Stogo

Solid choice. They once had a dairy-​free cheesecake that blew my mind. If they have it, get it.
The hemp-​based ones taste strange…

The sign outside read «Bad Break Up? We have just the thing to fix it… PEANUT BUTTER GELATO!!!» Sold. Not that I was suffering from a broken heart (far from it – love you, Ang!), but hey, gelato is good for any occasion. Otherwise, for all you broken-​hearted souls out there — peanut butter gelato is your answer.
I tried the fig and peanut butter gelato. Awesome, awesome, awesome — from the great flavors of the gelato to the generous scoops that caused my little red cup to overflow with extra creamy goodness.
I’ll be back!
Edit: …or not. Sad to see it closed!

My husband and I loved coming to this place. The staff was friendly and let you try any flavors you want before ordering and it was kept clean. I always wished they had toppings, even if only a few but — they kept things simple. We came by this week to redeem a Daily Candy deal but to our surprise it was closed! A sign on the door thanked their customers and asked that you follow their Facebook page for updates :(Please come back STOGO!

Stogo closed Sunday and I was able to pay it a last visit.
I am a Lula’s regular, so I usually only came to Stogo if I was craving and Lula’s was closed, or if I wanted a warm V-​Spot Empanada (that had started doing that recently). They also did ice cream sandwiches on Babycakes cookies. That was cool!
The people here have always been super nice and it’s sad to see a vegan business go. Apparently they had been struggling and then after Sandy hit, it was a critical blow.
Stogo’s ice cream was always lighter tasting than Lula’s. The ice cream at Lula’s is largely cashew based, resulting in a much creamier experience. Depending on flavor choice, it would either lack in flavor or have too much of one strong flavor (mint chip). There were some that I did like though, like Red Velvet, but overall it was never enough to win me over from Lula’s.
Besides the actual taste of the ice cream, Stogo differed in that it was all organic and all gluten free, whereas Lula’s has gluten free options and is all natural, but uses organic ingredients. Stogo also took credit card, while Lula’s remains cash only.
It’s been good, Stogo. I hope to see Junie open the vegan café she was talking about maybe opening. She’ll be taking a break now, though.
ATTN: As for vegans who are in need of a fresh ice cream fix! Hit up Sustainable NYC on Ave A during their regular hours. Their café carries Lula’s ice cream. I think they usually have 6 flavors and I believe they take credit! Then when Lula’s opens, you can just go into Lula’s. They have different winter hours, so make sure to check Lula’s Twitter and Facebook.

Stogo closes today; one of the owners – not the original owners; the business apparently changed hands a few years ago – told me that although business had been faltering for months – and she hadn’t even paid herself for a few months – Hurricane Sandy pushed them right over the edge. I’m sure this is the scenario for a lot of neighborhood businesses where the RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH! (Note that the shoe repairman who had this space before Stogo was also forced out by the high rent.)
Supposedly she’ll try to start up again in another space as a more varied vegan café, and she’s taking names and e-​mail addresses so she can let people know when she does. One plus: she won’t be wedded to the awful name «Stogo” – which is the ice-​cream consultant’s name who originally planned and developed the business – it was a condition of working with him that they had to name it after him.
I for one will miss the Mexican chocolate and bananas Foster flavors!

I’ve only tried 2 flavors here but I have to say… I was an unbeliever but I have now come to Jesus.
Vanilla ginger bourbon (hemp based) ice cream and spicy Mexican chocolate (soy based ice cream)… Who knew? Smooth, creamy goodness and decent sizes portions (for NYC).

Wow I am impressed. I had a daily candy deal so my friend and I tried this place the other night. It was very good. It was really good ice cream period. That it’s made with soy or hemp or coconut does not detract from the quality and flavor at all. My friend had the salted caramel pecan (delicious!) and the ginger which was amazing! The flavor of ginger is quite intense and just delicious. I had the cream sickle which was coconut based and a little more on the texture of a sorbet and the spices Mexican chocolate. The chocolate was incredible I can’t get over it! The cayenne on that thing was also quite potent. It was a wonderful mix of flavors and my mouth was super happy. I say, vegan or not you gotta check out this place! I’d come back again for sure!
For more on ice cream and other summer treats check out my posts on Examiner!

