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5 Best Ice Cream Shops in New York (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

Thorne Savarin
By Thorne Savarin, Culinary Explorer · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 8 min read

The best ice cream shops in New York run from a 90-something-year-old candy store institution to fish-shaped soft serve cones built for Instagram, and the shops here have racked up more than 11,200 Google reviews combined. Every one of them still sits at 4.4 stars or higher, so the real question is less about quality and more about which style of frozen treat you're actually craving.

Short answer: Figo il Gelato Italiano in the West Village leads on rating at 4.9 stars across 2,611 reviews, known for silky, not-too-sweet Italian gelato in flavors like raspberry cheesecake. Taiyaki NYC pulls the most total reviews at 3,549 for its fish-shaped soft serve cones, while Ray's Candy Store, an East Village institution since the 1970s, is the name locals mention for fried Oreos and egg creams. Most cones and scoops across these run $2 to $10.
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New York's top ice cream shops compared

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Figo il Gelato Italiano 4.9 ★ 2,611 Highest rating / Italian gelato View ›
2 Taiyaki NYC Japanese Ice Cream 4.5 ★ 3,549 Most reviewed / novelty cones View ›
3 The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory 4.4 ★ 2,358 Chinatown institution, unique flavors View ›
4 Ray's Candy Store 4.7 ★ 1,389 Late-night East Village classic View ›
5 Soft Swerve Ice Cream 4.6 ★ 1,327 Ube and Asian-inspired soft serve View ›
5 Best Ice Cream Shops in New York (2026)

Our picks, reviewed

Figo il Gelato Italiano logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Figo il Gelato Italiano

4.92,611 Google reviews

Figo il Gelato Italiano is a Bleecker Street gelato shop making handmade gelato using ingredients selected to match traditional Italian recipes, alongside pastries, brioche and espresso drinks. It grew out of the team's earlier Mo Gelato venture and has since expanded to a Bayside location with late-night hours. The West Village shop stays open past midnight on weekends.

What people praise

  • Reviewers repeatedly describe the gelato as silky and not overly sweet, unlike typical American ice cream
  • Non-dairy fruit flavors like mango and strawberry called out for tasting genuinely fresh
  • Staff described as helpful in guiding indecisive customers through flavor sampling

Worth knowing

  • Indoor seating is limited, so it can feel crowded during busy hours
Reputation scorecardrank in New York
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume2,611 · 91th
Confidencevery high
Recency4 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown96% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The highest rating on this page and the most consistently specific praise in the reviews. The clear pick if authentic Italian-style gelato is what you're after.

Website Book now+1212-837-1728 Directions

189 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012

Taiyaki NYC Japanese Ice Cream logo
#2🕑 Open 7 days

Taiyaki NYC Japanese Ice Cream

4.53,549 Google reviews

Taiyaki NYC is credited by reviewers and press coverage as the originator of the fish-shaped waffle cone filled with soft serve, a format that's been covered by Zagat, Food Network and the Huffington Post since it opened in 2016. Flavors include matcha, ube and unicorn swirls, with red bean paste tucked inside the cone itself. The Baxter Street original location is small, with limited bench seating for larger groups.

What people praise

  • The taiyaki cone itself, crispy and warm, is praised repeatedly as a genuine part of the appeal, not just a gimmick
  • Matcha and ube flavors specifically called out as smooth and well-balanced
  • Described as one of the smoothest soft serve textures reviewers have had in the city

Worth knowing

  • Seating is very limited, so larger groups often end up standing
  • A few reviewers found the ice cream richer or greasier than expected, with subtle flavor
Reputation scorecardrank in New York
Rating4.5 / 5
Review volume3,549 · 97th
Confidencevery high
Recency5 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown70% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The most-reviewed shop on this page by a wide margin, and the one built most explicitly around a signature format. Worth the trip for the cone itself as much as the ice cream inside it.

Website Book now+1212-966-2882 Directions

119 Baxter St, New York, NY 10013

The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory logo
#3🕑 Open 7 days

The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

4.42,358 Google reviews

The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory has served homemade ice cream in New York's Chinatown since 1978, describing itself as one of the neighborhood's oldest businesses and an unofficial landmark. It's expanded to Flushing and the Lower East Side, with flavors like lychee, black sesame, red bean, taro and pandan alongside standard American options. The original Bayard Street shop also sells branded merchandise like t-shirts and pins.

What people praise

  • Reviewers consistently point to the range of Asian-inspired flavors like lychee rose, black sesame and pandan as the reason to visit
  • Free sampling before you commit to a flavor mentioned repeatedly as generous
  • Half-and-half scoops (mixing two flavors) called out as a nice option for indecisive orders

Worth knowing

  • Several reviewers mention prices have crept up over the years
  • The lowest rating on this list at 4.4, with more 3-star reviews than the top two names
Reputation scorecardrank in New York
Rating4.4 / 5
Review volume2,358 · 84th
Confidencehigh
Recency4 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown66% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Ranks third here mainly on a slightly lower rating, but its near-50-year history and flavor range make it worth a visit on its own terms, especially for flavors you won't find elsewhere.

