Frozen Fun

Ice cream is not just for kids! Shame on you for even thinking that way.

Enjoying a dish of luscious cold ice cream with the kids is a much better way to consume cals than scarfing down those extra fries left on the plate. So why not treat yourself to some of the finest the city has to offer. Here are our picks across the GTA and beyond. You might just need to go for a drive to see if they are as good as they sound.

Only La Paloma has a selection of soy gelati to choose from but don’t go just for the healthy options. This place is as authentic Italian as you can get and it’s right in the heart of Corso Italia. There are 70 fresh and natural flavours to choose from. Interesting flavours include: Spagnola (bourbon vanilla and sour Amarena cherries), Fico (sweet figs in a milk base) and Pistachio Sicilia (a rich and pure pistachio). The kids will enjoy the regular flavours, the sorbetto or frozen yogurt. It’s always busy but it’s always good.

Il Gelatiere Artiganale is the newest addition to the ice cream scene. Open for just a few weeks on Mt Pleasant Road, the service is almost as good as the gelato. Helpful staff (read patient with kids who take too long to order) and a sparkly clean atmosphere, make it a must go if you live in the area or not. Plenty of outdoor seating is available and it’s open on Sundays. The chocolate was a popular choice with our testers and we hear the chocolate chili is a ‘hot’ hit too.

If you find yourself downtown, check out Solforino. You can expect a queue outside on hot summer nights so if you are going with the family we recommend a day trip. Co-owner Ana Maria Ortiz ran an ice cream shop in her native Colombia and is the best at sourcing delicious fruits (try Andean blackberry) and luscious chocolates. For a lighter alternative, the sorbettos are fruitier and have no cream or milk added—virtually fat free, go on!

The most popular family dessert destination year round in North Toronto is Hollywood Gelato. Boasting 20 different flavours (Pineapple, Valrhona chocolate, mango and raspberry are faves with the adults, Skor and Mars are very popular with the kids), a bicycle-riding bird outside the door (can’t miss it) for the kids’ entertainment and excellent quick service despite the line ups, everyone in the family is happy. (We hear the lattes are good too.) There’s lots of seating inside and outside and a very authentic neighbourhood vibe to the place, great for kids and adults of all ages.

Ed’s Real Scoop is the go-to-place in the Beach/Beaches (we’re not taking sides on that debate) for homemade ice cream, yummy gelatos and all the tricks for the kids including gummy bears on top. It’s a great place to sit on a bench and people watch while devouring such interesting flavours as crème brulee and apple pie ice cream. In March, look for Guinness Stout flavour (a St Patrick’s Day special of course).

For over twenty years Greg’s Ice Cream has been churning out the yummiest homemade ice creams the city has to offer. The location has moved a few blocks west to the JCC building at Bloor and Spadina now but they have not changed the integrity of the flavours and ingredients. (Savvy tip: you can also get Greg’s ice cream at My Favourite Ice Cream at Yonge and Macpherson, and one litre containers can be found at select specialty food shops and restaurants around the city.)

Dairy Cream (sounds like the big chain but not to be confused!) is only open in the summer and is a classic Mississauga staple. It’s an old-fashioned drive-in offering painted red picnic tables for seating right on the lakeshore. Sundaes are a hit with the kids and the frozen yogurt and ice cream cakes are always popular with the moms.

It’s summer—live a little. You burn it off chasing after your kids all day long. (Or at least you deserve it after that!)

Hollywood Gelato
1640 Bayview Avenue

Solforino
www.solferinogelato.com
(416) 364-8478
38 Wellington St. E

La Paloma
www.lapaloma.ca
Various locations

Ed’s Real Scoop
(416) 699-6100
2224 Queen St. E.

Il Gelatiere Artiganale
647 Mount Pleasant Rd.

Dairy Cream
(905) 278-5641
715 Lakeshore Rd East

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