The Best Places in Bangkok for Ice Cream

The Top Places in Bangkok for Ice-Cream

Image by anitakeo sourced from wikimedia commons

Finding different ways to stay cool is always going to be a top priority in a sizzling, tropical SE Asian capital city like Bangkok.

It sometimes seems to get so hot that all anyone really wants to do — particularly the locals — is to hide away from the heat and cool down (preferably somewhere with air-conditioning).

The throngs of midday umbrellas might block some of the sun’s rays in a vain attempt to beat back the heat. But there is a more enjoyable and effective way to fight the high temperatures in Thailand — and especially in the humid concrete jungle of Bangkok — ice cream!

Traditionally ice cream in Thailand would likely have been a Royal delicacy closer to coconut water blended with ice, but nowadays, western-style ice cream can be found everywhere, and Thai ice cream has become an art unto itself.

Image by ludexvivorum sourced from wikimedia commons

Ice cream is now easily found in Thailand, on the menus of different types of restaurants, from grass roots local establishments to globally-known high street chains, and in the ever-growing number of straight-up (yet diverse) ice cream parlours, not forgetting the budget ice cream street stalls and, of course, the mobile ice cream vendors.

If you’re somewhere between being an ice cream connoisseur or a downright amateur,  you won’t be disappointed by a visit to Bangkok, which really has a wide variety of top places in which to partake of the cool delight of the ice cream experience.

If you think that taking time out from the heat and indulging in some of the best ice-cream in Bangkok sounds like part of your trip to the Thai capital, then read on as we guide you to some of the most irresistible ice cream joints in Bangkok.

1. Natthaphon’s

Sometimes, it’s not always about big-name, established high-street brands when it comes to real quality. This is especially when it comes to ice cream.

There’s no substitute for tradition and authenticity when it comes to any form of cuisine  – and Natthaphon’s shop, which is located quite close to the famous Khao San Road area, has played its role in the Bangkok ice cream scene for over 60 years.

As the shop is located in the middle of a residential area, it is a little bit hard to find, but has been in the same place since the time when the only available variety of ice cream on the menu was coconut.

This hidden gem is something of a unique place, and the patrons are happy in the knowledge that the shop serves the best coconut ice cream. This ice cream is 100% pure, made of coconut and is also more like a sorbet. It’s a great place to get an ice cream in Bangkok while still feeling like you are in Bangkok.

A scoop of ice cream costs in the region of 30 baht here, and there are now many popular flavours on offer such as mango & Thai Tea,  chocolate, and coffee and mango. Add-ons include Thai-style toppings such as lotus seeds, corn and shredded coconut, and these are just some of the reasons why the locals love this place. It just adds that little touch of authenticity that is hard to experience in a high street, generic name brand of ice cream shop.

Address: Phraeng Phuthon Rd, San Chao Pho Sua, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200

Hours: 

Open ⋅ Closes 5PM

Phone: 089 826 5752

2. All Coco

Coconuts are one thing that Thailand has no shortage of. And All Coco is a dab hand at creating all manner of treats, ice cream and otherwise, with the locally-grown delights.

This place opened up in 2014, and now has no less than eight different locations in and around Bangkok. The brand is centred around a key theme not hard to miss — coconuts. In fact, All Coco is involved in pretty much the whole process related to the coconuts, including the farming and the delivery of the coconuts to their shops.

This might have something to do with the fact that the brand is actually an offshoot of a young Thai coconut exporter who specializes in the popular and aromatic nam hom breed.

The ice cream in All Coco’s is served in a variety of different ways, and the shop specialises in its own unique, signature ice cream combinations such as their coconut ice banana sandwiches, their coconut smoothie, coconut toast, and the All Coco coconut grilled banana waffle.

If that doesn’t sound flavour-some enough to tempt your taste buds, then consider some of the other varieties on offer such as strawberry, chocolate and charcoal, or the coco affogato in which you can opt for a shot of espresso or Thai tea on any ice cream for around 100 baht.

Mouth-watering to say the least!

Good news for anyone with allergies or inclinations towards plant-based diets is the fact that All Coco’s product — coconut ice cream — is gluten and dairy free, as well as being made with coconut water, not coconut milk, so it’s actualy a little closer to a sorbet than your creamy street itim kati.

ADDRESS: G/F, Major Tower, Thonglor Soi 10

TEL: 02-138-0628

3. Farm to Table

This is, as the name suggests, something that may be slightly more of an organic affair than your standard, generic ice cream names.

In fact, at this cafe, you’ll get ice cream that comes pretty much direct from the farm to your table. The ice cream at Farm to Table is indeed organic – and that means it contains no artificial ingredients, so every delightful mouthful of ice cream here brings you closer to nature.

There is an array of homemade flavours on offer at Farm to Table, including pumpkin, black sesame, dark chocolate, strawberry, cookies and cream flavours and passion fruit to name but a few.  Those more inclined towards allergy-free or plant-based ice cream options might be happy to find soy milk ice cream available here too.

Expect more than just your average ice cream at Farm to Table. This is a brand of ice cream made from ingredients all grown by the owners of the café, and also certified by IFOAM (International Foundation for Organic Agriculture).

You might just be pleasantly surprised at how some of their combos that tend to include mixtures of organic milk and vegetables turn out to be surprisingly delicious, with a particularly creamy taste and texture.

