Ice cream parlours in London

Here are our restaurant team's favourite ice cream parlours in London. Call us to book tables at any of the below or for more tips on where to chill out with a frozen yoghurt, grab a cone or languish over a sundae, whether you're looking for something iconic like the gelato served at Marine Ices in Chalk Farm, or more contemporary flavours, such as the low-calorie frozen yogurt found at Snog in Soho. We can also arrange home couriers to deliver ice cream from your favourite parlour to your front door the next time you want to throw an impromptu al fresco party.

The Icecreamists

The Ultralounge, Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, London W1A 1AB

This irreverent boutique in Selfridges aims to forever banish ice cream's twee bucket-and-spade associations in a blaze of seductive and subversive flavours. The Sex Pistol is a mixture of absinthe and ice cream spiked with ‘natural Viagra' and shot from a pink water pistol, the ‘God Save the Cream' cryogenic cocktail is served at a tongue-numbing -196 degrees, and the champagne ice lollies are a decadent way to cool off after a day's shopping. But it's not all about louche lollipops. ‘The Icecreamists serve pure frozen yoghurts, which are available throughout the day, including for breakfast,' says Kimberley Hessey, one of our restaurant experts. ‘They're a healthy alternative to ice cream and a cool way to start the day.'

Morelli's Gelato

Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7XL

Black truffle, gorgonzola and pear, haggis - the Morelli family has been making ice cream for more than a century, so it's little wonder that over the decades it has experimented with flavours more esoteric than vanilla. Alongside classic sundaes - try its lofty knickerbocker glory or the Chairman's Delight - the skilled gelatiere at its bustling parlour in the food hall of Harrods can deftly whip up a kaleidoscopic array of weird and wonderful ice creams, and its bespoke service gives customers the chance to create their own flavours. Call us to arrange a special creation at Morelli's or a trip to its seaside parlour in Broadstairs.

Scoop

40 Shorts Gardens, London WC2H 9AB

Scoop owner Matteo Pantani aims to rediscover, rather than reinvent, ice cream. Everything at his Covent Garden parlour is made to an authentic recipe using market-fresh produce and ingredients imported from small Italian producers, and the menu is full of unfamiliar flavours drawn from the long history of gelato. The Crema Buontalenti is a 100-year-old recipe using acacia tree honey, the Malaga is a long-lost ice cream featuring sultanas, and the pine-kernel flavoured Pinolo is just like ‘Italian grandmothers used to create in old times'.

The Parlour at Fortnum & Mason

181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER

For an indulgent sundae ask us to book a table at the pastel-hued parlour on Fortnum & Mason's first floor. Drawing artisan ingredients from its food hall, the department store's ice cream menu features a selection of novel and indulgent concoctions for connoisseurs. The Beekeeper is a mixture of stem ginger and borage honey that's studded with honeycomb chunks, the Lazy Sundae Afternoon features strawberries doused in 12-year-old balsamic vinegar, and the Dusty Road is made with chocolate from Tuscan producer Amedei, famed for making the world's most expensive chocolate.

Freggo

27-29 Swallow Street, Mayfair, London W1B 4QR

This Soho outpost of fashionable Argentinean chain Freddo is open till 2am on the weekend so members can cool down with a dulce de leche or a malbec and berries after hitting the capital's hottest clubs. With its mirrored walls and comfortable booths, this stylish parlour looks like it should be serving cocktails rather than cones, and it offers a six-scoop tasting box for a social way to sample its signature flavours. ‘We expect Freggo will become a fixture of many members' nights out,' Kimberley says, ‘but it also offers a home delivery service for those who want a quiet night in.' Call us to arrange.