It's official: This is the UK's best ice cream shop – we visited to see if it's worth the hype

The Sun

15-07-2025

COMING from Devon and growing up on a seaside diet, I like to think I'm somewhat of an ice cream connoisseur.
And last year, after I discovered Anya Hindmarch's quirky ice cream pop up in London - and it has beaten even my favourite beach spots from my childhood.
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Ice Cream Union in Chelsea, London, was named the UK's best ice cream parlour by The Times.
It is known for creating some of the best ice creams in the country and supplying them to top chefs and restaurants all over the UK.
But nothing quite beats going into an ice cream parlour to test them straight from the tub.
Located on Pavilion Road, just off of Sloane Square, the parlour boasts a wide variety of flavours that change each day (and sometimes more than once during the day) - so don't go with your heart set on a flavour to try!
As the menu rotates, you could keep going back and be greeted with a whole array of new flavours to explore.
I tried three different flavours on my visit and first up was one of Ice Cream Union's seasonal offerings - yoghurt and berries.
Speaking with staff at the parlour, they said this was quickly becoming a customer favorite - so of course I had to try it.
Whilst I personally find yoghurt and berries a bit boring, it was interesting to try as an ice cream.
Certainly the most refreshing of the three, unlike cream, the yoghurt gave a more sour bite which helped to make it less decadent than your usual clotted cream-style flavours.
The ice cream has actual berries in it too, which honestly made it feel as if it has just been made.
Whilst not my favourite, I was pleasantly surprised. 7/10.
Next up was Monmouth Coffee.
For coffee fans (and especially Londoners) Monmouth Coffee is one of the most popular coffee places in the city.
Each time I walk past their shop in Seven Dials, there is a long queue out the door.
This ice cream had the exact taste of Monmouth Coffee - which pleasantly surprised me.
It is stronger and a bit more bitter than the usual coffee taste you get with other coffee ice creams, cakes or even frappes - so deffo a good choice for those wanting a cool caffeine hit.
A solid 8/10.
The final flavour I tried was Cornflakes.
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Growing up, cornflakes were always the cereal that stayed in the back of the cupboard and that you would reach for when all other breakfast options had run dry.
To me, it was a boring thing for breakfast and I often enjoy the slightly sweet cereal milk after eating the cornflakes more than the actual cornflakes.
This was this ice cream - a scoop of childhood memories in a cup.
This was by far my favourite of the three and I could easily see why this flavour is loved by so many - it is a real comfort flavour.
Easily a 10/10 for me and most likely my favourite ice cream to date.
Admittedly it isn't cheap - costing £5.50 per small cup or cone, or £7 per cone or cup.
I opted for the small cups, which was plenty of ice cream in my opinion, and I did think each were worth it, as you can tell quality ingredients have been used.
The menu has a whole array of other flavours too, including chestnut (another seasonal flavour), blood orange sorbet, chocolate and brownies and coconut choc chip.
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Sadly when I visited, some quirky flavours I really wanted a taste of weren't on the menu for that day, such as Pimm's and Aperol Spritz.
But I will certainly be back to try.
Ice Cream Union also has a factory in Bermondsey that is open on Saturdays between 10am and 4pm.
If heading to the Chelsea ice cream parlour, make sure to also explore Pavilion Road.
Hidden behind Sloane Square and just steps away from the bustling King's Road, Pavilion Road is very pretty and full of cute independent shops.
In particular, make sure to head to the London Cheesemongers and Papersmiths stationery shop.
New viral Dubai chocolate ice cream served at a top London attraction
THE Sun's Sophie Swietochowski tried out the new viral Dubai chocolate ice cream served at a top London attraction - here's what she thought.
So many foods have hopped on the viral Dubai chocolate trend in the past few months - and I tried out the most recent one.
This time at London's Borough Market, served in ice cream form.
After clocking the gelato treat on social media - several chocolate-y scoops dripping in lashings of pistachio sauce and served in a pistachio-rimmed cone - I couldn't resist giving it a try.
The treat hails from a small cafe, Gelateria 3Bis, at the edge of the market, which also sells flakey pastries and baked goods.
Behind the counter were neat slices of apple and almond tart, slathered in a shiny glaze (£3.50); wedges of a crumbly looking walnut tart (also £3.50); and stacks of cannolis with thick ricotta filling oozing out of each case (£2).
I practically drooled as the lady leaned into the metal tub to scoop the chocolate-y mixture into my cone, waiting for the pistachio magic to happen.
But then, nothing. That was it - and a rather naked-looking gelato was handed over to me.
Where was my pistachio sauce? Where were the sprinkles I'd seen decadently splashed over the top?
And, more importantly, where was the pistachio and filo filling that makes Dubai chocolate what it is?
After shelling out a staggering £6.50, I walked away realising that this was a classic case of Insta vs reality trickery.
A Sun reporter also tried the UK's wackiest ice cream flavours from pickled onion to Bisto.
Plus, the affordable British seaside town with one of the UK's best ice cream parlours.