Top 5 ice-cream spots in Burnaby

It's summer, and we've put our investigative journalism skills to the test, sourcing out the best Burnaby places for ice cream. From old-fashioned, to organic, to death-by-a-million-candy-toppings, we've got a little something for everyone in this list. Do you have a local favourite ice cream spot? Let us know in the comments below.

1. Glenburn Soda Fountain and Confectionery has been a Burnaby NOW favourite since the shop opened in the Heights in 2013, and it’s also loved by our readers. The vintage-inspired shop serves old-fashioned ice-cream treats and sweets you just can’t find anywhere else. There are the usual standbys - milkshakes, sundaes and floats - but you’ll also find malts and sodas made in-house, egg cream (a mix of milk, soda water and syrup) in various flavours and rickeys (lime sodas and variations thereof). 

   

   For the floats, Glenburn uses pop from The Pop Shoppe, which children of the 1970s may remember. The vanilla malt and butterscotch sundae are our favourites. You can expect to spend around $15 for two people. Glenburn makes all their own sauces, and they source local fruit and nuts as much as possible. Glenburn is at 4090 Hastings St. Summer hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 2 to 10 p.m.
2. If you are in Burnaby’s Big Bend area, hit up Marble Slab Creamery for a custom-made treat. There are endless jars of candies and “mixins” you can have mixed into the ice-cream flavour of your choice. We recommend sweet cream and gummy bears in a waffle cone. The ice-cream cakes are also amazing if you’re in the mood to splurge for a special occasion. The most popular combos are raspberry cheesecake (cheesecake-flavoured ice cream with graham crackers and fresh raspberries) and cookie dough drizzle (birthday cake flavoured ice cream with Oreo cookies, cookie dough and fudge). Don’t be fooled by the franchise nature of Marble Slab; this chain uses high-quality fresh ingredients, and you can really taste the difference. A small waffle cone with a mixin’, which is five ounces of ice cream, will set you back about $5.50. Hours are Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. This is the only Marble Slab location in Burnaby, and it’s at Marine Drive and Market Crossing, across from Cobs Bread and Kin’s Farm Market.
3. Why not make your own ice cream? The Burnaby Village Museum is hosting ice-cream making workshops on Saturday, until Aug. 29. They’ve got one of those old-fashioned wooden barrels to crank out fresh, homemade vanilla ice cream. We won’t give you any spoilers, but it’s shockingly easy. The workshops are on Saturdays, until Aug. 29, and they happen twice daily: from 10 to 11:30 a.m. or 1 to 2:30 p.m. It costs $8.85 (or $7.97 if you’re a member). You can drop in, but only if there’s space, so you may want to pre-register. (For more info on registering, call 604-297-4565.) This activity is mostly for kids two or older, and adults are welcome.

   

   If you want to skip the old-fashioned cranking, just head to the museum’s Ice Cream Parlour, where they serve the standard buckets of ice cream in various flavours. (We still think the old-fashioned way is best.) The museum is at 6501 Deer Lake Ave.

   

4. Did you know Avalon Dairy makes organic ice-cream? Yup, the makers of that local, farm fresh milk that comes in glass bottles also make ice cream, and their retail shop is in Burnaby’s Big Bend area. It’s called Sean’s Good Eats, The Avalon Retail Store, and they serve milkshakes and ice-cream cones. The shop is at 7985 North Fraser Way. Locavores take note: Avalon uses Fraser Valley milk, processed in Burnaby, so it doesn’t get any fresher than that. Ice cream flavours to choose from include the classics – vanilla, chocolate, strawberry – as well as mocha fudge, blueberry, black cherry and coconut. Ice cream cones are about $3.15 to $4.20, while basic milkshakes are $5.25. They also serve special milkshakes for $5.50: double chocolate (chocolate ice cream and chocolate milk) or fresh watermelon puree and your choice of ice cream. If you ask the staff nicely, they can make affogato, which is a shot of espresso poured over a scoop of ice cream. We recommend you try a double chocolate milkshake with an espresso shot. Expect to spend about $13 on two people. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but closed Sunday. Sean’s Good Eats also serves food.
5. Menchie’s isn’t really ice-cream; it’s frozen yogurt, but we’re throwing this chain in the mix because it’s yummy and fun. Menchie’s operates on a self-serve model, where you pick your frozen yogurt flavour and then load up at the toppings bar. Options include bits of frozen cheesecake, cookie dough, blueberries, strawberries, gummy worms, marshmallows and frosted animal cookies. If you’re looking for something that’s healthier, stick with fruit. The most popular combinations are Oreo cookies with vanilla or Nutella or chocolate peanut butter cups with Nutella. Our insider’s pick: try the fruit punch sorbet mixed with raspberry tart. Just don’t go overboard, since you pay by weight. A typical serving could cost between $5 and $8. Menchie’s is at 7155 Kingsway, in Burnaby’s Highgate neighbourhood. Summer hours are Sunday to Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. till 11 p.m., or Friday and Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.