No visit to NYC is complete without rolling up your sleeves, indulging in a fine culinary experience, and getting your hands a little dirty—preferably all at the same time! Perfect for chilly days, kids birthday parties, or just meeting up with your favorite Manhattan mamas, here are three fun family friendly spots where playing with your food is A-Okay.
CoolMess
Ice cream making, topping spillovers and flavor experimenting in your own home? Mess. Ice cream making using the finest ingredients NYC has to offer at the newest sweet spot to hit the Upper Eastside? Yes! At CoolMess, started by the same family dream team that owns Burger Heaven, you make the ice cream yourself. It’s easy and fun—just choose a base (chocolate or vanilla) follow one of their “messipes,” or get creative and make your own flavor with all kinds of toppings and yummy ingredients, like cookie dough, brownie bites, chocolate pretzels, pound cake, fruit, and nuts. Each table is equipped with its very own ice cream maker and the whole process takes about 8 minutes. One batch serves about 3 – 4 people and they will pack up your leftover ice cream so you can take it home. CoolMess also offers ready-to-go gelato, baked goods, milkshakes, and sundaes.
CoolMess, 137 E. 62nd St., (212) 355-9834, www.coolmess.com
Voilà Chocolat!
Oh la la! There’s nothing better than making your own chocolate confections, and when you get to do it inside a gourmet shop and café like this one, the experience is that much sweeter. During one drop-in or reserved session, choose from nine different chocolate making experiences (truffles, chocolate bars, 3D molds, voilàllipops to name a few), your favorite kind of chocolates (white, milk or dark), seasonal ingredients (fruits, berries, nuts) and then wrap up your confections in gift-ready packaging. Voilà also offers all kinds of mouth-watering events, including birthday parties for kids (starting at $42 per kid) with a dedicated chocolatier, party room, and handmade hot chocolate for all, plus wine, beer and Prosecco for parents!
Voila Chocolat, 221 W 79th St, (212) 920-8799, www.voila-chocolat.com/
Make Meaning Cake Decorating
The beloved franchise that offers more than you could possibly imagine (soap making, candle making, glass making, ceramics painting) is also home to cake decorating. Each pre-baked cake is professionally hand-wrapped in vanilla fondant, serving as your blank canvas for what comes next. Try your hands at embellishments, cutouts, edible spray color, and more! Make Meaning supplies all the tools so you can decorate the cake of your dreams. And yes, they do birthday parties.
Make Meaning, 1501 3rd Ave, (212) 744-0011, www.makemeaning.com
