Cold Comfort (TAIPEI Quarterly 2026 Summer Vol.44)Post date：2026-06-10
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TAIPEI #44 (2026 Summer)
Cold Comfort
Frozen Treats to Beat the Summer Heat
TEXT Ray Hecht
PHOTOS Chen Cheng-Kuo
As the swelter of the Taipei summer settles in, the city's humidity calls for more than just shade – it demands a frozen intervention. This is the perfect time to seek out cool retreats and indulge in delightful icy treats. Taipei is home to a wide range of dessert shops specializing in gelato – rich Italian-style ice cream – as well as Taiwanese-style shaved ice, with unique creations presenting twists on classic tastes.
▲Starfruit Pineapple ice
Le Buno can be found in a lane just to the north of MRT Zhongxiao Dunhua Station. The interior features abundant natural wood elements, paired with soft lighting and a fresh, minimalist aesthetic. Tucked away from the bustle of the city streets, it offers a peaceful corner for enjoying desserts and catching up with friends.
Gelato is the shop's specialty, with matcha being one of its popular flavors. Le Buno is currently collaborating with The Matcha Tokyo to offer four exclusive co-branded drinks, crafted to the exacting standards of the renowned Japanese teahouse. The extensive menu also includes smoothies, milkshakes, and a variety of lattes.
▲The Matcha Mont Blanc and Matcha Tokyo drinks
Le Buno's premium gelato desserts are prominently displayed at the counter. These artisanal scoops are served directly within fruits; the Orange Dragon Fruit, for instance, features vibrant gelato nestled inside a carved-out dragon-fruit shell. If a serving is too large for one person, the store also offers half portions. The Starfruit Pineapple fusion is served in a whole pineapple shell, pairing bright tropical flavors with plenty of fresh pineapple to enjoy after finishing the dessert.
▲Orange Dragon Fruit
Other popular choices are Honey Apple, Peach Passion Fruit, and Pomelo Lemon. There's even a Pudding Avocado creation for more adventurous tastes. Drawing on Taiwan's agricultural abundance, these tropical flavors offer a bright, refreshing escape from the island's humid summer afternoons.
Le Buno
🚩58, Ln. 187, Sec. 1, Dunhua S. Rd., Daan Dist.
📞0901-400-906
🔗instagram.com/le_buno_fruit
🕝1:30pm-10:00pm
Huo Shih is a stylish, minimalist shop, shaped like a cube. two-minute stroll from MRT Shuanglian Station, it is nestled on a quiet corner beside leafy Xinzhongshan Linear Park, waiting to be discovered by curious passersby. Located in a tourist-busy area, the shop's menu is in Chinese, English, and Japanese.
The treats on offer rotate with the seasons, ensuring every type of fruit is served at its peak ripeness. This summer's standout is a shaved ice made with green grapes, pomelo, starch jelly cubes, and a lactobacillus drink (Yakult), delivering a complex explosion of refreshing fruity flavors. The sea-salt lemon ice cream on top has a crisp, sorbet-like texture.
▲Four Season Mango Summer; Shaved ice with green grapes
The most popular item at Huo Shih is the summer exclusive "Four Season Mango Summer." It is made with Four Seasons Spring oolong tea, paired with Irwin mangoes, tangyuan (glutinous-rice balls), and sea salt lemon ice cream. Like the aforementioned green-grape ice, the creation resembles a work of art.
Other must-try flavors are Strawberry, Tomato with Plum, and the Chef 's special, which is created with homemade peanut butter. You also don't want to miss the waffles, served with a side of crunchy banana chips in whipped cream. The waffles with chocolate and chewy mochi filling are especially recommended!
Huo Shih 貨室甜品
🚩34, Ln. 71, Chifeng St., Datong Dist.
🔗instagram.com/huoshih_official
🕝Mon-Fri 1:00pm-9:30pm; Sat-Sun 12:30pm-9:30pm
Frozen Heart started in central Taiwan's Changhua City in 2016 as a night-market food cart operation and has now grown into a chain operation with 37 branches in Taiwan and two abroad. The flagship store in Taipei, opened in 2025, is located close to MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station. It takes a bit of searching to find, but it's worth the effort.
Perhaps the most unusual offering of the shop is fried ice cream, featuring a striking contrast of crispy exterior and cold, creamy interior. Apple Blueberry has a layered fruity profile built from apple, lemon, and blueberry, while Ruby Velvet Milk Tea tastes like the classic creamy drink, which goes well with the fried breaded portion.
▲Fried ice cream
Other ice cream flavors include Guava Lime, which is an especially smooth citrus-y combo to try on a hot day, as well as Salted Peanuts and Hazelnut Chocolate. Puli Rose is noteworthy, for it is made with roses from Puli Township in central Taiwan. A very popular choice is Pure Pistachio, made with pistachios from Sicily, Italy, with a rich nutty aroma. This Frozen Heart branch is a fairly small place, with only a few seats available for a sit-down escape from the heat.
There's also a fun claw machine inside – try your luck for a chance to win a cup of quality gelato, including the signature fried ice cream.
FROZEN HEART 凍心炸冰淇淋
🚩 42, Sec. 1, Daan Rd., Daan Dist.
