Here’s the Scoop: Sunday Is National Ice Cream Day!

Photo courtesy of Courtney Cook/Unsplash

Insomnia Cookies

708 Commonwealth Ave., Boston

Insomnia Cookies is here for all your late-night cravings. Don't feel like leaving your couch? Order delivery and have fresh cookies and ice cream brought right to your door. You can get a normal cup of ice cream, add a scoop to your favorite cookie or brownie, or even create a custom Cookie'wich with any of their ice cream and cookie flavors.

Must try: Dulce de Leche Cookie'wich: the ice cream of your choice sandwiched between two Latin American-inspired Dulce de Leche cookies studded with rich caramel chips. (Available for a limited time, so get one soon!)

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The Scoop N Scootery

75 Linden St., Allston

The Scoop N Scootery got its start as a food truck slinging signature sundaes, which set itself apart with its over-the-top flavors and toppings. "Less is more" does not exist at this beloved spot, with incredible menu items like the A la mode, a sundae topped with a slice of apple pie, or the Fat Rabbit, a sundae with a carrot cake core, butterscotch graham crackers, and cream cheese icing. No matter what mood you're in, The Scoop N Scootery has a sundae for you-and better yet, it'll be the biggest one you've ever had.

Must try: Smokey Da Bear: toasted marshmallow ice cream with graham cracker and chocolate flake swirl, topped with Marshmallow Fluff, brownie bites, Nutella sauce, and chocolate chips

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FoMu

140 Brookline Ave., Boston

The ice cream in this unique ice cream place is completely vegan. Its small batches are made with coconut milk and locally sourced plant-based ingredients. Everything is made by hand to ensure that each scoop is packed with creamy goodness. FoMu's menu includes year-round classics like birthday cake and chocolate cookie dough, as well as summer specials like strawberry rhubarb pie and raspberry crumble. If you're looking for a frozen vegan treat, there's nowhere better than FoMu.

Must try: Blueberry Shortbread: tart ice cream with house-made blueberry jam swirl and from-scratch gluten-free vanilla shortbread

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J.P. Licks

311 Harvard St., Coolidge Corner

Since its grand opening in 1981, J.P. Licks has grown into a classic local chain. Ice cream lovers routinely flock to its 17 cow-themed locations in eastern Massachusetts for a cup, a cone, or a sip of award-winning hot chocolate. With a rotating selection of flavors, including new Thai ice tea and coconut curry ice cream, J.P. Licks is sure to fulfill all your ice cream cravings.

Must try: Cookies 'n' Dough: the classic cookies-and-cream flavor, plus chewy cookie dough pieces

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Far Out

419 Harvard St., Brookline

This unique ice cream shop just a few blocks from Coolidge Corner specializes in New Zealand-style ice cream, a made-to-order process where hard ice cream is blended with fresh fruit until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. Each of Far Out's yummy and authentic flavors can be made vegan with a dairy-free vanilla or chocolate base. Build yourself a perfect cone by choosing a base, fruit add-ins, and toppings.

Must try: Kookaberry: Far Out's signature blend of strawberry, Maine blueberries, and raspberries

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Honeycomb Creamery

1702 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge

This Porter Square haunt is the perfect spot for the grown-up ice cream connoisseur, with flavors like currant almond, black sesame and raspberry, ginger rhubarb crisp, and honey lavender. But don't worry! There are also lots of flavors for the young and young at heart to enjoy, like birthday cake and peanut butter fudge crunch, as well as a plethora of imaginative vegan flavors (Thai tea, anyone? Raspberry-Champagne sorbet?), frozen yogurt, soft-serve, and a menu of fun specialties, like their riff on the Klondike Choco Taco. So maybe it's not that grown-up after all.

Must try: Get a swirl of their two soft-serve flavors, matcha and strawberry, and forget all about that chocolate-vanilla nonsense.

