7 Cool Places In Metro Manila For Your Next Sweet Date

Summertime is truly upon us, and while it sometimes feels like it's too hot to function, summer is also the perfect excuse for a sweet ice cream date with your beau. And you don't even have to limit yourself to vanilla. Here's a list of ice cream shops with all the fun flavors to treat yourself to. 

Location: Molito Lifestyle Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City; SM Aura Premier, Bonifacio Global City

After proudly repping local flavors in Australia, Kariton Gelato has now set up shop in the Philippines, with a branch in Alabang and SM Aura, and another opening soon in Salcedo, Makati City. The gelato here is thick and rich AF, so one scoop might be enough—we recommend getting two (or more flavors), so you can try out more of their unique offerings.

The Turon with banana gelato, muscovado butterscotch, langka, and a candied fried lumpia wrapper is a crowd-favorite, but if you love sweet-salty flavors, consider getting the Keso, a cheddar-vanilla gelato topped with roasted cashews, cheddar cheese, and a Skyflakes cracker.

Location: 8 Missouri St., Greenhills, San Juan City

Offering 101 (!) flavors of ice cream, Carousel Creamery is not for the indecisive, but we think sampling as many flavors as you can until you land on The One is part of the fun. If you really can't settle for just one though, you can have the Sampler Plate of 5 scoops or 7 scoops, or the Scoop Bouquet of 7 or 15 mini scoops that come in a waffle cone.

Carousel Creamery also offers all kinds of sweet treats that, of course, revolve around ice cream and are perfect for sharing. The Apple Pie Ala Mode is as classic as you can get or you can indulge your sweet tooth and go for the aptly-named Dentist's Nightmare which comes with a scoop of Almond Roca, a scoop of Malted Choco crunch, warm homemade caramel sauce, peanut brittle, and candy canes.

Location: 168 Maginahawa, Diliman, Quezon City

On your next Maginhawa food trip, end on a sweet note with Papa Diddi's. Opening in 2015, Papa Diddi's is practically a Maginhawa institution, and a go-to for really great ice cream in the area. As their name suggests, Papa Diddi's hand-crafts all their ice cream, using local produce and carabao's milk. The result is a lineup of ice cream that is unique and extra rich.

It doesn't get more summery than the Turon at Langka with sweet banana ice cream studded with ripe langka, though you also can't go wrong with the Galletas y Krema, their version of cookies and cream. Papa Diddi's also offers dairy-free ice cream in classic flavors like Coffee, Ube, and Chocolate. 

Location: G/F Verve Residences Tower 1, 26th Street corner 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City; UG/F, Coral Wing, The Promenade at Okada Manila, New Seaside Drive, Parañaque City

If you've always dreamt of having a retro all-American date at a soda-fountain-and-ice-cream parlor, Farmacy gives off similar vibes. The ice cream flavors are a mix of classic and more creative, from Strawberry, Chocolate, and Vanilla to Stracciatella and Banana Salted Caramel.

Aside from Ice Cream—which you can get with all kinds of toppings, too, like candied peanuts, toffee nuts, and rainbow sprinkles—you can also get a Classic Sundae, served in a boat-bowl that's perfect for sharing on an ice-cream date and topped with whipped cream, nuts, chocolate sauce, and a cherry on top.

Location: See a list of Manila Creamery branches.

It's never a boring ice-cream date at Manila Creamery, with their lineup of unique flavors that take inspiration from almost everything, but especially local flavors. Their Taho Gelato with a silky soy sorbet that's topped with brown-sugar honeycomb, is a bestseller for a reason—which also means it gets sold out quickly, so if you see it in-store, you must get it.

Good news for our girlies with dairy problems: Manila Creamery has dairy-free options like the Mocha Oatmilk, which is sugar-free, too. Also be sure to be on the lookout for their seasonal flavors: Last February, for Chinese New Year, Manila Creamery released the Mala Peanut Crumble, which has just the right amount of spice to heat things up.

Location: See a list of Carmen's Best branches

Anyone who's picked up a pint of Carmen's Best ice cream at the grocery knows just what a treat it is, so everyone was understandably excited when they finally opened an ice cream parlor in Power Plant Mall. They now have multiple branches nationwide so you can have that ice cream date any time you please.

They carry a rotating selection of their bestsellers, from the classic Strawberry, Salted Caramel, and Everybody Loves Vanilla, to Butter Pecan, Malted Milk, and He's Not Worth It (a dark-chocolate flavor with walnuts, cookies, and caramel fudge—all the good stuff that's better than any man 😉). If you're here on a date, split a milkshake with your S.O.—or get both the Double Cookie, Please (a blend of vanilla and cookie dough ice cream) and the Neapolitan Madness (vanilla, dark chocolate, and strawberry) 'coz why choose?

Location: See a list of Colonial Creamery branches

This proudly Bicol-born ice cream shop brings the heat with their Sili Ice Cream, made with real siling labuyo—it comes in three levels from a gentle heat to a more in-your-face spice that's sure to make your date extra spicy. Colonial Creamery is best known for their Sili Ice Cream, but they have other unique flavors that's sure to keep the conversation going. If you like your ice cream less…hot, Colonial Creamery also offers other Bicol-inspired flavors like the Pili, Gabi, and the Carmelado, a flavor based on a carabao milk candy from Masbate.

And if you've always wondered if you can get your veggies through ice cream, Colonial Creamery also offers the nutty and surprisingly cozy Kalabasa that's reminiscent of Pumpkin Spice, and the Kamote, that's mildly earthy (think ube).

Location: Greenhills Mall, Mitsukoshi Mall, Glorietta 4, SM Aura Premier, Uptown Mall, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, and Robinsons Magnolia

Named after the Japanese word for ice cream (aisukurimu), Kurimu's ice cream lineup revolves around Japanese flavors, all with a playful twist. There are classic flavors—or as classic as Kurimu will get—like Matcha and Black Sesame, but the real gems lie in their unique offerings. Their best-selling Shoyu Caramel has a delightful hit of umami thanks to shoyu, adding welcome depth to the caramel flavor of this ice cream, while kinako adds a cozy nuttiness to the vanilla ice cream base of Kinako Vanilla.

If you want to get even wilder, go for the Malted Milkshake with Furikake Popcorn, which sounds crazy but just works, the malted ice-cream base balancing out the punchy saltiness of the popcorn.