Mexican Candy at Vampire Penguin (Photo by Justin Vaughan)
O’My! founders Allison Monette and Julie Bishop batch plant-based, vegan and certified dairy-free pints of gelato in RVA. Bishop’s master's in food science from Virginia Tech was the wellspring for the pints of strawberry, vanilla bean, cake batter and mint chip that are now found in freezer aisles across the country.
On Cleveland Street, North End Juice Co.'s neighboring storefront North End Gelato offers 18 vegan ice cream options. Made from oat milk and coconut milk, sugar, and seasonal fruits and herbs, recent varieties include lavender chip, roasted banana fudge ripple and basil mojito.
In Shockoe Bottom, Sweet Spot Ice Cream Cafe rocks a case of tubs filled with creamy plant-based options. Made from coconut and soy milk, standouts such as coffee almond fudge and toasted coconut demand a second scoop.
At 100% vegan restaurant Yummvees, the dessert menu always lists a handful of house-made ice cream options for herbivore diners.
The West End’s DeLuca Gelato is a fever dream of vegan flavors. The Seven Hills Sampler is seven mini scoops of Italian sorbetto in quintessential flavors such as dark chocolate-cherry, blackberry-lime and pomegranate-blueberry.
The West Coast-style shaved ice at Vampire Penguin has found a rabid following in Glen Allen. While ribboned made-to-order snow bowls are technically not ice cream, their rich and decadent demeanor tricks the taste buds. Owner Ray Penkalski III is planning a second area location.
Barrio Taqueria & Tequila swirls sweet, pillowy lime with a rotating sorbet of the day for a boozy concoction made in a machine dedicated to vegan soft serve. Bartender Taylor Kirstin says the challenging part is getting the balance of Exotico Reposado tequila — pre-blended in the machine — just right.
