Cool down with some quality ice cream

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Chill out in style at one of these top ice cream cafes. Pick up a cone anywhere from traditional Italian gelaterias to swanky late-night parlours and indulge your tastebuds with some icy delights.

Freggo

This new Argentinian ice cream parlour is the work of the team behind successful steakhouse chain Gaucho. Located next to their flagship West End branch it serves up icy treats to revellers till 2am every day. The most popular flavours are their three types of dulche de leche (a smoky, ­syrupy boiled milk) and malbec.

Freggo , 27-29 Swallow Street, W1B 4QB, 020 7287 9506

Marine Ices

Selling a selection of sorbets (fresh melon, blackcurrant, mango) and gelati (pistachio made with real nuts, arabica coffee bean, Caribbean coconut), which you can have with whipped cream, hot fudge sauce, liqueurs, and dozens of other toppings.

Marine Ices , 8 Haverstock Hill, NW3 2BL, 020 7482 9003, £1.90 for one scoop

Gelato Mio

Offering strawberry sorbet made with 50 per cent fresh fruit and mint choc chip with a mint leaf infusion. Decadent sundaes, milkshakes and affogati (ice cream with espresso) also sold.

Gelato Mio , 45 Villiers Street, Charing Cross, WC2N 6NE, £2 for one scoop

Snog

If frozen yoghurt's more your thing, head to this bright, modernist outlet where you can get cups of natural, green tea or chocolate flavoured goodness, covered with fruit, berries, nuts, crumbled cookies or an espresso shot. You can convince yourself it's healthy, too: it's made with non-fat organic yoghurt and Agave nectar, which has half the calories of sugar.

Snog , 32 Thurloe Place, South Kensington, SW7 2HQ and 9 Brewer Street, W1, £3.55 for small cup with toppings

Ven'Ice

Friendly, traditional looking, family-owned shop sells just about every flavour you can think of (more than 70 during the summer), including pink bubblegum, cola, pumpkin, cucumber, tea, violet and aniseed. It's all made on the premises and you can turn any of them into milkshakes.

Ven'Ice, 120 George Lane, South Woodford, E18 1AD, www.venicecream.co.uk

Fortnum & Mason

Go for a Beekeeper sundae (stem ginger with borage honey, vanilla bean and praline ice creams and honeycomb chunks) or a simple Bellini Classico sorbet.

Fortnum & Mason , 181 Piccadilly, W1J 9ES, 020 7734 8040, £8 (three scoops), £15 (cocktail sundae)

Serpentine Bar & Kitchen ice cream van

A 70s ice-cream van will be parked outside the bar, selling very English confections, such as cherry Bakewell tart-flavoured frozen yoghurt and Eton mess.

Serpentine Bar & Kitchen ice cream van Serpentine Road, Hyde Park, W2 2UH, 020 7706 8114, £1.95 for one scoop

Gelateria Valerie

Take a stool at the floor-to-ceiling windows of this stylish parlour and order creme brulee, tiramisu, After Eight mint and Ferrero Rocher-flavoured scoops.

Gelateria Valerie, Duke of York Square, King’s Road, SW3 4LY, 020 7730 7978, £1.75 for one scoop

Scoop

Choose from the Amarena flavour with sour black cherries from Sicily, Pinolo Brisèe di San Rossore with cream and ground pine kernels, and lots more. Fruit sorbets and granite also served. Home-delivery service is offered.

Scoop, 40 Shorts Gardens, WC2H 9AB, 0207 2407086, £2.50 for one scoop