Caffè Panna Ice Cream

Caffè Panna was opened in 2019 by Hallie Meyer, a lifelong ice cream lover who has cooked in Southern Italy, at the Rome Sustainable Food Project, and in the beloved Roman gelateria, Otaleg. During her time in Rome, Meyer was inspired by the cafes and gelaterias of Rome, which are a ubiquitous part of daily life in the eternal city. Upon her return to New York, Hallie first started selling her ice cream at a popup in the South Bronx called Tripla Panna before turning her sights to opening Caffè Panna. Panna is the Italian word for cream.

A neighborhood spot, Caffè Panna welcomes people throughout the day for coffee, ice cream, or both. They churn every ice cream flavor onsite daily. Fresh fruits are sourced from their neighbors at the Union Square Greenmarket. While specialty ingredients are imported from Italy - pistachios and olive oil from Sicily, fresh cream and hazelnuts from Piemonte, you can taste the difference!

Caffè Panna's affogato sundaes are the perfect example of Meyer's ice cream whisperer status. Ice cream doused in espresso with drizzles, crunch, and a pillowy mountain of panna (whipped cream). The sundae is a testament to Italian tradition and American creativity. Or in simpler terms, it is "Extra. Extra sweet, extra salty, extra rich, extra fresh, extra crunchy, but somehow just a millimeter shy of too much." (GrubStreet).