_{Tribeza Talk: An insider’s guide to Austin’s hidden gems}

“I always wanted to work at an ice cream shop when I was growing up,” Ashley Cheng says. As co-owner of SPUN with her sister Christina, Cheng got her wish in December 2015 when the East Seventh Street shop opened its doors. Emphasizing local ingredients, SPUN uses liquid nitrogen to flash freeze their ice creams for a smoother texture and maximum taste. A few blocks away, the finishing touches are going up on Prohibition Creamery, which promises to pair ice cream with a touch of booze. And a few miles north Sweet Ritual has done away with dairy entirely, crafting delicious ice cream that’s vegan-friendly. So many options make Austin the perfect place for ice cream of any style. Says Cheng:“ It’s Texas, who doesn’t love ice cream year round?”

For more information, visit spunicecream.com, prohibition creamery.com and sweetritual.com.

_{Read more from the Food Issue | April 2016}