Iconic NYC ice cream destination Ample Hills Creamery is now officially kosher

This piece of news is pretty big, especially considering that temperatures are (FINALLY) set to crack 80 degrees in NYC next week: Ample Hills Creamery, a local ice cream institution, has officially gone kosher.

National Kosher Supervision (NKS) confirmed the news on its Instagram account last week, announcing that the five NYC locations of the beloved Brooklyn-born ice cream brand now carry its certification: National Kosher Supervision (NKS) confirmed the news on its Instagram account, announcing that five NYC locations of the beloved Brooklyn-born ice cream brand now carry its certification: one on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, another in Astoria, two in Brooklyn (Prospect Heights and Washington Avenue) and one in Industry City.

Here is the official list:

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn: 623 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Washington Avenue, Brooklyn: 816 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Astoria, Queens: 34-02 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103
Upper West Side, Manhattan: 526 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10024
Industry City, Brooklyn: 14 53rd Street, Suite 209S, Brooklyn, NY 11232

Founded by Brian Smith and Jackie Cuscuna as a pushcart back in 2010, Ample Hills Creamery celebrated the debut of its first storefront in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, just a year later. In a mere four days, the store sold out of 130 gallons of ice cream. Clearly, the founders were more than well-versed in all things dairy.

The name of the business itself is a nod to writer Walt Whitman, who wrote of “Brooklyn of ample hills” in Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, a fitting origin story for a shop that became synonymous with Brooklyn identity. Celebrities from Steven Spielberg to Oprah Winfrey raved about their ice cream and, at its peak, the brand expanded to a partnership with Disney World in Florida.

The concept quickly became known for flavors spiked with house-baked goods, things like Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, brownies and Nonna D’s Oatmeal Lace Cookies. Other signature flavors include Salted Crack Caramel, The Munchies and Snap Mallow Pop: playful, whimsical creations that built a fiercely loyal following.

The business eventually hit turbulence, though. In March 2020, Smith and Cuscuna filed for bankruptcy and the company was scooped up (sorry) by Schmitt Industries, an Oregon-based machine parts manufacturer, for just $1 million. Schmitt then ran it straight into the ground, shuttering all remaining locations in December of 2022. In a genuinely remarkable twist, the founders won back the brand and shop leases at auction in mid-2023 for just $150,000: a triumphant full-circle moment… until it wasn’t. Just six months into their comeback, Smith and Cuscuna were called into a three-minute meeting with their lead investors and fired on the spot, the result of ongoing clashes with CEO Lisa Teach, who had been brought in as part of the investor group that funded the buyback.

It’s a lot of drama for an ice cream company. But the founders have moved on, Ample Hills continues under its current investor-led ownership and, as of right now, it’s kosher, it’s open and it’s about to be 80 degrees out. That’s enough for us to indulge.