The ice cream trade in the last few years has boomed. It has moved away from the single scoop of hokey pokey at the dairy to being handed frozen masterpieces on sticks, cones and in cups.

The other day I was given a mission by the people over at Concrete Playground. I had to go out and find the best ice cream places in Auckland. The worrisome part of this was that very little research was necessary as I had already visited a vast majority of the establishments in the Auckland region.

A good ice cream place to me has a fun vibe, a delicious range of frozen treats on offer and of course just that something something that makes them slightly different from the crowd. There are still of course many places I have yet to try but never fear - they are soon to be conquered.

Giapo

267-287 Queen Street,

Auckland CBD

(ice cream and sorbet)

The looks of delight and wonderment as the non-stop line of patrons get handed their ice creams says it all. With flavours such as giapo bueno and kiss kiss, this isn’t your typical ice cream bar. With the flavours hidden from sight, it is up to your taste buds to make the difficult decision as to what to get. You thought a massive cone of frozen dreams was enough; wait until they adorn it with golden flakes, bronzed whole hazelnuts and handcrafted macarons. My all time favourite here is the ever popular bueno and kiss kiss combination, in a cone of course.

Something amazing from Giapo (it was too many ice creams ago to remember)

Charlies Gelato Garden

17 Sharp Road,

Warkworth

(ice cream and sorbet)

Mum and Dad discovered this a few summers back and stopping on the way back from a day at the beach has become somewhat a tradition. Two scoops for $5 is not only a bargain but it enables you to try not one but two of the three cabinets worth of flavours. Their seasonal release, Christmas cherry, was one of the best ice creams I have ever tasted. It tasted completely like what a New Zealand Christmas should. Other noteworthy mentions include their coconut, salted caramel and raspberry white chocolate. Anything you choose is a guaranteed winner. Charlie’s also serves up wood fired pizzas in their outdoor oven. It really has everything you need after a hard day at the beach.

Coconut and dark chocolate gelato from Charlie's Gelato Garden

Milse

The Pavillions, 27 Tyler St, Britomart

Auckland CBD

While the plated desserts are a must-eat in Auckland, my favourite gems are stashed away in the freezer display. My favourite gelato hands down is the bombe Alaska, a creamy vanilla ice cream with frozen raspberry layer all dipped in white chocolate then coated in a toasted meringue. A close second is their latest addition to the cabinet, the rocky road; a creamy vanilla studded with all your favourite rocky road inclusions then coated in a cookie crumb white chocolate.

The Kapiti Store

19 Shortland Street,

Auckland CBD

Bringing your favourite tub flavours to a cone near you. Located in the insurance hub of the CBD I often justify a single scoop over my trim flat white on what has been some killer hot days. Particular favourites include the white chocolate raspberry and the triple chocolate but that is probably because I am biased towards the chocolately end of the flavour scale. The blueberry muffin and the black Doris plum and creme fraiche blew my mind also. The scoops are generous especially for CBD standards and its convenient location makes it a hop skip and a jump from the office. Go on, kick off those heels and indulge in a lunch break ice cream one of these days.

You need to eat this blueberry muffin ice cream from The Kaptiti Store.

St Heliers Bay Bistro

387 Tamaki Drive,

St Heliers

(ice cream and sorbet)

Knicker bocker glories. The name says it all. Two scoops of the delectable Hipgroup gelato (salted caramel and chocolate is my recommendation) with hokey pokey, butterscotch sauce and marshmallows layered in between. To top it all off they put a shard of intense dark chocolate the size of your hand on the top of it. The first time I had one of these I could barely finish it but now I am a seasoned consumer. Getting knicker bocker glories and walking along the seaside is usually my go to date idea, mainly because my date isn’t able to see terrifying look of glee on my face as I dig into one of these.

The Tannery

44B Portage Road,

New Lynn

(ice cream and sorbet)

The best raspberry white chocolate ice cream I have ever tasted. Mindblowingly good. If you don’t want to mission it out West then the creations of the Kohu Road creamery are available at all good and specialty supermarkets. Another notable mention is of course their dark chocolate and their Christmas fruit mince release which made a far more refreshing alternative to its pastry bound counterparts. Those who go there say it is worth the trip a thousand times over. With a focus on clean simple flavours made with only the best and natural ingredients you could almost justify a second helping by telling yourself it is good for you.

Takapuna Beach Café

22 The Promenade

Takapuna

(ice cream and sorbet)

Another retailer of the Hipgroup specialties but this time on the Shore. You can’t beat a big scoop of the dark chocolate honey comb in a cone paired with a mid afternoon stroll down the beach. The intensity of the chocolate here is some of the best I have ever tasted. The honeycomb that has dissolved it’s way through the rich chocolate only enhances the experience by adding a burnt sugar element to the mix. My Mum’s favourite is the lemon curd and yoghurt which is a delight to eat on a particularly hot Takapuna day.

Kapiti collection ice cream sticks

A dairy freezer near you

Maybe it is because I work for its parent co-op that makes me loyal to Kapiti or maybe it’s the fact that we get given these ice creams free on a fortnightly basis (yes we have Ice Cream Fridays) that these ice cream sticks make it into my top ten. Every fortnight without fail I pluck a white chocolate and raspberry packet from the trolley as it makes it’s way to level 1. The creamy vanilla ice cream, the tart raspberry swirl though it and of course its thick white chocolate coating instantly transport me to my happy place. The best thing about these are that a) most of the time I get them for free but also b) when I do want to go out of my way to get them they are cheap as chips from most dairies and supermarket freezers. The milk chocolate caramel almond is also great.

Penguino Gelato and Ice Cream

55A Clyde Road,

Browns Bay

(ice cream and sorbet)

Having once spent a summer being a scooper girl here at my local establishment, I am rather fond of the gelato that is served here. All made on site in the tiniest kitchen out the back, Penguino has that small seaside town vibe going on down at the beach front in Browns Bay. You need to try the epic ice cream sundaes they have on offer, from memory you get like 10 scoops of ice cream and all the trimmings. You better get in quick though, Penguino shut close during the cooler months.

Oob Orgainic Café

2 Matakana Valley Road,

Matakana

(ice cream and sorbet)

You may recognize these guys from their packets of frozen berries in the freezer section of your local supermarket but what they do best is really in the world of frozen dairy. Oob use only the freshest organic ingredients to create their sorbets and ice creams so once again I use this to justify that double scoop. The creamiest mouthfeel you will ever get in an ice cream is also available in tubs at most good supermarkets if you are too fatigued from the heat to make your way north to Matakana. If you do find yourself up that way I recommend grabbing an Oob and spending an hour or so exploring the delights that Matakana has to offer.

The Plantation Cafe

226 Hibiscus Coast Highway,

Orewa

I went here for the first time in years yesterday and it hasn't changed a bit. Before the Orewa bypass we used to stop here after every beach trip up north. It has three freezers worth of good old Tip Top ice cream and only recently have they begun to offer the waffle cone. There was something nostalgic about getting a perfectly rounded scoop atop of my kiddie cone. Sure it isn't gourmet but it is still a classic and you can't knock a classic.