Kem CoBa (in Vietnamese it means "third auntie's ice cream", nickname given to co-owner Ngoc by her niece) offers fresh ice cream and sorbet prepared with premium quality ingredients, with no preservatives nor artificial flavours. You'll also find homemade soft ice cream, with featured flavours that change based on the 2 chefs' mood and creative escapades. How about coconut-mango or strawberry cheesecake? You can also buy pastries that complement ice cream and sorbet. But this time, they're Ngoc's own little creations (baked on site). Now we're talking about shortbread, brownies, almond tiles, butter cakes, canelés, sponge cakes, etc. And a little (sweet) Asian touch is what makes them so special...
Reviews present Kem CoBa as a Montreal ice cream landmark known for inventive, high quality flavors and a silky texture, with soft serve often highlighted as a standout and many calling it the best in town. The menu features bold, rotating flavors including pandan, lychee, rose, durian, mango, matcha, corn flakes with salted caramel, and other Asian inspired options, along with solid hard ice creams; tasters praise strong, balanced flavors and a creamy mouthfeel that stays light rather than cloying. The experience is sometimes described as artisanal and house made, with several notes about the soft serve and sorbet being refreshingly delicious. The shop operates cash only, so visitors are advised to bring cash, which can contribute to longer lines that nevertheless move at a steady pace. A few reviews mention pricing for small portions as a drawback, but overall the place is called a Montreal classic and a must for ice cream lovers, drawing repeat visits to sample new flavors and enjoy the friendly atmosphere.
Delicious ice cream & you can combine flavors! They'll let you taste 1. Make sure you know it's Canadian card or CASH ONLY! American cash at a 1:1 rate.
Hands down the best ice cream in Montreal. I finally tried Kem Coba after hearing the hype forever, & it more than delivered. I had the biweekly soft serve & it was unreal. Creamy, rich, just the perfect balance.
Yes, there's a line but it moves quite fast & honestly feels like part of the experience. The flavors are super creative, always changing, & everything tastes insanely fresh.
If you love ice cream even a little, this place is life changing!
Kem Coba is the most famous ice cream shop in Mile-end.
The ice cream is really good, with unique & novel flavors. It has different surprises every day. As for whether you can'bump' into your favorite, it depends on luck.
Jun 22, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
This ice cream shop is perfectly located in a food corner from Fairmont Bagels to Drogheria to Kem CoBa! Got the soft serve. The texture was perfect, & the flavors blended well. I love that they had SE Asian / Vietnamese flavors!
As usual, absolutely delicious spot! The soft serve is my favorite. But the flavors on the home made ice cream are so delicious. The soft serve is a twist of dulce de lèche & pear flavor. The pear was very powerful tasting. Almost like you are biting into a pear. The other ice cream was 70% chocolate & Vietnamese coffee, both wonderful!
Went on a Thursday night, no line. They always have untypical flavors (more fruity) that taste amazing. I tried one of their sorbets, which was delicious. Definitely recommend it when you need a quick ice-cream fix that isn't too heavy.
My friends & I were just walking by & realized this opened in 15 minutes, & there wasn't a line yet. Thank goodness because once we got in line, it formed... & it was long. Their shop is one of Montreal's staples & I'm happy to say that they provide a few vegan friendly sorbet options. During our visit, they had wonderful tropical fruit flavors & you can split a small cup for the same price. Their mango was refreshing & a must try. Cash only! Make sure to bring them bills to pay for this delicious Vietnamese inspired ice cream.
Aug 17, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
The ice cream from Kem coba is excellent-creamy, flavorful, & incredibly affordable. A top pick for great taste without the high price! & payment only in cash
Such delicious & original ice cream. Every now & then they have a special home made ice cream where they mix two flavors. I definitely recommend this place, been going since 2010. A must see place in the mile-end. CASH ONLY.
We were in the area & decided to try the featured soft serve La Québécoise which consisted of honey & blueberry sorbet. The flavor combination paired really well & complimented each other. A must try if you are visiting the area.
Great flavors. My picky kids love their own combos. One had salted butter & panda. Other did sorbet -strawberry & sour sop. Wife had lychee cone. All hits.
The line was intimidating but moved rather fast. They have an immaculate service system to help process people through. I had the soursop sorbet (acidic & fermented taste) & the pandan leaf (floral vanilla notes) ice cream & my mom got the salted butter & dulce de leche ice cream. I like that there is a balance of more approachable flavors & some more exotic ones!
We understand why this place is famous. The quality & flavor are consistently good. Most of the time, there will be a long queue, & it can be quite hard to find parking around. You can sit outside in front of the ice cream shop. Every two weeks, they have a new flavor of the season. We love the salted butter ice cream, soursop. The special of the week: Rose + Lychee + Raspberry, It's a beautiful blend, hope it can have it all the time.
