Summer's Ice Cream

What is Summer's Ice Cream? Perched along the brownstones at 101 Yorkville Avenue, Summer's Ice Cream has been an essential midtown scoop shop since Len and Helka Tokey founded it in 1984, drawing on Helka’s family ice cream-making roots from 1930s Czechoslovakia. Now spearheaded by second-generation owner Ron Tokey, this subterranean parlor retains its nostalgic, unpretentious charm amid Yorkville's luxury corridor. Seating is strictly grab-and-go with a handful of courtyard patio benches outside where patrons linger under the trees on warm evenings.

Summer's Ice Cream Menu & What to Order Every small-batch flavour is churned on site, led by the crowd-favourite Toronto Pothole—a rich chocolate base loaded with marshmallow swirl, caramel, and chopped nuts that serves as a playful homage to city driving. If you prefer nut-forward profiles, the Almond Butter Toffee and whole-nut Pistachio deliver buttery crunch with velvety density. Fresh fruit sorbets provide dairy-free relief, while indulgent scoops like Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Cookie Cookie packed with Oreos remain heavy hitters.

Know Before You Go This is a strict walk-up counter operation, so expect fast-moving queues stretching onto Yorkville Avenue during sunny weekend afternoons and post-dinner rushes. It sits a short five-minute walk from Bay station, with paid underground parking nearby on Cumberland and Yorkville. The shop stays open late into the night, operating until midnight on weekdays and 1:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.