Here’s the scoop on ice cream: Where to get wow-factor frozen treats in South Florida

It’s a miserable muggy mess out there. With the South Florida humidity set on high and the heat set on higher, you need to chill with some unique or over-the-top ice cream treats.

Here’s an insider’s guide to cool creamy desserts worth licking, spooning and sucking (y’know, through a straw) for July, which is National Ice Cream Month.

Need another reason to indulge? Well, National Ice Cream Day is Sunday, July 19.

Keep in mind that the prices do not include taxes.

And make sure you check out the list at the end of this post with ice cream events worth checking out.

Bond Street Ale and Coffee

1626 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. 561-877-2462. BondStreetAleAndCoffee.com.

For the summer, Bond Street is offering specialty milkshakes including: the Red Wine Milkshake with dark chocolate raspberry ice cream, red wine, whipped cream and a maraschino cherry for $7.50; the Mimosa Milkshake with orange juice, champagne, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream for $7.50; and the Blueberry Milkshake with vanilla ice cream, blueberries and whipped cream for $6.50.

Casa Sensei

200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. 954-530-4176. CasaSensei.com.

For National Ice Cream Month, Casa Sensei has a Thai Donuts dish served with vanilla ice cream and a Thai condensed milk dipping sauce for $8.

Chug’s Cuban Diner

3444 Main Highway, Coconut Grove. 786 534-8722. ChugsDiner.com.

Executive pastry chef Devin Braddock has come up with one-of-a-kind housemade ice cream desserts blending local, seasonal and classic ingredients. For example, there’s the Snack Attack, made with Cap’n Crunch cereal, toffee and chocolate pretzels. Other flavors include Coconut Hazelnut Praline, Strawberry Malt, Jojo Black Tea and Duck Fat as well as Creme Fraiche Stracciatella (guests should call the diner to confirm availability daily/weekly). The cost is $6 per pint.

The Cooper at PGA Commons

4610 PGA Blvd., suite 100. Palm Beach Gardens. 561-622-0032. TheCooperRestaurant.com.

The Cooper Sundae is a large scoop of vanilla ice cream, br 1/4 u00fbléed bananas, salted caramel, spiced pecans, whipped cream, amarena cherries and topped with hot fudge for $12. You can add a flourless chocolate cake for an additional $4.

Cups and Cones Ice Cream Shop

9091 N. Military Trail, #13, Palm Beach Gardens. 561-629-5109. CupsAndConesPB.com.

Third generation Floridian Allyse Carter says she has “a passion for discovering unique, top-of-the-line ice cream flavors.” Two of her latest artisanal, locally made ice creams are Abuela Maria, made with guava and cream cheese, and Moose Tracks, made with vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge and peanut butter cups. The prices are a small cup/cone for $5, medium cup/cone for $6, large cup/cone for $7 and kid’s cup/cone for $3.

Elisabetta’s Ristorante Bar and Pizzera

32 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. 561-560-6699. Elisabettas.com.

Elisabetta’s has a Spumoni Gelato Pie with three layers of artisan made-in-house gelato, vanilla beans, pistachios, strawberries, all in an almond crust and then topped with five inches of toasted meringue and chocolate sauce for $11. They also have gelatos and sorbets, ranging from $9 to $17, with three unique toppings: a made-in-house raspberry grappa; a honey thyme butter sauce served with a honeycomb and a chocolate-dipped Marcona almond brittle. There’s also a 20-year-old aged balsamic you can get poured over your gelato for $3 (this is done table side on a silver tray with the balsamic in a tiny bottle in a red silk lined box).

Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop

2818 N. Miami Ave., Miami (in Wynwood). 786-703-3623. FiremanDereks.com.

3435 Main Highway, Coconut Grove. 786-502-2396.

For National Ice Cream Day, Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop will offer the Sundae Pie for takeout at both locations at a 10% discount. The dessert, which costs $36.25 per pie and $7 per slice, is made with the bakery’s signature graham cracker crust and layered with chocolate ganache, fresh bananas and a cream filling. Then the Sundae Pie is drizzled with caramel, Ghirardelli chocolate sauce and topped with whipped cream, golden Oreos, maraschino cherries and rainbow sprinkles.

H 1/4 u00e4agen-Dazs

40 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. 561-501-6211. HaagenDazsDelray.com.

Westfield Broward Mall, 8000 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation. 954-370-6324. HaagenDazs.us/shops/broward-mall.

Gulfstream Park Village, 801 Silks Run, Hallandale Beach. (954) 455-8804. GulfstreamPark.com.