Alright, VEGAN Ice cream??? I had to Try it out!
Doesn’t taste as Bad, but you know there is a difference where there is no MILK in the ice cream. The Fact is to pay more $$ for Better quality food ($ 4.25 for a small cup) You are able to mix 2 flavor (they will put half spoon for each flavor). OR you can sample them before you order.
I got Green Tea /​Chocolate Flavor. The Green tea has a strong aroma flavor. The Chocolate had a Kick in it (the more you ate, you will taste a bit of a spice in it). But overall was not bad. But it was a bit strong for me.
They also have Sorbet (Mojito Flavor Yum!). But I stick to the Ice cream.

I love hemp girls. They always make me laugh, trying to save the planet with their causes. Go hemps! They’ll say things like «Meat is murder» or «Save the whales» and then they’ll sell their ice cream using electricity that comes from a coal fired plant which dumps Uranium into the Hudson river.
So, I’m walking by this place last night and see a sign on the sidewalk. Stogo. What the heck is a Stogo? On the sign I see, Salted Caramel.
Done. No need to say anything else.
So, I walk in and I take over. (It’s what I do)
Do you have Lasagna flavor?
No, we’re a vegan ice cream shop.
VEGAN? (I never know what this is, but I get my answer in a bit)
So, we start talking about the Lower East Side, Vegan things and I’m sampling and we’re all laughing. I say my favorite place is Pommes Frites. They say they love it there but the sauces aren’t vegan. I say no. Its homemade mayo.
And here is the answer I’ve been looking for, its not Vegan. What does that mean? Mayo is eggs and oil. No… Vegan is only vegetables. NOW I understand! (wait a second, ONLY veggies? No mutton chops from Keens?)
So after talking and laughing about a story they told me about a kid putting is shlong in a fan (Must be a Vegan guy thing) I told them I want the base to be sweet potato and the top salted caramel.
OMG, so good!
So its an extra dollar to eat vegan. Who cares? The ice cream is healthy, tastes great because it has that Soul-​glow! (oh, I meant Stogo)

Although I am no vegan, I really enjoy Stogo’s ice cream. They have some cool flavors such as Apple Cobbler, Pumpkin Pie and salty pecan. The price is a little high to be honest and I suspect it is because it is Vegan?!
It is pretty delicious though. Would come back again.

Thank you kgb deals for the $ 1 regular size ice cream! I came here Friday night after a nice vegan dinner and needed to satisfy my sweet tooth. I love the customer service here, right away they were more than willing to approve my coupon but willing to let me sample whatever flavors I wanted. I wanted to know what their most popular flavor of the moment was and there was actually two flavors, pumpkin spice and salted caramel. I did try both of these along with the oatmeal raisin cookie but decided the pumpkin and salted caramel were the way to go.
Both flavors accented each other perfectly as well so that really worked! The pumpkin was this beautiful orange color and really took on the full flavoring of pumpkin with a nice added touch of cinnamon. And then the salted caramel, there will always be something about salty and sweet that will have a spot in my heart! Not only was this that perfect sweet and salty pairing but there was also pecans in the ice cream as well! Perfection. Both of my ice creams were soy based and while some people feel its just shaved ice, I felt that both of these ice creams had the same texture as a regular ol’ ice cream. Also the regular sized ice cream is more than enough and they really hook you up. I also opted to eat it with the little wooden sample spoon so it would last my fat ass a little longer!

As a non-​vegan (but my sister is), i have tried coconut-​based ice creams at several shops in SF and tasting Stogo’s, I realized I definitely rather have the real thing for three reasons:
1. Every coconut-​based ice cream I tried always has a residual coconut aftertaste.
2. It’s less sweet. Good for my blood sugar, not for my palette
3. Flavors are not strong enough. Bland.
That said, Stogo is probably the best coconut-​based vegan ice cream I have had. Not to say that Stogo also has the issues above, but it is better than others I’ve tried. They also sell hemp and soy-​based ice creams. Similar to Jacques Torres’ summer ice cream/​sorbet store in DUMBO, Stogo’s sorbets were creamy like ice cream. The owner (?) with the beanie and the mustache has a awesome demeanor and let us try almost every flavor. I heard one girl in line whisper, «he’s adorable. «
Looking at the counter, it seems no one wanted to have the carrot cake but it was probably the best flavor they had that day IMHO.

