It’s face-meltingly hot in Dallas right now. But fear not, there is so much ice cream to be had. Another new ice cream shop has opened, folks. Azucar Ice Cream Company, located on Bishop Avenue between Macellaio and Tribal All Day Cafe, began scooping just last week.
Azucar Ice Cream Company is based in Miami and specializes in Cuban ice cream. This is the shop’s first location outside of the heart of Little Havana. “We found Bishop Arts and I couldn’t refuse putting an Azucar here,” says owner Suzy Batlle, who first began coming to Dallas regularly to visit family. “Everyone was so friendly and wonderful.”
Azucar features ice creams made from fruits and other flavors native to Latin countries. You’ll find guava and mango from Puerto Rico. There’s also coconut, Cuban vanilla, and cuatro leches. “I like to see what’s at the grocery store seasonally,” says Batlle. “And I make ice cream with the fruits and vegetables I find.” Their signature flavor is Abuela Maria, a lovely combination of guava, cream cheese, and crispy cookies. The Dallas shop is gradually building its line-up, and based on some of the seasonal flavors featured at the Miami shop (spiced sugar plum, pumpkin flan, sweet cream corn, sugarcane and pineapple, olive oil and orange zest), I think we have a lot to look forward to.
I stopped by the newly opened Azucar over the weekend to experience Cuban ice cream for myself. It’s small and simply outfitted. We were given a warm welcome and encouraged to sample through the options. I settled on a three-scoop cone of dulce de leche, almond, and the Abuela Maria. The serving sizes were surprisingly generous. Suffice it to say, I left very impressed. The texture was perfectly creamy, without being too hard or soft, and the flavors were all delightful. It won’t be my last visit.
Azucar is located at 269 N. Bishop Ave. Hours are Tuesday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The shop is closed on Monday. If you can’t make it to Bishop Arts, you can find a selection of six rotating Azucar flavors at Royal Blue Grocery in Highland Park.
