Six Ice Creams to Savor This Summer

It's gone from nice and cool to muggy and humid within a few days in Beijing, so what better way to cool off than with a bit of ice cream? Below you'll find a selection of places to get an ice cream fix. From gelato to "milk cheese" ice cream to vegan options, there's plenty to choose from.

iGelato

If you're looking for a classic gelato experience you should definitely give iGelato a try. They offer a wide range of flavors, which range from mouth watering chocolate to avocado, which may sound slightly repelling, but it's actually absolutely delicious. For only around RMB 50 you can get two scoops of any of the beloved flavors. In case you're overwhelmed by all the flavors you can ask the staff for a taste beforehand.

iGelato (Hopson One branch)
Hopson One, 3F, Xi Dawang Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区西大望路合生汇购物中心三层东侧手扶梯旁
Hours: Daily, 10am-9pm
Contact: 010 5747 2681

OATLY! Café

If you're not as much of a dairy enthusiast or perhaps even vegan, we suggest you check out the OATLY! Café, which offers only vegan ice cream. Here you can try exclusive flavors such as Mango Passionfruit, Mint Chip and Berry Whiskey, which are all freshly produced with the popular plant based milk by Oatly. You can enjoy one of the exquisite scoops starting at the low price of RMB 36. It's important to note, although the ice cream is vegan, the cones aren't so if you're vegan be sure to avoid those!

OATLY! Cafe 噢麦力
105A, B1, Huamao Shopping Center, 87 Jiangguo Lu
建国路87号华贸购物中心B1-105A
Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
Contact: 150 1026 5789

COMMUNE x Nice Cream

This popular restaurant chain not only offers exquisite food but also beautiful desserts, including the creamy Nice Cream. On the menu, at all three locations, you can find their delicious Nice Cream, which is definitely more on the healthy side, as far as ice cream goes anyway. It's sugar and dairy free, so it's also vegan. Nice Cream produces their "ice cream" by blending various frozen fruits in a high-speed mixer, which not only makes it taste perfectly sweet but also gives it a beautifully smooth texture. They have an array of tasty flavors, which are all the vegan heart could ever desire. You can enjoy one scoop for RMB 50 at any of the three COMMUNE locations.

COMMUNE RESERVE 幻师臻选
101, 1/F, Beijing Guanghua International, 6 Xidawang Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区西大望路6号光华国际大厦1层101
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-2am, Sat-Sun 10am-2am
Contact: 010 6502 0115

COMMUNE•X 幻师主题店
Sanlitun Taikoo Li South Area S8 F3, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯路19号院8号楼3层S08-3内S8-31单元
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-2am, Sat-Sun 10am-2am
Contact: 1521 097 7183

COMMUNE 幻师
1/F, Block D, Zhongjun World City, 9 Jinhui Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区金汇路9号中骏世界城D座1层
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-2am, Sat-Sun 10am-2am
Contact: 152 1097 7183

Baskin-Robbins

This American-born ice cream brand, which departed the capital a few years back, quietly returned to a few malls on Beijing's west side in 2023. Now, they've expanded to the Jianguomen area, so those around the CBD can grab one (RMB 19.9 for junior, RMB 29.9 for big, RMB 33.9 for big in a waffle cone), two (RMB 38.9, RMB 43.8 plus waffle cone), or three (RMB 53.9) of their 31 flavors, which range from chocolate and vanilla all the way to hot honey chocolate and chocolate chip cookie dough.

Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream 芭斯罗缤31冰淇淋
1/F, Guiyou Bldg, Jiangguomen Waidajie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国门外大街贵友大厦1层
Hours: Daily, 10am-9pm
Contact: 010 5367 9831, 186 9951 1513

EIS Engelchen

Conveniently located on Sanlitun Nanlu, you can only find specialty German ice cream at this shop. Opened by a local international school student, this is the first store of its kind directly selling ice cream from EIS Engelchen, a German B2B (business-to-business) brand that supplies cafes and restaurants all across Germany. The interior is just as unique as its backstory, with bright pink walls and matching furniture throughout. The Barbie pink exteriors and interiors are equally matched in vibrancy by the flavors available, ranging from Thai Pineapple Basil to Black Mamba, dark chocolate ice cream coated in neon pink pop rocks candy. You can get one scoop (RMB 38), two scoops (RMB 59), three scoops (RMB 72), or even four (RMB 85), which leaves little excuse to try as many flavors as possible in one go.

EIS Engelchen 艾斯辛尔
108, 1/F, Bldg 1, 43 North Sanlitun Nanlu (Opposite Sanlian Bookstore), Chaoyang District
朝阳区北三里屯南43楼一幢一层108（三联书店对面）
Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
Contact: 185 0117 0258

LACOLA Gelato

Lacola focuses on high quality and low sugar gelato, sustainable production and gorgeous presentation. Their gelato is freshly handmade every single day, and you can even observe this interesting process through the "visual kitchen". They have a variety of flavors to choose from, all starting at RMB 36 for one scoop and RMB 52 for two scoops. If you're looking to visit Lacola you can check out one of their two shops, which are both designed in a stunning, soft mint green, leaning into the natural theme of the business.

LACOLA Gelato (Solana branch)
L-SM 1-29, 1F, Solana Blue Harbor, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳公园路6号院蓝色港湾1层L-SM1-29
Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
Contact: 151 0167 2478

LACOLA Gelato (Beijing Fun branch)
2, 1F Bldg 5, Beijing Fun, Courtyard 21, Langfang Toutiao, Xicheng District
西城区廊房头条21号院北京坊5号楼1层02号因味茶
Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
Contact: 021 8039 4631

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Images: Unsplash, Jingkids, Dianping, The Beijingers