A popular public park in Toronto has been bereft of a nearby neighbourhood ice cream shop for entirely too long — but that problem just got solved.
I love — and I mean love — Christie Pits Park. Though I grew up in the Beach (shout-out Kew Gardens!), my adult life saw the west side of the city unfold like a treasure map, with one of its most gleaming gems coming in the form of the Pit's nearly nine hectares of rolling hills, free baseball games and public pool.
Historically, I've had just one gripe with the park: where's the ice cream? Attracting throngs of cloudgazers and grass-touchers from across the city all summer long, it's only logical that there'd be somewhere to pick up a scoop of something cold and sweet within arm's reach, but there just... isn't.
Okay, yes, there is a Baskin-Robbins at the corner of Bloor and Christie, but — and especially when it comes to ice cream — I'm all about supporting the little guy; however, there hasn't really been a little guy nearby enough to support.
Until Friday, July 3, that is, because Brokn Milk, a new neighbourhood ice cream shop dealing in "proper ice cream," has officially opened at the corner of Christie and Barton, across the street from the northeast corner of the park.
Originating as a homegrown pop-up business, you may have had the opportunity over the years to try Brokn Milk before at the now-defunct Big Trouble Pizza and Tiny's General Store. Now, the family-run business has set down roots in a former convenience store.
Don't expect hum-drum old-school scoops, though. Brokn Milk is all about an evolving flavour lineup, all made using locally-sourced ingredients, like chocolate from Soul Chocolate and coffee beans from Subtext Coffee Roasters. Proper ice cream, indeed.
The next time you find yourself delighting in the spoils of Christie Pits Park, you can visit Brokn Milk at 151 Barton Ave. Heck, you'll probably see me there.