There’s a specific kind of New York heat – the kind that comes up off the subway grate and peaks around 6pm. The only acceptable reaction is to find something cold and delicious to cool you down. I spent the start of the season doing exactly that, and I now have a list of my favorites (and some still on my hit list) to share with you.
This isn’t the Mister Softee truck or the rotating specials at Caffe Panna (which, don’t get it twisted, I will be participating in as well). It’s the niche stuff you wouldn’t find unless someone told you: a wine bar scooping corn and guava ice cream, a maple coffee slushie, the pasta and pizza spots turning out some of the best soft serve in the city, a frozen espresso martini, a strawberry slushie from a Brooklyn farmers market stand.
These are the ones I would go out of my way for. I keep a running Google Map of them, and paid subscribers can access the full map with every treat pinned, so there’s always something cold within reach.
Slushies
Adult slushies are having a moment.
Matcha strawberry slushie at Gem Home: The café and homewares shop on Mott Street in Nolita does a matcha slushie with strawberries for summer. I’ve seen them make it with both Harry’s Berries and local ones.
Pineapple lemonade slushie at Slik: The Copenhagen-inspired candy and soft serve shop in the East Village, from the Smør team. They’re also serving up slushies for the summer.
Tahini coffee slushie at Edith’s: Officially the Iced Café Slushie – cold brew blended with tahini and oat milk – from the Williamsburg and West Village sandwich counter. I loved it as much as I thought I would.
Frozen cold brew at Cafe Bureau: The concept store in Williamsburg is a clothing shop with both a coffee bar and wine list. Their frozen cold brew is strong and refreshing, and they have wifi if you want to work, or a backyard pool table if you don't.
Strawberry slushie at the McCarren Farmers Market: Farmers market strawberries, blended, by Williams Fruit Farm at the McCarren Park farmers market in Greenpoint. Also at Grand Army.
Maple freeze at Culture Espresso: The Midtown coffee shop known for its molten chocolate chip cookie also blends a maple freeze in summer – essentially a maple coffee slushie.
Frozen yogurt & scoops
Specials and niche picks only.
Strawberry basil froyo from Sour Cherries: Sour Cherries is a roaming pop-up doing small batch froyo made with real fruit. I tried their strawberry basil at Big Night and also saw them doing rhubarb at Rhodora – follow their IG to see their next flavor and where they pop up next.