When it’s hot as balls out in this city, there’s only one thing for it. Ice cold sweet treats. Fortunately we’ve got plenty of options.
Ice Bing Cafe’s Shaved Ice
93 Spring St.
Forget what you know about shaved ice. At Ice Bing Cafe, saccharine syrups don’t get dumped on ice. Instead, fresh fruit, ice cream, and mango puree are all options to top snowy flakes for a heaping bowl full of refreshment. The Taiwan-born owners, Chiahao Liu and his wife Jen Chun Su; along with her brother Hsingju Su and his wife, Jing Qing Huang swear by only fresh ingredients. There’s nothing artificial to be found here.
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Kilts & Cream
Synopsis: It was one a.m. on a sweltering Saturday morning and Justice and Julie needed their fix. It had only been a few hours since they last had their mouths on it … but the desire remained.
Jackson flung the door open; the girls screamed, “Oh Jackson!”
It was then that they saw what he was carrying — it was just what they needed. Two vanilla and choco soft serves from Leon’s. A B&B peanut butter ice cream sandwich. And even two sort-of-melty but oh-so-good Sesame Burger milkshakes.
The girls collapsed onto one another in delight.
Jackson took a lick to make sure the stuff was good enough for the ladies. It was.
I scream, you scream. They screamed … for ice cream.
Butcher & Bee’s Chocolate Rye
& Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich
1085 Morrison Drive
Pastry Chef Cynthia Wong’s chocolate rye and peanut butter ice cream sandwich would totally beat a Klondike Bar in a knife fight. The peanut butter blondie, chocolate, and Virgil Kane rye ice cream with spicy butter crunch peanuts was inspired by Wong’s love of brown liquor. We heard that, Cynthia. This is the stuff of dessert dreams and if you want to tie one on after a heaping mezze meal at The Bee, complete it with this badass peanut butter treat.
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Cirsea Toasted Black Sesame Ice Cream
cirsea.myshopify.com
Kelly Chu’s Cirsea gelato just won first place at the Gelato World Tour – New York Challenge. Now the chef and co-owner of Red Orchids is headed to Italy for the Gelato World Tour Grand Finale. So yeah, she knows a thing or two about frozen foods. If you don’t believe us, pick up a pint of her toasted black sesame ice cream. A personal favorite, this flavor has long been an option at Red Orchids. Chu describes this addictive scoop as “an intensely rich and nutty flavor with faint echoes of coffee and pistachio.”
Leon’s Soft Serve
698 King St.
For all of the fancy takes on cold treats in this city, sometimes you just want something simple: a scoop of soft serve. Fortunately you don’t have to head to the ‘burbs for TCBY. Instead, pull up to chicken shack, Leon’s, for a swirl of vanilla or chocolate. Pro tip: Add sprinkles to really up the child’s play.
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Beardcat’s Sweet Shop
2063 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island
If you’re exiting Sullivan’s Island post-beach day and not stopping at Beardcat’s, you cray. This gelato shop below The Obstinate Daughter is such a no brainer. With 20 different flavors, this should be a toddler-tantrum-free outing. Cool that sunburn off with a heaping cup of South Carolina blueberry gelato and thank your lucky stars for your good fortune.
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Sesame Burger’s Girl Scout Milkshake
sesameburgersandbeer.com
The be-patched gals may not be out selling their signature cookies right now, but you can get your fix at Sesame Burger’s with its Girl Scout Cookie milkshake. The creamy cup is filled with Oreo cookies and peppermint schnapps, to give it an extra kick. Girl Scouts can’t sell ya that, scouts honor.
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