I had a KGB Deal voucher that expired. (I went in the following day of the actual expiration date). I asked the woman at the counter if I can still redeem it and she said no and looked at me like are you stupid. Many other establishments just let it go… besides it was for a cup of iced coffee. Are you serious? I walked to you so you can give me a snide answer?
I really wanted to like this place because they do not use dairy products and sugar. The main purpose of putting up these specials is to promote the establishment for business isn’t it for those who never been??? Stogo, you suck. =P
I emailed KGB deals and they said they would credit me $ 2 of their KGB credit. I guess all isn’t lost.

The vegan ice cream lacks the sweetness found in usual ice cream, but still retain the creamy smooth feeling. Not as creamy as usual ice cream but not as icy and watery as yogurt
We tried the mango and salty caramel pecan. I personally like the taste because it’s not too sweet.
Price: small cup $ 4.65
Verdict: I found it refreshing and flavor was interesting but my boy friend prefer the usual ice cream, but for the price and the portion maybe we’ll stick to the standard version.

Thanks to KGB Deals, I got a chance to try out Stogo; I wouldn’t normally because it’s so ridiculously expensive. Oh city life, you drain our wallets so.
Anyway, it’s a neat little place with friendly staff and, as you’ve probably read, some highly respected vegan ice cream.
Please note, I am NOT a vegan. I probably will never be. I love meat, meat products, milk, cheese, all that. I’ve eaten bricks of mozzarella while watching TV on the couch. Point is, my review is coming from someone who isn’t used to the vegan diet.
I settled for a regular size (2 «scoops») of Chocolate Chip Cookie and Ginger Vanilla Bean Bourbon.
Chocolate Chip Cookie: The best part about this flavor was the little cookie bitlets and the chocolate chips. The ice cream, though, have that really distinct soy/​fake dairy vegan taste. I have no idea how else to describe it. Still good, but noticeable, and I probably couldn’t finish a whole cup of it.
GINGER VANILLA BEAN BOURBON. As you can see from the caps, I am crazily excited about this flavor. IT’S FANTASTIC. Texture-​wise, it’s thick, really smooth, and has those super microcrystals of ice so you get the barely noticeable iciness. Flavorwise, it packs a punch. You get the sweetness of the vanilla and full bodied spice from the ginger. I couldn’t pick up on any bourbon, but that’s okay. The only possible way to make this flavor better would be to put ginger snap cookies in there. I highly highly suggest new comers try it out. Just note that this particular flavor costs an extra .55 or so.
Other info: You can sample flavors and they also offer ice cream sandwiches made with the cookies they also sell (I assume).
Price: The regular with 2 flavors is $ 6.25. It’s not all that big, either.
The reason for the –1 star is really just the price. I can’t justify spending this much on a small serving of ice cream no matter how good it is. For vegans though, I’m sure this place is a Godsend.

Stepped into Stogo after a walker by said they have good vegan ice cream. Nom my tummy thought. Yes it was awesome that they were dairy free. Nevertheless, flavors and taste were important. We have the fudge brownie which was chocolaty but not fudgy enough. The pistachio was a lot more creamier. Service was good but needs to be warmer and more sincere.
Tons of choices for dairy and soy allergic people. They have coconut milk, hemp, soy and sorbet bases. Easy for a quick fix.

Non-​dairy ice creams choices!
_​soy
_​hemp
_​coconut
They also have sorbets.
HEMP-​based GINGER & VANILLA BOURBON ice cream = YUM!
Got a small cup of that. Love that there’s fresh ginger in it.
Also sampled their Blueberry ice cream = yum.
Pricey but I only come here once in a blue.

