As Toronto weathers an almost unbearable heat wave this week, ice cream and other frozen treats seem to be at the top of everybody’s mind.
There’s no way around it; it’s hot in Toronto right now, like, really hot, and the first day of summer was only last Friday, June 20. In other words, there’s a lot more where this weather came from in store for us this summer.
It’s easy to get bogged down in the sweaty clothes and sticky TTC rides of it all, but steamy summer weather also comes with one sweet silver lining: it’s acceptable to eat ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, freezies and slushies whenever you want when it’s this hot out.
While you could stick to the classics, like longstanding stalwarts such as Tom’s Dairy Freeze or Dutch Dreams, or even opt for the hyped-up spots, like Bar Ape and Ruru Baked, where all the cool cats are chilling out, there is also a whole host of new frozen treats around the city that’ll quench your cravings while cooling you off.
Here are some of the best new ice creams (and other frozen treats) in the city that can help you ride out the heat wave.
Acai Fro-Yo at Haydn’s
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If you’ve visited Stackt Market at any point in the past two months, you’ve likely been struck by the hordes of people digging into some novel sort of acai bowl, fro-yo hybrid. Unless, of course, that was the whole reason why you went.
All the fuss, it turns out, is over Haydn’s, a frozen yogurt bar in the style of the fro-yo boom of the early 2010s. The difference is that, with options like acai and actual frozen yogurt, plus healthy-ish toppings including granola, mochi, pistachio butter, and hemp hearts, is actually acceptable to consume as a meal on its own.
Address: Stackt Market, 28 Bathurst St.
Thai Gelato at Kati
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Though the first location of this Thai gelato parlour by Patrick Suksaen (Koh Lipe, Le Lert) only opened in the fall of 2024, there are now three locations in the city where you can pick up a cup or cone of the stuff.
Offering an array of flavours that run the gamut from easily accessible, such as coconut, mango, and passion fruit, to more adventurous options, including satay and Tom Yum yogurt, there’s something for everyone here.
Address: 567 College St., 496 Yonge St., and 33 Baldwin St.
Matcha Slushies at Gateau Ghost
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There’s no shortage of utterly Instagrammable sweet treats you can pick up at this sweet Bloorcourt cafe-by-day, restaurant-by-night concept, but their latest concoction, the matcha slushie, has really cornered the frozen treat market this season.
Inspired by Bellwood Brewery’s Jelly King slushies, these treats incorporate ceremonial-grade matcha churned in a slushie machine a la 7-Eleven, and topped with your choice of strawberry or vanilla cold foam. It’s decidedly more indulgent than your average iced matcha latte, making it the perfect frosty dessert when you’re too busy to deal with a melting ice cream cone.
Address: 974 College St.
Espresso Freezies at Rosalu Snack Bar
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We can’t confirm or deny whether Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Espresso” served as any inspiration for these unique treats served out of a similarly singular Seaton Village business, but these espresso freezies are most certainly Short n’ Sweet. Short, because you’ll have gobbled yours up within seconds.
Made with their house blend espresso, oat milk and vanilla or salted caramel syrup, they’re a more sophisticated sweet treat to be sure, but if you really want to up the ante, you can opt to pop yours in the blender with a bit of booze for an espresso martini slushie.
Address: 228 Christie St.
Ice Cream at Parliament Ice Cream Shop
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You’ve heard of waffle cones, and you’ve likely even seen ice cream sandwiches served between two waffles, but this brand-new ice cream parlour in Cabbagetown serves its scoops wrapped up in a freshly pressed bubble waffle.
If the traditional cone approach is more your style, the house-made waffle cones will most certainly hit the spot, too.
Address: 546 Parliament St.
Vegan Ice Cream at Honey’s Ice Cream Leslieville
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This dairy-free ice cream spot has been a Dundas West staple for years, but they’ve taken on a brand-new neighbourhood after opening a sister location in Leslieville in early 2025.
Here, you can expect a diverse array of flavours like birthday cake, cookie dough and Neapolitan, all made without dairy, so whether you’re vegan or simply trying to give your stomach a bit of a break, they’ve got you covered.
Address: 1026 Queen St. E.
Tealato at Cha Cheng Tealato
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Tealato may sound like a somewhat made-up concept in the vein of yogalates or Goldendoodles, but this spot located inside Rolltation‘s Bay Street location might just be on to the next big thing. Hey, it worked out for yogalates and Goldendoodles, after all.
Here, you can choose from a selection of Thai-inspired gelato flavours, including Thai iced tea, chrysanthemum lychee, and hojicha. Bonus points for the option of waffle cups instead of waffle cones, because we all know an ice cream cone in this heat would almost certainly end in tragedy.
Address: Rolltation, 960 Bay St.
Pistachio Affogato at Public Gardens
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If you somehow manage to score a table at this smokin’ hot spot on King West (and we’re not talking about the weather), you can opt for a number of Italian-inspired sweet treats to finish your meal on a high.
When it comes to treats that serve the double purpose of regulating your body temperature while you sit on their sun-drenched rooftop patio, however, it’s all about their pistachio affogato, which is the perfect blend of sweet ice cream and dense espresso.
Address: 577 King St. W.
Banana Split at Bar Clams
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Okay, so, listen; fried clams and white fish melts might not be everyone’s cup of tea when the temperatures outside are soaring well above 30 degrees Celsius, but there is one dish on the menu at Matty Matheson’s East Coast-inspired diner that actually gets better the hotter it gets outside: the banana split.
Ideal for sharing (if you’re willing to), Matheson’s take on this classic dessert doesn’t in any way stray from the original, and that’s what’s so great about it. Looking like something out of a cartoon, it comes with three scoops of ice cream (vanilla, strawberry and chocolate) each topped with a dollop of whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles and a Maraschino cherry, all between two halves of a brûléed banana.
Address: 802 Dundas St. W.
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