(SPOT.ph) Perhaps it’s the distinctive swirly appearance (plus colorful toppings, where applicable) that makes for some drool-worthy eye candy; perhaps it’s the soft, light texture which, combined with the cold temperature, makes for an ethereal experience. Either way, there’s just something about soft-serve ice cream that keeps it high up on our food radar, even after all these years. With more air whipped in and a touch less fat than regular ice cream, this frozen dessert has transcended being a mere trend—and from what we’re seeing, its popularity has yet to die down anytime soon. Here are 10 places to hit up any time you’re hankering for a cold, sweet treat.
Also read:
10 Best Soft-Serve Ice Cream P50 Can Buy
10 Places in Manila That Are Leveling Up the Soft-Serve Game
These Are the Soft-Serve Flavors You Need to Try Right Now
Here are 10 great places for soft-serve in Manila:
am.pm
Hong Kong dessert joint am.pm might be known for their souffle pancakes, but their soft-serve holds its own too. You can get it in Vanilla Milk and Ube, either alongside their signature jiggly pancakes for an additional P50—we love the creamy Vanilla Milk with their caramel-rich Creme Brulee pancakes (P210)—or as a standalone cone for P110.
am.pm is at Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Parañaque City.
Aqua S
This Aussie soft-serve spot dishes out colorful swirls of soft-serve (P90/three ounces, P110/five ounces, P130/eight ounces or on a cone) with flavors that change twice a month—some former contenders include Snickers, Dulce de Leche, Hazelnut with Dark Cherry, and Raspberry. A mainstay flavor, however, is the Sea Salt, which you can swirl with the other flavors for a savory-sweet treat. You’ll want to try them with their toppings (P30)—choose between the Fairy Floss, Sweet Popcorn, Popping Candy, or Grilled Marshmallow for an extra-sweet treat.
Aqua S is at UG/F Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City.
Patisserie Bebe Rouge
Ever tried Cremia’s soft serve in a langue de chat (a.k.a. lengua de gato) cone in Japan? If not, head over to this Japanese café, where you can get a similar treat of Hokkaido Milk-based soft serve in a langue de chat cone (P110) that they make in-house. It has a thick body that feels especially creamy on the tongue as it softens, making it a treat for the books.
Patisserie Bebe Rouge is at 7602 Sacred Heart Street corner Metropolitan Avenue, San Antonio, Makati City.
BAKE Cheese Tart
This Japanese cheese tart venture offers an extra-creamy take on soft-serve that only comes in one flavor, Hokkaido Milk (P140) and with no options for toppings—just the choice between a cone or a cup)—but wows with its extra-creamy body nonetheless. When something’s this good, you hardly need any frills.
See a list of BAKE Cheese Tart branches.
Bucky’s
Home to non-brownies and leveled-up takes on fast-food favorites, Bucky’s at The Grid also churns out soft-serve (P150) made with carabao milk for an extra-creamy, dreamy consistency and flavor. You can get it in two flavors, Milk and Chocolate, though they do offer seasonal flavors like Graham and Strawberry from time to time. They’re best enjoyed as part of their Parfaits (P280)—choose from the Mango or Banana Split, or go the Make Your Own Bucky Parfait option where you can get three toppings that include different cereals, brown butter polvoron, and chunks of their famous “non-brownies.”
Bucky's is at The Grid, Level R2, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City.
Black Scoop Café
Black Scoop Café offers soft-serve in unusual flavors: Black Mascarpone (P120/plain cup), Milk Tea (P120/plain cup), and Ovaltine (P140/plain cup). Sure you can have them plain, but lovers of experimentation are in for a treat as they can be personalized with their extensive lineup of toppings: syrups (P20) like Blueberry and Peach Honey, sinkers (P20) like Black Bison Pearls and Egg Pudding, and crunchy elements (P25) like Grahams and Rice Crispies.
See a list of Black Scoop Café branches.
Exchange Alley Coffee House
Come for the specialty coffee, stay for the amazingly creamy soft-serve at Exchange Alley Coffee House. Made with milk sourced from a local farm in Pampanga, their soft-serve can be enjoyed on a langues de chat cone a la Cremia (P160), drizzled with a Risa Chocolate shell (P160), as an affogato with a shot of espresso (P160), or blended with espresso and milk into an EACH shake (P190).
Exchange Alley Coffee House is at Unit 3 Molito Commercial Complex, Madrigal Avenue corner Commerce Avenue, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Cow Cow Ice by Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory
More than their cheese-infused cookies and Japanese-style cheesecakes, Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory boasts a lineup of soft-serve called Cow Cow Ice. It’s smooth and whippy yet especially rich and creamy in flavor—take your pick from the Hokkaido Milk (P150), made with Jersey milk and mascarpone cheese from Hokkaido; Hokkaido Cheese (P170), made with cream cheese and Hokkaido Gouda cheese; or get them both swirled together (P170). They’re plenty indulgent on their own, but are even more knock-your-socks-off good when taken with one of their signature cookies (P60) or with a slice of their cheesecake (P120) alongside.
See a list of Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory branches.
Tsujiri
Tsujiri is a haven for green-tea lovers, and their matcha soft-serve—dubbed the O-Matcha Soft Ice Cream (P150)—does not disappoint, balancing creaminess with the no-holds-barred earthiness of matcha. They offer a Vanilla version too (P130), and if you’re torn, you can always have the two swirled together (P150). Either flavor can be had with toppings like kinako (P10), kuromitsu (P10), and shiratama (P15) or as part of one of their sundaes, like the Tsujiri Sundae (P275/vanilla, P295/matcha or with both flavors) with layers of red bean, mochi, and toasted rice.
See a list of Tsujiri branches.
The Lost Bread
Crazy toasts and milkshakes aside, The Lost Bread’s also known for their soft-serve and has even been listed as one of the best ice cream parlours in the world. Their most basic flavor is dubbed the Blue Vanilla, but they also offer seasonal flavors from time to time that are patterned after nostalgic Filipino confections like Butterball, Hawhaw, Choc Nut, plus their latest baby, the Chuckie. Have it on its own or with toppings—they’ve got a number of preset options like the Summer Camp Smores with torched marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate syrup (P95/cone, P165/cup), or you can also create your own mix (P110/cone, P180/cup).
See a list of The Lost Bread branches.
