I came back to Brooklyn for some terrible heat and humidity, so I thought I’d help us all cool off by weighing in on two Brooklyn ice cream places I’ve visited this year. I’d heard a lot about both Van Leeuwen and Blue Marble, but I’d never been to their shops. I had once gotten a scoop of Van Leeuwen’s Earl Grey flavor from their ice cream cart, but I thought the texture was a little grainy.

Unfortunately the texture problem continued in the store. The cinnamon flavor (above, left) had a little bit of a kick, but the ice cream was still strangely grainy, rather than creamy (and it appears I’m not the only one disappointed with their ice cream). I appreciate that they use such carefully sourced fresh ingredients, but it feels like a waste.

Blue Marble, on the other hand, was incredibly creamy. Donny tells me that their green tea flavor is the best he’s ever had, but they didn’t have it on the day we visited their Atlantic Ave location. I went for ginger (above, right) instead, which was delicious and rich. It could have used a bit more ginger-y bite, but it was still flavorful and delicious. Van Leeuwen has it’s staunch supporters, but for me Blue Marble blows it out of the water.

Van Leeuwen — 632 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn
Blue Marble — 420 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn