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The best ice cream in New York is Van Leeuwen in Multiple Locations. Started from a yellow truck, now everywhere.

1 Van Leeuwen 2 Morgenstern's 3 Ample Hills Creamery
New York, USA

Best Ice Cream in New York

Discover the best ice cream in New York.

Last updated: 2026-03-18
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1

Van Leeuwen

Multiple Locations ★★★★½ 4.7 $$

Started from a yellow truck, now everywhere. The honeycomb and earl grey flavours are worth the cult following.

2

Morgenstern's

Lower East Side ★★★★½ 4.8 $$$

Over 88 flavours that rotate. The black coconut ash and burnt sage are for adventurous eaters. The vanilla is for everyone.

3

Ample Hills Creamery

Brooklyn ★★★★½ 4.6 $$

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake flavour. That's all you need to know. (The Salted Crack Caramel is also incredible.)

4

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

Chinatown ★★★★½ 4.5 $

Family-run since 1978. Black sesame, lychee, and taro flavours decades before they were trendy.

5

Big Gay Ice Cream

West Village ★★★★½ 4.5 $$

The Salty Pimp (vanilla, dulce de leche, sea salt, chocolate dip) is an NYC icon. Joyful, unapologetic, delicious.

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6

Odd Fellows

Williamsburg ★★★★½ 4.6 $$

Chorizo caramel swirl. Miso cherry. They go weird and it works. Small-batch and always surprising.

7

Soft Swerve

Lower East Side ★★★★½ 4.4 $$

Asian-inspired soft serve — ube, black sesame, matcha. The swirl with mochi toppings is Instagram-famous for a reason.

8

Il Laboratorio del Gelato

Lower East Side ★★★★½ 4.5 $$

Over 200 rotating flavours from a former Ciao Bella founder. Serious gelato for serious people.

9

Mister Softee

Everywhere ★★★★ 4.0 $

Not artisan. Not craft. Just the jingle, the truck, and a vanilla-chocolate twist that tastes like summer in New York.

10

Taiyaki NYC

Chinatown ★★★★ 4.3 $$

Soft serve in a fish-shaped waffle cone. The matcha in a taiyaki is as much an experience as it is dessert.

People Also Ask

Van Leeuwen in Multiple Locations is our top-ranked ice cream spot in New York. Started from a yellow truck, now everywhere. It consistently earns the #1 spot based on quality, consistency, and local reputation.
If you're near Central Park, Van Leeuwen is one of the most accessible top-rated options in New York. Morgenstern's is also worth the short trip — both are featured in our top 3.
Van Leeuwen draws the longest queues and gets the most consistent praise from locals and visitors alike. Our rankings factor in editorial scores, community upvotes, and real-world reputation.
Yes — several spots on our list offer great value. Check the price range listed on each card. Our editorial team specifically looks for quality-to-price ratio, not just prestige.
Some spots on our list stay open late, especially on weekends. Check individual restaurant pages for hours. We update our listings when opening hours change significantly.
Our rankings combine editorial scores from local food experts, community upvotes from verified visitors, and ongoing quality checks. We re-evaluate the list when new spots emerge or existing ones slip in quality.

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