Singapore is a sweltering hot place when it’s not raining, and every now and then we’ll need something to cool off with — yes, I’m talking about ice cream.
But instead of sticking to the classics, why not do yourself a “flavour” and spice it up with some other unique varieties that you’ve never tried before? Here are 14 crazy ice cream flavours in Singapore for the adventurous.
1. Chilli Crab & Black Pepper Crab (Mingle Mangle)
Mingle & Mangle offers a fair bit of unique ice cream flavours, but perhaps the most intriguing of them all are the Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab ice creams. A Single Scoop costs $4.80 and a Double Scoop of this duo costs $8.40 — a little pricey, but understandable due to the novelty of it.
Be warned though, these ice cream flavours really taste like the local dishes we know and love, except in a cold and creamy form. The spiciness will seep in slowly, so though you’re enjoying a cold treat, you may find yourself getting a drink to wash it down.
Mingle Mangle: 476 Upper Serangoon View, #02-07, Singapore 530476 | Opening Hours: (Mon, Wed & Thurs) 12pm – 10pm, (Fri, Sat & Eve of PH) 12pm – 11pm, (Sundays) 12pm – 10pm, Closed on Tuesdays | Tel: +65 9727 6111 | Website
2. Kaya Lotee (Ice Cream Chefs)
Kaya Lotee ($3.80) is one of the best-selling ice cream flavours at Ice Cream Chefs, and for a good reason too. This incredibly creamy kaya ice cream comes with generous chunks of toasted bread within.
I don’t think there’s a Singaporean who doesn’t like bread with ice cream — that’s a childhood snack that nearly everyone who has grown up here would have indulged in. As such, I’m certain this ice cream would be a winner with locals.
Ice Cream Chefs: 12 Jalan Kuras, Singapore 577727 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Thu) 12.30pm – 10pm, (Fri & Sat) 12pm – 11pm, (Sundays) 12pm – 10pm | Tel: +65 6458 4849 | Website
3. Lemon Basil (Merely Ice Cream)
Lemon Basil ($3.30) is a brand new flavour that was introduced by Merely Ice Cream earlier in 2017. It is made from scratch using fresh lemons and Italian sweet basil.
The refreshing citrus taste of the lemon is complemented well by the slightly woody and aromatic basil scent. If you’re feeling like having a unique ice cream flavour that won’t make you feel bloated, this is worth a try.
Merely Ice Cream: Sunshine Plaza, 91 Bencoolen Street Bencoolen Street #01-13, Singapore 189652 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Sat) 12pm – 11pm, Closed on Sundays | Tel: +65 6238 0890 | Facebook | Website
4. Night At The Movies (Scoop Therapy)
Scoop Therapy may sound familiar to you as it is affiliated to Group Therapy Cafe, and it is located nearby as well. The ice cream parlour sells a lot of delicious flavours at $4 per scoop, such as Honey Lavender, Donut, and White Chocolate Ginger.
The more unique flavours are on rotation every month, so you can expect something new every time you visit. I’ve tried the Night At The Movies, which is essentially the flavour of buttered popcorn.
The ice cream was very creamy and more sweet than salty, with small chunks of buttered popcorn that I loved. This is probably the least crazy of all the flavours here, but it’s also more likely to appeal to everyone.
Scoop Therapy: The Odeon Katong, 11 East Coast Road, Singapore 428722 | Opening Hours: (Tue to Thu) 2pm – 10pm, (Fri & Sat) 12am – 12pm, (Sundays) 12pm – 10pm, Closed on Mondays | Website
5. White Chocolate Nori (Tom’s Palette)
White Chocolate Nori ($4) at Tom’s Palette is one of the best ice creams on this list. I had a pretty bad impression of this ice cream at first glance, but one spoon is all it takes to dispel all my qualms.
The ice cream was mildly sweet, but the umami taste was deliciously overpowering. There were also chopped almonds in the ice cream that provided a nice finish.
Tom’s Palette: Shaw Towers, #01-25, 100 Beach Rd, Singapore 189702 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Thu) 12pm – 9.30pm, (Fri & Sat) 12pm – 10pm, (Sundays) 1pm – 7pm, Closed on every last Sunday of the month | Tel: +65 6296 5239 | Website
6. Mango Wasabi (The Daily Scoop)
Mango Wasabi (sold at The Daily Scoop) is not going to help you cool you down on a hot day. In fact, it will probably get you sweating if your threshold for spice is especially low.
Spot the yellow scoop that is the perfect treat for adventurous foodies. And, if you’re feeling especially mischievous, you could try to prank your friends into thinking it’s mango sorbet!
The Daily Scoop: 369 Sembawang Road, #01-05 Sembawang Cottage, Singapore 758382 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Thu) 11am – 10pm, (Fri & Sat) 11.30 – 10.30pm, (Sundays) 10pm | Tel: +65 6754 1233 | Website
7. Lemon Sour Plum (Ice Cream Chefs)
The Lemon Sour Plum ($3.80) sherbet at Ice Cream Chefs is surprisingly tasty. I did not expect to like it as I’m not a huge fan of sour or citrus flavours.
The lemon taste was not too strong and the sour plum was savoury and tangy. The combination of flavours were really powerful as the tartness of the sherbet really hit me with the first mouthful, and made the dessert very refreshing.
Ice Cream Chefs: 12 Jalan Kuras, Singapore 577727 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Thu) 12.30pm – 10pm, (Fri & Sat) 12pm – 11pm, (Sundays) 12pm – 10pm | Tel: +65 6458 4849 | Website
8. Nutty Beer (Merely Ice Cream)
You may have tried other alcohol or beer ice cream flavours in Singapore, but the Nutty Beer ($3.90) at Merely Ice Cream takes it a step further by including pistachios that are roasted in-house.
