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Category: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
Neighborhood: Lower East SideDelancey-Essex Sts (F, J, M, Z)
Grand St (B, D)
2nd Ave-Houston St (F, V)
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Dear Vanilla Saffron and Pumpkin,
Polygamy is okay. Please, marry me.
Love,
Alysse
P.S. Pumpkin - NOT pumpkin pie. The pumpkiny goodness was overwhelming. I might have gone twice in one day for these flavors...
Overrated.
I live close by so I've been able to try a good number of flavors. Don't get me wrong: it's ice cream so of course it's tasty. But nothing has influenced me to return other than giving it more chances to impress me.
Plus, the storefront causes too much pressure under crowded conditions.
I was passing right by today and decided to give this place a little update. If I were a more spontaneous, fly-by-the-seat-of my pants type person I would have surely ordered the ricotta and black fig today. I would have watched them melt together while giving each side the attention necessary until at the end they formed some sort of ricotta/fig milkshake that I would sip from the small container.
However, I hate to make a mistake with something at il laborotorio and am far more Dawson Leery than Evil Knievel so I made the easy choice for me and went with a small coconut/chocolate malt ball combo. The coconut had so much coconut texture in it and was phenomenal. The chocolate malt ball fell short of tasting like a Whopper, but was really nice when mixed with the coconut.
Another great experience at the lab, but I vow next time to get something a little more dynamic like the chocolate thai chili they had today that I dismissed within seconds.
Also, the prices here are very good. A small, in which you can combine two kinds of gelato, is only $3.60 and there is plenty to eat in that little cup.
Yet another unbelievable snack place on the LES. The gelato is out of this world. I am not a gelato… Read more »
There is really nothing better than good ice cream. Il Laboratorio is hand-made, small-batch, back-to-basics goodness. Everybody I've brought here raves about this place, and with so many interesting flavors, there's a lot to sample and like. Old standards like dark chocolate and hazelnut are somehow more intense, delicate, and delicious here. I was reluctant to even taste the banana, but oh my god is it good! Even the mint tastes like a fresh mint leaf. YUM!
5 more stars for the honey lavender gelato. It is indescribably amazing.
I heart gelato. And I heart il laboratorio del gelato. Most gelato places are generous in their servings, but so this place is even better. I make it a point to go every time I visit NYC. I'm going in 2 weeks, and even if the weather is cold, I'm still going.
The gelato has a great texture, and every flavour that I've tried has is like a party in my mouth. You taste the essence of the source. I recommend pear, pistachio, and the amaretto crunch.
This is not a shop of any sort, it is actually just a window where you come up and order gelato and sorbet from their selection on display in the freezers at the window-sill. That being said, the gelato here is INCREDIBLE. The variety of flavors that they are capable of serving on any given day is amazing. The sorbets are very good, but the gelatos are like ice cream, but BETTER. My favorites so far are the marscapone and amaretto crunch, but those are only 2 of a hundred some-odd possible flavors. Some flavors are seasonal, but I will be here regardless of the season. Best gelato stand in NYC!
Ohmygod.
Some dude on a bike told us the sorbet is better than the gelato, but the honey lavender gelato is out of this world.
Seriously? Ohmygod. If I wrote any more I would start drooling on the keyboard.
We stopped here one Sunday afternoon to get some gelato and walked away very happy. They have some standard flavors, but some pretty innovative ones as well. I got the dark chocolate and paired it with olive oil. That's right, they had an olive oil flavor that day. It was really unexpectedly good. Most businesses on the street were pretty empty, except for this one. I had to order quickly because there was a line. They serve up pretty large scoops, too. You won't be sorry to stop here.
I didn't think I would be the type of person to order and actually enjoy basil ice cream, but it was soooo refreshing and delicious on a warm summer afternoon.
il Laboratoria gets most of it's business from local restaurants, but stroll by this location to place window order for a small (2 scoop) medium (3 scoop) or large (4 scoop) at reasonable prices starting at $3. Such a deal! I guess from reading the other reviews, they must change their flavors often. Pumpkin, green grape? What? I want that!!
IMO best gelao in the city. Solid ingredients resulting in a super rich gelato. Because of this, stick with the fruit flavors. Has the body of the fruit, sweetness and coolness of a gelato. I like the lemon the best. Perfect blend of bitter and sweet. Strawberry and honey dew gets honorable mentions. On the flip side, the coffee, nuts and other bold flavors tend to be waaay to rich and creamy for my liking. It's good for a bite or two, but after that it goes south pretty damn quick.
