When it comes to celebrating the world’s best food, the popular digital food guide TasteAtlas has become a major voice. Instead of just focusing on expensive, fancy fine-dining restaurants, the platform loves to spotlight traditional, everyday food that people actually eat. Over the years, its lists have shown a lot of love for Indian food, frequently ranking classics among the best of the planet.
In its latest global list, TasteAtlas turned its attention to everyone’s favourite summer comfort, naming the World’s 100 Most Iconic Ice Creams. Again, this list is not about trendy, high-tech desserts made with liquid nitrogen. Instead, it is a celebration of old-school, nostalgic ice cream shops that have been keeping generations of locals cool during hot summers.
5 Indian ice creams that made it to TasteAtlas’ list
Out of a hundred entries from all over the world, 5 beloved Indian ice cream institutions earned a spot. Notably, each one represents a different part of India and a totally unique way to enjoy a frozen treat.
Mango Ice Cream Sandwich from K. Rustom & Co. (Mumbai): Serving people near Marine Drive since 1953, this legendary parlour does not use cones or sticks. Instead, they slice a thick, creamy brick of seasonal mango ice cream and sandwich it between two wafer-thin, crunchy biscuits.
Death By Chocolate from Corner House (Bengaluru): Founded in 1982, Corner House created a dessert that defines the childhood memories of Bangaloreans. It is a rich, delicious mess of moist chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, hot chocolate fudge sauce, peanuts, and whipped cream, all topped with a cherry.
Tender Coconut Ice Cream from Naturals Ice Cream (Mumbai): Since 1984, Naturals has been a pioneer in using real fruit instead of artificial flavours. Their iconic Tender Coconut flavour is loved globally because it blends a clean, milky base with actual, chewy bits of coconut meat (malai).
Guava Ice Cream from Apsara Ice Creams (Mumbai): Starting in 1971, Apsara treats the frozen treat like street food. Their guava flavour perfectly matches the sweet and sour taste of fresh fruit from a street cart, complete with fruit pieces and a sprinkle of spicy masala on top.
Gadbad Ice Cream from Pabba’s (Mangaluru): Long before over-the-top desserts became popular on Instagram, Pabba’s, established in 1975, perfected the “Gadbad“. Served in a tall glass, it is a colourful mix of different flavours, fresh fruits, nuts, jelly, and sweet syrups.
Can Hyderabadis try these ice creams?
At first glance, food lovers in Hyderabad might feel a little left out. The city’s historic lanes, famous for their iconic local sweet shops, did not get a direct mention on this global list.
However, you do not need to buy a flight ticket to Mumbai or Bengaluru to taste this world-class recognition. Thanks to Hyderabad’s fast-growing food scene, some of these global winners are available right in our own backyard.
While we do not have all five institutions, major neighbourhoods across the city are home to popular outlets of both Naturals and Apsara.
On any warm evening, long after dinner is over, you can see crowds gathering at these shops for a favourite local ritual. People line up to get a scoop of that globally famous Tender Coconut from Naturals, loving the refreshing, tropical taste that fits perfectly with our warm weather. Others go for Apsara’s Masala Guava to enjoy that nostalgic street-style sweet and spicy kick.
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