London Ice Cream Crawl

Is it a happy accident that at least 5 of the best London ice cream parlours are within strolling distance of Babes HQ? Discovering two of my favourite ice cream shops on the same stretch of road (Upper St), gave me a lightbulb moment.

How about we go on a London Ice Cream Crawl across the capital, kicking off at our neighbourhood spot, Udderlicious?

I’d planned to launch this in 2014 but life (my mother’s funeral, travelling etc.) got in the way. So this July, on probably the hottest day of the year, we are officially getting our London Ice Cream Crawl on!

Come hail or shine, the babes and I will be licking our way around the Capital throughout the summer and beyond. Why not join us? We’ve listed 25 London ice cream parlours and carts across town. Get stuck in!

London Ice Cream Crawl: Lick the City!

North London

Udderlicious, 187 Upper Street, London, N1 1RQ (Highbury & Islington tube)
Homemade ice cream using organic ingredients and real fruit. Udderly delicious, naturally. Visitors can choose a Flavour of the Month or come up with their own combos. One of Jed’s buddies suggested their Apple Crumble & Custard ice cream. A super sweet shop on Upper St with bench outside and swing seat indoors where you can chillax with the N1 movers and shakers. Now also in Covent Garden and Boxpark.

Amorino, 110 Upper Street, N1 1QN, Islington (Angel/Highbury & Islington tube)
Ice cream macarons? Come to mama! Amorino makes artisanal gelato with a range of exotic flavours, although the babes are strictly vanilla. Amorino launched in Paris and has stores across the UK and Europe. We love to dip into their Islington branch; also find them in Camden, Charing Cross, Covent Garden, Soho, Chelsea, Fulham and Westfield Stratford.

Marine Ices, 61 Chalk Farm Road NW1 8AN (Chalk Farm tube)
A North London institution, they used to run a popular family friendly restaurant with yummy pizzas. But they’ve closed that to focus on what they do best: serving up authentic Italian gelato as they’ve done since 1931. 40 flavours to please all tastes, grab a cone and go for a stroll to nearby Primrose Hill, or as a pre-theatre treat before an outing at the Roundhouse (home of Camden Beach in summer).

Ruby Violet, Midland Goods Shed, 3 Wharf Road, London N1C 4Bz (Kings Cross St Pancras Tube) + 118 Fortess Road, London NW5 2Hl (Tufnell Park/Kentish Town Tube)
The well loved ice cream shop in Tufnell Park recently opened an outpost in King’s Cross. It’s a lovely, intimate venue where you can indulge in weekly specials (watermelon and mint granita?) of dairy ice cream made in small batches, or fresh fruit sorbets. Or why not make an event of it with cocktails or an ice cream masterclass? Their ice cream cakes are da bombe, baby.

Chin Chin Laboratories, 49-50 Camden Lock Place, London, NW1 8AF (Camden Town tube/Camden Rd overground)
Red Velvet sundae, Valrhona Chocolate… just a sample of the quirky flavours on offer from the Chin Chin Labs. The famous ‘nitro ice cream’ specialists has been described as the ‘future of ice cream’ and it’s certainly an experience. They’ll cook up your ice cream from scratch, right in front of your eyes, using liquid nitrogen — apparently fresher and healthier than the regular stuff. Their ice cream sandwiches are a thing of beauty. Perfect complement to your Camden Market eye candy. Also in Soho.

East London & South East London

Greedy Goat at Borough Market, 8 Southwark Street, SE1 1TL (London Bridge tube/rail)
Lactose-light ice cream made entirely from goat’s milk (no ‘kidding’, ahem), whipped up at the Goat Shack from 100% British ingredients. Classic concoctions include Gin & Tonic, Rum and Grazin’ and, wait for it… Billi Vanilli. Worth a trek to Borough Market if you’re after a dairy free dessert (available Wed-Sat). Also at Portobello Rd.

