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Malai has a really cool concept and is probably a great intro spot for people who are just starting to explore more global-inspired ice cream flavors, but for me, the execution was a little mixed. The shop itself is small but cute, nicely decorated, with 2 mini tables and a couple of windowsill seats if you want to sit for a bit. Staff was super friendly and generous with samples, which I appreciated since some of the flavors are definitely outside the usual ice cream comfort zone. They also sell pints to take home. Flavor-wise, I tried the masala chai, black cherry cardamom, and the saffron soft serve. The saffron soft serve reminded me of the leftover milk from ras malai turned into soft serve, which was interesting and nostalgic. The masala chai and cherry cardamom were more subtle than I hoped. Some tasted unique upfront but left a slightly weird aftertaste that kind of lingered. I respect what they're trying to do and can see why people love it, especially if you're easing into more globally inspired desserts, but for the price, I wanted stronger flavor payoff and a cleaner finish. TLDR: Unique global inspired ice cream flavors, friendly staff, and free samples, but some flavors felt muted and had an odd aftertaste. Worth trying once if you're curious, but expensive for what it is.
Yes, Malai has some of the most deliciously creamy ice cream that you can find. Yes, they are using South Asian ingredients to produce interesting and tasty flavors that you never knew you always wanted. The Masala Chai is always on the menu, but they rotate many things through seasonally. Yes, I am boring and often would rather have a sea salt vanilla cone (or another simple, vanilla-based option like sweet cream and cookies). Yes, my wife told me that eating our cones in the comfy window seats made her feel like she was in a romcom. No, you can't have my wife's number. Yes, it was rude of you to ask.
Super cute place . I love the unique flavors . I tried the cilantro and mint and the guava chilli . I really liked the guava chilli and the cilantro mint was soooo intense so I didn't really care for it but it was nice to try . The workers here were sweet and helpful . I will def be back to try the vegan mango soft serve
Loved the classic flavors as well as the Diwali specials! The south asian inspired flavors are done very well here and worth a visit if youre in the area! Would definitely recommend taking a pint home! 5/5 Masala Chai 4.5/5 Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almond 4.5/5 Peda (Pistachio)
I love so many of their flavors that obviously leans toward south Asian flavors like the masala chai and the mango cream. My friends and I came Friday afternoon and sadly the soft serve machine was broken. I'll just have to come back! The service was so patient and friendly and currently you're only allowed 4 samples which was more than enough to make a decision. This day I indulged with a split scoop of mango and cream and the guava chili. Really interesting combo - both the fruits were so refreshing on such a hot summer day. Plus Carroll Park is very close to sit and relax to enjoy your ice cream as well
Loved everything about this ice cream shop. It's different than your usual, with Southeast Asian flavors. I tried the Mango Lassi Swirl soft serve. It was so decadent and creamy and the flavor was perfect. As if you were enjoying a frozen Mango Lassi drink. I will definitely be back as the other flavors were incredible according to my friend who put me on to this place. Staff is nice. Place is clean but small and not many seating areas. They cater and provide service at any type of events.
When you find a cute little ice cream shop called Malal which translates to Cream in Hindi , you expect something special. After a long walk along Dumbo neighborhood decided to drive back home and discovered this place on the way , Had to take a peek at what was on the menu . Walked in to a cozy little shop , bright and well lit with unique flavors on the menu. I tried the. Vegan flavors first and liked every one of them in the following order Pineapple coconut with pink peppercorn , Guvava chili and Cilantro mint with Serrano chilis . I could taste the ingredients individually in each flavor. The mix of heat from Red vs Green Chili's or Pink Peppercorns made it quite complex in taste , yet had a clean lingering finish on the palette . Pineapple coconut vegan ice cream was creamy tangy , slight sweet from the coconut with the subtle aroma and kick from the Pink Peppercorn that was a riot in my mouth. I tasted a few other flavors like Fig on Fig , Mango, Curry leaf and Chai . One tasted better than the other . This is truly an offbeat menu with a wide medley of wild ingredients pulled together in a perfect harmony of flavors . Need more spots like Malai to keep the food enthusiasts taste buds excited and guessing.
What a great little spot for unusual flavors scoop or soft serve! I say bring on the flavors dont be shy more rose in particular. I will definitely be back. Nice service not many seats take togo.
