When your fourth-floor walkup is as steamy as a sauna,there’s not even a hint of a breeze on the pier at Carl Schurz Park, and the cool corridors of the Met have already been closed for the day, there’s only one sure way to beat the heat on the UES: go get ice cream.
No matter where on the UES you live, there are plenty of spots serving up tasty frozen treats within minutes of your front door. Here, some of my favorites.
Alice’s Tea Cup: Fall down the rabbit hole and into an air-conditioned wonderland at one of Alice’s two UES locations: 64th Street near Lexington Ave. or 81st Street between 2nd and 3rd. Both feature light fare that is perfect for a hot summer day, like a pear and endive salad, cucumber and watercress sandwiches, and assorted pastries and scones, all of which can be nicely topped off with a scoop of seasonal ice cream or sorbet, as well as fancier desserts like mixed berries with vanilla crème anglaise or a slice of banana cake.
Ciao Bella Café: If you typically gravitate right toward those brightly colored containers of Ciao Bella gelato in your grocery store, you’ll be in heaven in the Ciao Bella Café, on 92nd and Madison. Featuring signature flavors like Chocolate Hazelnut, Dulce de Leche, Mocha Chip, and Peaches and Cream, this tiny café could easily become your home away from home this summer.
Emack & Bolio’s: My personal favorite, Emack & Bolio’s 81st and 1st location features a creative assortment of original flavors, like Caramel Moose Prints, Grasshopper Pie, Cookie Monster, and Raspberry Truffle. As if names like that aren’t enough to send you screaming for their ice cream, all their products are freshly made, contain no added dyes, and are made with milk that is free of the hormone bST.
Pinkberry: For a healthier (albeit a bit more expensive) take on frozen goodness, stop by Pinkberry on 2nd between 81st and 82nd for low-calorie frozen yogurt topped with your choice of fresh fruits, nuts, and sweets. In addition to its Original and Green Tea flavors, Pinkberry now features frozen yogurt in Pomegranate, Coconut, Mango, Chocolate, and the seasonal Watermelon flavor. Just be prepared for the line that is usually wrapped around the block on a hot summer night.
Café Sabarsky: If you like art with your ice cream, stop into the Neue Gallerie’s Café Sabarsky, on 86th and 5th. Reminiscent of old-world Vienna, this upscale spot features specialty drinks like the Eisschokolade, chilled chocolate milk with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream; or the Wiener Eiskaffe, chilled coffee with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. There is also a full German/Austrian dinner menu, plus desserts like a seasonal fruit crumble tarte, a strawberry-yogurt mousse cake, and a lemon biscuit with lemon mousse.
Sedutto: On 1st between 78th and 79th, Sedutto serves up rich and creamy ice cream and frozen yogurt in a variety of flavors that will most likely render you very indecisive. Try the Peanut Butter, Pistachio, Mocha Almond Fudge, S’mores, or Chocolate Midnight Cookie flavors.
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