Gelateria 3Bis, 4 Park St, Borough Market SE1 9AB (London Bridge tube/rail)
Artigianalita. It means craftsmanship, and it’s the heart and soul of Gelateria 3Bis where the chefs make small batches of fresh gelato from seasonal ingredients every day, and the sorbets are more than 50% fruit. High quality ices approved by real Italians with products sourced from the old country, along with some proper British ingredients. Rhubarb anyone?

La Grotta Ices, 5 Voyager Estate South, Spa Road, SE16 4RP (Bermondsey tube)
We love the sound of the flavour fusions at La Grotta Ices, Garriguette Strawberry and Vanilla, Apricot and Fresh Honey ice cream, Pink Grapefruit and White Wine sorbet… although we’ll skip the Japanese Knotweed ice cream, thanks (a one-off experiment for an arts festival). The roving ice cream Piaggio scooter makes regular Saturday stops at Spa Terminus, or you can pick up a tub at shops listed on their Tumblr. Follow @LaGrottaIces on Instagram or Twitter to stay in the mix.

La Gelatiera, 1 West Park Walk, East Village – Stratford, E20 1DH (Stratford tube/overground/DLR)
The multiple award-winning gelateria recently opened its store in East Village, winningly close to the Olympic Park. Inspired by the Slow Food philosophy, La Gelateria churns their gelato on the premises and you can watch — it’s been described as ‘food as art’. I’m all over their Vanilla mananara, slightly more wary of the critically acclaimed Basil and Chilli or Porcini chocolate cream (!) and totally tempted by the Peach Bellini and Mojito Rum sorbet. Also at Oxo Tower, Covent Garden and Crouch End.

Soft Serve Society, Unit 35 Boxpark, 2-10 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6GY (Shoreditch High St overground)
Shoreditch cool kids get their soft serve slurped at this vibrant spot. Try exotic blends like matcha or espresso ice cream or get your chops round one of their Freakshakes (that’s a milkshake with toppings). Bubble teas, hot choc, brownies and waffles also on the menu. 

Central London

Fortnum & Mason: The Parlour, Fortnum & Mason
181 Piccadilly, W1A 1ER (Piccadilly Circus/Oxford Circus tube)
One of these days I will dress the boys all fancy and book a double date with my handsome chappies at Fortnum & Mason’s The Parlour. One of the swankiest ice cream joints in town, it’s fun to kit the kids out for an extra special treat. Try the ‘50s classic Knickerbocker Glory or Build Your Own Sundae, and top it all off with artisan coffee, scones or sandwiches for an ice cream afternoon tea experience.

Freggo, 27–29 Swallow Street London W1B 4QR (Piccadilly Circus tube)
Freggo prides itself on its ‘so cool it’s hot’ reputation. It’s a staple for Soho clubbers but equally appealing to families wandering by in the daytime, or before hitting a West End show. Why not go all out with a hot pancake, ice cream and dulce de leche feast, or stick to a traditional two scoops of cream with chocolates crumbled on top. Mmm.

Gelupo 7 Archer St, W1D 7AU (Piccadilly Circus tube)
The sister shop of famous Italian restaurant Bocca di Lupo in Soho, Gelupo maintains the same standard of taste and innovation. Stick to simple flavours like coconut or pistachio or be more adventurous with popular Gelupo ice creams like Ricotta, Blood Orange Granita, Chocolate Sorbet or Apricot Crumble. The menu changes daily and is prepared fresh on site.

Gelatorino, 2 Russell Street, WC2B 5JD (Covent Garden tube)
Hanging out in Covent Garden? Don’t miss the opportunity to see the ‘gelataio’ (gelato masters) working the traditional machines at Gelatorino, churning out some of the finest, ice crystal-free gelato through the process known as ‘mantecazione’. The ‘pozzetti’ wells used to contain the gelato ensure freshness, so there’s no need for thickeners or colourings. Enjoy in cup, cone or their Gelato Biscuit sticks.

