Upgrade Your Basic Ice Cream Cone With These Next-Level Philly Flavors, Toppings, and Twists

The Puffle at Arctic Scoop. Photograph by Stuart Goldenberg

Instead of vanilla …

Rompope
Inspired by a traditional eggnog-y Mexican drink of the same name, it comes with or without raisins. La Guerrerense, 1143 South 9th Street, Bella Vista.

Sweet Potato Pie
West Philly native Andre Andrews (brand name: Dre’s Ice Cream) is making flavors inspired by the stuff his grandma used to cook. ShopRite, 575 North 52nd Street, West Philly, and on his roving truck.

Arctic Splash
Little Baby’s, the reigning champ of ice-cream quirk, pays homage to a classic Philly beverage. Little Baby’s, multiple locations.

Black Raspberry Stracciatella
Pennsylvania berries lend a fruity floral note and deep purple hue to the summertime-only flavor. Weckerly’s Ice Cream, 9 West Girard Avenue, Fishtown.

Avocado Passion Fruit
Join the newly launched Ice Cream Explorers club and you’ll get exclusive flavors like this tropical mash-up. Franklin Fountain, 112 Market Street, Old City.

Instead of a sugar cone …

Rice flour crepe
This gluten-free pancake is folded inside a paper cone. T-Swirl Crepe, 150 North 10th Street, Chinatown.

Salted toffee almond graham crackers
Other ice-cream holders found at Zsa’s: homemade Oreo wafers, vegan cookies and doughnuts. Zsa’s, 6616 Germantown Avenue, Mount Airy.

Taiyaki
The fluffy fish-shaped cone was made for social media. Cafe Clover, 1333 West Cheltenham Avenue, Elkins Park.

Waffle cone taco
It’s dipped in homemade Magic Shell and filled with strawberry ice cream, strawberry basil salsa and whipped cream. Somerset Splits, 2600 East Somerset Street, Port Richmond.

Puffle
This Hong Kong street snack—also known as a bubble waffle—gets transformed into a warm cone. Arctic Scoop, 1812 East Passyunk Avenue, East Passyunk.

Instead of jimmies …

Burnt marshmallow
Get the campfire classic without actually having to, you know, camp. The Post, 129 South 30th Street, University City.

Pan-fried cinnamon and butter crunch
So good, you almost don’t need the ice cream. Tubby Robot, 4369 Main Street, Manayunk.

Wasabi pea dust
Spicy green powder coats chocolate soft-serve for the Godzilla special. Big Gay Ice Cream, 1351 South Street, Bella Vista.

Breakfast cereal
A flight of cereal-infused flavors comes sprinkled with all your sugary morning favorites. Varga Bar, 941 Spruce Street, Washington Square West.

Potato chips
There’s every topping you’d ever think to put on ice cream—and lots you wouldn’t. (See: granola, Rice Krispie treats and bacon bits.) Scoop DeVille, 1109 Walnut Street, Midtown Village, and the Bourse, 111 South Independence Mall East, Old City.

The I Call a Chartreuse at A.Bar. Photography by Neal Santos

Instead of a root beer float …

Orange Whip 
Vanilla ice cream gets blended with vodka, rum, triple sec and orange juice at this new Cira Green spot. Sunset Social, 129 South 30th Street, University City.

I Call a Chartreuse
Gin, fresh lime juice, cherry-flavored Luxardo liqueur, and a scoop of homemade chartreuse ice cream (made by Fork pastry director Aaron Manuyag) is splashed with prosecco. A.Bar, 1737 Walnut Street, Rittenhouse.

Soft-serve with amari 
At this temple of pizza, Trickling Springs Creamery soft-serve (in sweet cream or espresso) is the only dessert available. But they love pouring one of the amari—try the Rowhouse Reanimator coffee liqueur—on top. Pizzeria Beddia, 1313 North Lee Street, Fishtown.

Published as “Beyond the Basics” in the July 2019 issue of Philadelphia magazine.