Welcome to Philadelphia in the summertime, the place it might be hotter than the scorching floor of a cheesesteak griddle, however not less than we’ve got water ice. Water and ice, you say? Let us clarify.
Also referred to as Italian ice, water ice is a slushy mix of fruit, sugar, and ice. Italian immigrants introduced the frozen confection to the City of Brotherly Love within the early 1900s, re-creating the Sicilian granita of their homeland. Smoother than a snow cone and served in flavors like lemon and cherry, water ice grew to become a summer season staple.
Beyond water ice, although, Philly has a surprisingly cool historical past with frozen treats. The metropolis embraced ice cream early — the egg-free “Philadelphia-style” was developed right here within the late 18th century. Philly is house to America’s oldest ice cream stand, nonetheless operated by the identical household. And maybe most notably, the Choco Taco was invented right here. The legacy lives on, with artisan scoop outlets remixing the classics with native elements and daring flavors.
So when the temps begin climbing, Philadelphians know the place to show to chill down. Read on for all of the locations to style one of the best of Philly’s frozen treats.
John’s Water Ice
Courtesy of Daniel Knoll for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
On the most popular summer season days, the road at John’s Water Ice may be the most well-liked place on the town. People collect for a style of Philly’s authentic water ice, created by Italian immigrant John Cardullo in 1945. Three generations later, his grandson churns the identical all-natural mixture of contemporary fruit, sugar, and water into the store’s 4 staple flavors — lemon, cherry, chocolate, and pineapple — plus rotating flavors like banana and cantaloupe.
D’Emilio’s Old World Ice Treats
Courtesy D’Emilio’s Old World Ice Treats
Chris D’Emilio turned his Thirties Italian household recipe into one of many metropolis’s most creative water ice operations, D’Emilio’s. At his East Passyunk store, you’ll discover punchy cups of cherry vanilla cream, Dr. Pepper chocolate chip, and blueberry lemonade, bursting with native farm fruit. Don’t miss the pretzel pockets full of a tower of sentimental serve.
Milk Jawn
Courtesy of Mike Prince
Born in founder Amy Wilson’s house kitchen in 2012, Milk Jawn now scoops from two storefronts and sells pints at outlets and farmers markets citywide. Made with native Pennsylvania dairy, ultra-rich blends embody tahini fudge swirl and Earl Grey with honeycomb, alongside a formidable slate of vegan flavors. Look out for the ice cream taco particular, an artisanal homage to the Choco Taco.
Small Oven Pastry Shop
Courtesy of Small Oven Pastry Shop
Weekends from spring by way of the autumn are a soft-serve carnival at Small Oven. Each yr, pastry professional Chad Durkin unveils a brand new calendar of rotating flavors — candy corn and blackberry swirls one week, darkish chocolate and graham cracker the subsequent, whirled into flaky croissant cones or cups, then showered with housemade crumbles and sauces.
Franklin Fountain
Courtesy of J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®
Franklin Fountain’s old fashioned soda fountain gives a candy style of the previous, with soda jerks slinging handmade ice cream and phosphates surrounded by tin‑pressed ceilings and mosaic‑tiled flooring. Stay for elaborate sundaes (the Stock Market Crunch is a favourite, with Rocky Road, peanut butter sauce, and crushed pretzels), or take a cone to go, scooped into a home made maple waffle cone.
Bassetts Ice Cream
Courtesy of Hope Daluisio for VISIT PHILADELPHIA
America’s oldest ice cream firm nonetheless operates from behind its authentic marble countertop at Reading Terminal Market. Founded by William Bassett in 1861 and anchoring the market since 1892, Bassetts’ fifth- and sixth-generation stall peddles ultra-rich, largely Philadelphia-style ice cream in butterscotch vanilla, rum raisin, and dozens of different basic flavors.
Pop’s Water Ice
One of Philly’s oldest water ice stands, Filippo “Pop” Italiano began promoting lemon ice from a pushcart in 1932 and finally relocated to his transformed storage. Nowadays, his descendants nonetheless function Pop’s Water Ice out of the identical South Philly area, providing a rotating menu of flavors together with the basic lemon, iced tea, peach, and root beer.
Friday Saturday Sunday
Courtesy of Clay Williams
Sample town’s lauded culinary scene and its ice cream prowess in a single place. At award-winning fantastic eating restaurant Friday Saturday Sundaypastry chef Amanda Rafalski spins nightly comfortable‑serve sundaes within the downstairs Lovers Bar — like ardour fruit comfortable serve with shallot caramel and tropical fruit crunch — that stability enjoyable and nostalgia with the identical exacting craft that defines the restaurant’s celebrated tasting menu.
Malai
Courtesy of Morgan Ione Photography for Malai
A latest Brooklyn import, Malai has shortly turn out to be a Philly staple due to its creative and wildly scrumptious South Asian-inspired flavors, from cardamom pistachio crumble to the superbly spiced masala chai. Look out for rotating comfortable serve — the vegan mango and cardamom yogurt tastes like a swirl of ripe mango lassi.
Siddiq’s Real Fruit Water Ice
Chunks of entire fruit increase each spoonful at Siddiq’s Real Fruit Water Icea West Philly staple based by former Temple University pupil Siddiq Moore. Try one in all his artistic blends like mango lemonade, hibiscus ginger, or the spiced coconut coquito.
Fiore Fine Foods
Courtesy of Fiore
Fiore could also be greatest recognized for its handmade pastas and regional Italian pastries, however it’s additionally a love letter to gelato, due to pastry chef Justine MacNeil. Order silky, seasonal flavors like caramel macchiato and mint stracciatella alongside cornetti and shakeratos within the sunny East Kensington café.