There's a reason so many nice downtown restaurants include Il Laboratorio's products on their dessert menus: it's amazing gelato. The flavors range from classic to experimental, but the best choices for me fall in the middle: ricotta, basil, olive oil and black fig are all among my favorites. There's no better place to stop on a hot day, and there's nothing better to bring to a dinner party than a few miscellaneous pints if you want to improve everyone's night.
I need to move back to NYC. I really do. Family? Visit enough I think. Shake Shack? Awesome, best fast food burger (if you stretch the term fast), but we have In-n-Out. The street dogs? Great! but we have them wrapped in bacon in LA (ok, that one might be reaching, a dirty water dog or a Grey's beats a bacon wrapped dog, any given day when sober). Work? No, I'd be unemployed, apparently they don't do much engineering over there... except re-engineering financial reports...
So whats left? The best ice cream (ok... fine... gelato) in the country. I know everyone has written about this place and how wonderful it is, but its well deserved, so let me add to it.
If you want thick, heavy, "I can't budge after eating it" ice-cream, move along. If you want rich, creamy, smooth, flavorful, dense but not weigh you down dense, beautiful frozen treats; then stop by. Or fly across the country. They can ship it to you too, I guess. Its not the same though, you need to walk up, look at the little tub of available flavors of the day to get the full effect.
The green tea is the benchmark now, I think green tea ice cream, I think of their version. The mango sorbet must be made with some illegal mango variety they smuggle in from some far off land, I 've never had an actual mango with such concentrated flavors. And I've eaten plenty of mangoes. The espresso gelato is super concentrated, the way it should be. Black sesame reminds me of the sweet soup my dad used to make me on sundays in the winter when I was a little boy, except, if you took the whole bowl, and condensed it's entire flavor punch down to a little scoop. The ginger is just that. Ginger. Rich and pure ginger with creaminess. The way it should be, its called ginger, its star is ginger, not sugar, not cream, ginger, the other flavors accent it, not overpower it. The thai chili chocolate is good, but too much to take a whole scoop worth. I sampled it on a few occassions, and ever time, its good, and every time, the sample was enough to satisfy my desire for it. (hhhmmm... come to think of it, if all foods were like this, it would be the perfect diet). The coconut... pure.
I used the word "pure" twice, but that really is the best way to describe their flavors.... pure. Imagine the flavor, and take the best version you ever had of it, and that is it.
There are many many hits in their flavor list. To me a few misses, but I'm sure other's think differently... The fig is good, but doesn't slap the image of biting a fresh fig into your head. To me, its their weakest flavor, but its still good. When the worse you can do is "good" then have over a 100 options that are better, you're doing something, a lot of something, right.
Every time I visit home, I go here, I went 6 times in one week the last time I visited my parents. Yes it was the middle of winter. Yes its "in the neighborhood", but of course that meant it was only a 10 block walk. Yes, I was only home for a week.
One of my favorite gelato joints in NYC. il laboratorio has flavors that one dreams of...well, I haven't see sugar plum there but there have been a multitude of other distinct flavors. My favorites: rice, strawberry, walnut, and dark chocolate. Mmm...kind of have a hankerin' for some now.
Stoop seating available. Bring your taste buds.
My favorite gelato place. I go to Whole Foods and buy those big ol' containers, because I have a 50% success rate with the actual store. I went after 6pm the first two times, and it was closed. Ack. Oh, and I suppose it's kind of cute that it's not an actual store (you see people working, but you get the ice cream at the window).
The gelato texture is smooth and it's somewhat rich (has oomph), but there aren't too many exciting flavors at this location. The wasabi was surprisingly good (zingy, but still worked as a sweet); the honey lavender made me feel like I was eating L'Occitane products; dulce de leche tasted like any other dulce de leche; toasted sesame was good, but not fantastic; ricotta is creamy deliciousness; and malt is pretty sweet, too.
The Whole Foods on Houston no longer carries Il Laboratorio del Gelato for its ice cream counter, because it was having issues with its supplier. It now carries Ciao Bella. Boo! What am I going to do when I want small portions of Il Laboratorio?
This is the Place to get Gelato's that you cannot get it ANYWHERE ELSE !
So far I've tried BLACK SESAME, GREEN TEA (Better than Chinatown Ice Cream Factory cause they are more watery or too sweet) Smooth and thick creamery GELATO.
On my way to try the rest of the Flavors.... woo hooo!
Pricey, but Hey... THEY HAVE IT!
Favorite flavor is the honey lavender, although they don't always have it available. I also like the toasted almond.
