The best ice cream shops in Singapore

At a secluded corner near Ann Siang Hill, Nom Gelato is splashed with colourful aesthetics that can instantly brighten up your day. Go for the mascarpone cheese and fig – the perfect balance of saltiness and sweetness, or opt for the interesting combination of whiskey and bacon. The blue cheese and walnut praline gelato is pretty intriguing if you’re a fan of the sharp flavour. But if you're a sucker for the classics, there are also some age-old flavours that never go wrong like pistachio, cookies and cream and vanilla bean.

Diners are raving over the gelato flavours at Monarch and it’s not hard to see why. The burnt white chocolate has hints of caramel coffee with cocoa bits that adds a little crunch. The gianduja flavour has a pronounced hazelnut flavour that might be a little rich for some. There’s a sweet and slightly bitter aftertaste, presumably from the use of dark chocolate. Another highlight is the Ispahan made of lychee, raspberry and rose. Speckled with red raspberry granules, this refreshing flavour is perfect to indulge on a hot day. Monarchs & Milkweed is really popular and it can get pretty crowded on the weekends.

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

Previously known as Dopa Dopa Creamery, the now shortened Dopa has also changed its focus to nut-based flavours given the enormous success of its pistachio gelato. Its signature home-roasted pistachio gelato is still one of the best we've tried in Singapore and its other nutty flavours like the Ferrero and maple pecan are worth a lick too. You'll find that Dopa hides its product beneath metal lids of pozetti. But looks are unnecessary; the smooth, creamy gelato is enough to keep you coming back.

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.

Simple flavours done really well, that's the ethos behind Apiary. The minimalist ice cream parlour on Neil Road favours classic parfums 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.

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.

Don’t be deceived by the tiny brick-and-mortar shop because hay, gelato is pretty big on flavours.  The shop is simple and while there’s limited seating space, that does not deter anyone from takeaways. They offer unique botanical flavors – strawberry balsamic and black sesame – and local wild flavours like smoked hay and pandan lemongrass. Order a dollop of ice cream with waffles. It has a crisp exterior that you can hear the crunch with every bite. Interesting flavours include soursop ice cream and hojicha ice cream, if you’re a fan of roasted tea.  hay, gelato opens until 2am daily so you can always grab some post-supper sweet treats with your friends. East side best side, truly, especially after its opened a second outlet in Katong.

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.

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

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

In addition to the beautiful glasshouse exterior, Around Cafe in Tampines serves up waffles, ice cream and bubble tea for those craving for something sweet. The minimalist cafe boasts a white interior with hints of green, giving off a cosy vibe. Order waffles with ice cream flavours of your choice.

Favourites include Peanut Butter & Jam and Speculoos, while adventurous eaters can opt for the Yakult Oreo and Cereal Milk. Choose between Maple Syrup or Nutella to drizzle on top of your waffles. Coffee drinkers can opt for long black, latte and caramel/hazelnut latte or opt for the mocktails and bubble teas. The cafe closes at 2am, so Easties can now add Around to their list of late-night dessert places.

If you’re into handmade gelato, come hangout at Milk & Honey. Located in the heartlands of Bedok, the store offers classic flavours like chocolate and vanilla and a variety of other premium flavours like black goma, earl grey and tiramisu. Tip: Order a scoop of the aromatic earl grey flavour and pair it with their fluffy waffles. Definitely hits the spot.

Every neighbourhood deserves an ice cream parlour and Sunset Way has The Daily Scoop. With interesting flavours like maple crisp, strawberry shortcake, salted brown sugar and lychee martini, this place also serves up equally amazing waffles and brownies that make a great accompaniment to the ice cream. 

If your Instagram feed is an endless scroll of pretty, colourful food, get on the sugar bus and head to this little neighbourhood café. Satisfy your sweet tooth with an assortment of homemade ice creams, oven-baked cakes and rich milkshakes. Flavours include espresso, rum-infused vanilla for something boozy and durian if you’re a fan of the King of Fruits.

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. Salted egg yolk is a something you should try for yourself. It's legit gau, thanks to all that salted egg yolk.

Directly translated from the Hokkien term ‘bo beh zao’ which means ‘incomparable and in a league on its own’ – in the horseracing context – the premium gelato store No Horse Run could quite possibly be a dark horse in the fancy ice cream parlour scene in town. The only thing, this whimsically named store is located nowhere near the CBD bustle – but right in the heartlands that is Yishun. 

Still, with unique offerings like strawberry basil, Fleur De Cao dark chocolate, green apple Yakult, black sesame, lemongrass pandan, sea salt Matcha and more. On top of that, there are some premium flavours like the Cereal Mai Pian which tastes exactly like cereal and milk and the rich and slightly smoky Burnt White Chocolate. The store also serves hot waffles – which comes in two flavours: classic buttermilk and the shop's signature pandan gula melaka – to go with your ice cream choices making it a complete meal. 

No Horse Run was started by two friends Jason Lee and Chia Jia Ho and have shared that they aim to marry contemporary trends with local nostalgia – hence the fun flavours you find on the menu. The pair have also put thoughtful touches around the store like the old-school rooster plates and special sauces in nostalgic flavours like milo and caramel. 

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. Order the Goma, which is made from a combination of black and golden sesame.

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. Order the 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.