We know, we know … it’s ridiculously hot on our sunny island (nevermind the occasional thunderstorms), which is why we’ve scoured the city for icy treats to keep you cool. From homemade frozen yogurt to gelato, we go on a freeze spree and put the city’s frozen dessert parlors to the taste test.

Frozen yogurt

It’s hard to ignore how quickly new froyo stores keep popping up. While most are chains, our top three are boutique stores dedicated to championing a most worthy cause—world domination by frozen yogurt.

Swirl Art

With at least 10 different flavors to choose from and an impressive range of over 20 toppings, a trip to Swirl Art is truly an exercise in self-restraint. The fact that they’re self-serve is merely the cherry on top. We love that they indulge the big kid in us as we design our very own frozen yogurt creations for $3 per 100g. With flavors such as apple, passion fruit and even taro, our absolute favorites are the subtly tart mango and chocolate topped with multi-colored “qq” balls and black sesame mochi. Their chocolate froyo is seriously rich and satisfying. With an amazingly dense texture and intense chocolate flavor, we had to constantly remind ourselves to skip the guilt.
411 River Valley Rd., 6836-6846.

Miki Yo!

Barely a month old, Miki Yo! is definitely one froyo joint to watch out for. While they may not have as much variety as Swirl Art (original and their specialty flavors such as green tea), they do what they do well. We simply love their tagline and gamely took their advice to “go with the fro, yo!” Swirls start from $3.20 for a small cup. We especially liked their blackcurrant, a delightfully tart blend of fruit and yogurt that was neither too sweet nor too sour. Pair it with their home made “Locococo” (coffee) and “Cheeky Lychee” jelly, or try some chewy honeydew mochi imported from Japan.
#01-140G Suntec City Mall, Tower 4, 3 Temasek Blvd., 9077-2110.

Sogurt

Another self-serve boutique that carries flavors such as blueberry and acai, raspberry pomegranate and pistachio frozen yogurt. Try mixing and matching flavors and toppings (such as fruity pebbles, waffle crisps and organic granola) for a customized frozen yogurt treat that costs $3.30 per 100g. Their most distinctive flavor is surely the red velvet cake—unlike some of their other flavors which tasted icy and were a little bland, this standout had a firm texture with notes of chocolate, vanilla and fizzy cola that gave us a unique taste sensation we thoroughly enjoyed.
617 Bukit Timah Rd., 6468-8940.

Ice cream and Gelato

Some would argue that ice cream making is a mere science, we firmly maintain that it’s an art. Here are some places to enjoy some edible culture.

Udders

Udders boasts fantastic ice creams and sorbets, plus great service with a smile. Their selection of flavors is pretty remarkable with locally-inspired ones such as “kopi-c ecstasy” and D24 durian. They drove us crazy, in a good way, with their luscious Gila Melaka—fragrant gula melaka (palm sugar) ice cream with nuggets of chewy attap chee (palm seeds). They also cater to boozehounds with various alcoholic flavors and corresponding ‘martini glass’ indicators. If you’re a lightweight, give their “choya lime umeshu” a shot (three martini glasses). For full-on intoxication, the Tira-Miss-U packs a punch with the maximum six martini glasses. After much deliberation, we settled on their Mao Shan Wang durian flavor. This luscious ice cream is a heavenly incarnation of the revered king of fruits—just not quite so pungently offensive, but every bit as scrumptious. Get licking from $3.20 a scoop.
Goldhill Centre, 155 Thomson Rd., 6254-6629.

Tom’s Palette

Coming in at a very respectable second place, this ice cream parlor serves up some of the most unique flavors we’ve tasted in a while, such as oolong tea, rosemary and apple and lychee and rose. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, give their wasabi lime a go. For those who’d like some grown-up flavors, there’s chocolate stout and pear with brandied dates. Singles go for $2.80, but trust us when we say you’ll need a double ($3.70). Their Granny’s favorite has swiftly become ours too: A chocolate and Horlicks combo topped with chocolate chips and homemade cookie dough. Another winner is their “melt and sizzle;” this simple yet gratifying brown sugar ice cream is complemented beautifully with chocolate chunks and fizzy pop rocks that explode in your mouth.
#01-25 Shaw Leisure Gallery, 100 Beach Rd., 6296-5239.

Frigidarium

You’ve gotta love a gelato store that dares to experiment with flavors, at the risk of facing the wrath of an angry Italian. There’s sakura (cherry blossom), ginger and rose; and a noteworthy lavender gelato, with great texture and subtle flavor (unlike others we’ve tried that make us feel like we’re eating potpourri). The lemongrass gelato is also a good, solid bet with its firm, smooth texture and refreshing flavor.
Grab a cup for $3.90. #01-40 Market Street Car Park, 146 Market St., 9653-3140.

We zero in on some of the best and worst flavored ice creams