Opened by Nicholas Morgenstern in 2014 it was on the advice of friends that a stop was made at Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream on Sunday, the Bowery flagship not quite as busy in the days before Christmas as mid-Summer but eighty-eight flavors nonetheless available in addition to Cakes, Pies and several housemade Toppings.

Found at 2 Rivington Street and resembling a classic Ice Cream parlor, the multitude of options displayed on a board hanging over glass cases filled by small-batch tubs, guests are invited to peruse sections arranged by bases such as “Vanillas,” “Tropics,” and “Sorbets” before making a selection, the limit of two samples per guest only fair to avoid lengthy queues,  though at least a dozen visits would be necessary to determine whether Morganstern’s execution is uncompromised  across the collection.

Utilizing no additives or stabilizers, high-Fat Milk and quality ingredients instead used to focus flavors ranging from Chocolate to Coffee or Fruit, it was after one taste of Cookies and Cream that an 11-year-old was sold but willing to taste French Fry, the flavor salty and spot-on while Sesame Caramel and Peaches in Clotted Cream each also showed a skilled hand at mixing sweet and savory.

Seeing the boy’s mother delighted by rich Bourbon Vanilla, one sizable $5.10 dip served atop a housemade Sugar Cone, it was after lengthy debate that a slice of Koppelman Ice Cream Cake rounded out the visit, everything taken outside to enjoy in temperatures above 50ᵒF and the combination of Peanut Butter Sponge, Peanut Praline Ice Cream plus layers of Concord Grape Jelly all performing beautifully.

It was 2°C when I tried this ice cream. I order one cup Salted Chocolate and another one Vanilla Bourbon. I’m a chocoholic, and for me the taste is good. The texture is like a gelato, I dunno this is ice cream or gelato, because the store said “ice cream” not gelato. The price isn’t pricey, worth it with the size and taste. There’s nothing wrong have a cup an ice cream in cold weather, so you have to try this one now.