Before arriving in our cones, the ice cream had to travel a great distance. From Italian gelatos and American sundaes to ancient Persian snow-and-honey desserts, it's a tale of creativity, decadence, and a shared need to unwind both physically and psychologically. With each culture contributing its own unique twist of texture, sweetness, and memory, what started as frozen luxury for monarchs gradually melted into people's daily lives. The story took a creamy turn in India, from local parlours offering tutti-frutti cups beneath spinning ceiling fans to kulfi frozen in clay pots. It's a Sunday outing that has never gone out of style, it's nostalgic, and it's the after-dinner routine. The obsession with ice cream continues, from the classic scoops to the modern gelaterias hidden behind alleyways.
Image Credit: Pixabay
With so many different flavour combinations, ice creams are an excellent way to stay cool whenever you feel your body is getting too warm. These frozen desserts are expertly prepared with the finest ingredients and presented in cutting-edge packaging, leaving your taste buds hankering after more! What's the best part? They are available in every possible shape, size, colour, and price! Some are bizarre, some are trendy, some are healthy, and some are just about all the cream. Read on to know which ice cream spots are keeping you chill in Kolkata:
Fat Little Penguin
Fat Little Penguin is popular in Kolkata for the mini ice cream cakes that resemble sushi and taste like heaven. This frozen delight has layers of chocolate, vanilla, and nutty flavours, along with dipping sauces (caramel, hello!). For extra chill vibes and excitement, visit the TFLP Scoop Store in Ballygunge. Other than that, the Jalapeno Cream Cheese flavour is salty vanilla ice cream with a tart spicy jalapeno at its centre, tucked between two layers of biscuit. The sweet and sour cream cheese gives way to the spicy jalapeno crust inside! Located in Palm Avenue, this brand has curated a unique menu of homemade ice creams, iced floats, refreshing sherbets and creamy sorbets. The authentic homemade flavours are blended with the goodness of fresh ingredients that are healthy and taste way better than your store-bought ice creams and desserts! Their flavours include both classics with a swirl of quirk as well as innovative and fun, all homemade with strict adherence to hygiene and safety precautions. On the first and third Mondays of every month, they take orders for special dietary needs. You can score your keto, vegan or lactose-free ice-creams on those days.
Address: 13/7, The Fat Little Penguin, Palm Ave, Kolkata, West Bengal 700019
Timings: 12 PM - 12 AM
Cost: INR 200 for two
Image Credit: Fat Little Penguin
Kahhak Creamery
We've all cried out for ice cream at some point in our lives. A tiny ice cream shop called Kahhak Creamery offers some amazing, lovely, and tasty ice cream. They do offer a variety of flavours, each unique on its own. A coffee lover's paradise, their Drupe Qahwah is incredibly rich, nutty, and well-balanced. You will be taken aback by Earl Cocoa's velvety cocoa and subtle Earl Grey spice, while their premium range of ice creams includes unique flavours like Blue Fig, Honey Comb, Shades of Black, Auric Aura, Mandarin Monk and much more. Because these gelatos are slow-churned in small batches with 40% overrun ensure that high intensity of air is whipped into the ice cream, resulting in a smoother, creamier, and richer taste. Compared to conventional ice cream, Kahhak Creamery ice creams are low in calories, use only natural ingredients, are vegan, have no preservatives, and are creamier and more flavourful.
Address: 8/1A, Ground Floor, Golpark, Hindustan Park, Gariahat, Kolkata, West Bengal 700029
Timing: 12 PM - 12 AM
Cost: INR 100 for two
Image Credit: Kahhak Creamery
Icy Fusion
In any situation, a hearty serving of ice cream may lift our spirits! The distinctive concept that Icy Fusion offers truly appealed to us. The Lavacious (a bestseller!), Ferrero Fudge, Nutella Ferrero, Choco Blast, and Mr Brownie are just a few of the delectable treats available for chocolate enthusiasts. The Fruit Fusion--multi-flavoured ice cream infused with fresh-cut exotic fruits, Fruit Basket (a fruity punch of apple, plum, and kiwi along with fun toppings), and Pina Crunch (a mixture of pineapple crunch ice cream plus fresh pineapple, praline, choc chips, and choco sticks)—are must-order desserts if you enjoy fruity flavours. Icy Fusion is a small, trendy ice cream parlour. Perhaps they are the first to introduce ice cream fusion on an ice table in Kolkata.
Address: 18/1, Sarat Bose Rd, Rowland Row, Ballygunge, Kolkata, West Bengal 700020
Timings: 11 AM - 2 AM
Cost: INR 300 for two
Image Credit: Icy Fusion
Mama Mia
Stardust Vanilla is here to raise the ice cream-tasting experience at Mama Mia to an entirely different level, so there's no point in returning to vanilla and standard chocolate ice cream. The Stardust Vanilla, which uses premium vanilla and gets its texture and colour from activated charcoal, has been an international hit. For those who enjoy whisky, the dark chocolate gelato has a wicked twist thanks to a splash of Black Label whisky's smoky flavour. It's 96% fat-free, so you won't have to worry about calories while still enjoying the flavour! And, yes, the flavouring is alcohol-free. Remember to cool off with a variety of vegan popsicles, too! Raspberry Pop, Green Mango Tango Pop, Jamun Pop, Alphonso Mango Pop, Virgin Mojito Lemon Pop, and Hawaiian Pineapple Pop are among the various varieties.
Address: 59, Ballygunge Circular Rd, beside MAMA MIA, Ballygunge, Kolkata, West Bengal 700019
Timings: 11 AM - 12 AM
Cost: INR 500 for two
Image Credit: Mama Mia!
Kookie Jar
Alright, so Kookie Jar—yes, the famous one from 1985—now makes wonderful artisanal ice creams. No eggs or strange ingredients, just all-natural, fresh cream in small amounts. The palettes? French vanilla, strawberry, salted caramel, cappuccino, Belgian chocolate, and this fantastic orange and orange rind. While the coffee and chocolate remain timeless, the orange one? Refreshing, zingy, and citrusy; excellent for the summers in Kolkata. Sister duo, Lovey and Puja, are the creators behind your much-loved chocolate boats at Kookie Jar. The more than 30-year-old bakery has been churning out baked goods faster than we can eat them. Chef, entrepreneur and baker, Lovey opened Kookie Jar back in 1985 when she couldn’t keep up with the orders that were flooding in for her home business. Grab a slice of black forest or a strawberry tart along with your ice-creams as an ode to one of the most successful entrepreneurships in the city.
Address: Ground Floor Express Tower 42A, Auckland Road, Shakespeare Sarani, Kolkata, West Bengal 700017
Timings: 8 AM - 9:30 PM
Cost: INR 800 for two
Image Credit: Kookie Jar