The best ice cream shops in Singapore

Growing up, Emma Goh and Jeslyn Yeo had a common dream: to open a café. The pair now run Geometry, a neighbourhood gelato shop that’s named after a branch of mathematics. It reflects the god sisters’ meticulous approach to dessert-making, which often results in lip-smacking creations like the goma ($3.90) and the colourful paddle pop-esque Bing Bong. 

TRY Goma, which is made from a combination of black and golden sesame

The ice cream at Mrs Plump’s comes filled with fruits, seeds … and even leafy greens. These natural, superfood-infused sweet treats are the brainchild of Mia Kusen who wanted to create healthy ice cream that's as indulgent as it is nutritious.

TRY Give the chocolate kale ($4.90) a chance. You'd hardly notice the presence of blended kale in this decadent treat – we promise!

Unlike most ice cream parlours, Dopa Dopa Creamy hides its product beneath metal lids of pozetti. But looks are unnecessary; the smooth, creamy gelato is enough to keep you coming back. Try it on its own (scoops start at $4), or have it sandwiched between a crispy croissant ($5.30).

TRY Pistachio gelato. The nuts are roasted in-house to ensure maximum flavour. 

At the basement of this old shopping mall, you'll find The Humble Scoop, a new ice cream parlour in the East. Unlike other ice cream places, this shop only serves home-made ice cream with local and nostalgic flavours. There is guava with sour plum, pulut hitam, the In-Kueh-dible which is a salted coconut and gula melaka concoction and more delightful flavours you'll be sure to recognise.

TRY The more odd-sounding, the better. Be adventurous!

Simple flavours done really well, that's the ethos behind Apiary. The minimalist ice cream parlour on Neil Road favours classic parfums (from $3.90 a scoop) such as ferrero rocher, pistachio (made with Sicilian pistachio for nuttier intensity) and black sesame. It's also found success in experimental concoctions such as Blue Milk (tinted with butterfly pea flowers) and Pink Peppercorn. Flavours rotate frequently – there are about 18 at any one time, two of which are always sorbets.

TRY Apiary, the eponymous signature. The base is always honey ice cream, and they often switch up the fold-in ingredients - bee pollen, cacao nibs, nuts etc.

Delicately-perfumed and sophisticated, the botanical-inspired flavours at Birds of Paradise tastes like edible poetry. This tiny gelato nook along East Coast Road Road is standing room-only and perpetually packed. Flavour, texture and colour are coaxed from flowers, herbs, nuts and spices for signatures like white chrysanthemum, strawberry basil, and lemongrass ginger (from $4.70 a scoop). Even their housemade waffle-cone ($1) is scented with thyme.

TRY White Chrysanthemum. Think of it as a gentler, floral take on the classic chocolate chip, but with raw cacao nibs.

The store is aptly named because the treats you can find here are kind to you and your waistline. All their ice cream and desserts are healthy, and vegan – made from scratch using natural, chemical-free ingredients. 

TRY Blue Planet, which looks like Earth. It has green matcha cake bits, with a base of coconut, cashew, and almond milk coloured with blue pea flower dye.

There’s a new ice cream parlour in town, opened by the same people behind French restaurant Saveur. Here, the waffle cones are perfumed with lavender ($1), and flavours (from $5/ scoop) come with a botanical theme. Uncommon ingredients of tomatoes and miso find their way into flavours (from $5) that include apple cucumber, strawberry tomato, white chocolate miso, and the blue vanilla finished with smoky Black Sea salt. 

TRY The gentle, floral notes from the lavender cone is best paired with a lighter flavour like the apple cucumber.

The shop's Instagram-worthy interiors and desserts attract a certain see-and-be-seen crowd, but the ice cream is worth the effort and distance. You can get yours parfait-style (from $8) or on waffles (from $10) and each flavour comes with their pre-selected housemade toppings like almond thins and fresh strawberries for the earl grey lavender. And just so you know, what you're having is in fact freshly churned ice cream that has skipped the second freezing step – not soft-serve.

TRY Chocolate Earl Grey Lavender Slushie. It's chocolatey and fragrant and icy and also easier on the palate on blistering days.

A hole-in-the-wall ice cream parlour. Gelato Labo prides itself in tinkering with recipes, creating experimental flavours that cannot be found elsewhere. Flavours might rotate depending on when you visit, but some cool creations include the Kyoto shiso studded with yuzu jelly bits, the refreshing watermelon with mint and chia seeds, and Yamanashi peach suffused with lemongrass.