Really unique and pure flavor combinations. So light in texture and a perfect summer treat. YUM-CITY! The sorbet is so creamy its hard to believe there is no dairy.
Even better than Ciao bella!
The green tea gelato is pretty great; it has that tint of bitterness that tempers the sweetness that many green tea ice creams overdo. All while staying creamy.
The black sesame gelato was also creamy; this is impressive, since black sesame ice creams often give off that sandy feeling.
It's awesome for curious georges who like trying new exotic flavors.
The only thing I wish they had was some seating. Basically, this is a tiny stand -- you stand on line, you buy, you leave. Happy.
Great place to try some off-kilter flavors. If you go here, make sure that you go out on a limb and try something different.
The best part is that their run of the mill flavors are also fantastic too if you aren't that adventurous. I just wish they had a place to sit.
I'm having an unrequited love affair with their Earl Grey Tea gelato. If you're in houston, you're lucky because they have their earl grey for scoops in Whole Foods Market (but it sells out really quickly =c). However, in the actual branch the guy told me that rarely he has it for scoops.
Even if they did make it in the pint, they wont except reservations. (YES. I'm THAT desperate.) They're charging 3.25/3.50 for a small and I think that includes two different scoops. (which is AWESOME and on the cheaper side, sadly.) I got a milkshake for 6.50 (OUCH!) It was thick but not that impressive (I'm sorry) and I think it would have saved me more money if I just bought the pint. =/
This used to be my favorite gelato...until L'Arte Del Gelato beat them out by a small margin.
This place really is mostly a wholesale outlet, and as such their hours reflect that. They close at like 6:00. And they serve dessert, which most people would want after dinner...
I've tried a number of flavors here:
Banana (outstanding)
Earl Grey Tea (my favorite of them all)
Thai Chili Chocolate (good, but spicy to chocolate ratio was a bit off)
Black Sesame (yum....)
Toasted Sesame (the only one that I really didn't like)
and a few others I'm forgetting.
Their website has a REALLY long list of flavors that they have made, some of which seem really interesting.
BTW, I'm planning a secret mission to assemble a strike team to raid the store and force them to make multiple batches of the SAMBUCA gelato from that list. I've asked repeatedly when they would have it again, and the answer has universally been that they probably won't. So the time for action is NOW! Who's with me?
Gonna go with 4-stars here. I only had the chance to try a couple of flavors, which were both great, and if the rest of them are on par with the ones I tried than I'm sure they're at least in the 4-star range. And the awesome street and service and pretty reasonable service puts them over the top, maybe to 5 stars. Will have to come back.
Anyway, the peanut butter was awesome, with a really pure, intense peanut flavor singing out through the dairy. The Guinness was bracingly bitter, in just the right way. Great combo. Can't wait to try more when I'm in the area.
I don't believe I know one person who I haven't told about Il Laboratorio and my several visits have allowed me the wonderful experience of tasting the various flavors they offer. From the classics such as red cherry, coconut, mango, mint, chocolate to the eclectic black mission fig, toasted black sesame, tarragon with pink pepper and my favorites red bean and lychee, everyone will be satisfied- if they ever decide where to even begin. The shop itself is small, the creator and owner as well as staff are very friendly and with the constant variety I'm happy to say that Il Laboratorio will be around for a long time.
Not only is the gelato perfect here but this place stands out due to their choice of flavors. Honey Lavender and Chili Chocolate anyone? If you like to break from the traditional flavors this place is for you (although they have traditional flavors as well).
Mmmm. Still mmmm after the disappointment of looking forward to black sesame but not seeing black sesame anywhere in sight.
The pistachio is great with a strong nutty, roasted flavor. The avocado is more subtle and good in its own way. But I found myself wishing that I'd gotten all pistachio instead of halving the small cup for two flavors.
If there were a bench to enjoy the gelato, the experience would have been complete. Alas, no bench. But the neighborhood is quaint, and on a good day, it may be more enjoyable to wander around with deliciousness in hand.
Amazing amazing! My favorite ice cream/gelato in all of NYC. The flavors are insane, and the texture and creaminess is perfect. It's also firm and not melty, so you don't end up with ice cream soup as you walk and eat (as there's no seating here any more--it's only a vending window).
While they only have say 20 flavors of gelato and sorbet for scooping on a given day, there are additional flavors in pre-packed pints. Also, everything is amazing (this place was started by the guy who also founded Ciao Bella).
