The coolest ice creams to try in Hong Kong right now

Get ready to sink your teeth into premium gelato all summer long with Venchi’s latest offerings. The Italian chocolatier is releasing four vegan-friendly gelatos from June to September, and each flavour will only be available for an exclusive period. Customers can visit Venchi locations across Hong Kong to delight in hefty scoops of durian-flavoured gelato from now until September 5, or try their extra dark Gianduiotto gelato from now until July 3. Later this summer, Venchi will be launching flavours like cashew, available from July 4 to August 1, as well as tangerine & passion fruit which can be purchased from August 2 to September 5.

One of Japan’s biggest dairy companies, Morinaga, has a refreshing lineup of chilled confections to cool down your summer. First up is a revamp of one of its most popular ice creams named Mow, which will come in two new fruit flavours, muscat grape ($22) and strawberry ($22), with a rich Hokkaido milk base ice cream. There is also Parm, a new variation of its ice cream bars with almond tofu  – a popular Japanese dessert. Unlike Parm’s original form which sees vanilla ice cream coated in chocolate, the newly-released ice cream bar ($21.9) has almond milk ice cream swirled with strawberry sauce and covered in a white chocolate shell. And, if you want all the enjoyment of eating ice cream without it melting all over your hands, try Pino, Morinaga’s bite-size morsels of chocolate-coated ice cream. Instead of savouring ice cream in a cone or on a wooden stick, these irresistible nuggets can be picked up with a skewer, making for a mess-free experience. Pino is now available with mint-flavoured ice cream ($21.9), which is sure to cool you down in the scorching summer heat. Get your hands on Morinaga’s iced treats at all 7-Eleven locations across Hong Kong.

If milky and creamy chilled treats aren’t your thing, Korean confectionary brand Seoju has released an ice bar ($13) made with Vita 500, a popular healthy energy drink from Korea. These frozen treats are loaded with Vitamin C and made with a refreshing apple and orange juice base, making them a healthier alternative to beat the heat. Seoju’s Vita 500 ice bars are now available in all Circle K locations across Hong Kong.

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Chocoholics, this one’s for you. This summer, luxury chocolate brand Godiva is launching a crispy chocolate soft-serve waffle cup ($75), an all-new treat that sees velvety dark chocolate ice cream served in a crispy waffle cup, garnished with a crispy Belgian almond cookie and a crispy chocolate shell. The soft-serve is available in a nutty flavour with hazelnuts and pistachios as toppings, as well as an intense chocolate variation which is topped with sea salt caramel-flavoured chocolate balls and a brownie slice.

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Macau-based ice cream chain Digreen has opened its first Hong Kong outpost in Mong Kok. While the chain serves Portuguese egg tarts and creative drinks, they’re best known for offering wacky ice cream flavours such as coriander ($45) and Vita lemon tea ($45). But if you prefer to savour something more conventional, Digreen also churns out soft-served ice creams with flavours like Hokkaido Hakodate 3.7 fresh milk ($45), and French blueberry cheese ($45).

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Need to beat the heat while you’re in Central? Visit Snack Baby on Hollywood Road, a retro gelateria that churns out 14 lactose-free and animal-free gelatos (from $58 and up). They’ve got classic flavours like chocolate, coffee, and matcha; as well as contemporary creations like yuzu ginger or hickory-flavoured bourbon vanilla. Additionally, this venue also shakes up some signature cocktails with its icy creations, such as the Affogato Baby ($108) with fior di latte gelato, or the Port of Martinique ($98) with blackberry and cinnamon gelato. 

Following last year’s delicious collab, world-renowned French pastry chef Pierre Hermé returns with yet another macaron-infused ice cream range with Häagen-Dazs. This summer, sweet tooths can dig into a new vanilla and blueberry ice cream, which features ripples of blueberry and blackcurrant sauce and mini macaron shells swirled together in indulgent vanilla ice cream. Along with the new flavour, Häagen-Dazs has also re-released their previous collaborative flavours with Hermé, which include strawberry and raspberry, double chocolate ganache, as well as yuzu and lemon. Customers can purchase all four of Häagen-Dazs’ macaron-infused ice creams in mini cups (100ml) and pint-sized tubs (420ml). Additionally, the vanilla and blueberry, as well as strawberry and raspberry flavours, will be released in ice cream bars coated in a crispy shell topped with macaron bits.

Before leaving Hong Kong in 2021, American ice cream chain Emack & Bolio's was one of Hong Kong’s hottest dessert spots. Before you get nostalgic, you’ll be thrilled to know that the Boston-based ice cream brand is returning to Hong Kong on Gracefulbee’s website. You can purchase Emack & Bolio’s pint-sized tubs in flavours like grasshopper pie, Japanese matcha, Serious Chocolate Addiction (chocolate ice cream with fudge chunks and chocolate flakes), and Deep Purple Chip (black raspberry ice cream with white and dark chocolate chips). Each pint retails for $88, but customers can also buy all four flavours in a family pint package ($320), or add on two more pints of your choice for an additional $136.

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This one’s for all the durian lovers out there – McDonald’s is back with their icy durian sweet treat! This year, they’ve turned up the smell factor by launching a durian-topped sundae, which comes with two generous scoops of Malaysian D24 durian puree served on top of McDonalds’ soft-serve vanilla ice cream. Utterly irresistible for those with a penchant for anything durian-related. Each durian-topped sundae costs $26, and customers can add on an extra scoop of durian puree for an additional $17. The sundae will only be sold at specific McDonald’s branches for a limited time until stocks last, so check their Facebook page to find your nearest McDonald’s location.