Scream for ice-cream: Delhi's parlours

Next time you’re in the mood for some ice-cream, give the usual suspects a miss. There’s more to this cold delight in Delhi, than pushcart vendors and grocery stores.

No review on ice-cream in sadi Dilli could ever be complete without a loud mention of kulfi and falooda, the Indian version of this firangi dessert. Look no further than the famous Kuremal Mohanlal Kulfiwale, who dishes out some amazingly-tasty kulfi at its “ice”-creamiest best! A spitting distance away is Siyaram Nannumal Kulfiwale, giving Kuremal serious competition. If you’ve got the gumption to brave the galis of Shahjahanabad for kulfi, make sure you savour it in desi flavours of pomegranate, kesar, litchi or gulkand at these vendors.

If the falooda add-on seems better, try kulfi falooda at Bengali Sweet Centre or at any other restaurant serving chaat or north Indian cuisine. The Rajasthani stall at Dilli Haat churns out khasta kulfi on a stick and draws lickers by the dozen. At Giani Di Hatti, one of the oldest ice-cream joints in the city, find the “flavour of the season” and try sampling it with Giani’s gajar ka halwa.

If desi delights do a neat job of cooling down Dilli’s dil, phoren flavours don’t fare too badly either. At Kasa Gelato, scoops of chocolate brownie ice-cream with real chunks of cake or Bailey’s Irish Crème will leave you yelping in new-found glee. For refreshingly-light gelatos, there is Gelato Vittorio to go to. Created by fashion designer Vijay Arora, this gelato chain has the touch of perfection in everything, be it in their sleek modern interiors or in their range of exotic gelatos—the Tiramisu, the fresh fruit (kiwi, melon, grape, custard apple) or the Toblerone.

Good old Nirula’s, with its hot chocolate fudge sundae, is still a hot favourite among Dilliwallahs. Nirula’s gives you the add-on experience of a scoop with a bite, in its range of lip-smacking delights, both hot and cold. For your regular ice cream binge, you’ll love Nirula’s.

The Big Chill too boasts of a wide range of homemade ice creams. Even their plain oh-so-creamy vanilla is absolute bliss. Baskin’ Robbins, with its home-delivery service and smart packaging, is a saving grace when you run out of all dessert ideas. Pick up the Alfonso with Cream and Cookies n’ Cream and don’t forget to ask for sauce toppings and nuts.

For all you vegetarian and weight conscious ice-cream lovers, Gourmet Ices, with its eggless and sugarless ice-creams, is a dream-come-true! Choose from the liqueur and natural flavours. Our favourite? It’s got to be nothing but Thai coconut.

Scoop out, lick, spill, chill.