NYC weather is finally getting warmer, so I took a trip to my favorite ice cream spot. Opening in 1998 by Raul and Oscar D’Alosio, Cones is an Argentinian-style artisanal ice cream shop in the West Village. It’s one of my favorite places to get ice cream. The shop itself is small with simple decor and a couple of tables.
The real stars are their flavors which range from hazelnut and dark chocolate to more adventurous ones such as sweet potato with brie cheese and yerba mate. Their ice cream is made gelato-style using three parts milk to one part cream. The ice cream and sorbets are handmade in small batches of about 20 pounds at a time with the freshest ingredients.
The staff is friendly, and there isn’t a limit to the number of flavors you can sample. My first time here I got samples of the zabaione and the Brazilian-style corn ice cream before opting for the corn. I enjoyed the sweet corn because it reminded me of my abuela making chicheme (a corn-based Panamanian drink) when I was a kid. They give you option to sprinkle cinnamon on top which enhances the flavor of the ice cream. To have the full experience of the corn ice cream, get that sprinkle. The zabaione flavor also is known as zabaglione is another excellent choice. It’s a mixture that consists of egg yolks, sugar, and sweet wine. The wine flavor is strong so make sure to get a sample first to see if you like it.
This time around, I tried some of their unique flavors: sweet potato with brie cheese, yerba mate, and mascarpone with Frutti di Bosco. Out of the three, I enjoyed the sweet potato and the mascarpone flavors. The sweet potato flavor reminded me of pie. The brie cheese was a nice addition, but I didn’t want a full cup of it. The mascarpone flavor was creamy and slightly sweet but like the sweet potato flavor, I didn’t want a full scoop. I ended up getting a small cup ($4.59) with corn and tiramisu. I’m excited to go back later this summer to try their new spiked gelato flavor. Kumquats w/ Johnnie Walker Black Label which will cost double the price and a dollar to sample.
Cones is at 272 Bleecker St between Morton and Jones St.
Lover of ice cream or all things desserts? We are too, so keep up with us for more ideas on the sweets you should be indulging in.
