BY ANTHONY DELUCA
While I ’ ve always considered myself to be someone who favoured savoury flavours over sweet , when it comes to a creamy scoop of delicious ice cream , all gloves are off . With the summer months finally beginning to approach us , despite the recent mid-Spring snow storms ( Mother Nature needs to get it together ), we at fredi thought it would be fun to offer up some necessary spots for you and your friends to enjoy a sugar cone or six . Here are some of our favourite ice cream shops in Toronto .
1 Scoop Shop Dundas West
Acting as the sort of retail outlet for Sweet Sammies Ice Cream Sandwich Co , Scoop Shop is a quaint spot that smells of baked goods right as you enter . With locally sourced ingredients , the entire menu is basically made from scratch on site . �ith flavours like Salted Caramel Brownie Cheescake and Ceylon Cinnamon available , you are certainly in for a treat . They also make customizable ice cream sandwiches . I ’ ll take three !
2 Ed ' s Real Scoop Various Locations
Making the top of several lists here in Toronto , Ed ’ s Real Scoop began as a small ice cream shop in the east end and has now expanded to several locations across the city . �ith over �� flavours available , Ed ’ s provides a lot of original options for people to try out new ice creams .
FREDI ’ S TIP / I ’ ve heard magical things about the maple bacon crunch . Order it and report back to us !
3 Greg ' s Icecream Bloor + Spadina
This all-natural ingredient based creamery has been touted as the �oly Grail of ice cream shops here in Toronto . With a list of over ��� flavours , the number of options literally never ends . Plus if you are a lover of all things chocolate , roughly 30 of said flavours have chocolate in them . �oderately priced and in a pretty central spot , we ’ d say that this is a definite must visit for your next craving .
4 Ice Cream Junction Junction
With a throwback vibe to the Fifties , Ice Cream Junction models itself on creameries of the past . With pastel and retro black and chrome fixtures , this shop is a definite destination spot when it comes to satisfying your ice cream craving . �ith over �� dairy flavours to choose from , and home made cones on site , this is an amazing spot for families to come and enjoy an afternoon together . Fun fact : they also have a chocolate chip cookie cone . Brace yourself for that sugar rush .
5 Bang Bang Ice Cream & Bakery Ossington
If you are familiar with Bakerbots , you might have heard of Bang Bang Bakery . You get the best of both worlds when it comes to housing ice cream between two delicious cookies . Here is how things work : you choose an ice cream that will be placed between one or two cookies , which allows you to then choose between a variety of flavour combinations . The result is one of the greatest ice cream sandwiches you will ever experience . You can however get your ice cream in a cup , traditional cone or even in a take away tub . They also make a dairyfree chocolate and raspberry gelato for those who are lactose-intolerant or vegan !
6 The Big Chill College + Manning
Not one for staying under the radar , the Big �hill is quite the shop to spot . �nown to be incredibly busy on weeknights , their menu is filled with loads of options ranging from decadent mouthfuls ( order the Dutch Apple Pie� to dairy-free flavours and sherbets . �t ’ s a great spot for parents especially with kids have $ 2 cones for kids and toy cars and kidsized furniture set up outside .
7 Dutch Dreams South of St . Clair
For the past 30 years , Dutch Dreams has become locally famous for not only its ice cream flavours , but also for its customi�ed and enhanced wa�e cones . The husbandand-wife team behind the shop rotate between a selection of over 60 ice cream flavours , coupled with Dutch �a�e cones that are hand-dipped in chocolate and rolled in nuts , candy toppings or even cookies . Imaging ordering cookie dough ice cream inside a cone rolled with cookie and chocolate ? This isn ’ t a want , this is a need !
8 Sweet Jesus Various Locations
Getting your last rites never felt so right� �t Sweet Jesus , soft serve ice cream , sweet treats and quality espresso is all they know . Gaining their notoriety in Toronto after taking Instagram by storm with over 40K followers , it is their Pimped Out cones that are their claim to fame . �ffering concoctions sky high with just about every topping imaginable at $ 6 , your summer bod is going to hate you but � really don ’ t blame you . Go ahead and # BlessYourMouth !
FREDI ’ S TIP / Do yourself a favour and order the Campfire S ’ mores ... Amen .
9 Tom ’ s Dairy Freeze The Queensway
Since it opened in 1969 , Tom ’ s Dairy Freeze hasn ’ t changed all that much . It still has that drive-in feel with picnic tables and blue umbrellas surrounding the low front window where you place your order . From old-fashioned milkshakes to delicious soft serve , this is a nostalgia trip that will bring you back to the good ol ' days . My personal tip is to order a side of fries and dip them in the ice cream , because why limit yourself to just one good thing when you can have two .
10 Hollywood Cone Oshawa
It seems that the gigantic freak-milkshake trend is hitting Toronto and the GT� with Oshawa ’ s Hollywood Cone releasing their “ Mutant milkshakes ” that will take your milkshake experience to new heights and new caloric levels . The bases of the shakes are made with 11.5 percent milk-fat ice cream , and then are topped off with baked goods and candy / chocolate toppings . This is essentially going off the deep end , and to be honest I am totally okay with that . It ’ s worth the drive folks . fredi spring 2016 • 69