I tried 11 of New York's trendiest ice cream spots — here's which one was the best

Emma Rechenberg/Business Insider

I'll admit it — I have a major soft spot for ice cream. 

In fact, I recently visited New York's Museum of Ice Cream and had the best time playing in a pool of sprinkles, swinging on a giant ice cream sandwich, and sampling local ice cream.

And since this is my first summer in New York City, I decided to take advantage of my prime location and finally try the trendy ice cream places I'd only ever seen on Instagram.

I started in June and worked my way through the city, trying these 11 hot spots. Here's how they stacked up.

11. Big Gay Ice Cream Shop

Overall Rating: 3/10

Location: 61 Grove Street, West Village and 125 East 7th Street, East Village

Presentation: The ice cream itself was not very Insta-friendly. It looked like a cream-colored blob. Although the "drip catcher" cone sleeve was very helpful, it didn't help the cone's appearance.  

Environment: The friendly staff directed the line around the block and managed crowd control with ease. Once I made it inside, I was greeted with plenty of rainbow decor.

Flavor: I really, really wanted to like this ice cream. Tons of celebs have stopped by, and the line got my hopes up. Unfortunately, I was let down in so many departments. The ice cream was not exceptional, and I struggled to catch the wafer pieces before they slid into the drip catcher. The cone was flimsy, the ice cream melted immediately, and for such a colorful place, the ice cream cone was incredibly plain. 

10. Sundaes and Cones

Overall Rating: 4.5/10

Location: 95 East 10th Street, East Village

Presentation: Purple ice cream is always fun, and street art in East Village would make the perfect background for a photo opportunity.

Environment: It's a big space with some seating indoors and benches outside. The employees are approachable and accommodating. 

Flavor: My order was a huge mistake. The ice cream shop takes pride in their homemade unique flavors, but the lychee and lavender fell flat. Both scoops tasted like a whipped version of ice cream and were too light. I'll have to give the place another chance, but I'll go with a more traditional order next time. 

9. Popbar

Overall Rating: 5/10

Location: 132 Allen Street, West Village

Presentation: My popsicle looked pretty average. I made the mistake of having the pop fully dipped in chocolate, instead of artistically half-dipped. In the end, I had more surface area of chocolate, so I didn't dwell on my decision too much. 

Environment: Popbar is a small space with limited seating. I didn't mind taking my pop outside, but I would recommend grabbing plenty of napkins on your way out.

Flavor: The gelato fell flat. It tasted like a frozen yogurt popsicle you could purchase in your grocery store's freezer aisle. The waffle cone crumbles were tasty and the chocolate was decent, but nothing extraordinary.