleven and Wellcome stores across the city; facebook.com/coolhaus
Elephant Grounds
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Known as the go-to brunch spot of the city, Elephant Grounds also prides itself on their popular ice-cream sandwiches and soft serves. The monthly special ice-cream sandwich flavour is sure to hit the spot every single time as well as a lineup of Elephant Grounds’ classic scoops such as salted caramel or Japanese taro, which you can change to a red velvet or charcoal waffle cone for an extra layer of flavour. If you’re looking for something more simple, you can never go wrong with the classic Hokkaido milk soft serve.
G/F Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan; 42-48 Paterson Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay; 8 Wing Fung Street, Starstreet Precinct, Wan Chai; Shop 705, Level 7, K11 Musea, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; elephantgrounds.com
Twist & Buckle
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Founded by two best friends from South America who wished to sell the churros they ate growing up, Twist & Buckle is Hong Kong’s first ever churreria. Their churros are light and crunchy, served with an unconventional side of ice-cream. Guests can choose their own churro and soft-serve flavours, while toppings include both classic and innovative flavours. Combining a piping hot and freshly fried churro with creamy dollops of ice cream, Twist & Buckle’s churro ice cream sundaes are sweet, chewy delights – and they look great in photos too.
29-31 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui; @twistandbuckle
Venchi
Established as a chocolatier in Turin, Italy in 1878, Venchi has been crafting authentic Italian gelato since 2007. They now have 11 stores around Hong Kong, where they scoop up decadent gelato daily using fresh, natural ingredients — milk, fruit and nuts — all topped with their famous hot chocolate sauce. The ice cream can then be rolled in either dried raspberries, hazelnuts, grains, nougatine or chocaviar (grains of 75% dark chocolate). For every month of the summer, they will be introducing one new flavour to go alongside their classic pistachio and hazelnut, and winning chocolate scoops.
Multiple locations including G/F Shop, The Pottinger, 21 Stanley Street, Central; venchi.hk
Happy Cow
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Happy Cow is a great alternative to your traditional milk-based ice cream. The plant-based alternative is made from coconut cream and organic coconut sugar. Its sweetness comes from mixing in handmade jams and fruits, keeping its promise of never using artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. Happy Cow’s summer fruit flavours include a pineapple coconut, banana caramel, strawberry and golden pillow durian, while lollipop sticks of ice cream can be bought smothered in caramel sauce and cookie chips or sprinkles.
Found at fusion, Market Place and more supermarkets; happycowhk.com
Via Tokyo
This popular shop in Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay draws long lines for it’s Japanese soft-serve ice cream, in flavours of Hokkaido milk and matcha green tea. Open until 11pm daily, it attracts a young crowd for its creamy whips that use tea leaves sourced from Kyoto, the home of green tea. Our favourites are the seasonal black sesame flavour and the Uji Matcha, best enjoyed with a mochi and a blue and white porcelain cup of hōjicha, a Japanese green tea distinctive because it is roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal, in comparison to others that are steamed.
Shop 1A-1B, G/F, Leishun Court, 106-126 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay; facebook.com/ViaTokyoTST
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Sophia Zhang, Christy Lam, Meagan Ma & Emma RussellCredit
Lead Image: @venchi_hk via Instagram