Got a delicious vegan ice cream sandwich to go but I'd love to try an ice cream scoop another time. The sandwich was delicious - chocolate chili cookie with spiced peanut crunch ice cream (all vegan). The combination of flavors and textures were so unique. I'd definitely buy this again and look forward to getting a scoop in the warmer weather.
An ice cream shop with flavors you don't commonly see in other places. Tried what was probably their most popular flavor, rose with cinnamon roasted almonds. What an amazing ice cream flavor. Great texture, subtle, the rose flavor was not overpowering, not too sweet, perfect! I really enjoyed the ice cream and will definitely come back to try the other interesting flavors they offer.
SERVICE - located in carroll gardens near the bergen street metro station - store is spacious and has some seating areas for smaller groups inside - no restroom available - workers let you try the different flavors and are good about recommending which ones they like - large variety of flavors available as pints in the freezer MENU - south Asian inspired ice cream - vegan options available - average price ($6 per scoop) FOOD - chocolate chili cookie with spiced peanut crunch ice cream sandwich (9/10): this product came from the freezer. Although there was one vegan option as a scoop, I was more enticed to try the combination of chocolate and peanut butter enhanced by spices. It did not fail. The cookie was the star of the show, with a perfectly balanced combination of bitter chocolate and spicy chili powder. The peanut butter flavor in the ice cream was subtle but added just the right amount of creaminess and sweetness to tone down the spices. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes! I would love to see more of the vegan flavors when they rotate them seasonally.
Went to try this South Asia ice cream and it was so good!! Loved the rose cinnamon ice cream !!will come come but to the new store at west village and try the saffron soft serve!!
I was so intrigued to try all of the flavors at Malai! They have seasonal flavors as well as year round flavors and they ask you to only try 4 flavors. I got the peda (seasonal) because it was sweet and had chunks of pistachios in it. The chai that is always available was also very good. read more
Came with my boyfriend on a Friday night! We are both ice cream snobs (I make ice cream as one of my hobbies so I'm very critical). ICE CREAM: What I appreciate about this place is the unique flavors. There's clearly an Indian influence, so there's use of saffron, turmeric, etc. We shared a triple scoop with Mango and Cream, Saffron Pistachio, Chocolate Coconut. My favorite was saffron pistachio, which is surprising because I don't even like pistachios (although I guess I do like pistachio ice cream). I was generally disappointed by the mango and cream, I was actually really excited for this one, but there was very little mango flavor or pieces in the ice cream itself. Chocolate coconut was decent, but it could've included a little bit more chocolate flavor, and it had some iciness to it, which was a bummer. SERVICE: the two young people working here were delightful. I found them to be friendly and personable, more than your average ice cream scooper. When my boyfriend and I ordered the triple scoop, they were like "yeah that's the move, getting a triple and sharing is definitely the best value, more people should do it". A+ for service here. AMBIANCE: the shop itself is actually a quite decent size for NYC and it does have some seating for people inside. There's also a good bit of seating outside. Overall, I think the ambience is pretty cute. OVERALL: Not a bad option, but definitely was not very impressed. Maybe I need to give them another try with some different flavors. read more
3 years ago
The flavors are so fun! I had a great time sampling but the rose one really spoke to me. I love the inspiration behind the flavor combos and the staff was so nice to share their recommendations. The space is colorful and bright, with lots of cheery energy. They also have pints and ice pops in the fridge up front. Something for everyone really. read more
2 years ago
Wow! There needs to be more ice cream places like Malai. Such a refreshing take on what could be the same old same old. I ordered the fig on fig, as did my husband. We loved it! Sweet and caramelly but not overly so. We also took home a pint of the sweet corn saffron ice cream. That one was a little more unique and maybe not exactly my taste, but still tasty and fun to try. I would love to return as soon as I have the chance! read more
I love indian food, I love ice cream, but together? I was skeptical. Malai proved I had no reason to be. I sampled maybe 6 flavors and every single one was a completely different world and either good or great. They seem to be based on Indian desserts for the most part as well as the tea-based masala chai. I came at a great time since they had special diwali flavors too. The ice cream base and texture is incredibly creamy and velvety, my personal favorite (as opposed to airy/icy/buttery dense like coldstone). I'm completely sold and there was loads more flavors to try. Do not sleep on this gem, and hopefully I'll see this idea make its way across the country to my coast. A boy can dream at least. read more
