It’s official, five out of 100 world’s best ice-creams are from India
Byline: Veda Pahurkar
Let’s be honest. There’s nothing more uncontrollable and satisfying than a generous scoop of some delicious ice cream. Every ice cream flavour and scoop comes with a story. And now, there’s good news for all the ice cream lovers in India. It’s official, five out of the 100 best ice creams in the world are from India. Food guide TasteAtlas recently included Mumbai's K Rustom’s ice-cream sandwich, Naturals' Tender Coconut, Bengaluru's Death by Chocolate, Apsara's Guava ice cream and Mangaluru's Gadbad in its list of the World's 100 Most Iconic Ice Creams, putting India's diverse ice-cream culture firmly in the global spotlight.
Mumbai's Wafer Wonder
At first glance, K Rustom's famous creation doesn't look like an ice cream at all. Nestled between two thin wafers, the rectangular block of ice cream has been a Mumbai institution for decades. Located near Churchgate, the shop has remained largely unchanged despite the city's rapid transformation around it. For generations of Mumbaikars, the ritual is familiar: Choose a flavour, grab the sandwich, and stroll along Marine Drive( aka Queen’s Necklace). “People who ate it as children now bring their grandchildren,” says Rodha Irani, Khodabux Rustom's daughter, adding, “It’s the simplicity of the product that makes it timeless.”
Natural Flavours
If one flavour captures India’s ability to turn a simple ingredient into something extraordinary, it is tender coconut ice cream. Popularised by Natural Ice Cream, the flavour combines real tender coconut pieces with the fruit’s delicate sweetness, creating a dessert that feels both familiar and refreshing.
Its popularity reflects a broader consumer shift towards natural, fruit-based flavours. Long before clean-label products became a global trend, Indian ice cream lovers were embracing local favourites such as mango, sitaphal, chikoo and tender coconut, proving that authenticity could be just as appealing as indulgence.
A Dessert To Die for
Some desserts are remembered for their flavour. Death by Chocolate is remembered for the experience. The iconic dessert from Bengaluru's Corner House Ice Creams became famous for its generous layers of cake, ice cream, chocolate sauce and rich chocolate toppings. For many students, families and visitors, sharing a Death by Chocolate became a tradition. Its place among the world's most iconic ice creams shows that great desserts are not just about taste. They are about the memories people create around them. “It’s a taste that you can never forget in your life. The dark chocolate, roasted nuts, hot sauce and ice cream all complement each other so well,” says Dr Vijay Joshi, a regular.
Pink Guava Goals
Among the Indian flavours on the list, Apsara’s guava ice cream is perhaps the most unexpected. While chocolate and vanilla dominate ice cream menus around the world, guava brings something entirely different to the table. “Sweet, tangy and slightly spicy, the flavour captures a taste that many Indians instantly recognise,” says Priya Tribhuvan, who likes to add an extra dash of salt and chilli to the ice cream.
It draws inspiration from the classic street-side snack of fresh guava sprinkled with chilli powder and salt, turning a familiar memory into a frozen dessert. Its global recognition shows that iconic flavours do not always come from convention. Sometimes, they come from reimagining everyday favourites in surprising new ways.
The Beautiful Chaos
If there were an award for ‘method to the madness’ personality, Mangaluru’s Gadbad wins hands down. Part ice cream, part fruit salad, part sundae and entirely unforgettable. Gadbad is a colourful explosion of flavours and textures. Layers of fruits, jelly, nuts, syrups and ice cream compete for attention in a tall glass.
Its name literally means “confusion” or “mess,” yet that apparent chaos is precisely what makes it special. Every spoonful offers a different combination. One moment, there is sweetness from fruit, then suddenly crunch from the nuts, followed by creamy ice cream and vibrant jelly. It refuses to be predictable.
Stories In Every Scoop
What makes these five entries remarkable is their diversity. From a wafer sandwich and fresh fruit flavours to chocolate indulgence, spicy guava and a layered sundae, each tells a different story of India's dessert culture.
Together, they tell a larger story about Indian food culture, one where innovation comes not from laboratories but from memory, neighbourhoods and family traditions. And perhaps that is exactly why the world is paying attention.
