On a hot 40℃ summer day in Taipei, everyone craves something refreshing, like ice cream. Sometimes you don’t just want some simple convenience store ice cream, but instead an ice cream that has unique flavours, the kind of ice cream that customers keep coming back for all summer long.

In Taipei, there are many different ice cream shops. Below are four you must visit when you’re here. They all use fresh fruit ingredients without any added chemicals. Additionally, all ice cream shops are rated at least 4 stars on Google Maps.

Note: Some of the ice cream shops recommended below contain dairy, which is unsuitable for people who eat vegan diets and for those who are lactose intolerant.

#1: Double V

Address: Daan district, Yanji street, #234, 1st floor

The first ice cream shop I recommend is called Double V.

Double V specialises in Italian-style ice cream: gelato and sorbet. The main difference between the two types of ice cream is their texture. Gelato has a smooth, silky texture with a more creamy and milky taste, while sorbet has a smoother and icier texture, and tastes more refreshing and light.

Double V is known for its complex and uncommon ice cream flavours. They get these by mixing different ingredients together, such as rose and lychee. They even have oolong tea as an option sometimes.

Even though Double V’s ice cream tastes delicious, there are only nine flavours available each day, out of 500 total flavours, so you might not get the flavour you want. Double V is a ten minute walk from the Xinyi Anhe MRT station. They don’t have much indoor seating, which is an inconvenience on a hot day. During peak hours, there is a long line meaning that it’s going to take a while to get your ice cream. Also, this ice cream shop has short business hours, so it’s better to check if it’s open before you set off. They are also on the pricier side, at 170NTD per cup.

#2 Snow King (雪王冰淇淋)

Address: Zhongzheng district, Section 1, Wuchang Street, #65, 2nd floor.

The second ice cream shop I recommend is Snow King.

Snow King is famous for its savoury and alcohol flavoured options. Examples of savoury ice cream flavours include pork floss and wasabi, and alcohol flavour includes Taiwan Beer. If you don’t want to try unusual ice cream flavours, they also sell many fruit-flavoured ice creams, such as watermelon and strawberry. Snow King also emphasises their use of fresh local ingredients, including Taiwan fruits, liquor, and herbs.

Despite all the unique flavours and fresh local ingredients Snow King uses, the shop is hard to find because it’s on the second floor of an apartment building, and the stairs leading to the store are not obvious. The price for one scoop of ice cream is high as well, ranging from 95NTD to 180NTD.

#3 Le buno

Address: Daan District, Dunhua South Road, Section 1, Lane 187, #55, 1st floor

The third ice cream shop I recommend is called Le buno, and it has a few shops around Taiwan.

Le buno serves Italian-style ice cream, both gelato and sorbet. This shop serves its ice cream in a fruit shell. For example, if you ordered a lychee ice cream, the ice cream will be served in a lychee shell. Their ice cream presentation is perfect for posting on social media, and the interior design of the shop is modern too.

Le buno also offers many different flavours, including flavour blends, and a variety of ice cream-related menu items, such as gelato puffs and gelato milkshakes. An example of a flavour blend is coconut and thai milk tea. They also use fresh, high-quality and local ingredients, and as a result, the ice cream feels healthier.

Although Le buno ice cream is refreshing and delicious, it is pricey ranging from 110 NTD to 400 NTD. During peak hours, there aren’t enough seats, and you might have to wait a long time because they often don’t have enough workers behind the counter. Additionally, their ice cream flavors vary by season, so not every flavor may be available when you visit.

#4 Snow Factory (雪坊精品優格)

Address: Ren Ai Road, Section 4, #449, 1st floor

The last ice cream shop I recommend is Snow Factory, and it has manny locations around Taiwan.

Snow Factory sells yogurt-based ice cream, and other yogurt related products, such as yogurt drinks and yogurt with jam on the side. The texture of Snow Factory yogurt ice cream is light and airy, despite using the same method as Italian ice cream because no egg yolks are added. The result is that it is healthy and natural without a strong chemical taste, and lower in calories. They also have a variety of flavours and unlimited free samples, so you can try all the flavours until you find one you like.

In spite of the free samples, healthy and unique yogurt-based ice cream, the price of the ice cream is a little high: 135 NTD per scoop. Snow Factory has some rare ice cream flavours that are only available in a tub, such as durian and peach, meaning that there aren’t any free samples for those ice cream flavours. Some flavors might also be unavailable later in the day.

Rankings

1 – Double V
Double V is ranked first in my ice cream list because it is always consistent with its creamy gelato and sorbet texture, as well as many tasty flavours. They also give each customer one free sample. Overall, this ice cream is worth its slightly expensive price for its texture and flavour.

2 – Snow Factory
Snow Factory is ranked second in my ice cream list for its special yogurt-based ice cream, a variety of flavours, and unlimited free samples. The ice cream is also worth its price for natural fruit flavour, and light and airy texture, even though sometimes their flavours sell out fast.

3 – Snow King
Snow King is ranked third in my ice cream list because it has many unique flavours made with Taiwanese foods, foods, strong flavour, and a large variety. A reason which made its rank lower is due to its hard-to-find entrance, even though its ice cream is also worth its price.

4 – Le Buno
Le Buno is ranked last in my ice cream list due to its high price, despite its good interior design, food presentation, and different flavours. The ice cream is worth its price, but still fairly expensive.