The Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is an ice cream parlor in Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City. The business opened in 1977, and is known for their Asian-inspired ice cream flavors. They have also opened two additional locations, in Flushing and the Lower East Side.[1]
In 1977, Chinese-American businessman Phillip Seid and one of his brothers opened Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, selling 45 cent ice cream scoops.[2][3] Seid was inspired by the success of a nearby Carvel shop, but set out to create flavors that would appeal to the Asian-American market.[4] Early flavors offered included cherry vanilla, coffee brandy, lychee, papaya, red mango, and rocky road.[5] The store struggled in its first decade, and was at times targetted by gangs, as Seid refused to pay them extortion money.[4] In 2002, the business was taken over by Seid's daughter, Christina Seid,[4] who remains the owner as of 2023.[1]
In late 2018, the business opened a store in Flushing, named The Original Flushing Ice Cream Factory.[6] The business opened a third location in the Essex Market on the Lower East Side, opening in 2019 following the market's relocation.[1][7][8]
The Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is best known for their Asian-inspired flavors, which have included almond cookie, green tea, lychee, mango, pandan, red bean, taro, Thai tea, and ube.[2][7][9] After Christina Seid took over the business in the early 2000s, she introduced new flavors such as black sesame, durian, egg custard, and 'zen butter', a sesame-based flavor.[3] They also serve more typically American ice cream flavors, including chocolate, coffee, cookies and cream, mint chip, pistachio, rocky road, and vanilla.[2][7][10]
The Flushing location also serves more Korean-inspired flavors.[6]
