"When I stumbled on Soft Swerve's Instagram, I was drawn like a moth to a pastel light. The New York City soft serve shop swirls velvety-smooth ice cream in various appealing hues—Kermit-green matcha, periwinkle purple ube, cotton-candy pink lychee—any of which I’d be tempted to use to paint a wall of my living room. As if the colors weren’t stunning enough, they’re churned into cups or cones to heights that rival Marge Simpson’s hair, in shapes that are textbook “soft serve.” And then there are the toppings affixed to the sides: Fruity Pebbles, Lucky Charm marshmallows, toasted coconut, freeze-dried strawberries, mochi, boba, red bean. It’s a visual fantasy straight out of my 1996 Lisa Frank obsession. It’s definitely something to look at (and the shop’s 50,000-plus Instagram followers agree). Yet I wasn’t convinced it would taste any good. I’ve been burned by too many pretty-faced desserts that haven’t lived up to their Instagram fame to go in feeling optimistic. But the Lower East Side spot slapped the skepticism out of me: the flavors—hojicha, matcha, sesame butter, black sesame, Hong Kong milk tea, coconut—are intense and, shockingly, not saccharine-sweet. The texture is unbelievably creamy, without even a hint of ice crystal. I’ve never even ordered an add-on, like caramel or sprinkles, or one of the Insta-famous “Swerve Specials” because I don’t want to distract from the flavor or the creaminess. I love Soft Swerve so much, I choose where I’m going for dinner based on its proximity. But even if I’m not eating in the neighborhood, I’ll always find an excuse to make a special trip." - BySarah Jampel
