The onset of summer is usually marked by an increase in ice cream sales across the country. While international chains like Haagen Dazs price their ice creams a little higher than most other places, an unassuming ice cream shop in Chennai is known for selling ice cream at a shocking price. Located in a corner of Chennai's West Mambalam neighbourhood, Vinu’s Igloo is an ice cream shop that sells ice cream cones for ₹2. Scores of people queue outside to get their fill of the affordable sweet treat. The promotion is so popular that customers arrive from as far away as Puducherry.
Vinu’s Igloo was established by Vijayan Vinoth in 1995. Back then, a cone used to cost just ₹1. The price was then hiked to ₹2, which was the case until 2008 when labour issues led to the shuttering of the outlet. The place reopened in February 2022, with cones priced at ₹2. Vinu’s Igloo is now run by Vijayan Vinoth’s son, V Vinoth, who decided to continue with the old pricing strategy. The ₹2 cones come in flavours like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, pistachio and mango. According to a CNBCTV18 report, nearly 1,500 customers visit the place everyday to be able to get their hands on a ₹2 cone.
There are some other popular ice cream shops in Chennai besides Vinu’s Igloo. These may not sell ice cream at the humble price of ₹2, but are still known for the quality of the ice cream they sell. Some of the best places for ice cream in Chennai are:
Amadora
Known for its tempting ice cream flavours and decadent sundaes, Amadora lives up to its reputation. The ice creams here use locally sourced ingredients and are made without preservatives. Their mud pie, which is made with their filter coffee ice cream, is a bestseller and the ice cream sandwiches are popular, too.
Location: 23, Wallace Garden 3rd Street, Thousand Lights West, Thousand Lights, Chennai.
Timings: Daily, 11am-midnight.
Cost for two: ₹500
Cream Stone
Cream Stone is known primarily for its fruit ice creams that come in flavours like lychee, kala jamun and guava. If fruity ice creams aren’t your thing, choose from chocolate, berry, tiramisu or Ferrero Rocher. It’s also possible to mix and match and create your own flavour. Sundaes and ice creams topped with nuts are also on the menu.
Location: 253, TT Krishnamachari Road, opposite Puma, Alwarpet, Chennai and other outlets.
Timings: Daily, 11am-1.30am.
Cost for two: ₹300
Pabrai's Fresh & Naturelle Ice Creams
Unusual flavours like bubblegum, chikoo, anjeer, gandhraj lemona and ginger honey characterise the ice creams at Pabrai’s. There’s also tender coconut, sitaphal, pink guava, watermelon, muskmelon and paan. Nalen gur, made with date palm jaggery, is their signature flavour.
Location: Shop E, 63, 4th Main Road, Besant Nagar, Chennai.
Timings: Daily, 11am-10.30pm.
Cost for two: ₹200