H 1/4 u00e4agen-Dazs is celebrating its 60th anniversary with Birthday Cake Ice Cream, a flavor featuring vanilla cake batter ice cream, yellow cake pieces, a chocolaty brownie batter frosting swirl and rainbow birthday sprinkles. The prices range from shop to shop for the summertime promotion. We found costs from $7.94 to $9.99 for a pint or a Dazzler, which is a three-cup sundae, and around $6.99 for a regular 9-ounce cup. The H 1/4 u00e4agen-Dazs at Westfield Broward Mall is also offering this summer a Ruby Cacao shell for its Sweet Pistachio Ice Cream with three scoops of pistachio ice cream in either a sundae or a shake and mixed with raspberry sorbet and layered with hardened Ruby Cacao chocolate for $7.94.

Hoffman’s Chocolates

Locations in Fort Lauderdale, Plantation, Weston, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Greenacres and Palm Beach Gardens. Hoffmans.com.

Hoffman’s Chocolates’ seven retail locations throughout South Florida — as well as its mobile food truck, the Sweet Ride — are having ice cream promotions for National Ice Cream Month. There will be a “Milkshake Happy Hour” Mondays-Thursdays, from 3-4 p.m. where a milkshake costs $5 through July 30. There will also be “BOGO Sundaes” where you buy one ice cream sundae and get another one of equal or lesser value for free through July 26. The newest sundae is the $9.95 Midnight Island Escape, which is made with a waffle bowl dipped in roasted almonds filled with a scoop of three ice cream flavors, Steller Coffee, Rum Raisin and Midnight Chocolate. The Midnight Island Escape sundae is then finished off with hot fudge, whipped cream, shredded coconut and more roasted almonds. Hoffman’s Chocolates will also participate in virtual activities, including a “Sweet Giveaway” social media ice cream party and the Riverwalk Virtual Ice Cream Challenge.

Proper Ice Cream

75 SE Fourth Ave., Delray Beach. 561-455-4463. ProperIceCream.com.

1445 N. Congress Ave., Delray Beach. 561-359-3420.

Chef Rickey Felberbaum’s artisinal ice cream shops have a new summertime dish, the Buccan Br 1/4 u00fbléed Banana Split. The dessert features three ice cream flavors from Proper, including Deep Chocolate, Honeycomb and Fresh Strawberry. The three scoops are served on top of br 1/4 u00fbléed bananas and topped with chocolate ganache, salted caramel, macerated strawberries as well as Proper’s housemade honey and whipped cream. Made for two people, the dish costs $14.50.

Shooters Waterfront

3033 NE 32nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale. 954-566-2855. ShootersWaterfront.com.

Shooters will celebrate National Ice Cream Month with these dessert offers: a Key Lime Baked Alaska with torched meringue, Key lime ice cream and coconut daiquiri for $12; a Caribbean Bread Pudding Flan with bananas foster ice cream and brown butter tuile for $10 and an assortment of seasonal sorbets and ice cream for $9.

Ice cream-y stuff to do and new cool shops

The Miami Children’s Museum will celebrate National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, July 19 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. with a contactless drive-thru “Ice Cream Giveaway.” The event is free and open to the public. The first 1,000 people will receive free servings of Blue Bell Ice Cream and get a goody bag from Florida Dairy Farmers. The museum is at 980 MacArthur Causeway, Miami (Watson Island Park). 305-373-5437. MiamiChildrensMuseum.org.

High Dive in West Palm Beach’s Rosemary Square will launch ice cream and sorbet pops, starting Monday, July 13. Chef Cindy Bearman has come up with two flavors: the Sour Cream Sorbet with lemon curd and the Ovaltine Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with crispy rice pearls. Both pops are $4 each. 550 S. Rosemary Ave., suite #236, West Palm Beach. 561-437-1437. HighDiveWestPalm.com.

Diya Indian Kitchen in Sunset Harbour is offering Kheer Ice Cream for National Ice Cream Month. The housemade rice ice cream is saffron-infused and costs $11. 1766 Bay Road, Miami Beach. 305-763-8948. DiyaIndianKitchen.com.

The Museum of Discovery and Science is going to observe National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, July 19 with “Scrumptious Science Bagged Ice Cream,” interactive sessions of ice cream making at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. There will also be a “Brain Freeze! Nitrogen Show” at noon and 3 p.m. Tickets for the ice cream making sessions are $20 for children and $24 for adults. To reserve a spot, go to MODS.org/baggedicecream. The “Brain Freeze!” show is included in the museum admission, although the performances are limited to 25 people on a first-come, first-served basis to ensure social distancing. For more information, email bookings@mods.net or call 954-713-0930. The museum is at 401 SW Second Street, Fort Lauderdale. 954-467-6637. MODS.org.