Milk Train Cafe, 12 Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 7PH (Covent Garden tube)
All aboard, Experience next-level ice creams at this lick-tastic store in the heart of London. Customise your own ice creams and shakes by swirling their ice cream base with a range of mix-ins. Or just grab a scoop of sundae and ride that Milk Train to cloud 9.  

West London

Snowflake Luxury Gelato, 1st floor, Westfield Shopping Centre, Ariel Way, White City W12 7GF (Shepherd’s Bush tube/overground)
Snowflake recently launched an ice cream station at Selfridges, but if you want the real deal head to Westbourne Grove. Loved by critics, one describing their extra dark chocolate sorbet to as ‘Agent Provocateur of the Tongue’, Snowflake’s motivation is simply to ’ erve Happiness’. Indulge in handcrafted, all natural gelato in 50+ flavours, from kid-friendly Vanilla, Oreo, or Mint Chocolate to including eccentric combos like Popcorn and Sea Salted Caramel. Also available at Snowflake Westfield Stratford, Soho, Marble Arch, South Kensington and The O2.

Fentons, 127 Bayswater Road W2 4RH (Queensway/Bayswater tube)
Shake it, baby. Fentons is a retro styled milkshake and ice cream bar, that piles on the comfort food with swirly hot chocolates, syrup-drenched waffles, and 55 flavours of ice cream from creme brûlée to their special Route 55 sundaes. Go for deliciously creamy gelato, malts and shakes thick enough to make your ears ache… and beg for more. Also at Westfield Stratford.

Gelato Mio, 495 Fulham Palace Rd, SW6 6SU (Fulham Broadway tube)
The short and sweet history of Gelato Mio began with its flagship at Holland Park in July 2008, and continued with new locations around London. The Gelato Mio magic works around 13 staple flavours, and numerous seasonal varieties of ice cream plus succulent sorbets including lemon, blueberry and watermelon. Other locations: St John’s Wood, Bromley.

Oddono’s, 14 Bute Street SW7 3EX (South Kensington tube)
From its original Bute St HQ, to multiple locations across town, Oddono’s has been scooping out award-winning gelato and sorbets for west London residents for more than a decade. The classic Bacio (it means kiss) is made with chocolate and hazelnut treats melted into the ice cream just like they do back in Italy. Their motto is ‘life’s too short to eat bad ice cream’ — we wholeheartedly agree! A lovely stop en route to the South Ken museum triple bill (Science Museum, Natural History Museum, V&A Museum). Also available in Chiswick, Hampstead, Battersea, East Dulwich, Hackney and through Firezza pizza branches.

Foubert’s in Chiswick, 2 Turnham Green Terrace, London W4 1QP (Turnham Green/Chiswick Park tube)
The family run parlour is an absolute favourite with the locals, as well as Londoners and ice cream crawlers who trek there from across the city and beyond. The homemade apple pie is highly rated but it’s the authentic gelato that draws the highest praise, with queues around the block on hot days. And it won’t freeze a hole in your pocket either!

South & South West London

Ice & Slice, 24 Jerdan Place, SW6 1BH, Fulham (Fulham Broadway tube)
The perfect combo to lure the babes down to Fulham, Ice & Slice does exactly what it says, offering homemade sourdough pizzas and gorgeous gelato for afters (or by itself). Come in for a cone or a tub, or if you’re local, they’ll deliver the pizza and ice cream straight to your door.

Nardulli, 29 The Pavement, Clapham Common, SW4 0JE (Clapham Common tube/Clapham Junction overground/rail)
Humbly touting itself as the best Italian ice cream in London, Nardulli serves up exquisite batches of the creamy goodness, plus fresh coffee and deli treats. Amidst the traditional selections, expect the unexpected such as Aftereight ice creams (yes, like the mints!) and Cardamom pod flavoured gelato. Pop in to cool off after a day on the Common.

What is your favourite ice cream in London?