ADdRESS: Farm to Table Café, 179 Atsadang Road, Rattanakosin, Bangkok

PHONE: 021152625

FB: www.facebook.com/farmtotableorganiccafe

 4. iBerry (Thonglor)

This particular ice cream brand is Thailand’s answer to Swensen’s, or as near as dammit anyway. With a lengthy list of ice cream, as well as sorbets, smoothies, cakes and brownies, this is possibly just a touch more on the gourmet side of the cool, sweet stuff than Swensen’s.

iBerry offers an assortment of tempting, fruity cool, and chocolatey-themed flavours (with no preservatives or artificial flavours) like different dark chocolate variations, blueberry, strawberry, cookies and cream – think along the lines of where the name comes from exactly. It’s the ‘i’ in ice cream (and berries). Ice; and berries. Ice-berry. iBerry – get it?

IBerry operates well over fourteen branches in Bangkok now, often via trendy, glass-walled conservatory-type affairs, to the point of the brand having become an iconic Bangkok dessert spot that’s just a little bit on the more expensive side to Swensen’s.

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Unlike with many of the other Bangkok ice cream providers, in iBerry there’s also a menu featuring more standard dishes like pastas, salads, soups and khao gaeng. But it’s the sweeter side of things that people really frequent the many iBerry branches for, currently found at Siam Square, Major Avenue, Central World, and Thonglor’s J Avenue, to name but a few.

5. IceDea

IceDea is an ice cream parlour located at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, known for its somewhat unconventional creations. Unconventional that is in terms of the flavour, the presentation, or both aspects of the ice cream on offer here.

The signatures in this shop stem from ideas such as the shape of an actual durian fruit, which the ice cream is moulded to — think hand-packed — , presented along with a sweet taste and just a mild smell.  There is also the mangosteen and sticky rice flavour to consider. So IceDea is slightly more than than just another ice cream shop, as some of the designs of the dishes can be compared to works of art in the way that they are uniquely crafted.

The shop serves ice-cream and sorbet in more than 20 different types of flavours. Some further examples of the unique flavours of IceDea are Wasabi, Khao Tom Mhat, and Global Warming, and customers have the choice of other specially made selections such as Tonkatsu, and the World Cup Brownie Set, from an ever-evolving menu.

HOURS: Tuesday to Sunday from 11:30am – 6:30pm

ADDRESS: Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (4th Floor), 939 Rama 1 Road, Bangkok.

And Central Ladprao (G Floor) and are open from 10:00am up until 10:00pm.

6. Swensen’s

No visit to Bangkok will be complete without at least one trip to ‘Swensen’s’. This name is, without a doubt, the most popular and well-known name as far as ice cream shops in Thailand go.

Another global ice cream brand found in most of the ever-expanding range of malls in Bangkok, Swensen’s will most likely be the one frequented and populated by high-school students, young couples or groups, and parents with kids .

With opening hours varying in different malls but generally somewhere between 11.00 am and 10.00 pm, and with branches in key shopping stop-offs like Central Ladprao and MBK, and many Major cineplex’s —  its not hard to see why this is one of the first places that people generally head when they are thinking in terms of ice cream in Bangkok.

The menu is straightforward – not too adventurous – with prices starting something a bit lower than many of the other ‘decent’ ice cream options in Bangkok.

But Swensen’s is cool, colourful — and everywhere — so a highly popular choice in Bangkok in terms of location.

 7. Ben & Jerry’s (Siam Paragon)

Any ice cream lovers are likely familiar with this world-famous ice cream brand that was founded in 1978, and arrived in Bangkok in 2016 by way of the shopping capital of the capital – Siam Paragon.

Admittedly you won’t find one of these on every corner in Bangkok just yet. They tend to be a commodity of the more upmarket-style mall for which Thailand expresses an obvious love of.

Known for its outrageous flavour combos, the Bangkok branch of this top ice cream brand won’t disappoint, with favourites like Cherry Garcia (cherry ice cream with cherries and chocolate fudge flakes), Chunky Monkey (banana ice cream with chocolate fudge chunks and walnuts) and chocolate chip cookie dough on offer, and prices starting in the region of 129 baht for a small cup or cone.

A variety of other waffles, cones, shakes and sundaes are also available from his Ben & Jerry’s ice cream junkie hangout in the Paragon shopping centre.

G/F, Siam Paragon, 991/1 Rama 1 Rd. BTS Siam. Open daily 10am-10pm. www.fb.com/benandjerrysTH

 8. Cold Stone Creamery

Another prime name from an American ice cream parlour brand Cold Stone Creamery is now up to several branches in Thailand, and is a cool, streamlined approach of an ice cream parlour in Bangkok that provides its customers with the option of customising their ice cream, combining a preferred flavour with a choice of toppings.

The components get mixed in with an interesting method – by hand – and prices will likely start at around the 130 baht for a small cup range.

ADDRESS: 6/F, Beacon Zone, CentralWorld, Rama 1.

HOURS: 9 am-9 pm

BTS: Chit Lom/Siam.

9.  Emack & Bolio’s

Emack & Bolio’s is a famous ice cream brand originally from Boston famous for its ice cream, deserts, and smoothies made with cow’s milk.

With branches in central regions like CentralWorld, Nichada Thani, EmQuartier, Central Westgate, Siam Center and Mega Bangna, Emack & Bolios has established itself as another ‘go to’ Bangkok ice creamery with its huge scoops of creamy ice cream and its own unique flavours such as Grasshopper Pie, and Chocolate Moose and Original Oreo, topped with homemade hot fudge. Mmm.

ADDRESS: 6F, Central World (Atrium Zone), Rama 1 Road, Bangkok

TEL: 022591193

HOURS: 9 am – 9 pm