A new ice cream shop from the team behind Double Chicken Please opened its doors this week on Bowery. The main draw so far: a dirty martini soft serve, served in small cups behind a modest counter. On Thursday evening, a steady line formed after 8 p.m., with customers waiting up to 20 minutes in the heat.
The soft serve combines olive brine and gin flavors, topped with a single green olive. The price is $7. Staff said the first batch sold out by 9 p.m. on opening night. Other flavors include a simple vanilla and a rotating fruit sorbet, but the martini option is the clear favorite.
The shop occupies a narrow storefront a few doors down from Double Chicken Please, with minimal seating. Most patrons took their cones outside, gathering on the curb and nearby stoops. The shop opens daily at 2 p.m. and closes at 10 p.m., according to a sign taped to the window.
The ice cream spot is the latest in a string of summer openings across Manhattan. With the city in a heatwave, cold desserts and late-night foot traffic have picked up, especially along Bowery and Lower East Side corridors. The owners say they plan to introduce more cocktail-inspired flavors later this month.