It's hard to beat a frosty cup or cone of ice cream—and there's no shortage of spots around town to sample the very best scoops. Here are four of our favorite creameries around town.
Azucar Ice Cream Company
Little Havana
Looking to make ends meet following the 2008 economic crash—and inspired by her grandmother's love of turning Cuban and Latin American flavors into rich ice creams—former banker Suzy Batlle launched Azucar Ice Cream Company in 2011. Locals flock to this Little Havana gem for a taste of the "Abuela Maria," which boasts vanilla ice cream mixed with fresh ruby red guava, cream cheese and Abuela Maria's signature cookie. Azucar's other signature Cuban flavors include caramel flan, platano maduro (sweet plantains) and café con leche (Cuban coffee plus Oreo cookies).
The Frieze
Miami Beach
Miami Beach's The Frieze Ice Cream Factory has been pumping out premium ice cream and sorbet since 1987. The menu is packed with both local and exotic flavors—like coconut, guanabana and Indian Mango sorbets, or Cappuccino Chip, Raisin Rum and dulce de leche ice creams—plus plenty of options for kosher and vegan diets.
And if you're flying JetBlue out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, The Frieze may be on board with you. The airline announced this summer that passengers flying "Mint" class will be treated to scoops of The Frieze's Whoppers ice cream (full of malted milk balls) or guava sorbet.
Lulu’s Nitrogen Ice Cream
Edgewater
Flash-freeze ice cream is having a moment, and Lulu's is the place to go if you find yourself in Edgewater with a craving. The sustainability-minded creamery serves up two made-from-scratch scoops at a time—in a cup, housemade waffle cone or ice cream sandwich tucked into a housemade waffle cone. On any given day you can choose from about eight of Lulu's 50 flavors, ranging from classic (nutella, mint, strawberry) to seasonal (key lime, piña colada, pistachio).
If you don't do diary, don't fret. There's always a couple of vegan selections on offer.
Bianco Gelato
Coconut Grove
With options for vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free and sugar-free crowds, this traditional Italian gelato shop is an oasis for health-conscious sweet tooths. Bianco's flavor lineup changes daily, and you can take your certified-organic selection on a gluten-free brownie, in a gluten-free waffle cone, in popsicle form or affogato, if you want to get real Italian.
