Ice Cream News

Artisan ice cream shop from Brooklyn is opening a location in Dallas

Their ice cream is incomparably rich and luscious.

Photo courtesy of Rice Village

UPDATE 4-27-2022: There's an opening date for the very first Dallas location of Van Leeuwen: Saturday, May 7. Aside from their 30 flavors of ice cream and vegan ice cream, the Dallas store will also offer ice cream sundaes, ice cream sandwiches, root beer floats, and milkshakes. For the May 7 opening, they will be offering $1 scoops all day.

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A cult favorite ice cream from Brooklyn is coming to Dallas: Van Leeuwen, whose New York ice cream shops have earned a dedicated following, is opening a location at Dallas' West Village.

The shop will take over the former Paciugo Gelato space, which closed in 2020; according to a spokesperson, the shop is slated to open by early 2022.

Van Leeuwen was founded by brothers Ben and Pete Van Leeuwen and Laura O'Neill in 2008 as a food truck before expanding to a brick-and-mortar operation, with 17 shops across New York. In recent years they've executed an expansion, both opening new shops and making their pints, which are packaged in cool pastel-tinted cartons, available in supermarkets such as Sprouts and Central Market.

"The idea came out of our passion for artisanally produced foods," O'Neill told PBS. "We set out to make the best possible ice cream using only fresh milk and cream, cane sugar, egg yolks and the finest flavors ingredients from small producers locally and around the world."

They take an artisanal approach to everything including using ingredients from like-minded acclaimed vendors such as Intelligentsia Coffee. At their shops, they also feature pastries, cakes, scones, muffins, and cookies, using the same carefully procured chocolates, spices, nuts and fruits used in their ice cream.

They offer more than 40 flavors, including a robust vegan/nondairy selection, which they make from a variety of milks including coconut, cashew, and oats; with their super creamy texture, they're easily among the best vegan/nondairy ice creams on the market.

Shops typically offer 30 to 32 flavors, a mix of dairy and vegan, plus four special flavors every month, made, in the company's parlance, "without junk," from milk, cream, eggs, and cane sugar (or their vegan equivalents).

The distinct flavors come from an obsession with sourcing high quality ingredients such as Sicilian pistachios, cold-pressed Tahitian vanilla, and organic black tea from Rishi. For example, their Honeycomb flavor uses a honeycomb-shaped candy that's made in house.

The company made its Texas debut in May 2021 with the opening of a shop in Houston, where they have two more openings planned. Houston was their third market, joining New York City and Los Angeles, and they've since opened locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

They mark the second big name in ice cream to come to Dallas: Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream entered the market in February 2021 with a shop in Deep Ellum, and will host a grand opening of a second shop, this one in Addison, on October 28.

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Eric Sandler contributed to this story.

ice-cream desserts openings

Now open

French bakery-cafe Maman from New York makes chic Plano debut

Photo courtesy of Maman

Maman has opened a cafe at Legacy East in Plano.

A fast-growing New York bakery-cafe chain has expanded into a new North Texas city: Maman debuted a new location Friday, August 7 at Legacy East in Plano.

The cafe is at 7200 Bishop Rd., Ste. D, where it serves coffee, breakfast, lunch, pastries, and baked goods in a 2,650-square-foot space with seating for 78 indoors and another 34 on an outdoor patio, according to a release.

Plano is the brand's third Dallas-area cafe in about a year, with more on the way.

Founded in New York's Soho in 2014 by partners Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte, Maman has grown to about 60 locations across the U.S. and Canada. The company made its Texas debut in November 2025 with a cafe at The Plaza at Preston Center, followed by a Lakewood location that opened earlier this year. Another location is planned at Fields West in Frisco, as well as in Dallas' Casa Linda Center.

Maman Coffee and croissants at Maman.Photo courtesy of Maman

The menu features espresso drinks, tea, pastries, salads, sandwiches, and breakfast and lunch items, plus seasonal offerings and a few Dallas-area exclusives, including:

Magnolia Sweet Tea Fizz: Cold-steeped magnolia bud tea with Topo Chico, Texas wildflower honey syrup, lemon, and mint.
Lone Star Cinnamon Bun: A cinnamon roll topped with vanilla glaze and a signature pastry star.
Salted Caramel Pecan Pie Roll: A pastry swirled with salted caramel, vanilla, and toasted Southern pecans.

Known for its French provincial-inspired interiors, Maman's cafes feature vintage furnishings, wood accents, and the brand's signature blue toile details. The Plano location also offers catering and private event space.

"We're so excited to continue growing in the Dallas area with our newest location in Plano," says co-founder Elisa Marshall in the release. "Legacy East has such an incredible energy and strong sense of community, making it the perfect home for Maman. We can't wait to welcome both longtime guests and new neighbors into the space to enjoy coffee, pastries and meaningful moments together."

Maman New York Lemon meringue tarts from Maman. Photo courtesy of Maman

The company also sells coffee, tea, matcha, merchandise, and its cookbook, Maman: The Cookbook, All Day Recipes to Warm Your Heart, and continues its collaboration with Martha Stewart through limited-time menu items and retail products.

Doors opened at 8 am August 7. To celebrate the opening, the first 100 customers who make a purchase will receive a complimentary tote bag and chocolate chip cookie. From 1-3 pm, the first 50 customers who spend $15 or more can receive a complimentary croissant charm at an on-site charm bar hosted by Charmed Haven.

Regular hours are 7:30 am-6 pm Monday-Friday and 8 am-6 pm Saturday-Sunday, with the kitchen closing daily at 4 pm.

bakery legacy east maman plano openings