My all-time favorite is the Amaretto Crunch (tastes like how almond extract smells, with a swirl of yummy crunchy almond cookie bits...and sadly doesn't seem to be on the flavor list anymore...). Also excellent are the cinnamon, Mexican cinnamon, black mission fig, and mascarpone ice creams and the blood orange sorbet.
Now, if only they brought the amaretto crunch back and stayed open later...
Full list of flavors here: http://www.laboratorio...
Tip: If you want Il Lab after hours, you can buy 18 oz. containers at Murray's Cheese and scoops and pints at the Bowery Whole Foods.
Absolutely WONDERFUL and FLAVORFUL gelato! This is how it's supposed to be done! We had the peach gelato, kiwi gelato, and plum sorbeto. They were all amazing, tasting like a whole fruit was packed into each bite!
I want to drown to death in a barrel of il laboratorio's Thai chili chocolate, or peanut butter. or.......
vanilla
vanilla chocolate chip
vanilla pecan
vanilla rum
vanilla saffron
milk chocolate
dark chocolate
white chocolate
milk chocolate malt
chocolate hazelnut
chocolate kahlua
chocolate chocolate chip
chocolate cinnamon
thai chili chocolate
toasted sesame
black sesame
rice
ginger
green tea
red bean
wasabi
hazelnut
pistachio
toasted almond
walnut nocello
maple walnut
maple
macadamia
chestnut
chestnut honey
peanut butter
bourbon pecan
malt
espresso
mocha
nutmeg
honey lavender
acacia honey
corbezzolo honey
rose petal
tarragon with pink pepper
rosemary
cinnamon
cinnamon with red pepper
mexican cinnamon basil
fresh mint
mint chip
peppermint stick
licorice
earl grey
black mission fig
green fig
banana
strawberry
raspberry
blackberry
blueberry
lemon
orange
peach
mango
coconut
pumpkin
apple cinnamon
apple calvados
pear
pear william
prune armagnac
rum raisin
ricotta
mascarpone
creme fraiche
cheddar cheese
sour cream
buttermilk
greek yogurt
mastic
olive oil
dulche de leche
caramel
meringue
aromatic bitters
orange bitters
peach bitters
avocado
cajeta
guiness
kahlua
sambuca
Guiness?
SImply the best gelato in the city. Unusual flavors collide with the perfect secret gelato recipe. My personal favs have included green grape and pumpkin, you never know what they are going to offer, just wish they were open later
Their ice-cream is no longer carried at Whole Foods on Houston, replaced ironically by Ciao Bella( absolute mediocrity at it's finest). Laboratorio could not get their deliveries over to Whole Foods- all four blocks of the distance in a timely manner. My friend Karen and I were momentarily fooled by the display when we went for a post Pinche Taqueria i.c. When will they(Laboratorio) stop giving retail customers the finger just cause their ice-cream is so freakin' good. No seating area, not even a bench outside anymore and less venues to enjoy the i.c. cause your hours are so brief. Mr Snyder think of your loyal retail customers.
New toppings of caramel, bittersweet fudge(tdf) and hardened milk chocolate are about time for the… Read more »
Rich, flavorful dark chocolate. Light and creamy texture. Had a good size portion for a price at par of lower than competition in NY. A winner.
This gelato is my best friend forever. I'd marry it. I'd give it a son. We'd make reservations for restaurants and I'd put them under it's name.
I'm it's bitch. Whenever I find myself in the lower east side, I need to stop at il laboratorio. Whatever flavor I have, whether be it a gelato or a sorbet, is my favorite flavor. The tastes really pop! They are enhanced by slow churned creamy goodness. I can't believe how smooth it is, it has the mouth feel of panna cotta, and then butter.
Lots of unique flavors.
Great marketing!
They give you an ice pack if you order "to-go" and you live far away. Nice touch.
I had the Earl Grey, White Chocolate & toasted sesame.
Unique flavors, not memorable enough to warrant a return visit.
Maybe because I ordered their Dulce de Leche but I could only buy it by the pint.
Still prefer Hagen Daz, Cold Stone and Ben & Jerry's.
Verdict: A-OK. More fiction than fact, IMHO.
Whole Foods Bowery Has Il Lab Gelato...
But so what?!
Don't be lazy and walk the extra 5 minutes to the actual Il Lab store! The extra stroll you spend to make your way over there will make a difference. The storefront is just that, a store front. They don't provide any seating.
