It’s true that Vancouverites love their frozen desserts year-round—we’ve all braved the pouring rain and even sudden snowfalls to get our double scoop or pints of ice cream.

But the taste of creamy, frozen goodness is even better when the weather is hot, and plenty of local ice-cream purveyors are serving up delightful creations this summer.

From gold leaf-covered matcha soft serve to Turkish delight puff cream, here are four ice-cream treats to try around town.

Croquant choux and milk soft serve from Bake 49 (1066 Mainland Street)

Bake49’s signature Japanese-style cheese tarts and double-fromage cheesecake have been stealing the show ever since this Eurasian bakery opened last fall, but it has just launched a new line of soft-serve ice cream. Flavours range from corn flakes with whole kernel corns to chocolate with coco puffs, but we have our eyes set on the croquant choux: a crunchy, vanilla-bean custard creme-filled pastry paired with organic milk soft-serve ice cream. It’s a very small shop, so expect line-ups.

Shogun golden-matcha soft serve from Matcha Cafe Maiko (199–8279 Saba Road, Richmond)

The matcha craze continues in Metro Vancouver, and Matcha Cafe Maiko feeds our population’s obsession with quality green tea treats. Its Shogun golden-matcha soft-serve ice cream is the epitome of grandiose treats, characterized by a thin piece of gold on top of its creamy soft serve. We can’t help but wonder if foodies only order this dessert for photo purposes. Limited quantities are available daily.

Diablo horchata ice-cream sandwich from Tacofino x Beta5 Chocolates (various locations)

This is a dessert collaboration we never knew we needed. Local west coast-meets-Mexican eatery Tacofino and chocolate and pastry shop Beta5 Chocolates have teamed up to create what will arguably be the most popular frozen treat in the city this summer: the diablo horchata ice-cream sandwich.  It features custom horchata ice cream by Beta5, sandwiched between two of Tacofino’s Diablo cookie-inspired wafers. The best part? This dessert will be available at Tacofino’s brick-and-mortar locations in the city throughout the summer.  

Puffcream from Popina Canteen (1691 Johnston Street)

Granville Island’s shipping container eatery is known for its fast food with integrity, such as quality fried-chicken burgers and sustainable seafood platters. Popina is also the creator of the puffcream, a signature dessert that features a creampuff pastry shell filled with soft-serve ice cream. Guests can now find nine new puffcream flavours on its menu, including Bees Knees (Chicago mix popcorn and honey), Turkish Deligh (pistachio, crumb saffron, and syrup), and Nutzo (crushed Oreo cookies with a Nutella center). Pro-tip: find a friend to share this treat with, because they give you a generous portion.