The NYC Frozen Yogurt Guide

Catch is cool again, jorts (jean shorts) are back and the chicest spot to meet up with your friends these days are FROYO shops. We’ve hit all the buzzy ones and are here to tell you about all of them!

Because the new wave of froyo in New York is not giving sad self-serve chain energy. It’s giving tart and actually tangy, toppings that feel curated instead of chaotic, and stores full of people who look like they just came from Pilates or are en route to a dinner downtown. We’ve been to the buzzy classics, the old-school institutions, and the newer spots that have turned frozen yogurt into a full personality trait. So if you’re wondering where to get your next swirl, here’s our guide.

We will be adding a froyo rating and toppings rating for each of these on a 0-5 scale (5 being the highest).

Birdie’s feels like one of the clearest signs that froyo is fully back. Prime location in the West Village, it leans into the moment and the branding is super girly and cute. Their menu rotates, but tart and peanut butter are core players. This place is for the people who want their frozen yogurt to still taste like yogurt, but who also want it to feel fun and current. It’s buzzy, it’s very West Village and it even has a whole candy bar inside because candy also is trendy again in NYC. The froyo toppings selection is small, but mighty. They have some great cookie dough, fresh fruit, cereal, we weren't mad about it. However, compared to some of the other newer spots (cough cough Madison Fare) the toppings selection at Birdie’s might be on the weaker side. We loved it, but it isn’t our top.

Froyo rating: 3.8/5

Toppings rating: 4.8/5

Pricing: ~$8–$12 per cup (depending on size + toppings)

Our tried and true ole reliable that everyone wants to be….

If you’re not familiar with Forty Carrots then head to a Bloomingdale’s a give it a taste. It’s usually tucked away by the home section or women’s store, this is a staple while shopping and for us growing up. They probably make the best tart froyo and try their melba sauce.

Froyo rating: 4.5/5

Toppings rating: 3.2/5

Pricing: ~$7–$10

An unexpected newcomer, the long time ice cream shop Van Leeuwen is dipping their toes in froyo. First they started at their test kitchen in Greenpoint and have expanded to Noho. They are doing a great job plus the toppings are excellent (NAME A FEW).

Froyo rating: 3/5

Toppings rating: 4.2/5

Pricing: ~$7–$10 (similar to their ice cream pricing)

Our gold star and one of the first to really lean into the pistachio trend you see everywhere. Madison Fare makes greek and middle eastern inspired froyo and toppings so you can expect whole baklava and creamy pistachio katifi. They keep it simple with a few hero flavors but be sure to try some of the fruit froyo they’ve been testing out this spring.

Froyo rating: 5/5

Toppings rating: 5/5

Pricing: ~$10–$16+ depending on toppings, definitely premium tier

You will likely head to Butterfield Market and see a line outside, it’s for the froyo window and arguably the best froyo option on the Upper East Side (besides Madison Fare). But a few months ago they launched their LIC shop with a self serve froyo station equipped with a beautiful and pretty standard toppings bar.

Froyo rating: 4/5

Toppings rating: 4/5

Pricing: ~$7–$10

If you’re someone who actually wants your froyo to taste like yogurt (read: tart, tangy, not overly sweet), Culture is your place. They’ve been around for a while with locations in the West Village and Park Slope, and they make everything in-house using milk from Hudson Valley Fresh which honestly explains why it tastes so different from everywhere else. It’s less “dessert pretending to be yogurt” and more real yogurt that happens to be frozen.

The toppings here are perfect and classic. Think fresh fruit, house-made granolas, nut butters, honey. Very clean and this is not the place for candy overload, but if you want something that feels a little more wholesome without being boring, it hits.

Froyo rating: 3/5

Toppings rating: 4.8/5

Pricing: ~$7–$9 (small with toppings)

This is top top. Like tried it on opening day this weekend and it’s an immediate obsession. Myka is a Greek frozen yogurt brand that’s just entered NYC, with its brand new location in the West Village, but it’s already been huge in places like Miami and internationally before coming here. Myka actually started as a small concept in Madrid and exploded globally before landing in NYC which makes sense when you taste it.