📞(02) 2731-6200
🔗frozenheart.com.tw
🕝12:00pm-9:00pm
🗺️Click here to see aforementioned spots on Google Map
Cold Comfort
Frozen Treats to Beat the Summer Heat
TEXT Ray Hecht
PHOTOS Chen Cheng-Kuo
As the swelter of the Taipei summer settles in, the city's humidity calls for more than just shade – it demands a frozen intervention. This is the perfect time to seek out cool retreats and indulge in delightful icy treats. Taipei is home to a wide range of dessert shops specializing in gelato – rich Italian-style ice cream – as well as Taiwanese-style shaved ice, with unique creations presenting twists on classic tastes.
▲Starfruit Pineapple ice
Le Buno can be found in a lane just to the north of MRT Zhongxiao Dunhua Station. The interior features abundant natural wood elements, paired with soft lighting and a fresh, minimalist aesthetic. Tucked away from the bustle of the city streets, it offers a peaceful corner for enjoying desserts and catching up with friends.
Gelato is the shop's specialty, with matcha being one of its popular flavors. Le Buno is currently collaborating with The Matcha Tokyo to offer four exclusive co-branded drinks, crafted to the exacting standards of the renowned Japanese teahouse. The extensive menu also includes smoothies, milkshakes, and a variety of lattes.
▲The Matcha Mont Blanc and Matcha Tokyo drinks
Le Buno's premium gelato desserts are prominently displayed at the counter. These artisanal scoops are served directly within fruits; the Orange Dragon Fruit, for instance, features vibrant gelato nestled inside a carved-out dragon-fruit shell. If a serving is too large for one person, the store also offers half portions. The Starfruit Pineapple fusion is served in a whole pineapple shell, pairing bright tropical flavors with plenty of fresh pineapple to enjoy after finishing the dessert.
▲Orange Dragon Fruit
Other popular choices are Honey Apple, Peach Passion Fruit, and Pomelo Lemon. There's even a Pudding Avocado creation for more adventurous tastes. Drawing on Taiwan's agricultural abundance, these tropical flavors offer a bright, refreshing escape from the island's humid summer afternoons.
Le Buno
🚩58, Ln. 187, Sec. 1, Dunhua S. Rd., Daan Dist.
📞0901-400-906
🔗instagram.com/le_buno_fruit
🕝1:30pm-10:00pm
Huo Shih is a stylish, minimalist shop, shaped like a cube. two-minute stroll from MRT Shuanglian Station, it is nestled on a quiet corner beside leafy Xinzhongshan Linear Park, waiting to be discovered by curious passersby. Located in a tourist-busy area, the shop's menu is in Chinese, English, and Japanese.
The treats on offer rotate with the seasons, ensuring every type of fruit is served at its peak ripeness. This summer's standout is a shaved ice made with green grapes, pomelo, starch jelly cubes, and a lactobacillus drink (Yakult), delivering a complex explosion of refreshing fruity flavors. The sea-salt lemon ice cream on top has a crisp, sorbet-like texture.
▲Four Season Mango Summer; Shaved ice with green grapes
The most popular item at Huo Shih is the summer exclusive "Four Season Mango Summer." It is made with Four Seasons Spring oolong tea, paired with Irwin mangoes, tangyuan (glutinous-rice balls), and sea salt lemon ice cream. Like the aforementioned green-grape ice, the creation resembles a work of art.
Other must-try flavors are Strawberry, Tomato with Plum, and the Chef 's special, which is created with homemade peanut butter. You also don't want to miss the waffles, served with a side of crunchy banana chips in whipped cream. The waffles with chocolate and chewy mochi filling are especially recommended!
Huo Shih 貨室甜品
🚩34, Ln. 71, Chifeng St., Datong Dist.
🔗instagram.com/huoshih_official
🕝Mon-Fri 1:00pm-9:30pm; Sat-Sun 12:30pm-9:30pm
Frozen Heart started in central Taiwan's Changhua City in 2016 as a night-market food cart operation and has now grown into a chain operation with 37 branches in Taiwan and two abroad. The flagship store in Taipei, opened in 2025, is located close to MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station. It takes a bit of searching to find, but it's worth the effort.
Perhaps the most unusual offering of the shop is fried ice cream, featuring a striking contrast of crispy exterior and cold, creamy interior. Apple Blueberry has a layered fruity profile built from apple, lemon, and blueberry, while Ruby Velvet Milk Tea tastes like the classic creamy drink, which goes well with the fried breaded portion.
▲Fried ice cream
Other ice cream flavors include Guava Lime, which is an especially smooth citrus-y combo to try on a hot day, as well as Salted Peanuts and Hazelnut Chocolate. Puli Rose is noteworthy, for it is made with roses from Puli Township in central Taiwan. A very popular choice is Pure Pistachio, made with pistachios from Sicily, Italy, with a rich nutty aroma. This Frozen Heart branch is a fairly small place, with only a few seats available for a sit-down escape from the heat.
There's also a fun claw machine inside – try your luck for a chance to win a cup of quality gelato, including the signature fried ice cream.
FROZEN HEART 凍心炸冰淇淋
🚩 42, Sec. 1, Daan Rd., Daan Dist.
📞(02) 2731-6200
🔗frozenheart.com.tw
🕝12:00pm-9:00pm
🗺️Click here to see aforementioned spots on Google Map
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