For many years we used to drive up to Tegernsee or to Hallein (Austria) for ice cream - yes, we are fanatics when it comes to ice cream! But the last few years, benchmarking ice cream in Munich itself has become our favourite past time.

Our recent and most scrumptious discovery is Ballabeni - in Schwabing, at Theresienstraße 46 (at the corner of Türkenstraße). In business already for seven years, it is known by many to be the best in Munich. It has a delightful variety of not only the typical flavours like Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla but many interesting fusions like Lemon-Basil, Chocolate-Ginger, Banana-Elderberry, Buttermilk-Lime, Turkish delight with roasted almonds and my personal favourite Milcheis with figs and caramelized walnuts. The creamy texture of this heavenly homemade ice cream is simply mouth-watering especially since they place importance in using fresh ingredients. For those of you who don´t really like cream, you can indulge yourselves in refreshing alternatives such as pear and mango sorbets.

Ballabeni makes 30 different sorts of ice cream altogether but prepares only about 12 flavours a day. There are a few benches next to the counter for those who prefer to take a few minutes to sit and enjoy their purchase but you can also catch a glimpse through the glass walls of how the ice cream is made. Open daily from 11.30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (and in summer till 10:30 p.m.) the ice cream is priced at EUR1.30 per scoop - just be prepared to wait up to half an hour in the queue on a hot summer day.

Other ice cream parlors that are worth checking out are:

Eiskonditorei Sarcletti
Nymphenburgerstraße. 155
Open daily (May to Aug) from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.


Eiscafé Trampolin
Nordendstraße 62, (Maxvorstadt)
Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Eiscafé Italia
Ehrengutstraße. 23, (Rocklplatz)
Open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Il Gelato Italiano
Wasserburger Landstraße 198, (Trudering)
Open daily (Mar - Oct ) from 10 a.m.