Cielito Artisan Pops opened last month at Mizner Park in Boca Raton, making it the second location after the original Wynwood store. Popsicles are available for dine-in, take-out or to ship nationwide on dry ice. Each pop is hand-crafted daily in small batches. The mixes, fillings, jams and baked goods are all made in house. The menu (more than 40 flavors) are rotated each week. They also have Doggy Pops, for your four-legged friend. The four summer pops, all for $5, include Vegan Dark Chocolate (with red chilies), Pineapple Jalapeno, Dragon Fruit Lemonade and Pineapple Coconut. 430 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. 305-397-7392. CielitoArtisanPops.com.

Mastro’s Ocean Club in Fort Lauderdale is celebrating National Ice Cream Month with a warm butter cake topped with vanilla ice cream for $18. 3000 NE 32nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale. 954-561-4800. MastrosRestaurants.com.

Emack and Bolio’s recently opened in Aventura Mall (even the ice cream shop brand’s website hasn’t caught up with SoFlo debut). The Boston-based company started out in the 1970s as a post-concert hangout for the likes of Aerosmith, James Brown, Al Green and the Cars. The flavors reflect that era with names such as Deep Purple Chip, Stoney’s Dream and Trippin On Espresso. But the really trippy and unique offering from Emack and Bolio’s are the flavored cones made with Oreos, Rice Krispies, Fruit Loops, Fruity Pebbles or dipped in chocolate and rolled in jimmies, shaved coconut or nuts. 19501 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura. AventuraMall.com.

Shake Shack has opened its first location in northern Palm Beach County. The fast-casual restaurant chain is now part of the Gardens Cafes in the Gardens Mall. The new eatery in Palm Beach Gardens will have signature ShackBurgers, crinkle-cut fries and hand-spun shakes on the limited menu. 3101 PGA Blvd. suite L215, Palm Beach Gardens. 561-788-7008. ShakeShack.com.

Craft ice cream shop Dasher and Crank has teamed up with fruit spread company St. Dalfour to create an exclusive ice cream flavor to be sold at the Wynwood store. The result is St. Dalfour Berries N’ Cream, with a vanilla cream base and swirls of strawberry and blueberry jam. A scoop costs $5, a double scoot is $7.50 and a pint for $10. 2211 NW Second Ave., Miami. 305-640-8579. DasherAndCrank.com.

For the 28th year, Miami’s Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is having its Mango Festival throughout the month of July. This time around the “Mango Days of Summer” has partnered with Sweet Melody Ice Cream Company to come up with a new summer flavor, It Takes Two to Mango, a limited-edition mango and sour cream ice cream with a mango marmalade swirl. Pints are $10 ($1 of which benefit the Fairchild). Sweet Melody is at 15224 SW 72nd St., Miami and can be reached at 305-280-2505 or Instagram.com/sweetmelodyicecream. Fairchild Garden is at 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, and can be reached at 305-667-1651 or FairchildGarden.org.

Pubbelly Sushi restaurants in Miami-Dade County have a new #SushiConeSummers promotion beginning on Friday, July 17 for dine-in only. There will be a Lobster Cone (with Maine Lobster, kimchee mayo, yuzu, jalapeno and tempura flakes) for $6; a Tuna Cone (with tuna, chives, onion, cilantro, serrano and poke sauce); a Salmon Cone (with salmon, ikura, avocado, dry miso, olive oil, yuzu, chives and garlic aioli) for $4 and a Hamachi Cone (with red onion, cilantro, ginger garlic soy, miso and Taberu Rayu), also for $4. You get a free scoop of ice cream if you buy a combination of four sushi cones during the kickoff weekend Friday, July 17-Sunday, July 19 (which is National Ice Cream Day). There are four locations in Aventura, Brickell, Dadeland and Miami Beach. PubbellyGlobal.com.

Scusi Trattoria in PGA Commons is offering a summertime special that starts with a slice of watermelon and then adds a scoop of housemade lemon ricotta gelato and topped with mint leaves, basil, grapefruit slices and a drizzle of honey. The dish costs $13. 4520 PGA Boulevard, Palm Beach Gardens. 561-429-6938. ScusiRestaurants.com.

———

©2020 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.