Finally can say I have tried ice cream from their store! I have been eyeing their pints at whole foods but have exercised great self-discipline by waiting until I tried their ice cream in the store first. They have more of a variety/seasonal flavors in the store which made for a fun tasting session. I probably tasted five flavors and all were delicious. I ended up getting a split (two flavors in one cup) of the rose with almond and cardamom crumble (i dont recall the exact name) Ugh so good!! Cardamom is one of my favorite spices so it was such a treat! All of the flavors really come through and are super fragrant. Can't wait to make this my summer staple and finally let myself stock my freezer with a couple of pints. read more
Absolutely delicious ice cream with Indian and international-inspired flavors! We came in on a Thursday afternoon and it wasn't too busy. We were able to try a few flavors before choosing. They offer split scoops for a small extra fee, so you can get multiple flavors. I got the mango & cream and the saffron pistachio. I saw more flavors online than what they were scooping, but they do also offer pints of all their flavors. I'd definitely come back to try the chai and the baklava flavors! The shop isn't super big, but there's seating outside. read more
Very creative and tasty flavors- MUST try if in area- Loved their Lychee and Mango cardamon- Shop has really nice and friendly vibes too. Staff is very helpful. They had other interesting flaovrs too that i would defo come back for. read more
1 year ago
I'm a certified Pooja Bavishi fan! I've researched her journey and it is inspiring how she took a very localized culture-based idea and made it of broader appeal. And that too with resilience and later success! I've used their delivery option once, and I have to say, coming in-person is the best way to experience the creaminess of their ice cream. I appreciated that I got to try different flavors before choosing what I wanted. I ordered the Mango and Cream as well as the Sweet Corn Saffron in their Waffle Cone. My preferred of the two was definitely the Sweet Corn Saffron. The ice creams are creamy but more importantly deliciously comforting and refreshing. Pooja representing the Desi community warms my heart, as she makes sure her products are accessible to customers who may not eat eggs and want to experience the delicious flavors of their culture in their ice cream as well. Malai has non-dairy & sorbet flavors, packaged ice creams, to-order cakes, and mango lassi, etc. available at their store too. Looking forward to continuing to support this business! read more
2 years ago
Was in the area and had to stop by during National Ice Cream Day! I sampled a few flavors and decided on Sweet Corn Saffron and Mango & Cream. Sweet corn saffron is a must for corn lovers, not too sweet. Mango & Cream is slightly on the sweeter side but so good!! read more
Incredible service and unique flavors. Unlimited samples and honestly every flavor was great. My favorite was sea salt vanilla and I got a split scoop of that and the orange coffee soft serve, which pretty much tasted like orange flavored coffee haha and had a really nice, creamy yet refreshing taste. I really liked the mixed flavor of both the coffee soft serve and the sea salt vanilla. read more
Wow, wow, wow! This places really knows their flavors! Each flavor was so true to its name, and did not disappoint. I got the Mango & Cream and Masala Chai, and both tasted exactly like that. Definitely will be going back! If you're curious about this place, run now & try it out! read more
4 years ago
The price may seem a bit steep, but the scoops are giant. I love that there are a variety of flavors and that they have South Asian riffs on American classics. I sampled the black forest and tulsi chocolate chip. The base for both seemed to be a sweet cream. I decided on getting a scoop of the tulsi chocolate chip. I was expecting more tulsi flavor, but it's very subtle. The base is most similar to what would be a mint chocolate chip. The chocolate chips themselves provide a good crunch to the ice cream and a more bitter contrast to the sweet ice cream. Only thing that I want, is for the ice cream to be a bit more smooth and less icy. Other than that, a solid and unique place to grab a scoop, especially as the weather is warming up. read more
There's something about Indian ice cream shops that just know what they're doing. The ice cream is creamy and the flavors are so unique. I love that the flavors are South Asian inspired from various spices, but even the simple Salted Vanilla flavor so delicious. We were able to sample a few flavors and the lady serving was so kind about it. After trying a few flavors, we decided on the Baklava and Mango & Cream --both delicious flavors. I got mine in a cone for an extra $2 and the single scoop was $6 each. You're also able to get multiple scoop flavors for additional too. Even on a cold day, you can't go wrong with some ice cream for dessert. They also offer the ice cream in pints for $12.50 each. read more