The staff at Merely Ice Cream put in additional effort to prepare the ingredients themselves, whether it’s liquidising fruits or roasting the nuts that go into ice creams like this one. The fact that it’s been roasted beforehand means that the ice cream tastes a lot richer and is more aromatic.
I’m particularly glad that pistachios were chosen instead of peanuts, as they added a far richer taste to the ice cream and complemented the taste of the beer ice cream well.
Merely Ice Cream: Sunshine Plaza, 91 Bencoolen Street Bencoolen Street #01-13, Singapore 189652 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Sat) 12pm – 11pm, Closed on Sundays | Tel: +65 6238 0890 | Facebook | Website
9. Bacon (OMB!)
Oh My Bacon! (OMB) is a cafe that serves nearly everything with bacon — desserts included. The Bacon Ice Cream ($5) is one of OMB’s unorthodox creations that somehow seem to work.
The bacon taste in the ice cream is not overwhelming, and the bacon bits in ice cream is candied, meaning it tastes more like a crispier form of bak kwa rather than the bacon that you’re usually used to.
You can try the Jekyll and Hyde ($12 for 6 pieces, $2.50 for 1 piece), which comprises of candied bacon that is dipped in dark or white chocolate.
OMB: 7 Dunlop St, Singapore 209337 | Opening Hours: (Tue to Fri) 12pm – 10pm, (Saturdays) 10am – 10pm, (Sundays) 10am – 6pm, Closed on Mondays | Tel: +65 6635 2633 | Facebook
10. Chilli Chocolate (The Daily Scoop)
Would you dare try the Chilli Chocolate ($3.50) ice cream at The Daily Scoop? Served with a whole chilli padi atop the scoop, this cone of ice cream may come across as intimidating to some.
You will definitely feel the heat with the first lick, but the indulgent dark chocolate will balance it out. Get it with a crunchy cone for only $0.60 more!
The Daily Scoop: 369 Sembawang Road, #01-05 Sembawang Cottage, Singapore 758382 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Thu) 11am – 10pm, (Fri & Sat) 11.30am – 10.30pm, (Sundays) 10pm | Tel: +65 6754 1233 | Website
11. Triple-S (Tom’s Palette)
The Triple-S at Tom’s Palette includes a mixture of shoyu (soy sauce), sesame seeds, and salted dark chocolate.
I was very apprehensive about this at first, but was pretty amazed to discover that this ice cream was actually palatable.
Upon taking a bite, you will taste the sesame first, followed by an aftertaste of shoyu. The salted dark chocolate adds a strong sweet-salt taste that makes the unusual flavours in this ice cream come together. Try it to find out what I mean!
Tom’s Palette: Shaw Towers, #01-25, 100 Beach Rd, Singapore 189702 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Thu) 12pm – 9.30pm, (Fri & Sat) 12pm – 10pm, (Sundays) 1pm – 7pm | Tel: +65 6296 5239 | Website
12. Honey Sea Coconut (Ice Cream Chefs)
The Honey Sea Coconut ($3.80) ice cream at Ice Cream Chefs is inspired by the traditional sea coconut dessert that is sometimes served with longan.
The ice cream really tastes like the dessert I know (but not necessarily love). There are also tiny chunks of chopped sea coconut in the ice cream that will add a little bit of texture to each scoop.
I thought the ice cream could have been even better if the bits of sea coconut were chunkier, or if aloe vera bits were added for a juicy crunch. Still very interesting and worth a try though!
Ice Cream Chefs: 12 Jalan Kuras, Singapore 577727 | Opening Hours: (Mon – Thu) 12.30pm – 10pm, (Fri & Sat) 12pm – 11pm, (Sundays) 12pm – 10pm | Tel: +65 6458 4849 | Website
13. Butter Beer (FATCAT Ice Cream Bar)
This flavour is sure to please Harry Potter fans. Unlike the butter beer sold at Universal Studios, FATCAT’s Butter Beer Ice Cream ($4.50) includes alcohol.
It is made with a mixture of brown butter foam and Hoegaarden beer. The taste of the butter foam is far stronger than the taste of the beer, but it still makes for an appetising scoop of ice cream.
If you want an all out experience with many different flavours, you can try the Butter Beer Ice Cream with the Gourmet Charcoal Waffle ($10.50). The charcoal waffle is served with lavender petals sprinkled on caramel, and you also get salted egg yolk sauce that you can pour over your ice cream.
FATCAT Ice Cream Bar: Blk 416 Bedok North Avenue 2 #01-25, Singapore 460416, Opening Hours: (Mon, Wed & Thu) 1pm – 10pm (Fridays) 1pm – 11pm, (Weekends) 12pm – 11pm, Closed on Tuesdays | Tel: +65 6241 0830 | Website
14. Parmesan Cheese N Cream Crackers (Tom’s Palette)
Tom’s Palette’s Parmesan Cheese & Cream Crackers ($4) ice cream was sinfully good. Made with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, the flavour was more savoury than sweet. The ice cream was milky, and I loved that they included chunks of the cheese rind as well.
Though cheese rinds are known for being more pungent and strong, the taste was well balanced by the creaminess and milkiness of the ice cream.
Don’t be daunted about eating a salty ice cream — it tastes better than it sounds, trust me.
Tom’s Palette: Shaw Towers, #01-25, 100 Beach Rd, Singapore 189702 | Opening Hours: (Mon to Thu) 12pm – 9.30pm, (Fri & Sat) 12pm – 10pm, (Sundays) 1pm – 7pm | Tel: +65 6296 5239 | Website
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