Best Ice Cream Restaurants in Lower East Side (10002)
5 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Il Laboratorio del Gelato
Meticulous, lab-style gelato production with an unusually broad flavor roster.
Notable Picks
8.8
Il Laboratorio del Gelato has been churning dense, intensely flavored gelato on Ludlow Street since the early 2000s, with a rotating board that runs from seasonal fruit to offbeat flavors. Locals treat it as the Lower East Side’s dessert counterpoint to nearby restaurants, stopping in for precise scoops rather than towering sundaes.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fresh Ginger Gelato, Pistachio Gelato, Dark Chocolate Sorbetto
What makes it special: Meticulous, lab-style gelato production with an unusually broad flavor roster.
#2
Soft Swerve
8.6
Soft Swerve’s Allen Street flagship helped make ube and black sesame soft serve mainstream in downtown Manhattan, pairing ultra-creamy swirls with cereal, mochi, and candy-bar toppings. The small shop stays busy late into the night with dessert runs after dumplings, noodles, and bar hops nearby.
Must-Try Dishes:
Ube Soft Serve with Toppings, Black Sesame Soft Serve, Woodside Sundae
What makes it special: Asian-inspired soft serve flavors like ube and black sesame with playful toppings.
#3
Julia Jean's
8.4
Julia Jean’s is a narrow, nostalgic scoop shop in the southeastern corner of the Lower East Side, focusing on classic flavors and throwback sundaes made with small-batch ice cream. Opened in 2025 by ice cream maker Ayanna Quint, it already draws regulars for banana splits, layered sundaes, and carefully textured scoops.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cherry Vanilla Scoop, The Boss Sundae, Marshmallow Situation Sundae
What makes it special: Old-school sundaes and classic flavors served in a tight, nostalgic space.
8.3
On Grand Street, Smoove Ice Cream leans into rich, ultra-smooth hard ice cream in flavors that range from ube and Thai tea to jasmine milk tea. The shop doubles as a destination for boba floats and ice cream cakes, making it a flexible stop for both quick scoops and take-home desserts.
Must-Try Dishes:
Ube Boba Float, Thai Tea Boba Float, Jasmine Milk Tea Ice Cream
What makes it special: Dense, ultra-creamy ice cream with boba floats and Asian-leaning flavors.
Tucked inside Essex Market, Lower East Side Ice Cream Factory is a counter from the family behind Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, serving flavors that nod to both neighborhood history and Asian American staples. It’s a practical stop for scoops between errands, food-hall meals, or market shopping.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lychee Ice Cream, Black Sesame Ice Cream, Thai Iced Tea Ice Cream
What makes it special: Market-stall scoops from the longtime Chinatown Ice Cream Factory family.