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There's nothing quite as glorious as digging a spoon into a freshly-made ice cream sundae.
2016-06-07
But not all sundaes are created equal. We searched high and low for the most decadent, over-the-top, and unusual ice cream sundaes the world over. Consider this your ice cream bucket list.
Bi-Rite Creamery in San Francisco's Mission District is one of the most lauded ice cream shops of all time. The wait can be long, but we're not complaining. Order the gourmet Dainty Gentleman (honey lavender ice cream, hot fudge, blood orange olive oil & maldon sea salt).
If you thought Cronuts were awesome on their own, you're in for a treat. Eis Ice Cream Cafe in Las Vegas makes a cream-filled cronut and taro ice cream sundae with a bright purple hue.
The FreakShake is the invention of Pâtissez, a sweets shop in Canberra, Australia. The mutant dessert involves ice cream, cheesecake, cookies, brownies, and more — all shoved in a mason jar. The Original Freakshake is a must-try.
For the ultimate breakfast sundae, try The Waffle Bar in Melbourne, Australia. The shop serves egg waffle-and-ice cream combos, with flavors like dark chocolate, matcha, and strawberry-Oreo.
Brooklyn's Ample Hills customizes sundaes with a never-ending array of ice cream flavors and toppings, such as pretzel-infused ice cream, beer ice cream, salted caramel, and Mexican hot chocolate. Order a six-scooper to avoid decision fatigue.
Spaghettieis is a novel ice cream sundae created by German chef Dario Fontanella. He presses vanilla ice cream through a potato ricer to create "noodles," then tops it with strawberry glaze and coconut or white chocolate shavings to mimic tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Taste the original at Dario Fontanella's restaurant in Mannheim, Germany.
This may be a "Broken Heart" sundae, but The Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia is sure to mend all your troubles. The creamery is famous for its homemade ice cream.
Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream in Seattle is known for their seasonal sundaes. This spring-time Mother's Day cup is topped with edible flowers, melted chocolate, plum jam, blueberry purple sugar and chukar cherry.
Kanazawa is the gold leaf capital of Japan. Hakuichi, a local ice cream shop, maintains the city's lavish reputation with this gold leaf-covered soft serve. The best part: it's only $8.
Kaspa's Desserts' Bubblelicious Sundae is bubblegum, strawberry and vanilla ice cream topped with strawberry and bubble gum syrups, and sprinkled with sugar strands. Next time you're in London, try this instead of fish and chips.
Fentons Creamery is a magical place where over-the-top sundaes spin in glass cases and waiters pour endless amounts of hot fudge. The 122-year-old creamery hasn't changed much since opening in Piedmont, CA, and the old-time feel is almost as comforting as the desserts. Their Banana Special was name the No. 1 dessert by Food Network.
There's no better cure for a hot Texas day than Amy's Ice Cream. The creamery has over 350 flavors in rotation, but their most famous is Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream, which comes from a vanilla bean grown in Madagascar that's crossbred with an orchid flower.
Trdelník are popular in Central Europe right now. The sweet pastries are cooked on rods over hot coals, dusted with sugar and walnuts, and then filled with ice cream, Nutella, or whipped cream and fruit. Bistro U Kajetana in Prague has the very best.
Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream has a selection of housemade sundaes that will blow your mind. This is their classic banana split but others include nutty, caffeinated and ultra-sweet combinations. Visit one of their many locations in New York and Los Angeles.
Creole Creamery in New Orleans is known for the Tchoupitoulas sundae, a monstrous eight-scoop, eight-topping sundae with whipped cream, cherries, and wafers. It's a daunting challenge, but worth it.
Woodside Farm Creamery in Hockessin, Del. makes its own ice cream from cows' milk straight from its farm. There are tons of unusual flavors, from pumpkin pecan to motor oil. One of the best combos is coffee ice cream with a caramel and fudge swirl.
-321 New York makes their ice cream right before customers' eyes with liquid nitrogen. According to the shop, the liquid nitrogen technique results in a creamier, richer, and more authentically flavored ice cream. Their sundaes are super cold — and the Kit Kat sundae is super tasty.
OddFellows Ice Cream Shop offers more than 200 flavors to trendy Brooklynites. Of the vast selection, the strangest are meat-infused. Chorizo Caramel Swirl, Maple Bacon Pecan, and Foie Gras are delicacies not to be missed.
For Scandinavian-type sundaes look no further than Izzy's Ice Cream Cafe in St. Paul, Minnesota. They serve flavors such as "Swedish garden party," an elder flower ice cream with raspberry and gingersnaps, and "Norwegian chai," with flecks of cardamom toast.
Original Rainbow Cone is Chicago's top ice cream destination. They've been around for over 90 years and are still serving rainbow after rainbow sundae. Perfection.
Straw, San Francisco has the meatiest sundae you'll ever find. It's beer-braised baby back ribs, garlic mashed potatoes, creamy slaw, chocolate-java bbq drizzle and a cherry (tomato) on top. Once you try this rib sundae, you may never go back to ice cream again.
BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, a popular chain in the U.S., created a pizza-cookie-ice cream hybrid. Flavors include salted caramel, cookies 'n' cream, peanut butter s'mores and more. The good news is you can order a variety of flavored slices in just one pizzokie.
Black Tap Craft Burgers has possibly the most insane milkshakes ever. First, the artisans here roll mason jars in frosting or cookie dough. They coat the outside with toppings, then load up the jar with ice cream, entire cookies, cake bits and candy. Whipped cream and candy bars are dumped on top to complete the awesome sundaes.
Playa Betty's in New York City combines two of our favorite desserts with their churro-ice cream sandwich. It may not be a massive sundae, but the three scoops of vanilla gelato, smushed between churro swirls, makes for a pretty incredible ice cream dessert.
Aglamesis Bro's Ice Cream is a turn-of-the-century ice cream parlor in Cincinnati, OH, that's covered in pinks, antiques and marble topped fountains. They are ranked top 10 nation-wide for sundaes, so anything you order is sure to be delicious.
This isn't just a sundae — it's a sundae CAKE. Bruster's Ice Cream in Prattville, Alabama, makes the masterpiece, complete with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. No candles necessary.
The signature flavor at Screamin' Mimi's is "Mud"— and it's dangerous delicious. The shop in Sebastopol, CA, mixes mud into everything — raspberry, chocolate java, hazelnut and more. The mud sundae is dirty and perfect.
Ginger Elizabeth Chocolate in Sacramento, CA, makes a crunchy macaron-filled sundae. They have delicious concoctions like sour cream, strawberry ice cream, rhubarb butter, and macaron sundaes.
Morelli's Gourmet Ice Cream is in Atlanta sells "super duper, ultra premium, densely textured homemade ice cream." Try their Krispy Kreme sundae for some chunky doughnut scoops.