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North End Creamery

121 Salem St., Boston

This ice cream spot slings unique homemade flavors (have you ever had ginger matcha or vegan honey lavender ice cream?) and has a wall of candy sure to give you a sugar rush from just one look. Be sure to try a chocolate treat as well, like a chocolate-covered Oreo. Just steps from the historic North End neighborhood, it's the perfect place to get a sweet bite after a night out. (Note: there's no indoor or outdoor seating, so head to the nearby Rose Kennedy Greenway to eat your dessert on one of the park's swings.)

Must try: Taro: a sweet, mildly nutty flavor (plus, it's purple!)

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Amorino

249 Newbury St., Boston

What's better than fresh gelato with carefully sourced ingredients? That same gelato, but shaped like a flower! Amorino uses a spatula to craft its gelato-or vegan sorbet-into a beautiful shape. With unique flavors like lime and basil, blood orange, and stracciatella, Amorino, which got its start in 2002 in Paris, is a sophisticated stop for some of the best gelato in town. You can even top your cone with one of Amorino's tasty macarons.

Must try: L'inimitabile (chocolate hazelnut): looking for a rich and refreshing gelato on a hot day? Top it with a coffee or chocolate macaron for a delicious, chocolatey treat.

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Toscanini's

899 Main St., Cambridge

This scoopery is all about the flavors. Browse through outlandish picks like saffron kulfi (a frozen South Asian treat), gochujang (Korean chili paste), Milo Godzilla (a super-sweet drink from Singapore), and more by-the-book options that range from the indulgent (brown butter brownie, or B3) to the traditional (Earl Grey). There are also always a few sorbets on offer-plus the standard chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry-but the long lines for this "World's Best Ice Cream" (per the New York Times) are a testament to the owners' creativity.

Must try: Burnt caramel: Yes, really. The slightly burnt flavor (imagine the crust on a toasted marshmallow) mixed with a hit of rich, frozen sweetness is truly a stroke of genius.

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Emack & Bolio's

290 Newbury St., Boston

Originally opened as a Coolidge Corner midnight hangout for Boston's musicians, Emack & Bolio's has been a beloved part of the city's ice cream scene since 1975. Bob Rook, the music lawyer who opened the shop, has worked professionally with big names like Aerosmith, Boston, U2, and more-and his shop has an expansive menu with over 75 rotating flavors. Emack & Bolio's is known for its outrageous and delicious inventions, such as marshmallow-dipped cones rolled in toppings like Oreos, Fruity Pebbles, nuts, Froot Loops, and more.

Must try: Beantown Buzz: espresso-flavored ice cream with cookie crunch and chocolate-covered espresso beans. Get it with a chocolate-dipped cone for extra deliciousness.

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Gracie's Ice Cream

22 Union Square, Somerville

Gracie's ice cream is made just feet away from where you order it. The daily menu features 12 flavors: 6 "always" flavors (chocolate, sweet cream, black raspberry chip, mint chip, cookies and cream, and salty whiskey), 5 rotating flavors (some recurring and some that have been offered only once), and a nondairy sorbet. The shop posts each day's menu on a separate Instagram account. They also offer ice cream-making classes, where you can learn the history of ice cream, take home a Marshmallow Fluff cone or sundae, and then stop by the next day to grab your creation. Gracie's may even add your flavor to their menu!

Must try: Black raspberry chip on a Marshmallow Fluff cone (a waffle cone with torched marshmallow to evoke that summery campfire goodness)

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Christina's Homemade Ice Cream

1255 Cambridge St., Cambridge

This Cambridge institution is one of the best spots around for unique flavors and quality ingredients. You'll find classics like chocolate and strawberry alongside unique flavors like Kahlua and butter almond. Nearby is Christina's Spice & Specialty Foods, which offers all kinds of spice blends, beans, chilis, sauces, and so much more. Whether you're in the mood for sugar or spice, Christina's has you covered.

Must try: Fresh rose petal ice cream: a delicious and refreshingly floral treat

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Here's the Scoop: Sunday Is National Ice Cream Day!

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