Post-​dinner time cravings drew me over here yesterday evening. I finally had a chance to try them, having walked by so many times since they opened.
A little bit of coffee & chocolate in a cup and I was good to go. I have to say I wasn’t overly impressed by the coffee, it tasted a bit bland. The chocolate though tasted better than an italian sorbet, though not quite as creamy as a real ice cream!
I will probably be back, but on some level I feel like decadent desserts should be more decadent than these are…

If you’ve been to Italy in recent years, you know that even the dairy lovin’ Italians seem to accept that lactose intolerance exists (dare I say vegan lifestyles?!) and so you can now get soy gelato in most gelaterias. Most ice cream shops here in the US have non dairy options, but these are typically sorbets and if you’re craving something approximating the real deal, well, you’re probably not craving sorbet. Stogo offers oh-​so-​much more than sorbet, and soy ice cream for those who have eliminated dairy products from their lives.
When I entered Stogo, I was immediately greeted by a super friendly hip chick who was standing like some kind of ice cream angel behind the display case of over a dozen varieties of non dairy ice cream (I suppose I should say «frozen confections.») To further add to her seraphic mien, she immediately offered to let me try any flavor I wanted. «No limits!» she assured me. I only tried two-​cardamom pistachio (delicious but seemed a bit heavy) and cinnamon raisin oatmeal cookie (immediate yes!) and then decided on the latter along with the salted peanut caramel, which I figured I didn’t need to try to know that I’d be loving it.
There are three sizes. in the two smaller sizes, you get to have two choices and in the large size, you get three (they also sell pints of popular flavors, FYI!) If you’re like me, your eyes are bigger than your stomach and you’ll momentarily consider the larger sizes. But then you’ll reconsider if you’re smart (note, I’m not always smart). These ice creams are by no means lighter than regular ice cream, so a little will go a long way and by the end of my thoroughly enjoyable small cup, I had had enough. Of the two flavors, the raisin was the winner. I love cinnamon anything and the flavor was sublime. There was a generous amount chewy raisins and I daresay it’s better than what I remember Haagen Daaz iconic rum raisin to be like.
Getting back to Italy, I have to admit that the soy gelato there was kind of overpowering: heavy and sweet, more so that ice cream, even. Stogo’s verged on that territory (hence me not wanting more than what was in my small cup), but that could be due to the nature of soy frozen desserts. I find nut-​based ice «creams» to be easier on the stomach and more palatable. If you agree, ask the counter person the base for their selections that day.
After I finished, I asked the gal behind the counter about what the different ice creams were made of. The majority are soy based (including the ones I’ve mentioned), but no worries for you anti-​soy types out there, as there are a couple made from nuts, several from coconut, and I think at least one from hemp seed, not to mention a couple water-​based sorbets. There is something for all those who have sworn off dairy forever.

Came for a blogger meet up and was not disappointed. If you hadn’t told me the ice cream was vegan, I probably wouldn’t have known.
I got the chocolate chip cookie flavor which was delicious. Perfectly creamy and sweet. I also tried the red velvet, which was good, but definitely a little grittier than the chocolate chip cookie one.
The girl behind the counter put up with us all very well and was super friendly. She didn’t roll her eyes or anything when the 10 – 15 of us wanted to sample multiple flavors before ordering.
At $ 4.50 for a small, it seems expensive, but from what I’ve found, it’s priced similarly to it’s competitors.

I’m the furthest thing from a Vegan there can be. I chomp meat regularly and I enjoy the hell out of dairy products, but when I saw this place’s cute store front and claims of less fat, no refined sugar, vegan ingredients etc. I was enticed to try it. The interior is spacious and you’re greeted by a courteous staff with a wide range of ice cream flavors and some cupcakes (they appeared nearly out when we went). A counter with several chairs faces outward, giving you a nice view to people watch (which in the East Village can be quite fun on a sunny day).
While I agree with other reviews that the price is a bit high for ice cream, the vegan nature of the product and the sheer amount they give you in a small is insane. Other places give you only half as much in a small, but theirs took my girlfriend and myself to finish.
I had the Mexican Spice Chocolate ice cream. It is infused with chili flavor but has a wonderful dark chocolate taste to it. The sweetness of the chocolate hits you first, creamy and rich and then suddenly the spice *hits* you as a secondary flavor. The combination is wonderful but not for those who don’t like spice!
My sisters had the chocolate hazelnut, and man it was awesome. The chocolate was a bit sweeter than mine, and there were nice, tasty hazelnut chunks inside.
I also sampled the Red Velvet but found it a bit dry and it had a bit too much of the «soy taste» to it to be pleasurable, so I’m glad I went with the choices I did.
I recommend trying different flavors before ordering, but I’m definitely a fan of Stogo.