A La Mode Ice Cream Shoppe in New York City
Serving Nut-free, Egg-free ice cream to toddlers, grandparents, and everyone in between.
by Irene Plax
[dropcap letter=”F”]ew things are better than ice cream. Cold, creamy, sweet … a perfect treat for kids and adults. But if you experience nut allergies, chances are you’ve felt left out at the ice cream parlor. On NYC’s Upper East Side, A La Mode Shoppe has been welcoming ice cream lovers of all ages since March of 2015, serving scoops that are egg-free, nut-free, and sesame-free. There are also dairy free options. No matter your favorite flavor in the range of options, they’ve got you covered. Pink Sprinkles happens to be the kids favorite and soon, they will have Emoji ice cream. For the grown ups, they go a little sexy with flavors like Rosewater. [columns_row width=”half”] [column]
Co-owner Sandy explained that she was inspired to create ice cream that didn’t leave anyone out when she saw Little League kids crying. When asked, she realized it was because they couldn’t partake in the fun with their teammates so she committed herself to providing a place where everyone, regardless of allergies, could come and enjoy the simplest pleasures. The store is definitely a favorite for families in the neighborhood, with a playroom for babies and toddlers with a boutique of ice cream-themed toys, books, clothes and accessories. During my visit, a few toddlers wandered around happily with toys in tow, while parents enjoyed some delicious ice cream without worrying about what the kiddos were up to. While we sat or perused throughout the store, co-owners Sandy and Marc chatted with customers with a sense of familiarity that made you feel right at home.
When it comes to the pint size humans in our lives (aka, the kids), Pink Sprinkles and Partly Cloudy are the most popular. Pink Sprinkles is a nostalgic flavor of grade school birthday parties: cake, ice cream, and sprinkles. Partly Cloudy is a blue cotton candy ice cream with marshmallows. The cotton candy flavor is so exact, and coupled with the fluffy marshmallow texture, my friend and I had to turn to each other to double check we were actually having ice cream.
“It’s a carnival pop!” he exclaimed.
After allowing ourselves permission to tap into our younger selves, we ventured into flavors for any age. Here’s how they all staked up:
- The Sea Salt Caramel was luscious and creamy, and even though there is no egg, the taste and texture hinted at custard. The salt melted into the caramel: a beautiful thing.
- Wired, a coffee ice cream, had the extra perk of chocolate chips.
- Mint chocolate is always a classic, and they really knocked it out of the ballpark. It tasted like they simmered mint leaves in cream…so fresh and so clean!
- The Green Tea flavor reminded me of tealeaves, boiled just to the point of bitterness, then magically turned sweet and creamy.
- Speedbump, one of their bestsellers, is a chocolate ice cream with white and dark chocolate chips with marshmallows, and something about it feels like a full meal, it’s so satisfying!
- Blueberry Greek Yogurt: Another flavor that has a “meal” sort of feeling. Visually appealing, it almost borders on savory, and you could really get the full mouth-feel of a blueberry, skin and all, in the best way possible.
- The Rosewater was your standard rosewater flavor – aromatic – but it was supported by a creaminess that took it to the next level.
A La Mode does ice cream birthday cakes as well. I can imaging how wonderful that may be. In fact, recently, a customer was celebrating their 70th birthday and for their party, guess which cake that ordered? I never knew but I can’t help but wonder what flavor the birthday girl chose for her cake. At 70, you’ve gotta go for broke!
360 east 55th street | New York, NY 10022
ABOUT a la mode …
is an ice cream shoppe & kids boutique in NYC.
We offer homemade, small batch ice cream in a nut-free facility offering gluten-free and dairy free options. In our boutique, we carry infant and children’s apparel, toys, unique gifts for children of all ages.
Come check out our party space and fun events for kids monthly!
