Ice cream is the real mood food. Happy? Eat a scoop. Sad? Eat a tub. In the last few years, there has been a surge of artisanal home-grown ice cream brands that are not laden with preservatives, allow you a taste of the actual fruit and are shipped straight to your doorstep (because anyone can have dessert emergencies). Whether you’re looking for a sweet dish sans dairy, sugar and egg or want to indulge in rich flavours loaded with cream and Nutella, here’s a long list of our top 11 ice cream brands in India.
Noto
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This Mumbai-based brand takes great pride in making ice cream that “loves you back.” So expect low-calorie desserts in flavours that range from mangoes and cream, and cereal milk to malai kulfi and guava. While there is no such thing as “healthy dessert”, Noto still tries to take the guilt away from eating a sugar-filled treat. Their zero-added-sugar fruit popsicles in flavours like jamun, orange and imli and mango coconut will refresh you after (or during) a long day out in the sun. If you’re off dairy, they even have a limited range of vegan tubs in pistachio and dark chocolate flavours. Eatnoto.com
Amadora
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One of the best ice cream brands to launch during the pandemic, Amadora is a Chennai-based ice creamery offering a range of unconventional flavours such as ‘toast’, which has toasted bread bits rolled in butter and sugar, and mixed with a vanilla ice cream base or trifle pudding. They also do everyday flavours like chocolate, mint and salted caramel. Instead of tubs, opt for their ice cream cakes, candy sticks and sandwiches in flavours such as Nutella ganache, vanilla-raspberry, vanilla-dulce de leche. Amadora.in
Papacream
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Delivering across Mumbai and Bengaluru, Papacream does ice cream cakes, DIY sundae kits, vegan ice creams and regular milk-based ice creams. Their claim to fame is a recent collaboration with producer Rhea Kapoor, who curated four ice cream flavours for them. We recommended the creamy ‘chocolate influencer’ flavour or ‘brown butter biskut’ with dulce de leche biscuit swirls and chocolate-coated biscuit chunks. Papacream.com
Jaatre
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Ice creams that use minimal sugar, no artificial ingredients and are completely vegetarian are Jaatre’s forte. The brand does classic flavours like chocolate and vanilla, but their specialty lies in fruit-flavoured scoops like jamun, pink guava, mango and rose-strawberry. If you are experimental, go wild with their black pepper and cardamom or palm jaggery and roasted sesame combos. Brownie points for their thoughtful packaging— all ice creams are delivered in recyclable terracotta tubs, and if you happen to eat in at their Delhi-based parlour, expect cool scoops in coconut shell bowls. Jaatreicecream.com
Huber & Holly
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One of the most popular ice cream parlours in Ahmedabad, Huber & Holly is known for its creamy scoops. Their menu features gourmet ice creams like charcoal lychee, badam pista chikki, Mahabaleshwar strawberry, malai kulfi and more. Besides Ahmedabad, the brand has outlets in and delivers to several cities across the country like Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Rajkot, Pune and Mumbai. Huberandholly.com
Minus 30
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With flavours like tiramisu, vanilla-toffee-almond, dark chocolate, sea salted caramela and double roasted hazelnut, it seems that classic decadence is Minus 30's brand philosophy. If you want to punctuate a homely meal with a palate cleanser, their nimbu pani sorbet is a winner. Late-night OTT binges call for a tub from this delivery-only ice cream brand. Minus30.co
Tandy’s Creamery
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Preservative and artificial colour-free ice creams are promised by Tandy’s Creamery which specialises in wafer biscuit-covered ice cream sandwiches and simple tubs. This new ice cream label only delivers in Mumbai and while you can find OG flavours like vanilla and chocolate on their menu, other flavours like sitaphal, salted caramel, walnut praline, raspberry and rose are also worth a try. Instagram: @tandyscreamery
Nomou
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Creamy, plant-based gelatos are Nomou’s speciality. Their ice creams are not only made using milk alternatives—they are also free of refined sugar. But you won’t miss either because each scoop is creamy and perfectly sweet. They offer classic flavours like chocolate chip, vanilla, sea salt, fresh mango and kesar pista and everything is made in small batches using real ingredients as opposed to artificial flavouring. Although Nomou is a pandemic venture from Mumbai, it is already available in Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Indore and Kolkata. Nomou.in
Coppetto
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The artisanal gelato brand makes ice cream using organic milk, organic yoghurt, Sicilian pistachio, dark chocolate, Madagascar vanilla beans, Italian lemons and other gourmet produce. This would explain how Coppeto's swirls are so pronounced and have a perfectly creamy texture. Our favourite flavours are salted caramel, Ferrero Rocher and stracciatella, not so easily found in Mumbai.
Zoet Desserts
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While this Delhi-based dessert shop makes cakes and cookies, the ice cream is what best appeals to us. Zoet Desserts' menu includes scoops of chocolate and Oreo, blueberry cheesecake, Sicilian cassata, peanut butter cup, strawberry tiramisu and the only desi flavour, saffron kulfi. Some of their ice creams come with toppings like chocolate cake, Oreos, nuts, berry compote and lemon curd, giving the ice cream a sundae-like twist. Zoetdesserts.com
Artinci
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A clean-label, all-natural dessert brand, Artinci specialises in keto-friendly ice creams that are entirely free of stabilisers, emulsifiers and artificial flavourings. Take your pick from flavours like coffee, roasted almond, triple chocolate, brownie and tender coconut or desi ones like kesar, badam and jaggery. Apart from keto ice creams, they also make vegan “mylk-based” scoops, keto cookies and chocolate bars. The founders have created a sustainability-focused supply chain that concentrates on sourcing ingredients from local farmers in India and all their tubs are made using natural ingredients. Available in Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai. Artinci.com
Mr Gelato Cream Choc
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One of the few places where tourists and locals collide, this Goa-based gelato place is an after hour's hangout for people in Anjuna. Now with a bigger, swankier second outlet opened in Panjim, gelato fans can hit it up for a range of their ever-changing seasonal flavours besides a lineup of classics such as pistachio, Belgian chocolate and salty butter caramel among others. For those avoiding dairy, their fruit sorbets cover the palate from sweet to tart. To order, call 93731 63259
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