Screaming Good!

WORDS Adrien Sala

PHOTOGRAPHY Jacqueline Downey

It’s good to know that no matter how strange life gets, there is always ice cream—and locally made, at that.

Paletas from Kid Sister

When I was a boy growing up in rural Manitoba, ice cream was a fairly simple affair. There were shakes, storebought sandwiches, soft-serve, and classic cones with standard flavours like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. During the early-’80s, the most adventurous option we could find was giant four-litre tubs of “tiger”—a very Canadian mix of orange-flavoured ice cream with black liquorice swirl—or bubble gum. Given a sales pitch on either of those today, it’d be a hard pass for me. Ice cream has evolved far beyond tiger to become even more adventurous—and I’m here for it. Unique ingredients and collaborations between breweries, peanut butter companies, local farms, and ice cream shops are commonplace—and there is no end of non-dairy options for those of us who won’t tolerate cream. As we head into another strange summer, I feel as if it’s worth knowing what is out there for ice cream these days. While some restrictions are being removed, being outdoors is still the best option—and what better way to enjoy being outside than with a cold cone, bowl, sandwich, or cup of delicious, locally made ice cream?

Waves of gelato flavours at Ottavio's

Cold Comfort (1115 North Park St.) Right in the heart of North Park, Cold Comfort is a favourite outing for many. Available from the canteen window alongside the creamery in the summer, it’s a great spot to experience some neighbourhood vibes. With high-quality ingredients like organic B.C. cream, fresh eggs from happy island hens, fairtrade sugar and chocolate, fresh fruit and seasonal flowers and herbs—as well as plant-based coconut milk concoctions—Cold Comfort has something for everyone. Their adjacent store, CoCo’s Provisions, also offers products from other local producers. Highly recommend their collab with Hoyne Brewing’s Dark Matter.

Fol Epi Yates (732 Yates St.) Offering an all-organic rotation of ice creams and dairy-free sorbets, Fol Epi Yates has a rotating range of flavours that include items like dairy-free chocolate, rhubarb elderflower, lemon meringue, and salted caramel—as well as the classics. The sorbet and ice cream here are a great addition to baked goods and perfect for a stroll—or a nice option to round out a meal of the fabulous pizzas coming out of their awardwinning restaurant, Agrius. Side note: Fol Epi at Dockside has the option for self-serve vegan chocolate and frozen yogurt as well, served in a homemade waffle cone.

A selection of pints from 49 Below

Burger Crush (787 Fort St.) Some things are born to go together: peanut butter and jelly, wine and cheese, and, of course, burgers and shakes. Burger Crush has become known for its fabulous shakes, which are the perfect pairing to their burgers—including the vegan options they offer. Available at the storefront location on Fort Street, as well as in the food truck (usually parked on the corner of Mason and Cook streets), these classic shakes come in strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate, as well as root beer float and orange crush flavours. All five flavours are made in-house and can be either dairy or vegan.

Parachute Ice Cream (2626 Bridge St.) Located in Rock Bay and now at a second location in the Westshore, 735 Goldstream Ave., Parachute Ice Cream takes pride in doing as much as possible in-house. That means making things from scratch like the brownies that go in the Brown Butter Brownie Ice Cream, the rhubarb compote and crumble for their Rhubarb Crumble ice cream, and the fresh, handchopped mint for the Mint Dark Chocolate. Offering “walk-thru” scoop service from noon to early evening, they also supply several stores in the region.

Ice cream sandwich balancing act from Cold Comfort

Kid Sister (230 Cook St.) Formerly found in Fan Tan Alley, Kid Sister now has a mini-outlet in Cook Street Village, around the corner from Empire Donuts, where you can pick up pints, half-pints—and homemade popsicles! Flavours range from lemon meringue and tiramisu to chocolate fudge ripple, London fog, and local strawberry. The dulce de leche popsicle (paleta) is definitely worth a sample too.

49 Below (your house) Not feeling like venturing beyond your doorstep? No problem. 49 Below has a subscription delivery service that will satisfy both your introversion and ice cream cravings. A subscription gets you two pints a month of ever-changing exotic flavours like Hawkin’s Cheezies, Sriracha, or bacon/banana and peanut butter. There are also classics included in the delivery too (vanilla, chocolate, mint chocolate, etc.), as well as some seasonal options.

Fol Epi's chocolate and frozen yogurt swirl

Mosi Gelato (569 Johnson St.) For those in the know, Mosi Gelato is an absolute must. Two years ago, this local gelateria and bakery won best flavour for its Seamist gelato at the Los Angeles Gelato Festival. The award-winner, made with Silk Road Seamist Green Tea, combines hints of seaweed, fresh mint, and lime juice. Located in a small but thriving shop on lower Johnson Street, the classic gelatos are perfect for a mid-shopping break, with flavours like Fatso peanut butter, lemon, raspberry, chocolate, and more—and they’ve got another location at 5303 W. Saanich Rd. that’s worth the trip.

Beacon Hill Drive-in (126 Douglas St.) Beacon Hill Drive-in is a stalwart classic deserving of everyone’s attention for its enduring commitment to traditional drive-in culture. A big menu with plenty of soft-serve options that can be ordered from the window, it’s a personal favourite. I know it’s officially summer when I’ve downed a large chocolate-dipped vanilla swirl in the front seat of my car. Note: Many of these purveyors also supply local stores and it’s worth checking out their websites or Instagram accounts for details on where else to find them.