In a few short years we have become an ice cream town. I’m talking real ice cream—small batch, cream, eggs, no filler, made here.
Kind Ice Cream
“We talked about it for years,” says Candyce Morris, co-owner of Kind Ice Cream along with her sister Nicole Bhar and sister-in-law Paula Shyba. “Would an ice cream shop work in Edmonton?” In 2019 they took the leap and opened Kind Ice Cream in Ritchie (9551 76 Avenue) with the intention of creating a beautiful community-based shop where all are welcome. Highlands (6507 112 Avenue) followed in 2021 and Oliver (12017 102 Avenue) opened earlier this year. They are lovely people making delicious, hands-on ice cream. The strawberry can’t be beat and the feature flavours are a lot of fun (Dunkaroos anyone?) as are their Spotify play lists. It’s about more than ice cream. It’s about bringing people together and serving up joy.
Annie Rue Ice Cream
Tanya Rumak named her year-old ice cream shop in Parkallen after her two grandmothers. “I have wanted to do ice cream for a long time,” says Tanya. “Ice cream shops are the best, the most laughs and smiles. People are excited and happy; they may come in a bad mood but they leave happy.” Annie Rue does cones, scoops and pints; lemon cream pie, cookies and cream and wild blueberry are the top flavours. We are crazy about the feature flavour rhubarb cardamom. They make six four litre batches at a time, the definition of small batch. “Edmonton has a cool ice cream culture, hot and sunny days are scoop days, cold and rainy days become pint days,” says Tanya. 6531 111 Street.
Little Bear Gelato
Franck Bouilhol started making high-quality gelato at his FanFan Patisserie. Now he is all-in on the frozen treats, making sorbet, gelato and ice cream pucks in dreamy flavours. I am a big fan of the champagne sorbet, the pistachio gelato and the chocolate malt. Find Little Bear at the Bountiful, Downtown and Old Strathcona Farmers’ Markets, Culina To Go, Meuwly’s, Rossonero Trattoria, H&W Capilano, Catch of the Week, Italian Centre Shops, Uproot Food Collective. Little Bear will be at Taste of Edmonton, the Thursday 124 Grand Market and the St. Albert Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. Find the Little Bear wagon outside Dalla Tavola Zenari downtown all summer long.
Made by Marcus
Marcus Purtzki’s chef and science background makes for some amazing ice cream. The flavours can be unusual and sophisticated, like the vegan mango and espelette pepper sorbet, or hay. Also recommended, the passion fruit basil, Ace coffee and cocoa nib and the lemon curd blueberry. The ice cream cakes are spectacular. Three shops in Calgary and two in Edmonton, Wilfred’s (10429 121 Street) for pints and cake and down a laneway off Whyte Ave (10426 82 Avenue) for scoops, cones and pints, open until 11pm every day.
Yelo’d
Ailynn and Jason Wong opened a tiny ice cream shop on Whyte Avenue five years ago. It was a smash hit immediately. “We keep the focus on Aisan and Filipino flavours, (such as kalamansi and ube) which can be tricky to find and keep on hand,” says Ailynn. Now, they have moved to a bigger spot in the Dominion Hotel with a full bakery counter, over two dozen flavours of ice cream and soft serve. Their affogato, espresso with mango or champorado (chocolate) is a big hit as is the Filipino Neapolitan (ube, pandan and mangga). The Sosyal Scoops truck will be bringing terrific flavours to you at farmers’ markets and events this summer. We look forward to the Yelo’d/Kind collab on National Ice Cream Day, July 15, 10324 82 Avenue.
Pinocchio Ice Cream
Pinocchio Ice Cream is the granddaddy of Edmonton ice cream. Tom Ursino took over the family business, started in 1981 by Salvatore Ursino and Berto Bertuccio, in 2005. Many Edmonton restos have delicious custom flavours developed by Pinocchio. You can find the single serve cups or pints at Andy’s IGA, Blush Lane, Bon Ton Bakery, Careit Urban Deli, Community Natural Foods, all the Italian Centre Shops. Try the coconut, Sicilian pistachio and the chocolate hazelnut.
Twice Cream
Twice Cream, tucked into a 1920’s building across the street from Westmount Park, opened last summer and it’s a charm. Romeo and Lilly have created a welcoming spot with terrific ice cream. The Michel Cluizel Chocolate and the dark cherry lemon curd? Outstanding. There is a selection of rotating and dairy-free flavours including the amazing black sesame. Enjoy your cone while watching the sunset at the picnic tables in front of the shop, 10983 127 Street.