Soft serve has long been one of summer’s simplest pleasures. But in New York, it’s become something more—part nostalgia, part culinary precision.
With this guide, PRIOR maps out some of the city’s most distinctive soft serve experiences, from a chai-spiced oat milk swirl on the Lower East Side to Kyoto-grade matcha in Midtown. Some draw on tradition—booza-style textures, Italian sundaes, olive oil and salt. Others push the format entirely: vegan flavors built from scratch, soft serve reimagined as pastry, or cones so balanced they need no topping at all.
Across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, these spots don’t just reflect the coldest cones or the wildest toppings. It’s a map of New York’s most thoughtful takes on a format that still feels like summer in its most casual, joyful form.
Manhattan
Soft Swerve
Soft Swerve turns childhood nostalgia into something technicolor and devotion-worthy. Their signature ube and matcha swirls are as photogenic as they are flavorful—creamy, bright, and not too sweet. A Lower East Side staple for anyone seeking joy in cone form.
Glace NY
Founded by Sasha Zabar and now scooping on Madison Avenue steps from Central Park, Glace redefines indulgence. Expect seasonal soft serve, frozen hot chocolate, and over-the-top sundaes like Fluffer Nutter or the S’mores-stacked Glacier—desserts that teeter on performance art.
Manousheh Grand
A mashup of Middle Eastern booza and NYC soft serve, “Ashta Merry Cream” is a new classic. Crafted with rosewater, orange blossom, and crushed pistachios, it’s denser than your average cone, silkier than gelato, and entirely unique to this Lower East Side Lebanese outpost.
Morgenstern’s BANANAS
This is soft serve, but studied—and entirely vegan. Morgenstern’s makes every flavor from scratch, no base recipes, no fillers—just pure-texture joy in every spoon. Think playful combos (like bubble tea in soft serve form) with the precision of a pastry lab and the delight of a carnival.
Ray’s Candy Store
Ray’s has been slinging soft serve since 1974, and the East Village wouldn’t be the same without it. A neighborhood legend open nearly 24/7, where swirls are served with egg creams, fries, or gossip from Ray himself. Come for the cone, stay for the time warp.