After ignorantly being complacent with the Whole Foods version of Il Lab gelato for years (probably 3 years), this past weekend I finally made it over to their storefront on Orchard, bet Broome & Delancy. Me and my foodie partner-in-crime sampled a few flavors and settled on a combo of Toasted Sesame and Honey Lavendar. Both were good, but the Honey Lavendar especially delighted my tastebuds.
The gelato at the original Il Lab is less heavier than the Whole Foods version. The Il Lab gelato at Whole Foods is so thick, I have trouble finishing a small cup, and it definitely makes you thirsty.
Jon Snyder, who started Il Lab is an amazing entrepreneur. At age 19, he started Ciao Bella and sold it by age 25. At age 38, he decided to start Il Lab.
Here's a great article about him:
http://www.laboratorio...
Il Lab is really good, but my 5-star gelato rating is reserved for L'Arte del Gelato.
I agree with some previous reviewers that the consistency is off and that this is more like ice cream than gelato, but the exciting list of flavors got to me. Lemon Basil? Red Grape Sorbet? Rose Petal? Honey Lavender? Hell yeah! Alas, this hole-in-the-wall is so small that they rotate in only 8 flavors at a time and don't announce when what flavor is coming. :( The 1st time I went I dragged a friend over, was not enthused by the current offerings, and left w/o ordering anything. But my 2nd visit rewarded me with Thai Chili Chocolate (yes, def has a little kick), so yay! But yeah, no seats and small portions kinda suck. I'd go if I were in the neighborhood, but I wouldn't go out of my way. Three stars, for "Just-OK."
PS - This is a good spot to kill time while you're waiting for your tour at the LES Tenement Museum across the street. If you're lucky, the bench in front of the LES TM admin offices (a few doors down from the gelato storefront, same side of street) will be available for your butt.
Had the 3 flavor medium for $4.50. No terribly exotic flavors today.
Black plum sorbet - fantastic.
Caramel Salt, and Black Mission Fig were both salty, so
neither the sweetness of the caramel nor the fig would come out.
Maybe it's because of the ethiopian food I ate earlier. I tried a bit
of my friend's Milk Chocolate and that was great, very milky.
They could improve the line efficiency by posting the flavors above their window, rather than in small letters by the tubs (can't pre-choose anything until you really get right up to your turn).
Must try more.
The flagship store on 95 Orchard but hours are 10-6. WTF? Luckily I was informed that there was another inside of Whole Foods on Bowery that closed at 11pm so I had to check it out. Sure enough, there was one on the ground floor. They didn't have as many flavors as I had hoped though. This place definitely beats out Cones. I will definitely be back!
I tried the following:
- black sesame gelato - tasted the sesame seeds, amazing! Up there with EN's ice cream, but lighter!
- strawberry gelato - very clean and refreshing, very breyeresque also but less creamy
- vanilla and chocolate chip gelato - vanilla bean specks, reminds me of breyers
- green tea gelato - too much cream, not enough matcha
UPDATE: went back and they confirmed that the mythical 'wasabi' flavor never existed. I had the following:
- red beet gelato - looked and tasted like beet..very healthy
- earl gray gelato - infused with lots of tea flavor...amazing!
must get: black sesame gelato, earl gray gelato
I took my foodie meetup here:
http://www.meetup.com/...
Ohhh gawwwwd. This place is amazing. After reading a feature in TONY about places that feature Lavender in their food, I had been on a quest for the Lavender Honey gelato.
A good thing to know: il laboratorio switches up their flavors constantly, even throughout the course of a day, so it is almost impossible to predict what will be on tap - even if you call ahead.
So it has been weeks that I have been stopping by, hoping to catch the lavender honey. Every time I was in the neighborhood, I stopped by to no avail. In the meantime, I tried a bunch of different sorbets and gelatos. The sorbets are great, but I think the gelatos are even better.
The espresso gelato was a standout, as well as the toasted coconut, and chocolate.
Then today.... today i finally got the lavender honey. Oh, oh, oh, it was worth the wait. Holy deliciousness. It was to die for. I got two scoops with thai chili chocolate - also delicious! But seriously folks, I could have eaten a whole vat of the lavender honey and asked for more. Good god.
Somewhere in the east side of Manhattan. My friend recommended me this place when we were exploring NY (he was showing me around). The best gelato I've had, everrrrr. I got a small cup of chocolate amaretto and toasted sesame for $3.75, which was good stuff. They switch their flavors around, so although I was really looking forward to trying the kahlua that day, it wasn't there that day (this was in late March). :[ Oh well. Perhaps next time!
I say this like I live nearby. (It's only 3000 miles away. I can learn to teleport.)
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