Best Ice Cream in Amsterdam
Of all the delicious foods the Italian mama’s have given the world, gelato may well be the best treat of them all. The Dutch love ice cream and it’s available in many forms. This post focuses on Italian gelato, and a follow up will introduce you to the Dutch ice cream.
The ice-cream parlors are listed based on their location, yet if you are willing to ‘travel’ to the best ice cream parlor then first visit: Monte Pelmo, Pisa, Venezia, Fior de Gelato and Ijscuypje to make up your own mind which one is the best. Don’t forget to tell us the result of your research!
Rivierenbuurt (Zuid): Pisa and Venezia- Two Italian Rivals
with National Following
For decades a fierce ice cream competition is taking place in the Rivierenbuurt, causing a heated debate amongst Amsterdam Ice Cream Lovers. Pisa has been chosen as the “Best Ice Cream Parlor of the Netherlands”. Lots of flavours are available, as opposed to seats (none). Venezia offers besides many flavours, also whole ‘ice cream dishes’ and seats (indoors and outdoors). Both are Italian and have many die hard fans. Which one do you think is better? Pisa, Scheldeplein 10, Amsterdam or Venezia, Scheldestraat 68
Over 70 flavours are home made based on a family old recipe. The factory has been facilitating Amsterdam with ice cream since 1957. First the Cornelisse family travelled around town with their 'ice cream trolley' and bell, but since 1966 the Amsterdammers are but to happy to walk to the Jordaan for a scoop. Serves Italian ice cream and sorbets. According to the Jordanese- the best gelato in the world. Monte Pelmo, 2e Anjeliersstraat 17, Amsterdam.
My Italian friend Roberto, who has been living in Amsterdam for over ten years, finally found a ‘satisfactory’ Italian ice cream parlor: Fior di Gelato. We tried the place on several occassions and not only is the gelato truly Italian, the four Italian gelato loving friends serving you live by the motte: making people smile. One scoop made us smile, but two scoops made us sad: the scoops are too large to enjoy it all, and the gelato is too delicious to go to waste. One super-healthy friend of mine found the gelato slightly too salty. So to make sure you get the 'flavour of your flavour', ask for a 'tasting' bite first. Also, the Espresso has been approved by more than one Italiano. Fior di Gelato, Nieuwe Spiegelgracht 56, Amsterdam.
All over town: Ijscuypje - Sweet & Simple Stalls
Small are these stalls and little is the choice in flavours, yet marvellous are the creamy nutty flavours and ‘almost sparkling’ fresh are the mango and raspberry sorbets. website ijscuypje
First location, De Pijp:
Ijscuypje, Eerste van der Helststraat 27, , Amsterdam
Centre: Ijscuypje crossing Prinsengracht 292-Elandsgracht, , Amsterdam
Zuid: Ijscuypje crossing Amstelveenseweg 218-Koninginneweg , Amsterdam
Jordaan: Ijscuypje, Haarlemmerdijk 14, Amsterdam
Waterlooplein: Mio Ice Cream
Just the sight of the ice cream makes you feel as if you are in Italy; large buckets with a superfluous bulk of frozen cream. In the back of the parlor you can see that the ice cream is home-made. If you can’t make your choice, you can try the different flavours. The Panacotta I found a bit too sweet, so I settled for Pistacchio which was superb. Mio Ice Cream, Waterlooplein 317, Amsterdam.
Nieuwmarkt: Tofani - For Chocoholics
“Best chocolate ice cream in town”. Italian ice cream and Dutch service, which makes a visit to this parlor less fun than it could or should be. Tofani, Kloveniersburgwal 16, Amsterdam.
De Pijp: Het Ijspaleis
Het Ijspaleis is a local meet up place, where ice-cream loving people from the neighbourhood and Cuyp-market-shoppers gather. The Italian owner makes life one big ice cream party with zillion different flavours and charming chatting all day long. Ask him which flavours are new - as he is always happy to introduce you to his latest creamy innovations! Servings are Dutch style; so you can have two scoops after dinner. Het Ijspaleis, Eerste Sweelinckstraat 20, Amsterdam.
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