American ice cream chain Van Leeuwen opens its first overseas shop at Orchard Central

THE SPACE

The chic but rather staid-looking shop welcomes guests with a counter offering its signature French-style and vegan ice creams as well as a dine-in area with long tables that accommodate 30 people. Decked in light wood furniture and a sage green palette, the minimalist decor creates a laid-back setting for ice cream lovers to enjoy their scoops.

INSTA-FRIENDLY HOLOGRAPHIC MIRROR WALL

There’s also a holographic mirror wall showing off the brand’s slogan and a rainbow-hued arch walkway inside the shop to indulge your selfie needs.
 

MADE IN BROOKLYN

Van Leeuwen started off as a humble food truck in 2008 that sold ice cream on the streets of NYC. Today, the artisanal chain boasts over 50 shops in the US.

They opened their first overseas outlet in Singapore with homegrown F&B group Caerus Holding, the folks who also brought in other American brands like Luke’s Lobster and Mr Holmes Bakehouse. Van Leeuwen’s French and vegan ice creams, including those served at Orchard Central, are all made from scratch in their Brooklyn factory.

WHAT IS FRENCH ICE CREAM?

French ice cream has a thick, custardy texture as it contains double the amount of egg yolks used in regular ice cream, which is mainly made from milk and cream. We found Van Leeuwen’s French ice cream to offer a similar density and richness to gelato, which is beloved for its decadent creaminess.

GOOD SELECTION OF VEGAN OPTIONS

Van Leeuwen’s vegan varieties are made from ingredients like house-made oat milk, cashew milk and cocoa butter. During our visit, we spotted four non-dairy flavours available at the counter, out of a total of 16.

PRICES START FROM S$6.50

A single scoop costs S$6.50 and S$7.50 for classic and non-dairy options respectively, served in a cup. Add S$1 to have your ice cream in a crispy house-made waffle cone. Toppings include cookies and cream crumbs, toasted walnuts and salted caramel (available for S$1 each).

NO EXCLUSIVE SG FLAVOURS FOR NOW

We’re told Van Leeuwen will not be introducing any Singapore-exclusive flavours for the time being, as the NYC-based chain prefers to mark their first overseas debut with signature, tried-and-tested flavours. There are also no immediate plans to open more branches in Singapore.

RICH AND SATISFYING MILKSHAKES

Just like its shops in the US, Van Leeuwen’s Singapore joint will also sell milkshakes, sundaes and root beer floats. Their decadent shakes, which start from S$13, are made from two scoops of ice cream (you’re allowed to mix the flavours), blended with fresh milk or oat milk. We enjoyed our rich and satisfying chocolate shake topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.

HONEYCOMB, S$6.50 A SCOOP

One of their bestselling flavours in the US. Despite its name, this does not contain honey. Instead, you’ll find bits of caramel candy strewn across the smooth, sweet cream base. The texture is pleasantly chewier than most ice creams. The custardy base, though satisfyingly creamy, was slightly too sweet for our liking.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIE, S$6.50 A SCOOP

Decadently thick chocolate ice cream meets gooey chocolate fudge and chewy brownie chunks. This is a full-bodied, unapologetically chocolatey scoop that hits the spot.

EARL GREY TEA, S$6.50 A SCOOP

Don’t be fooled by its dull, beige appearance. This flavour is unexpectedly bright and refreshing. Robust black tea and floral, bergamot notes are expressed beautifully through the lush sweet cream base.

SICILIAN PISTACHIO, S$6.50 A SCOOP 

Pistachio is one of our favourite flavours but we were a little disappointed by Van Leeuwen’s take on this classic. Strangely, the ice cream was not as smooth and lush as the other flavours. However, it does pack a nutty punch, thanks to the use of quality pistachios from Bronte, Sicily.

MARIONBERRY CHEESECAKE, S$6.50 A SCOOP

Punctuated with swirls of marionberry (a type of blackberry exclusively grown in Oregon) jam and graham cracker crust, this was a fun treat. We enjoyed tasting the tangy jam and buttery biscuit in every bite of the rich, cheesecake-flavoured scoop.

VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE HONEYCOMB, S$7.50 A SCOOP

Rich but not overwhelmingly cloying vegan peanut butter ice cream. Our scoop was delightfully creamy (we couldn’t tell it’s vegan) and well-mixed with brownie bits and gooey honeycomb.

TAKE A PINT HOME

In addition to what’s available at the counter, you can sample a wider selection of Van Leeuwen’s flavours via their 14oz ice cream pints (S$17 each). Check out pint-exclusive flavours like Malted Cookie Dough Shake (malted ice cream with cookie dough and dark chocolate chips) and Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake. Other takeaway treats include Ice Cream Bars (S$17 for a box of four bars) which come in flavours like Triple Chocolate Swirl and Toffee Brown Sugar.

BOTTOM LINE

Not every flavour at this new scoop shop was a hit; some flavour profiles worked better than others, like the more classic Earl Grey Tea and Chocolate Fudge Brownie which showcased the star ingredients beautifully through its lush French-style ice cream base. We did enjoy the denser, chewier texture of the desserts overall. At S$6.50 per scoop, the price is also reasonable for an Orchard Road joint that provides comfortable seats.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is located at 181 Orchard Road, #01-19/20, Orchard Central, Singapore 238896. Opening hours: Sun-Tue 12pm to 11pm, Wed-Sat 12pm to 1am.

This story was originally published in 8Days.