I've tried many dairy-free ice creams in my day, and this is truly some of the best I've ever had—if not THE best. I'm guessing the key difference between Grinning Face and what I've eaten previously is the egg, because most dairy-free ice creams are also vegan. Grinning Face does also sell vegan flavors, but I found the texture of those slightly different from the egg-containing ones. I think the egg as an emulsifier works better.
I tried the lemon one and my partner tried the peach (or raspberry, can't recall), and we both loved ours, but the lemony lemon was our favorite. The shop is very small and can get crowded, but we live nearby and usually grab containers to go.
Regarding the hours: I checked Grinning Face's website and the Zomato hours are not accurate. They're now open on Thursdays and much later Friday through Sunday (although they may have seasonal hours). If they had more regular hours, I'd probably go at least once a week.
Next up was Grinning Face, a non-dairy gelato shop in Cabbagetown, who was one of the vendors at the festival. They specialize in house-made, dairy free, coconut milk–based gelato that are not only dairy-free, but gluten-free, and contained no nuts. I was given a sample of one of their gelato products, and I chose the "The Mighty Coconut". The gelato comes in single serving cups at $4.50 each flavor. The gelato is made with coconut milk, natural flavors and coconut palm sugar, and is a healthier alternative to sugary ice-cream and gelato.
A great find in the neighbourhood. This is a lovely little shop that serves non-dairy and vegan gelato. Run by a pair of sisters, it is a wonderful place to visit and buy some dessert for an upcoming meal, or a small container of your favourite flavour to snack on while you continue your walk along Parliament Street
The owners make their gelato with coconut milk that they process themselves on site. No canned coconut milk with all the additives and chemicals for them! It's all natural, and for someone with a sensitivity to canned coconut milk, this is a great find indeed.
And the flavours are amazing! We tried the pumpkin and maple and coffee creme brule to start.
If you like ice cream and gelato, you absolutely must try this place out!
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