Find dairy-free Juneteenth-inspired flavors in the case at Ruby Scoops in North Side. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Soft serve, gelato, Dole whips, snow cones and paletas! The weather is heating up, and folks are looking to cool down with frozen treats. Those choosing a dairy-free diet for health, allergy or ethical reasons need not be hindered; there are plenty of ice-cold comforts around the region, and we have the scoop.
Nondairy Ice Cream
Ruby Scoops, 120 W. Brookland Park Blvd.
Award-winning ice cream genius Rabia Kamara lets her cultural heritage, instincts and professional culinary training guide her to interesting and exotic flavors. The North Side ice cream shop will celebrate Juneteenth with the return of its bissap sorbet, a collaboration with chef Manny Baiden inspired by a spiced hibiscus drink popular in West Africa. The special menu will also feature Jubilee Punch Sorbetto, banana pudding, butter pecan and berry-peach cobbler ice cream among the dairy-free flavor options.
Preparing to open in larger digs down the street at 310 W. Brookland Park Blvd. in late summer, Kamara says, “The new shop is about four times the size of the original shop. It will also be the only ice cream shop in town with a patio. Guests will also see the return of her snow cone venture, Suzy Sno, in the forthcoming space. “One counter will serve sno-balls in the summer,” Kamara adds, noting that there are plans for local coffee and pastries in the winter.
Boozy Soft Serve
Buskey Cider, 2910 W. Leigh St.
Smooth, hard-cider-based soft serve? Yes, please! Head cidermaker Allen Crump says this is Buskey’s third year offering its popular boozy soft serve. “I always look forward to seeing what new ingredients we can get to play around with.” Currently on tap is pineapple-vanilla. It is giving “grown and sexy” Dole Whip vibes at about 5% alcohol. Crump says it’s a house favorite and that they are mindful about sourcing vegan ingredients for their products.
Dole Whip
The Big Scoop, 200 Towne Center West Blvd., #601
Created in 1984, the Dole Whip pineapple-flavored frozen dessert rose to fame at Disney theme parks and is now served — straight up, in a cone or as a float with pineapple juice poured over it — all over the country. Several spots in town have the classic pineapple, but The Big Scoop in Short Pump Town Center has seven of the 10 available flavors: pineapple, lemon, lime, orange, mango, strawberry and watermelon.
Frozen Bubble Tea
Gigi Tea Time, 1355 W. Broad St.
This Taiwanese-style bubble tea bar on the edge of the Fan and VCU offers an array of dairy-free drink options and plant-based milk substitutes. Try a decadent splurge such as the nondairy Toffee Milk Tea or choose from a great selection of special fruit teas including lemon rooibos, peach oolong and lychee black tea. Any cold drink from the menu can be blended with ice, making for a nice, naturally caffeinated frozen refresher.
Water Ice
Carytown Gyro, 3459 W. Cary St.
Not only do they make great falafel and have a hearty vegan menu, they also sell Original Philadelphia Water Ice — the granular cousin of Italian ice. Find it in a veritable rainbow of tutti-frutti flavors including pink bubble gum, blueberry, piña colada, cherry, mango, pineapple and more. It makes for a perfect post-Watermelon Festival stop or after a flick at The Byrd. Bonus: They’re open until 11 p.m. on weekends.
Paletas
La Michoacana, 7808 Midlothian Turnpike; 9110 Jefferson Davis Highway
Don’t call it a Popsicle. Paletas are a distinctly Mexican frozen treat. We’re talking fresh fruits and real ingredients, no dyes or corn syrup. Chesterfield’s La Michoacana in South Side is the spot for paletas, bolis (frozen cream pops) and cups. Find dairy-free paleta flavors on deck including blackberry, passion fruit, soursop, tamarind, nance (a golden tropical fruit), pico de gallo, pineapple-chili, horchata and more.
Gelato
Davvero’s unbelievable naturally vegan gelato is soft, stretchy and simply delicious. The 100% dairy-free flavor rotation includes seasonal specials; traditional gelato flavors including stracciatella, lemon with mixed berries, and chocolate tahini; and imaginative creations inspired by owner Layne Montgomery’s travels. This summer, Davvero will offer frappogatos and gelato paninis, too. “Frappogato is whipped Greek coffee with a scoop of gelato,” Montgomery says, and “Gelato panini is toasted vegan brioche with a scoop of gelato inside it.” The adorable Davvero push cart is a fixture at various farmers markets and events around town, holding a residency at Libby Hill Park (weather permitting) on Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 6 p.m. Stay tuned for the debut of its Lakeside brick-and-mortar space later this summer.
Snow Cones
Kona Ice at City Stadium — score. Check out the new women’s soccer team, the Richmond Ivy SC, and visit Kona Ice for a tall, color-changing cup filled with a huge scoop of snow, then decide how much of their classic syrup flavors go on top. Are you a single-flavor aficionado or going rainbow? Best of all, you can buy a refillable cup and re-up your snow cone throughout the game. Very cool at a hot evening game.
Sorbetto
DeLuca Gelato, 1362 Gaskins Road
This artisanal Italian gelato shop at Gayton Crossing also makes dairy-free sorbetto — the lighter, icier cousin of gelato. DeLuca is a great spot for folks seeking the timeless classics vanilla, strawberry and chocolate, but with over 15 dairy-free flavors, it’s hard not to go for one of their more creative offerings such as chocolate with cherries, blackberry-lime, caramel or Champagne. Get it in a cup or a freshly made cone. They even offer sugar-free options.
Icy-cold Cocktails
The Emerald Lounge, 2416 Jefferson Ave.
Union Hill’s Emerald Lounge is the destination for expertly crafted, icy-cold cocktails. Try their takes on a Hemingway daiquiri made with Cuban rum, a bitter mai tai or a rum Negroni. The key is their selection of ice. Co-owner Thomas Leggett (also of The Jasper and Slurp Ramen) says they use three different kinds: pebble ice (sometimes referred to as nugget ice or Sonic ice), regular cubed ice and large-format cut cubes. Each drink is concocted with the appropriate ice.
“Right now, two of my absolute favorites are the Zane Banane and the Fog Cutter,” Leggett says. “The Zane Banane, which we describe as a banana Mai Tai on a French vacation, consists of cognac, navy-strength Jamaican rum, banana, orange liqueur, allspice and lemon … on that good pebble ice.” The bar also always has a rotation of housemade frozen cocktails. Inquire within about current dairy-free options.
