July 21st, 2019 is National Ice Cream Day.  That means it’s time to sample some of the vegan ice cream Chicago has to offer!  This past weekend I hosted the 2019 Chicago Vegan Ice Cream Crawl!  Granted, only about half the group ate vegan ice cream, the rest ate dairy-based.  This was the third annual ice cream crawl that I planned (read about the ice cream shops we tried in 2017 and 2018).  Taking a biking ice cream tour of Chicago is the perfect way to celebrate summer in the city.

As in previous years, I rounded up a group of friends and we set off on our bikes to tour various neighborhoods of Chicago.  I had four criteria when choosing placed for the Ice Cream Crawl.

1) Each place had to have a plant-based option for vegans.

2) Each place had to be near a Divvy stand and a maximum of 25 minutes of riding between each place.  Divvy is Chicago’s bikeshare company; you can buy yearly memberships or single day passes.  That way everyone could participate even if they (like me) don’t own a bike!

3) Each place had to offer something slightly different from the ice cream spectrum.

4) Each shop had to be new to the crawl so we could try something different.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream 

3404 N Southport Ave.

The ice cream crawl started at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in Lakeview for traditional ice cream.  Jeni’s is known for their unique flavor combinations and the lines are out the door in the summer.  Earlier this year, I sampled some of their dairy-free flavors at Expo West.  WHOA.  Super rich, creamy and flavorful.  I got two kid scoops of Texas Sheet Cake and Roasted Peanut Butter Jam Swirl in a vegan sugar cone.  YUM.

Pretty Cool Ice Cream

2353 North California Ave.

Pretty Cool Ice Cream is newer ice cream shop located in Logan Square.  They have tons of uniquely flavored popsicles.  For vegans, they have plant pops, made with plant-based milks, or truck pops, which are fruit based.  I’ve been eyeing their shop for a while, after seeing some of their popsicle collaborations with other Chicago establishments- like the collaboration they did with my favorite coffee shop, Sip of Hope, to support mental health awareness.  I chose the passion fruit hibiscus truck pop, and had fun writing messages on their magnetic letter wall.

Miko’s Italian Ice

4125 N Kimball Ave.

For the third stop on the ice cream crawl, we biked to the Miko’s Italian Ice location in Irving Park.  It’s a tiny hole in the wall, nestled on a quiet street between residential houses.  Miko’s is one of the highest rated Italian Ice shops in Chicago, and for good reason! I tried their kiwi and cantaloupe flavors and if I closed my eyes it was like eating the real thing.

Eli’s Ark

1843 W North Ave.

The final stop on this year’s ice cream crawl was Eli’s Ark in Wicker Park.  This shop stands out because they offer the CUTEST gelato designs in the shape of animals.  I got a scoop of Brazillian Kisses, an orange-flavored vegan gelato, and designed it as a monkey (both the monkey and panda options are vegan).  Two scoops is considered “piggybacking” and you can choose different animals for each.

The 2019 Chicago Vegan Ice Cream Crawl was a success!  July is National Ice Cream Month, and I can think of no better way to celebrate.  Biking from Jeni’s to Pretty Cool to Miko’s to Eli’s Ark was just over 10 miles.  With the ice cream rest stops in between, an ice cream bike crawl of Chicago is a perfect weekend activity.

Check out other vegan ice cream options in Chicago from previous bike crawls here and here.  Or make your own with this chocolate peanut butter recipe or this ginger berry sorbet.  Enjoy!

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Buen provecho,

Becca