Ice Cream Wars

AAHOWOUCH! I've got the mother of all brain freeze, an ice cream hangover if you will and all in the spirit of finding the best places for you, dear reader, to satiate your frozen milky lust. Scoop me up and stick a flake in me!

ICE CREAM VANS

Twenty odd years ago the humble ice cream van in Glasgow was a great place to score a lot more than just ice cream, but thankfully that's all in the past now and the ones I visited sold exclusively legal, but no less addictive wares.

King Softee
A bus-sized van that serves whipped ice cream as well as some hot snacks, slushies,
sweets and crisps. A little on the pricey side but you can't argue with the location, slap bang in the middle of Kelvingrove Park. Alas the staff seem to adhere to the old adage, “service without a smile”.
Cost of a 99: £2.00
Big licks: ice cream in the park on a sunny day? Yes please
Soggy cones: a bit expensive for only whipped ice cream

Zahras-Crolla's Ice Cream
A tiny wee van outside the Glasgow Transport Museum that sells locally made Crolla's ice cream; delicious, creamy vanilla scoops. Offering a bewildering number of treats despite its size including a huge range of iced lollies. For some proper sticky fingered nostalgia you can grab anything from a Porky Pig to a Giant and a Screwball to a Callippo.
Cost of a 99: £1.50
Big licks: Great choice of non-ice cream products
Soggy cones: It's in a car park...

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN CAFES

Arguably the best place to find real, fresh, authentic ice cream is in one of the many
generations-old, family-run Scots Italian cafes dotted around. You just need to know where to go – delizioso!

The University Cafe, 87 Byres Road
An institution in its own right serving amazing home made ice creams in ever changing flavours at the end of Byres Road, from staples like chocolate and vanilla through to coconut and banoffee. They also do a pretty decent fry up if you're in the mood for something a little more savoury. Squeeze into one of the tiny fold-down chairs beside someone's granny and soak up the history.
Cost of a 99: £1.60
Big licks: Real ice cream made from real ingredients, the strawberry comes highly
recommended
Soggy cones: It's always, always busy which makes for a great atmosphere as long as you don't mind knocking knees with the sturdy fellow opposite polishing off his third roll and sausage.

Cafe D'Jaconelli, 570 Maryhill Road, Glasgow

Opened in 1924 and now the oldest shop in Maryhill this place is a true hidden gem. A fish tank, a juke box, massive leather and wood paneled booths, smoked glass windows, jars of boiled sweets; bask in its rose-tinted wonder. Featuring some truly phenomenal sundaes with at least half the menu given over to them, ranging in price from £1.50 to £4.95. I defy you to challenge “The Big Yin”, a gut busting four scoops of ice cream with chocolate, strawberry and toffee sauce, mini malters, mini marshmallows, mixed fruit, crushed nuts, whipped cream and wafers. Don't even bother pretending to share it you beast! 
Cost of a 99: £1.40 
Big licks: Off the beaten track and a true ice cream heaven, the Machu Picchu of sundaes.
Soggy cones: Too difficult to choose just one!

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

3 Steps 2 Heaven, 221 Byres Road and 15 Cresswell Lane, Glasgow
3 Steps 2 Heaven’s prerogative is simple: choose two flavours of ice cream from the tantalising selection which includes bubblegum and Turkish delight (I opted for bannofee and white chocolate) then pick two toppings from the array of confectionary (mini eggs and white chocolate buttons with sprinkles) and finally select a sauce (raspberry). Then watch it mixed together on a cold marble slab to produce your “cold stone creation”. Slipping into a diabetic coma yet? While it may lack the old school charm of more traditional Italian Cafes, 3 Steps 2 Heaven’s chic decor and modern US-inspired approach to ice cream will no doubt make it an even more popular destination come the summer.
Cost of a 99: starts at £2.50
Big Licks: exciting new flavours with a huge range of ice cream, toppings and sauces to choose from
Soggy Cones: Your dentist’s worst nightmare... plus it ain't cheap