Innovative and amazing ice cream! I had the masala chai and the cardamom pistachio crumble. There was a good amount of ice cream per scoop and had a strong taste associated with each. I was afraid that there would be more of an aromatic association with the flavors, but I could clearly and continually taste the cardamom and chai flavors. Very kind server as well. I thought that the flavors were interesting and different - I really look forward to returning. read more
Malai is one of my go-to ice cream shops when I'm in search for a special treat and feeling a little nostalgic of home. Indoor and outdoor seating is limited, although it is very, very charming. The ice cream shop is nice and spacious inside so when it gets busy, it doesn't feel like you're crammed into strangers. my favorite flavor here is the rose ice cream with the salted nuts. To me it taste like traditional Kashmiri chai in a cup. The Rose notes are fragrant and so delicious. This ice cream really transports me back to my motherland Pakistan. I've also had the joy of trying a couple of different flavors throughout the years. Their mango ice cream is quite good. It tastes like mango fruit and not artificial flavoring and I like that it's creamy and balanced well. The masala chai is also one of my favorites as a captures a lot of the authentic Indian flavors. The shop used to have an outpost on Governors Island and one of my favorite things to do was to get their ice cream sandwiches. However, last year I couldn't find them on the island and I don't think they offer ice cream sandwiches in the shop, I would love for the ice cream sandwiches to come back, because those were a real treat. Please go here to try some unique ice creams and expand your palette into the southeast Asian world of flavors. read more
This is a cute danity indian ice cream shop with many unique flavors that are not available anywhere else. So be ready to sample many flavors you have never tried and the workers readily and happily oblige! I Tried the strawberry rose flavor that was stronger strawberry but had end notes of smooth rose. I also had ghee flavor which is the OG most authentic Malai flavor it was buttery and rich. My number one flavor was the pastachio nut flavor which was rich with nuts added but strong pastachio flavor. They had 2 unique flavors for holi which shows that they change flavors regularly so everytime you go they will have a new surprise to try its a new journey everytime read more
I stopped by here with a friend for an afternoon treat. All the flavors looked so good. Luckily, the woman at the counter let me try multiple flavors! I opted for a split cup of the pistachio soft serve and the Black Forest ice cream. The pistachio was creamy and flavorful, but my favorite was the Black Forest. The fruit swirl was tart and the perfect complement to the ice cream, which had chocolate chunks mixed in. Overall, really nice staff and creative flavors! read more
4 years ago
I love Malai. Their flavors are great and so different from other ice cream shops in the city. If you go to the shop, you can get scoops or soft serve, as well as pick up pints and other treats. All the ice cream is egg-free, and if you want non-dairy ice cream, they use a separate scoop to avoid cross-contamination, something I wish all ice cream shops did. On my last visit, I got a trio scoop with strawberry ginger sorbet, pineapple pink peppercorn, and mango and cream, and it was perfect for cooling down on a very hot summer day. I wish I could have bought some additional pints of the strawberry ginger (my favorite of the three) to take home, but they definitely would have melted in minutes in the heat. Looking forward to my next visit! read more
3 years ago
Malai has the inspiration from South Asian ingredients. I absolutely love how unique it is from a lot of the ice cream shops that are around the area. The staff is friendly and they allow you to sample prior to choosing. I recently stopped by and decided to take pint of the Baklava pint even before trying it. It blew me away and I can say it is my favorite - sweet & nutty. The Masala Chai was also delicious with the hint of spice. There's tables inside if anyone wants to stay and enjoy their ice cream - plenty of flavors to choose from - you can't go wrong! read more
On our first day of a weekend trip to NYC, we took the train all the way to BoCoCa just to try this Indian-inspired ice cream spot. While we are generally skeptical of fusion dessert spots because execution can be spotty, we were convinced by the rave reviews here to give this place a shot. We didn't regret it one bit - we got the roti with ghee and the masala chai. For any person of south Asian origin, one bite of these flavors will transport you straight back to the motherland. The chai flavor in particular was excellent and despite the recent surge in all things chai flavored, this was easily the best I've tried anywhere in the world. Please come set up shop in the Bay Area!! We are waiting for you!! read more
4 years ago