In a town where newfangled flavour combinations have become de rigueur, Creamier is proof that simple ice cream ($3.80) on crisp dough can still
 emerge tops. Holding their own against
 the café’s limited edition scoops
 made fresh every day, the waffles
 offer the perfect contrast
 of outer crispiness and
 inner
 gooeyness that don't turn soggy even as the natural-
ingredient ice creams 
starts to melt on top of it.
 

TRY Waffles with the 
rose-tinted raspberry love,
 Thai iced tea, Earl Grey 
and salted gula Melaka.

The flavours at Denzy Gelato are exotic and uncommon – after all, owner Damien Yau gets his inspiration from his travels to various exciting destinations. The refreshing elderflower mojito was inspired by the beaches of Bali while the Persian Prince, made with almond and infused with saffron, was based on Italy.

TRY Closer to home, the pear, ginger, and ginger flower sorbet ($4.60) is a delightful floral treat that took home top prize at the Singapore Gelato Competition 2019. 

With a touch of irony in their branding, Merely Ice Cream creates a lasting impression with the name, and its yummy ice cream. First opened in 2012, this ice cream parlour aims to debunk misconceptions about ice cream being full of artificial flavour and makes its scoops with merely common ingredients. With single servings starting at $3.30, Merely’s ice cream is made from scratch for customers to get a taste of the quality and freshness of their ingredients.

TRY The classic chocolate made with premium Valrhona Cocoa Powder, or the pistachio ice cream made with premium pistachios from Italy.

This neighbourhood ice cream and waffle parlour deep in the heartlands of Singapore is as delicious as it is Instagrammable. Take in its neon light display, the intoxicating scent of buttermilk waffles and generous scoops of ice cream – it's a feast for the senses. Scoops are priced at $3.50 and come in unique creations.

Try Oolong lavender, honeydew cucumber and Yakult Oreo (add $0.80 for premium flavours such as mao shan wang durian)

Matchaya may be locally owned, but its Nihonesque soft-serve is just as authentic as some of Japan's best. There are only four flavours (two, if you're at Icon Village) – matcha, houjicha, goma, and Hokkaido milk – though they frequently introduce seasonal ones like sakura and ichigo. The soft-serve is excellent on its own (from $5.90 a cup) or you can add classically Japanese toppings such as kinako powder and warabi mochi. The Cathay outlet also has a small dine-in nook where they serve kakigori and fondue in matcha, houjich and sesame flavours. 

TRY Houjicha soft-serve, for its toasty aroma and caramel-like notes, and preferably with some of those wobbly warabi mochi.

Another veritable institute, Tom's Palette isn't one to shy away from unorthodox flavours (from $3.60 a scoop). They make a point to create a new flavour every month and its repertoire now stands at over 150. Among its wackiest: salted egg yolk, nasi lemak and sticky mango rice. Its spirit of innovation has also resulted in a handful of vegan flavours such as peanut butter brownie and coconut gula melaka. Fun fact: none of the owners are named Tom. The shop's actually named after a naysaying good friend they were determined to prove wrong.

TRY Salted egg yolk. It's legit gau, thanks to all that salted egg yolk.

The grand-daddy of Singapore's boutique ice cream scene is all about championing local flavours. There are options like the obligatory durian and milo, and other unusual offerings such as pulut hitam, tiger beer sorbet and even Singapore Milk, made with cow's milk from a local farm. The ice cream here is incredibly dense and rich, but notably, Island Creamery doesn't use any eggs or gelatin – just milk, fresh cream, and intense churning. Prices are dead affordable (scoops start at $3.80) and we love the laidback, neighbourhood vibe.

TRY The Pineapple Tart. Tastes just like the real deal, thanks to all those crumbs of pineapple tart.

Previously known as Brownice, this vegan-friendly ice cream joint serves scoops of cold treats made from organic brown rice milk (adorably named ‘r’ice cream’). They are dairy and egg-free, and come with one-third the calories of regular ice creams. So go ahead and indulge – these plant-based treats are almost guilt-free!

TRY It's Getting Dark is a popular one. It's chocolate – more specifically, dark chocolate – so what's not to love? 

Originating in Bangkok, this dessert place serves cookies with a scoop of ice-cream slabbed on top, served in a hot plate. This decadent treat with its melty, gooey centre accompanied by the sweetness of the ice-cream is a heavenly mix, one that will leave you mouthing platitudes. Get their decadent Choc-A-Lot ($8.90) for its rich chocolate lava filling that oozes out with one push or the Monster Matcha ($8.90) if you're unafraid of matcha overkill.

TRY Monster Matcha topped with a scoop of earl grey ice cream