The froyo itself is insanely creamy, perfectly tart, and just feels more premium than almost anything else we tried. It’s giving Madison Fare, but even more refined. The yogurt is phenomenal and then the toppings are where they really separate themselves. House-made crumbles, (the berry crumble is addicting) pistachio spreads, fruit compotes, granolas, and even baklava crumbles, it’s very Greek/Mediterranean leaning but done in a way that still feels fun and current. This is one of those places where you go once and immediately understand the hype.

We anticipate the lines being LONG for a while, the shop is very tiny and building your yogurt cup is a craft. They’re doing 3 flavors that rotate out every month, with original being a consistant.

Froyo rating: 5/5

Toppings rating: 5/5

Pricing: ~$10–$15+ depends on toppings, premium positioning similar to Madison Fare)

Go Greek just opened in NoHo and is very much leaning into the “this is actually good for you” angle of frozen yogurt. This is authentic Greek yogurt that’s been turned into froyo, so it’s super thick, very tangy, and packed with probiotics. If you’re someone who finds some froyo spots too sweet, this will probably be your favorite. That being said… the toppings are minimal. You’re not coming here for a build-your-own masterpiece. It’s more about keeping things simple, honey, nuts, fruit, and letting the yogurt do the work. We also really enjoyed their classic greek yogurt bowls and could see ourselves building a breakfast yogurt bowl over frozen yogurt in future visits!

Froyo rating: 5/5

Toppings rating: 2/5

Pricing: ~$8–$12

Mimi’s is one of the main reasons froyo is having a moment again. Started by two Australians, it first opened in SoHo and now also has a West Village location, and it just gets the aesthetic right. Clean, minimal, a little coastal, very “I casually stopped here after a workout.” The froyo is made with Greek yogurt, skim milk, and a little bit of cane sugar, so it feels lighter but still super satisfying. It’s not as aggressively tart as Culture or Go Greek. It’s more balanced almost like it’s filled with water to level things out, which makes it a crowd pleaser. Toppings are so solid across the board: fresh fruit, granola, chocolate. They also have some fun monthly toppings specials that pop in like one of the best cinnamon rolls in NYC (Losers) was serving mini cinnamon roll bites on top of the froyo. That was insane. This is probably the most universally appealing spot on the list.

Froyo rating: 4/5

Toppings rating: 4.5/5

Pricing: ~$1.20 per ounce, typical cup is $10-$14 and you can hit $18-$22 if you go crazy

Tasti D-Lite is one of those OG frozen dessert spots that’s been around forever, and it deserves to be in this conversation. It first blew up in the early 2000s as the “healthier” soft serve option before froyo was even really a thing and it still has that loyal following. Stepping inside feels like a time capsule in the best way. The texture is lighter and airy, and the flavors lean classic like chocolate, vanilla, and rotating options. Tasti D-Lite had its moment in Sex and the City, when it was the go-to “I’ll just have something light” treat. But we all know there are definitely tastier frozen yogurts now with way better, more creative topping situations. Still, it has its moment… especially if you live in Murray Hill.

Froyo rating: 3/5

Toppings rating: 3/5

Pricing: ~$5-$8

SLIK is technically a candy shop, but it’s part of this whole “sweet treats are back” wave happening in NYC right now AND they have froyo machines in the candy store. You’ll walk in and see bins of colorful, unique gummies and chocolates everywhere. Full transparency, when we went the froyo machines were down so we didn’t actually get to try it. People have said it’s very good!

If you made it this far, you’re clearly as invested in froyo as we are… so here’s the quick cheat sheet depending on your mood:

If you want the best of the best, money aside:
Myka or Madison Fare

If you want a true tart froyo moment:
Go Greek, Culture, Forty Carrots

If you want the chic downtown vibe:
Birdie’s, Mimi’s

If you want something lighter / “healthier”:
Go Greek, Culture, Tasti D-Lite

If you want to go crazy with toppings:
Madison Fare, Myka

If you want something classic and timeless:
Forty Carrots, Butterfield

If you want the cheapest option:
Tasti D-Lite