Ice cream heaven. (Photos by Robin Summerfield)
Winnipeg is an ice cream town. We eat ice cream all year long. When the first warmish day hits every spring, you'll find die hard fans grabbing the first cone of the season.
Sargent Sundae, a seasonal ice cream parlour in St. James, is typically the first of its kind to open every spring. And after that, the seasonal shops like Banana Boat and Bridge Drive In, open in quick succession.
The remainder of the year, we locals feed our ice cream obsession at a host of restaurants and ice cream shops that are open every day.
With that in mind, here are Winnipeg's Top-10 ice cream purveyors and their specialties.
Eva's Gelato
#101-1001 Corydon Avenue
Neighbourhood: St. James
This family-owned gelato bar will blow your mind with its vast selection of frozen delights. The dulce de leche is unbelievably rich and decadent and definitely worth a try.
Boon Burger Café
141 Bannatyne Avenue
Neighbourhood: Exchange District
79 Sherbrook Street
Neighbourhood: Wolseley
Canada's first vegan burger joint also serves a really great cone. Their creamy concoctions are vegan, dairy free, made with coconut milk and sweetened with cane sugar. A new flavour is unveiled daily at their two Winnipeg locations.
Sargent Sundae
2053 Portage Avenue
Neighbourhood: St. James
Sargent Sundae has a lot going for it starting with its location. This seasonal spot is located a short stroll across the Assiniboine River foot bridge by Assiniboine Park. The staff is friendly and fast. The black licorice ice cream is intense and divine. The kids love the chocolate dipped and sprinkled chocolate-vanilla twist cones found in the freezer case. The adults love them too.
Nucci's Gelati
643 Corydon Avenue
Neighbourhood: Corydon
This family-owned Winnipeg gelato spot has been open for 53 years, earning it an award for longevity. But its the epic selection of house-made gelati—including a very tarty lemon and a smooth white chocolate—that make Nucci's a must try.
Marble Slab Creamery
Four Winnipeg locations in St. Vital, Corydon, River Heights and Kildonan.
For addresses click here.
Marble Slab Creamery is a chain company. Don't hold it against them. This ice-cream shop serves some of the most intense and authentic flavours. Birthday Cake ice cream will blow your mind. Carrot Cake and Cinnamon Bun rank high too from their menu of 50 flavours. Choose from about 20 toppings to complete your one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Lactose-free and low-fat frozen yogurt are also served in a wide variety of flavours ensuring everyone, no matter what their tummy needs, will get a taste.
Banana Boat
390 Osborne Street
Neighbourhood: Osborne Street South
This seasonal shop has some of the friendliest staff around. Its proximity to the Red River and the cycling trails make it a great stop after a bicycle ride. Hard and soft ice cream are served. The chocolate peanut butter cup and the blue licorice are crowd favourites.
Sub Zero Ice Cream
298 Jamieson Avenue
Neighbourhood: Kildonan
This neighbourhood spot is a favourite among locals. It's tucked on a residential street one block west of Henderson Highway. (Insider's Tip: Check Google maps before heading out.) It serves shakes, sundaes and all the favourites but the parfaits (about 30) are the stars here. Flavours like Peach Cobbler, Cherry Blossom.
Peasant Cookery
100-283 Bannatyne Avenue
Neighbourhood: Exchange District
Order the goats cheese cheesecake and you're rewarded with a scoop of Peasant Cookery's fresh berry sorbet. (The cheesecake is fantastic too.) Inside this Exchange District eatery, the sorbet selection changes with the harvest. Expect intense flavours like strawberry, raspberry and blackberry.
Park Café at Assiniboine Park
330 Assiniboine Park Drive (beside the duck pond)
Neighbourhood: Tuxedo
Serving possibly the creamiest frozen yogurt in town, Park Café has people lining up at its to-go window every warm day all summer long. The not-too-sweet frozen yogurt comes in chocolate, vanilla and twist versions. A smaller kids cone will satisfy most adult-sized appetites but go for the regular if you're feeling peckish.
and Number 11...
There are so many fantastic places for ice cream in Winnipeg, an eleventh selection in the Top-10 list was needed. A best-of ice cream in Winnipeg list must include Bridge Drive In, or BDI.
766 Jubilee Avenue
Neighbourhood: Osborne Street South
BDI is an old-school drive-in that has been in business more than 70 years. Located adjacent to the 100-year-old Elm Park Bridge aka the BDI Bridge, the BDI is a fan favourite in Winnipeg. Every summer, ice cream lovers converge at the drive in by walking, driving or cycling from either side of the Red River. The foot bridge over the Red River connects the BDI to legions of fans on the other side. A wide selection on soft ice cream, sundaes, shakes and their famous specials like The Goog, and The Canterbury keep crowds coming back.
And Honorable Mention...
Cornell Creme
So what if Cornell Creme isn't technically an ice cream stand, this locally owned creamery deserves a mention. In Winnipeg, Market Burger and Make Coffee & Stuff have Cornell on the menu. Lemon Meringue, Velvety Chocolate Truffle and Natural Vanilla Bean are standouts in this six-product (and growing) line. For a list of retailers click here.
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