Regardless of what the weather looks like outside, ice cream is always a good idea. Those who enjoy small-batch treats with unique flavours that just happen to be plant-based (so, everyone) will be glad to hear about the opening of Toronto's newest vegan ice cream spot, Honey's.
What started out as a small, pickup-only popup venture has now become a permanent fixture on Dundas West that serves up impossibly creamy plant-based ice cream. Honey's Ice Cream showcases mouthwatering flavour and texture combinations in a cashew-and-coconut cream base, making for a luscious homemade vegan treat that you'll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Ashley Wittig, who co-created Bunner's Bake Shop back in 2010, started Honey's as a result of her lifelong love affair with ice cream combined with her desire for a rich, dairy-free version of her favourite treat. The endeavour was fondly named after Wittig's sweet pup Honey and after seeing a ton of success back in the fall, she has just set up official real estate in Toronto.
Honey's was first introduced to the public in October, when Wittig's ice cream was sold out of Common People Shop and received incredibly positive feedback from happy customers who were amazed by her plant-based creation. Ashley hand-makes every batch of ice cream herself using high-quality, often organic ingredients, changing up some of the flavours on a seasonal basis. It started out as an experiment to test the concept and after the first of her weekly online drops, Ashley was already selling out promptly. As of yesterday, Honey's is now open in their own little shop at Dundas and Gladstone, selling pints of the luxurious ice cream from Tuesday to Sunday between noon and 5 p.m.
Honey's Peanut Butter and Saltine, a smooth cashew- and coconut-based peanut butter ice cream loaded with chunks of the nostalgically salty crackers, became a fan favourite at the popup that now has a permanent spot on her menu. Other flavours include Double Chocolate Chip Brownie, made with her soft and fudgey homemade brownies, and Coffee with Chocolate Freckles, the result of chocolate sauce being drizzled into cocoa-infused coffee ice cream and hardening into sweet crackles. With the opening of the shop also comes new seasonal flavours like Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge Crackle, a minty vanilla ice cream flecked with candy cane and chocolate pieces, and her chunky and flavourful Shortbread & Maraschino Cherry creation.
The first day was a huge success and there is no doubt that Honey's will continue to draw in crowds of folks who want to get their hands on this unbelievably tasty vegan ice cream. Ashley will be introducing ice cream pies this week as well, so stay tuned and make sure to stop by and stock up for your upcoming celebrations (because ice cream this good can make any quieter-than-usual holiday season significantly better, right?!). They even have digital gift cards on their site so you can pass along the sweetness to someone you love. We're so glad that Honey's finally has a permanent home in Toronto and can't wait to see even more success for this lovely small business!
