If there’s one city that loves its ice cream as much as its IPL team it’s Chennai. For most of us, no IPL or International cricket game is complete without a visit to the ice cream kiosks around the stadium. My first memories of cricket games at Chepauk aka the MA Chidambaram Stadium (or just MAC) always revolve around polishing off a few Choco bars. That hasn’t changed to this day. Most Chennaites will tell you that the city is the ice cream capital of India. There’s enough evidence to back this audacious claim.
The city’s ice cream landscape was dominated by local players through much of the 20th century. Brands like Dasaprakash, Joy and Buhari ruled the roost even as newer players like Arun entered the scene. While most of these were grab-and-go options, the city saw the emergence of ice cream parlours from brands like Chit Chat and Snofield that still serve old-school sundaes like they used to in the 1980s. The gourmet wave of gelaterias and the premiumisation of ice cream happened in the 2010s and then came the pandemic and the rise of the homegrown (literally) cloud kitchens that morphed into gourmet ice cream and gelato destinations. We take you through some of the city’s must-try ice cream stops in a fun trail:
1. Ciclo Cafe
We were at the sneak peek a few months ago when Ciclo’s Kotturpuram outlet showcased Scoops by Ciclo that’s fronted by Sanjana Ramesh, who helms the production of one of the city’s most delicious ice creams. Sanjana has leveraged her experience in Italy to create a large flavour bank – there are 12 flavours on show every day. Do check out the Milo and Pistachio flavours.
Gandhi Mandapam Road, Kotturpuram
Also Read:10 Mouthwatering Local Breakfast Dishes In Chennai You Can’t Miss
2. Friends
Photo Credit: Friends
A product of the pandemic and an Instagram-first customer base, Les Amis was started as a tiny outlet in the Anna Nagar residential neighbourhood by Praveen Rajagopal and Abhinav Dega who are passionate about gelatos, before morphing into a massive dining destination close to Chennai’s premier Boat Club neighbourhood. This is one of the city’s premier gelato destinations with a flavour bank of more than 400 gelatos and a slant on fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Chamiers Road
3. Nakku Popsicles
Photo Credit: Nakku Popsicles
This cleverly named (Nakku is the Tamil word for lick) ice cream cart in Anna Nagar has quickly become a popular evening destination (they are only open from 6:30 pm onwards) for their unique offering of popsicles. The popsicles (the Belgian chocolate is a popular option) are stored in sub-zero temperatures and are torched on site before being served to create the perfect temperature to enjoy their popsicles.
10th Main Road, Anna Nagar
4. Amateur Gourmet
Photo Credit: Amadora Gourmet
One of Chennai’s first gourmet ice cream brands to expand beyond the city, Amadora has been one of the city’s preferred dessert destinations with their emphasis on fine ingredients minus artificial flavours. Their Mami’s filter coffee ice cream is a tribute to the city’s eternal romance with filter coffee while signature sundaes like Hail Mary truly hit the spot.
Wallace Garden 3rd Street
5. Ibaco
First, it was Arun ice creams (their Cassata is still a local legend), Hatsun Foods one of India’s most successful dairy and ice cream companies has its roots in Chennai and launched the Ibaco chain of ice creams across the city. This brand has expanded across the country and serves high-quality ice creams at an affordable price point in cosy neighbourhood-style ice cream parlours. Their fruit-based ice creams (like the jackfruit) are bestsellers; we’re also partial to their Belgian chocolate.
Multiple outlets
6. Shraddha Lulla Gourmet
Photo Credit: Shraddha Lulla Gourmet
We first checked out Shraddha Lulla’s gourmet ice creams at an event in ITC Grand Chola. Started in the middle of the pandemic as a delivery brand, Shraddha Lulla opened her first outlet recently at the Phoenix Market City Mall. Regulars keep going back for their ice cream cakes and sugar-free ice creams.
Phoenix Market City, Velachery
7. Afters Gelato
Photo Credit: Afters Gelato
Tucked away in a quiet residential quarter of Thiruvanmiyur, Afters is one of the city’s many neighbourhood gelaterias and ice cream destinations that have sprung up this decade. Quite a few of their gelatos are driven by Chennai nostalgia including their tribute to Chennai’s most famous rose milk, that’s churned out by the dozens at Kalathi store in Mylapore.
East Kamaraj Street, Thiruvanmiyur
8. Ashvah 24
Photo Credit: Asvah 24
With sweeping views of the Neelankarai beach, this atmospheric dining destination has also recently launched a new range of gluten-free and egg-free ice creams curated in association with Chef Rithwik Anantharaman. The range includes refreshing sorbets (Try the Frose with strawberry and champagne) and rich ice creams like the tipsy orange with 54% dark chocolate, whisky and orange.
Beach Road, Neelankarai
9. Snofield
This OG ice cream parlour is a throwback to the 1980s and 1990s, of weekend visits to ice cream parlours with extended family and shy first dates. The menu hasn’t changed much (and that’s a good thing) with a whole range of old-school sundaes and classic flavours.
Cathedral Road