The Ice cream was really unique and flavorful. The spices included were interesting and the employees mentioned they change every month. I tried a PLETHORA. Turkish coffee - delicious and coffee-ish Mace Date - I can't remember the full flavor. I believe it had cinnamon and I expected to like it more but there were others that I preferred Rose with cinnamon roasted almonds - too floral for my taste Spiced peanut crunch - too spicy for my taste I ended up getting a split scoop of the Baklava and the royal cinnamon with black salted caramel Those two were DELICIOUS ! The employees were super nice, friendly, patient, and knowledgeable to all the little questions we had. They didn't skimp on the samples and were able to keep the line moving even while getting all the samples we wanted to try. The inside is super cute, clean and inviting. Their merch is also cute. They have a freezer with ice cream sandwiches ( we didn't try), warm beverages, and they make pastries that look delicious. read more
When the weather gets warm, it's time for ice cream! This place has lots of unique flavors, from their popular rose with cinnamon roasted almonds to saffron pistachio. $7.50 for a double scoop. They are not doing samples right now which is a bummer bc there are so many unique flavors here, but they did give me a sample in my cup after I bought my cup which is nice. Overall: lovely service, clean space, and lots of interesting flavors! read more
1 year ago
5 years ago
A friend recommended this spot to me and the Indian flavors sounded right up my alley. We tried: - Mayamasi's Shrikhand - Star Anise Cherry Pie - Masala Chai Of the flavors, Masala Chai was definitely my favorite. I was hoping to try some of their more unique flavors (like Roti & Ghee), but they didn't have a lot of them when we went. I think this spot has more potential. My biggest issue is that they keep their freezers too cold, so the ice cream was way too hard. I'd definitely be interested in coming back to try more flavors. read more
5 years ago
We had dinner nearby and I've had Malai bookmarked for a while now. FYI they are not doing any samples due to COVID which was a huge bummer bc their flavors are a little too unique/creative to decide without trying first.. I ended up having their bestseller; rosewater with cinnamon roasted almonds and sweet roti and ghee. A split cup was $7.50 after tax. My friends also took some pints home and they were $12 a print. It was good and the flavors were definitely unique but the ice cream consistency was lacking in the creaminess/texture for me. I'm not sure if I'd return to try any more flavors; maybe I'm biased bc I'm personally not a huge fan of spices/chai flavors and that's why I wasn't particularly blown away. But if those flavor profiles are up your alley, I do recommend stopping by! read more
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Beyanka M.
Hi Natalie,…
3 years ago
Malai is one of my favorite ice cream shops in Brooklyn. There is always something new to try. I really like the attention to detail in their small Carroll gardens Smith st shop. I enjoy soft serve cream in general but I do stray away sometimes st Malai. On this visit I tried the Rose and Sweet corn variants. While both very good the Rose wasn't to strong in flavor as I've had at other shops. I tend to really like a strong rose flavored ice cream. This will not stop me from coming back! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
This place is for all the ice cream lovers who like to try diverse flavors and love creamier textures. I originally saw this brand when I was grocery shopping and saw pints of masala chai flavored ice cream. It was really good which is why I think the name is so memorable. I stumbled upon the brick and mortar store and was thrilled to find that I could try their different flavors. I probably tried at least 5 flavors and just love how they taste so unique. They also sell their points in store, so if you can't find it in your grocery store then you can always get it here! Staff are super nice and helpful. Not too many seats available -- would probably be best on a day you can eat and walk. read more
Cute and modern ice cream shop inspired by Indian culture. My bf and I tried the Madam vice president and turkish coffee in a split scoop since we didn't want too much. The workers explained how the Madam vice president flavor came to be, and it was actually really cool and clever how the ingredients in this flavor were inspired by Kamala Harris. I forgot exactly what they said, but I know the ingredients were from the multiple cultures of her background. However, despite the combo of ingredients being unique, the ice cream flavor didn't actually taste unique in our opinion. This one and the turkish coffee were overall solid but not spectacular, while also being kind of pricey. They don't allow samples at the moment bc of covid, but if you get scoops they can put sample-sized bits onto the side of your scoop for other flavors you want to try. I tried the cilantro out of curiosity -- it was very interesting and not gross at all, but not something I'd get a whole scoop of haha. Customer service was wonderful though! read more
More info about Malai
268 Smith St
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Carroll Gardens, Gowanus
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(347) 889-5789
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https://www.malai.co
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Ask the Community - Malai
Do they have dairy free options?
They always have two dairy free options that rotate from time to time!
Any vegan options?
Hi Chelsea, Thank you so much for reaching out. We try to always have at least two vegan options…