Website+1212-608-4170 Directions

65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

Ray's Candy Store logo
#4🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Ray's Candy Store

4.71,389 Google reviews

Ray's Candy Store is an East Village institution on Avenue A that's been open since the 1970s, known for fried Oreos, beignets, egg creams and soft serve alongside classic diner fare like fries and hot dogs. Owner Ray Alvarez, now in his 90s, is a recurring figure in reviews, with the community having crowdfunded support for him during difficult stretches. It's open around the clock, described in listed hours as running from midnight to noon daily.

What people praise

  • Reviewers describe Ray himself as a genuine reason to visit, greeting customers and telling stories
  • The egg cream, despite the name containing neither egg nor cream, is called out repeatedly as a must-try
  • Fried Oreos and the chili cheese hot dog praised as late-night comfort food done right

Worth knowing

  • Fried items aren't available before 4pm according to one recent reviewer, which isn't well advertised
  • No listed phone number, so questions are best handled in person
Reputation scorecardrank in New York
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume1,389 · 78th
Confidencevery high
Recency3 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · hours
Rating breakdown82% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Less about the ice cream alone and more about the full East Village experience, egg creams, fried Oreos and Ray himself included. A must for anyone wanting a slice of old New York.

Website Book now Directions

113 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009

Soft Swerve Ice Cream logo
#5🕑 Open 7 days

Soft Swerve Ice Cream

4.61,327 Google reviews

Soft Swerve Ice Cream is a Lower East Side soft serve shop that has expanded to Kips Bay, Flushing, Chinatown and Downtown Brooklyn, known for its ube purple yam flavor alongside black sesame and matcha. It positions itself as a whimsical, premium take on soft serve rather than scooped ice cream. The original Allen Street location seats only a handful of people at three small tables.

What people praise

  • Ube flavor named repeatedly as a favorite, with reviewers specifically returning for it on repeat visits
  • Reviewers describe the ability to mix multiple flavors in one small cup as a thoughtful touch
  • A small size described as generous enough to share between two or three people

Worth knowing

  • Seating is very limited and the lighting is described by one reviewer as harsh
Reputation scorecardrank in New York
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume1,327 · 72th
Confidencevery high
Recency3 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown70% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Ranks fifth on review volume here, not quality, since the rating holds steady with the others. The pick if ube or Asian-inspired soft serve flavors specifically are what you want.

Website Book now+1646-476-6311 Directions

85B Allen St, New York, NY 10002

6

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Watch: 5 Best Ice Cream Shops in New York (2026)

How we rank these ice cream shops

Rating is each shop’s live Google average. Review volume measures how many customers have actually rated them, weighed against the others on this page. Confidence combines rating with volume, since a high score from a small sample counts for less than one built on thousands of reviews. Recency tracks how recently people are still leaving reviews. No shop can pay to change these numbers.

What does ice cream cost in New York? (2026)

Pricing varies by format, a taiyaki cone or specialty soft serve typically costs more than a simple scoop. Figures below come directly from what reviewers mention paying.

JobTypical price
Small soft servearound $2
Specialty cone (taiyaki, waffle)around $10

Figures compiled July 2026 from prices mentioned directly in customer reviews for shops on this page.

Serving Manhattan’s downtown neighborhoods

These shops cluster around the West Village, Chinatown, the Lower East Side and the East Village, all within a short walk of each other in downtown Manhattan. If you’re searching for ice cream near me from SoHo, Nolita or the East Village, all of them are an easy trip.

What to ask or check before you visit an ice cream shop

  • Are non-dairy or vegan flavor options available, and are they clearly labeled?
  • Does the shop offer free samples before you commit to a flavor?
  • Can you mix two flavors in one order, and is there an extra charge for that?
  • Is seating available, or is it primarily a grab-and-go counter?
  • What are the shop’s actual hours, especially late at night or for specific menu items like fried food?
  • Does the shop have multiple locations, and does the menu vary between them?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner (badge and top placement), but that never changes another business’s score or position.

How did you choose these shops?

We start from every ice cream shop we can find in New York with a real Google presence, then rank by a blend of rating, review volume, confidence, and recency.

How often is this updated?

We refresh this page periodically. It was last verified in July 2026.

Which shop has the most unique flavors?

The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory and Soft Swerve both stand out for flavors like lychee, black sesame, taro and ube that go beyond standard American options.

Is any of this ice cream vegan or dairy-free?

Some shops, including Figo il Gelato Italiano, offer non-dairy fruit flavors. Always confirm directly with the shop if you have dietary restrictions.

The bottom line

Figo il Gelato Italiano is the safest default given its top rating and large review base, especially if you want traditional Italian gelato. But if you’re after an only-in-New-York moment, Ray’s Candy Store and its egg creams, or Taiyaki NYC’s fish-shaped cones, are worth going out of your way for.

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