Salt & Straw — Restaurant in New York

Came to Salt & Straw via a promotion. the artisan ice cream shop does not disappoint. the Upper West Side serves ice cream dreams in cup, cone, or pints from a menu of "classics" flavors as well as limited-time options. the store is fair-sized for NYC, but expect a line snaking out the door bc it's new, its location is in a heavily trafficked area off the Upper West Side, and of course, the ice is top-tier. Salt& Straw allows sampling of flavors before ordering, so hence another reason why there are lines during primetime hours (like after dinner) BUT the line moves relatively quickly because there were so many people working the ice cream bar. while I was there--the line went outside the entire length of the store (about 25-30 people ahead of me) when i stopped there on a Sunday night, but it took only about 15-20 minutes to eventually get in and out with my order.

the ice cream--so good. tried the "Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper'--super interesting flavor...it tasted like a sweet creamy amuse-bouche of sweet n tart strawberry. definitely worth trying and getting if you want a cup of something different, but I don't think it would be as enjoyable in a cone if that makes sense. the "Chocolate Babka with Hazelnut Fudge" was rich and smooth without being overpowering or cloying. the mix of hazelnut and chocolate babka is a treat for anyone who wants something chocolatey but with more depth. ended up landing on the "The Great Candycopia" in a waffle cone without even sampling it. its description sold me: "a salted butterscotch ice cream filled with homemade KitKats, Snickers, Reeses, and Heath Bars!" this limited flavor is everything and more as you can taste that slight saltiness woven into an even butterscotch flavor that tastes like real homemade (not chemically or artificial) and the chunks of homemade candy are EXCELLENT both as chunks of candied treasure and a texture mixed into the ice cream. the waffle cone, itself, tastes so fresh...it has that soft giving crunch that has actually flavor and texture that neither is dulled out. "The Great Candycopia" is Halloween trick or treating at its greatness with ice cream holding it altogether. highly recommend.

the staff are super friendly and patient as people go through the gamut of ice cream tasting. they definitely make the ice cream magic happen with a smile and info on...

The UWS has arrived at a golden era of ice cream parlors, and this one is the most recent addition in an already crowded field — on an eight block stretch of Amsterdam, there are now six! What Salt & Straw brings to the table is a stunningly creative array of experimental flavors, with rotations. Of all the neighborhood parlors, that is their main selling point, with flavors you have never seen, like chocolate babka, pastrami on rye, cinnamon raisin bagels and schmear and ingredients you wouldn’t expect, like black pepper and Merlot. They also offer freshly made waffle cones. However, as someone who can only eat nondairy, I was disappointed that there were only two nondairy vegan ice cream flavors. Considering how many people can’t eat dairy, I would hope they would offer a few of those wildly fun flavors in a nondairy version since it is their brand, but alas, that is not the demo they seem to be courting (despite the fact that on their website they claim otherwise). And so, as far as nondairy is concerned, Van Leeuwen is the unchallenged leader (with 7 nondairy ice cream flavors). I was also surprised at how small the small single scoop serving was, which, although similarly priced, was smaller than what you’d get at any of the other parlors in the neighborhood. For instance, the Gelato Factory a few blocks away offers two scoops for the same price and you can get two flavors. As for the one I sampled, it was OK but nothing to write home about. Still, though, it’s good to see a place come along that offers ice cream with a new twist even if it’s not quite my cup of tea. Update: it’s seven months later and there are still only the same two uninspired...

Salt & Straw finally in NYC! One of the best additions here! I was introduced to them by my clients before when I used to fly often to Portland, OR for work. So ecstatic that they're finally here. I went yesterday afternoon and waited around 35 minutes, and this was definitely one of those it's worth the long wait lines. The store was cozy and the staff were wonderful and patient as they let you try different flavors. I'm a Classics gal so I knew I wanted to get Pistachio Ricotta and Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons to stock up for home so I tried those and bought these pints for myself and my husband. I then tried a couple more: Coffee & Love Nuts because I love everything coffee ice cream, also tried to Chocolate Babka with Hazel and the Cinnamon Bagel flavor, both yummy! I finally decided on the Coffee flavor and they allowed me to split my scoop into 2 flavors, the Coffee flavor and the Double Fold Vanilla. Win-win! Also, this is easily the best coffee ice cream for me now! Special shout out to Emily who was super nice! Thank you! Finally, I left with a $39 purchase + tip! Had to get those 2 pints and 4 waffle cones to ensure the complete delicious experience at home. One of the most yum Elite Experiences, grateful to be part of the Yelp Elite Squad for this experience and thank you so much to Katey G. and of course, Salt & Straw! Keep expanding! Here...