A Playful New Soft-Serve Spot Is Dispensing Sweet Treats on the Plateau

An internationally-minded new ice creamery lands on the Plateau this weekend: Unicone will begin serving soft serve on St-Denis Street near Roy, with its opening on Saturday (June 1).

A family business run by sisters Yasmine and Sara Atouk, Unicone will keep things simple — soft serve is the focus, and the sisters are looking to create flavours based on some international recipes.

“Each week we’re going to offer a new flavour inspired by a dessert from a different country... the inspiration [comes] from our big passions for gastronomy and travel,” Yasmine tells Eater.

Unicone/Supplied

For the first week in business, that special soft serve (dubbed the “Nomad cone”) will be inspired by New York style cheesecake. Other options to come include one based on Italian dessert tiramisu — other options on that rotating part of the menu will remain a secret until they’re unveiled.

Yasmine and Sara come from backgrounds in marketing and environmental management (respectively), but have a passion for making desserts at home, which led them into picking up ice cream skills to open Unicone.

Beyond the Nomad cone (which will change each week), Unicone will also serve a classic vanilla and chocolate option, as well as vegan and lactose free options. All soft serve will be made fresh each day, with the dairy options using all-Quebec milk.

Unicone/Supplied

The store itself is a petite nook that takes over the space of former salad bar Hillary’s — it features plenty of soft pink tones and some lush artificial grass to break it all up.

Unicone isn’t the only place in town getting into the soft serve game this summer — further north on the Plateau, the owners of former steamed bun spot Hao are opening Swirl, which will serve creative non-dairy flavours.

STATUS — Unicone opens Saturday June 1 at 3813a St-Denis, from noon to 9:30 p.m. daily.

• Unicone [Facebook]