Best ice cream in Toronto
If you didn’t know, the best time to get ice cream is in the dead of winter. Go during the night if you can. That way, you can avoid summer lineups. It might sound like a joke, but not until you see the queues at Bang Bang Ice Cream during warmer months.
Bang Bang seems like any other boutique ice cream store on the surface. Indie, takeout only, free samples, some creative flavours, but not eyebrow-raising like Death In Venice. Their strength lies in perfecting what they do. I am no ice cream connoisseur but Bang Bang is superior to chi-chi ice creameries I’ve tried in foodie American cities.
Their unique claims to fame include ice cream cradled in Hong Kong egg waffles (鷄蛋仔) and signature flavours like Totaro (ube and coconut) and London Fog (Earl Grey). “Bakery” is in Bang Bang’s full name, though they really only produce confections that can be slathered with ice cream. This isn’t a knock on their baked products. They are good but ice cream is really Bang Bang’s raison d’être.
The food
Bang Bang has around ten mainstays on their menu. They have many more seasonal flavours. In summer, sampling is limited to a few flavours because of the long queues. With less customers in winter, you can leisurely try many flavours before committing to buy. I recommend trying their signatures first before going for the limited edition ones.
Ice cream is served in pints, cups, cones, half-cookie sandwiches, full-cookie sandwiches, and HK egg waffle. A half-cookie sandwich is ice cream sandwiched between two cookie halves. All cones and pastries are made in-house.
I am not crazy about ice cream cookie sandwiches. Cookies are fine enough on their own. Nevertheless, I tried a mango puddin’ ice cream with “Everything” half-cookies. I could add sticky rice for a small premium, and I did. It was an innovative homage to the Thai dessert, khao niao mamuang (ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง; mango on coconut sticky rice). In its traditional form, mango slices are laid on a bed of rice. Bang Bang inverts the relationship. There was much more mango goodness than rice. The rice ended up as a mere topping for texture. It made me feel like I was eating a frozen version of the traditional Thai dessert, minus the starch. 8.5/10.
The cookie was all right. It’s hard to overshadow outstanding ice cream. The Everything cookie contained oats, peanut butter, and chocolate pretzels. I prefer a softer cookie but I understand why they went for a crisp texture. It holds up better to ice cream. 7/10.
One of Bang Bang’s regular flavours is matcha gemaicha tiramisu (green tea, toasted brown rice tea, coffee, chiffon cake film). Yes, somehow they managed to inject swirls of cake inside ice cream. All the advertised flavours came through. The matcha was front and center, followed by small punches of coffee and cream. There was also a slight hint of booze. Every now and then, I came across thin films of cake that added textural interest. Proportions of all components were perfect. 8.5/10.
I am a sucker for experimental flavours. When I visited in the summer, I tried a limited time flavour: Ontario cherry and milkjam twist. It had the trademark creaminess of Bang Bang’s ice creams. The two flavours were twisted pleasingly on top of the cone. The beige milkjam tasted like milk candy. The cherry ice cream was tangy and would have been overwhelming without the rich milkjam. It was a refreshing summer combination. 7.5/10.
Honestly, I don’t go for their most popular flavours. Don’t get me wrong, they are top-notch but it comes down to personal preference. For example, the velvety purple Totaro is hyped up by those unfamiliar with ube, a sweet Southeast Asian tuber. I don’t crave for sweet root vegetables in ice cream, so it’s not on the top of my list. 8/10.
The London Fog will appeal to those who like Earl Grey tea. I don’t because it’s too floral for me. But it is an intensely accurate reproduction of Earl Grey. 8/10.
For something light and refreshing, almost like a sorbet, I go for lychee rosewater raspberry. This combination requires delicate balance between sweet lychee, sour raspberry, and floral rosewater. Bang Bang nails it. 8.5/10.
The place
Owing to its location on the trendy restaurant row of Ossington Avenue, Bang Bang is perpetually crowded. Your best bet is to go when it rains, snows, or just when it opens.
The interior is hipster: white tiled walls and exposed ceilings. Flavours of the day are written on cans and placed on shelves. When a flavour is sold out, the can is taken down.
Bang Bang is strictly takeout. There is barely enough space for 10 standing customers in there. For the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become a takeout window.
Verdict
Best ice cream in Toronto. Creamy and vivid. Hyper-realistic experience of described flavours. 8.5/10.
Practical information
- Name
- Bang Bang Ice Cream and Bakery
- Rating
- 8.5/10
- Recommended dishes
- Mango puddin’
Matcha genmaicha tiramisu
Lychee rosewater raspberry - Prices (including tax)
- Single scoop (non-vegan): $4.97
Single scoop (vegan): $4.99
Sugar cone: $0.17
Sticky rice for mango puddin’: $0.28
Rum for matcha genmaicha tiramisu: $1.13
Ice cream half-cookie sandwich (non-vegan): $5.99
Ice cream cookie sandwich (non-vegan): $8.93
Big bang waffle with single scoop: $8.99 - Address
- 93A Ossington Avenue
- Hours
- Tuesday to Thursday 1400h – 2000h
Friday to Sunday 1200h – 2000h - Date of visit
- August 2017, July 2020, February 2021