Ice Cream House is an ice-cream parlour and restaurant in Boro Park. The Kosher Cactus visited Ice Cream House in August of 2021, and this review was written in September of 2021.
Just so you know, there’s another Ice Cream House in Williamsburg and another in Flatbush, that are not the subject of this article. But look out- we’ll write them up soon!
- Where is Ice Cream House located?
- What is the vibe at Ice Cream House?
- What kind of food do they serve at Ice Cream House?
- Kosher supervision
- Is Ice Cream House kid-friendly?
- Is Ice Cream House wheelchair accessible?
- Final Thoughts
Where is Ice Cream House located?
Ice Cream House is located at 2 Church Avenue, at the triangle where CHurch meets 14th Avenue and 37th St.
If you drive, you can find parking directly outside the shop. If it’s a particularly hot day, a Sunday, or a public holiday, however, you’d have an easier time not driving. You can take a car service, which will drop you at the door and eliminate the hour of circling until you find parking.
If you’d rather take public transport, you can ride on the B16 or B35, which stop on Church Ave and 36th St.
There’s also a B and G subway station at McDonald and Church, which is just a 3 minute walk from the Ice Cream House.
What time does the Ice Cream House open?
The shop is open from 8AM- 11:45PM, Monday- Thursday, 8AM-3PM on Fridays, and around 8PM-1AM on Saturdays (depending on the season).
What is the vibe at Ice Cream House?
There’s nothing quite like a good old fashioned ice cream parlour. Ice Cream House is exactly that, but with all the bells and whistles of a modern restaurant.
Ice Cream House (I can’t keep writing it out, I’m too lazy. I’m gonna call it ICH. Thanks.) has added an entire dairy restaurant menu, and digitized the ordering process to make your visit smooth and easy. There is a huge dining room in the back, with seating for almost 100, and on a hot summer day, the space can be completely full- with a line out the door.
Do I need to make a reservation?
For sure not! Although it does fill up quickly, the turnover rate at the tables is extremely high. Most of the customers are just stopping in for ice cream, not a full meal. The staff are also extremely efficient, and the wait time for food is practically non-existent.
What kind of food do they serve at Ice Cream House?
Firstly, obviously, ice cream. ICH has probably the most extensive Kosher (Chalav Yisrael) ice cream menu in New York, and possibly in the world. There are over 40 options at any given time, and plenty of special flavors that come and go- like Fruity Pebbles or Apple Cinnamon.
In the last few years, ICH has also expanded their restaurant menu, from just salads to pasta dishes, soups, pizza, nachos, hot and cold sandwiches and pastries. Although the food is not exactly a 3-michelin-star quality, it’s quick, it’s very decent, and it’s very affordable.
What is on the menu at Ice Cream House?
Here are some of the food dishes that we have tasted. There are plenty of options, just so you know, and most of our visits to ICH are just ice cream- and there’s more on that later.
Penne a la Vodka.
This was great, and came (as did the rest of our order) extremely quickly. The sauce was a little thin, but piping hot and had a homemade feel to it. It was not too salty, which was great. The pasta was perfectly al dente, and the portion was the perfect size to split between two.
Salad Bar.
Although ICH has a wide variety of menu salads, my favorite (and the most affordable, IMHO) is the do-it-yourself salad. You can choose every single thing that goes into the salad, and the dressing. Included is a lettuce base, and up to 8 options of vegetables from a menu of more that 30 options. You can also choose to add a scoop of protein- eggs, tuna, lox. You can add special requests to the order, and customize every single detail. Because the ICH has changed their ordering process to screens instead of over-the-counter ordering, figuring out what to order is a breeze. Also- the salad we ordered was fresh, perfectly made to order, and very good.
Veggie Melt Panini.
This toasted sandwich is shockingly good. I chose whole wheat bread for mine, and added sauteed onions to the roasted zucchini, eggplant and peppers that are in the panini. The entire thing arrived dripping mozzarella down the sides- they were very generous with the cheese. The staff had thoughtfully cut the fully-loaded panini in half, and both sides were steaming and delicious.
What else is on the menu?
- Soft & Hard Ice Creams
- Soft & Hard Sorbets
- Shakes
- Sundaes
- House Blends
- Cold Drinks
- Hot Drinks
- Juices
- Breakfast Bar
- Salads
- Sandwiches
- Pizza
- Pasta
- Paninis
- Soups
- Popcorn & Nachos
- Pastries
- Ice Cream Cakes
What is the best dish at Ice Cream House?
Any of the ice cream, obviously. But- have you tried the cheesecake flavor?
It seems to be regular (vanilla?) ice cream that they stuck an entire cheesecake into. AN ENTIRE CHEESECAKE. With every bit of this ice cream, you get little bits of actual, real cheesecake. Like, the crust. The filling. Everything.
I’m partial to Cookie-Dough and Lotus Caramel, but the Cheesecake is just insane.
What are the ice cream options at Ice Cream House?
All of the ice cream is actually very, very good. You can order in a cup, a cone, a chocolate-dipped cone, a waffle cone, or a chocolate-dipped waffle cone. Or a waffle cup. And oh, wait, also a chocolate-dipped waffle cup.
There are about 15 options for topping, with suggestions like Nougat Fudge and Sweet Peanuts. And on any given day, there are more than 40 ice cream options, from Apple Pie to Zebra Cookie. Truthfully, you really need to visit and see all the flavors for yourself.
The best part? If you see something that really looks fantastic, but you’re not sure if you are ready to commit (ice cream is a big decision), you can ask the server for a tasting spoon! Yaaaas!
How do I go off-menu?
I don’t think you can.
The menu is so customizable that if you want to change something, or add something, you can just pop instructions into the notes (remember, you are ordering on a screen, not to a person) and you are done.
Want frozen bananas on your pizza? Sure, they can do that. (Please don’t, though.)
What Hashgacha are they under?
Ice Cream House is under the Kosher supervision of HaRav Usher Ekstein.
Everything is Chalav Yisrael, and all breads are Kemach Yashan and Pas Yisrael.
Does Ice Cream House serve drinks?
Yes, ICH serves drinks! You can order standar coffees, teas and bottled drinks. They also have a full menu of smoothies, Razzles, milkshakes and juices.
Are there vegan/ vegetarian options on the menu?
Because ICH is dairy, all the items are vegetarian. They also have a wide selection of vegan ice creams, with standard flavors like chocolate and vanilla, and more exotic flavors like
If you are trying to stick with the dairy-free options, you can order a smoothie with a juice base. I’d recommend getting a banana / pineapple combo. A little sweet maybe, but absolutely delicious.
Although some food items on the menu have cheese inside (pastas, pizzas) you can definitely order a salad without cheese, fish or eggs.
Is Ice Cream House kid-friendly?
Yes! As well as numerous high-chairs in the seating area, almost every menu item would be great for kids- even the fussiest eaters.
Is Ice Cream House wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the restaurant is wheelchair accessible. There are also accessible restrooms.
Do they serve desserts?
Um, yes? LOL.
Final Thoughts
Although it would not be the first thing you’d think of if looking for a restaurant to eat out at, the Ice Cream House is actually a great option, especially if you have children with you. (We did spy a cute couple on a date, so it seems kids are not necessary though.)
The food is surprisingly good, the service is incredibly quick, and the entire experience was a really fun trip out. For 3 dishes, waffles, 3 scoops of ice cream in cones and 1 smoothie shake, we paid $68.
