Review: Greg's Ice Cream (Toronto)

Aug 5, 2011

by GlassofWin
posted in Dining Out

Rating:

Why is all of the good stuff in Toronto? Huh? Polish food, Portuguese pastries, customized cookies and now this – this! – the tastiest ice cream I ever did taste. OK, did that totally ruin the surprise for you? I hope not. Let’s proceed.

Greg’s Ice Cream is situated in the heart of Toronto in the Annex district. It is an assuming, no-frills storefront on a busy-ass street in the middle of a noisy city. From looks alone, there is nothing special about Greg’s Ice Cream. OH! Except for that gigantic line winding out the door and down the sidewalk. Yeah, there must be something special about this place after all.

The fanart that decorates Greg’s Ice Cream store
The line was a little insane, but it wasn’t as if Spice and I hadn’t already had dinner (review coming soon!) so we patiently waited as the one-man on duty slung cone after cone for the dozen+ customers. As we got nearer, I could make out the flavors and prayed to the Supernatural Forces of Nature and All that is Good in Food that my top picks would not run out by the time it was my turn to order. Luckily, my prayers were answered.

Toasted Marshmallow and Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Behold, all that is good in life.
To the untrained eye, that looks a lot like vanilla and chocolate ice cream, doesn’t it? FOOLED YOU because it’s actually toasted marshmallow and strawberry chocolate! I don’t know enough about the food sciences to figure it out, but the toasted marshmallow actually tasted like a marshmallow that had been medium-toasted over an open flame. HOW WAS THIS ACHIEVED? I will never know. The strawberry chocolate genuinely tasted like fresh, plump and juicy strawberries dipped in a creamy, thick chocolate milkshake. It was ice cream heaven.

My friend Spice was thoroughly impressed with her choice, pistachio:

Notice the lack of sickly colored fake green? Yeah, that’s fresh, that is. Spice loved the juxtapose of the creamy texture of the ice cream and the crunch of the pistachios, which had just a pinch of salt to really give it depth.

Doing a little homework I found out that Greg’s has not only been around for roughly 30 years, but is the first of its kind to serve premium, all-natural ice cream in Toronto. I have no doubt it will continue to thrive for many more decades to come.

Would I return to Greg’s Ice Cream? Yes! I actually regret not making the effort to return to Greg’s before I left. Next time I’m in Toronto, though, I’ll definitely be swinging by. Thoroughly recommended!

The Glass of Win Non-Patent Pie Rating System gives Greg’s Ice Cream five out of five pies!

Greg’s Ice Cream
750 Spadina Avenue,
Toronto, Ontario Canada
website

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devora August 05, 2011

Ugh, sounds too amazing! And in regards to the marshmallow ice cream, I've actually made toasted marshmallow ice cream before! I actually made my own marshmallow cream, lightly twirled spoonfuls of it over a flame before dunking it into the ice cream mix in my Cuisinart ice cream maker. So good. By the way, ice cream places where the pistachio isn't neon green, the taro isn't retro purple, and the strawberry isn't blood red make my heart pitter patter :)

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JSMaresca August 05, 2011

If it's all natural- I bet it's worth a try.

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About the reviewer

Rachael (GlassofWin)
Ranked #11

I am a freelance travel/food writer with my own hobby blog, Glass of Win. I am a regularly featured writer for Visit the Place Los Angeles magazine and online community.