Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream: a must-visit Filipino dessert shop in London

Have you heard of Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream? I’ve been seeing a lot of videos about their Halo-Halo in London on TikTok and this has truly caught my attention. 

Right before I flew to the UK in 2017, this Filipino ice cream shop has opened its doors in the United Kingdom. I’ve even seen it reported in a primetime news telecast in the Philippines, so it was on my to-do list when I set foot in London.

Now that lockdown restrictions have been lifted in England, it’s time to explore some Filipino shops in London and the first on our list is Mamasons. 

They’re best known for selling ‘dirty ice cream’ but don’t worry it is not literally dirty. It’s literally like the same type of ice cream sold in the streets in the Philippines – it’s affordable, delicious, and homemade.

I’m really delighted they opened up a store in Central London, where I work as a social media specialist for a huge UK organization. Their new store is in fact just a stone’s throw away from another Filipino food icon, Jollibee. 

Once it’s safe to travel from the Philippines to London, I recommend you try out this place.

Here’s a review of their Halo-Halo and The Bilog. 

Let’s start with The Bilog (£6.50, roughly Php 450), their toasted pandesal ice-cream sandwich. On your first bite, you’d definitely feel the sturdy outer layer of the pandesal. It brought me back to my younger years where I used to buy 10 to 20 pieces of pandesal in a nearby bakery. When your tastebuds reach the ube ice cream filling, you’d taste a fusion of flavors – the ube plus the saltiness of the pandesal which I think acts as a neutralizer. 

Lastly, Mamasons Halo-Halo (around Php 450). If you’re an immigrant, a tourist or an OFW, one thing you’d look for is something that’s very familiar to your taste and this Halo-Halo is far the best I’ve tasted in London.  

Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream has been putting the Filipino dessert scene in London. With social media, not only Filipinos in the UK enjoy their delightful desserts, they also have an international raving fan ready to line up in-store. 

If you see a Filipino store abroad, it’s something to be proud of. I applaud the Filipinos abroad not only for their products and services but the courage to start up a business.

When in London, visit Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream on any of these addresses:

• 32 Newport Ct, London WC2H 7PQ (Central London, in Chinatown near Leicester Square, Buckingham Palace, the Big Ben and The London Eye )
• 91 Kentish Town Rd, London NW1 8NY (Camden, London)

Let’s connect. I’m @vicmadz on Twitter and Instagram. Email me at vicmadz@live.com. More London adventures on vicmadz.com.