When it’s sweltering by mid-morning and the afternoon thunderstorms only result in sticky and stifling humidity, nothing quite hits the spot like an ice cream cone.
It can be as basic as soft serve with a shattering chocolate shell or an elevated take on mangga’t suman. Whatever one ends up choosing, ice cream just makes people happy, even those with lactose intolerance.
During a recent food tasting in a restaurant in Tagaytay, I was seated next to two influencers who kept trying to outdo each other.
“I’m lactose intolerant but I will gladly nibble on a cheese platter,” one of them said.
The other girl replied, “Me, too. I love ice cream even if I have to atone for indulging.”
If you’re among the roughly 90 percent of Southeast Asians who cannot digest the milk sugar lactose but still want to indulge occasionally, you might consider more premium varieties that go beyond the traditional vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.
Alfred’s, the all-day dining outlet at Makati Diamond Residences, offers weekday business lunch options where diners can choose one main dish — the panfried salmon with a side of velvety mashed potatoes is highly-recommended — and pick from the antipasti buffet that includes cold cuts, a couple of salads, pizza, bruschetta and pasta.
Dessert includes two ice cream options of the five they make onsite, namely vanilla, salted caramel, baked cheesecake, super moist chocolate and ispahan. The last, pioneered by French pastry chef Pierre Herme, blends three distinct flavors—rose, lychee and raspberry.
Our favorites fell on opposite ends of the flavor spectrum: the salted caramel was sweet and familiar while the ispahan was pleasantly tart, an ideal and exotic palate cleanser. You can also order the ice cream at Makati Diamond Residences (118 Legazpi St., Legazpi Village, Makati) à la carte at P220 for two scoops, or P600 a pint.
Frozen taho ice cream
The frozen dessert selection at Breakfast at Antonio’s is also worth checking out.
At their Robinsons Magnolia branch, we tried the sugar-free dark chocolate and the brown butter pecan.
As a creature of habit, I seldom stray from Antonio’s decadently dark chocolate and peanut butter cup but I think I’ve found a new favorite in the brown butter pecan that was packed with toasted pecan nuggets.
Antonio’s sister restaurant Azela, with branches in Robinsons Place Manila and a newly opened one at SM City North Edsa, has an ice cream version of taho complete with tapioca pearls and a dark arnibal (sugar syrup) drizzle.
I wrote about Marcelo’s Microcreamery (Instagram: marcelosmicrocreamery) a couple of months ago when they first launched their coconut-based, proudly Pinoy ice creams with flavors like Bilo-Bilo, Latik-Latik, and Mangga’t Suman. They are now sold at select stores including at Landers, The Marketplace, Robinsons Supermarket, Shopwise, and One World Deli, among others.
Founder and CEO John Marcelo talked about the different variants and how they were inspired by well-loved flavors from his childhood. He also shared his plan to make Filipino flavors part of the global dessert conversation.
“It is daunting but I want to showcase my heritage... to our countrymen everywhere,” Marcelo recently said in a statement. “I am so excited for this to reach the hands of our fellow Filipinos abroad where our flavors bring them back to a taste of home, even just for a moment.”
Marcelo’s Microcreamery was recognized at the recent Katha Awards organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem) as the 2026 Best Specialty & Gourmet Frozen Dessert of the Year. They were also the sole Philippine brand featured in its category at THAIFEX Anuga Asia 2026 in the Halal & New to Market Showcase.
Whether you enjoy your scoop in store or at home, banish any guilty feelings and savor the moment.