Ice Cream Under A Kaleidoscopic Ceiling at The Dreamery London

The Dreamery is the tiny De Beauvoir ice cream and wine bar that’s been stalking my social feeds – all glowing ceilings, steel gelato coupes and whispers of the best ice cream in London.

So after weeks of passive scrolling, we decide it’s time to see whether The Dreamery London actually deserves the hype.

We’ve already spent the afternoon wandering east London – my sister, my sister-in-law and I – on what has evolved into a full-blown coffee crawl from Haggerston onwards. By the time we reach De Beauvoir, we’re in need of something cold.

We don’t drink, so although The Dreamery London is known for pairing natural wine with ice cream, we’re here strictly for the scoops.

After all the hype, the question becomes obvious: is The Dreamery actually good? Or is it just extremely photogenic?

Quick Info on The Dreamery London

• Restaurant: The Dreamery
• Location: Halliford Street, De Beauvoir Town
• Concept: ice cream parlour & natural wine bar
• Scoops: 6 rotating flavours at a time
• Vibe: tiny inside, long queue outside
• Must order: blueberry crumble & custard
• Skip (for us): chocolate & olive oil

Read on for the full Dreamery review.

Slightly Unhinged (In a Good Way)

Before you even taste the Dreamery ice cream, the room demands your attention.

First of all, the interior is absolutely tiny, so much so that personal space becomes theoretical. There’s no sign outside, just a painted stoop and a long queue out onto the street.

Inside, the mirrored walls reflect a glowing ceiling mural by artist Lucy Stein, featuring surreal birds, suns, botanical forms, all washed in amber and honeyed light.

The effect is theatrical and mystical, and it almost feels like you’re eating ice cream inside a kaleidoscope.

We wedge ourselves into a sliver of counter space and study the handwritten menu.

The Dreamery menu cycles through various flavours of ice cream, serving six at a time. Decisions must be made. Because they all sound so good, we order four flavours between us.

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Chocolate & olive oil is the serious one

The chocolate ice cream is dark and brooding, sort of like the Heathcliff of the gelato world. It’s foiled in olive oil that lends an earthy, faintly woody, almost floral undertone. It’s a sophisticated flavour, but…

I don’t like it, my sister-in-law says flatly after a few spoonfuls.

My sister loves it though, and proceeds to hoover it up.

I try to convince myself I admire it more than I enjoy it. I’ve loved this combination before (it can be extraordinary), but here it feels off.

It’s thoughtful, certainly. But I don’t come to an ice cream parlour for thoughtfulness.

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Forced rhubarb is the sharp one

Next comes forced rhubarb, bright and unapologetically tart. It has that distinct rhubarb bite, the kind that makes your tongue hum and your teeth fizz.

It’s grown-up and clean, but it doesn’t quite sweep me away.

My sister rates it more highly, going back with a spoon with an unconcealed gusto. This is the pleasure of doing a Dreamery London review as a trio – you get to eat your favourite flavour all to yourself because someone else invariably dislikes it.

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Blueberry crumble & custard is the winner

Then comes blueberry crumble and custard ice cream at The Dreamery.

It’s the best of the lot, by far. The crumble element brings buttery biscuit depth while the custard note adds soft vanilla warmth, and blueberry ribbons swirl through everything in sweet, nostalgic waves.

It tastes like the best possible version of a school pudding or your favourite muffin blitzed into creamy submisison. Comforting, familiar and layered. 

All three of us keep returning to it between bites of the others.

If you’re skimming this Dreamery London review for the must-order scoop, stop here. It’s this one.

Greek mountain tea is the vanilla of The Dreamery world 

Finally, our spoons sweep across the Greek Mountain Tea ice cream.

After the punch of rhubarb and the richness of chocolate, this feels like a much more muted creation.

I can’t really taste the mountain my sister says, squinting thoughtfully at her spoon. A brief pause, and then laughter.

She’s not wrong. It’s delicate to the point of elusiveness. I suspect it works best alongside something bolder, acting as a balancing counterweight rather than a star.

On its own, this tea ice cream fades into the background. We all agree that there are other tea flavours that might work better as standalone ice creams – earl grey, hojicha or hong kong milk tea for instance. 

Ok, I’ll say it, this ones a bit blah.

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The rotating ice cream flavours at on The Dreamery Menu

Part of what makes The Dreamery London interesting is that the ice cream flavours rotate. There are always six at a time, written on a mirrored wall in marker, and they lean grown-up rather than playful.

I’ll admit, I wish we’d come on a week featuring more interesting sounding flavours that The Dreamery have done before. Like brown butter & raisin, gingerbread, lucid coffee, or oolong & prune. Those sound like they might hit harder.

Still, even on a slightly restrained flavour week, the quality is evident. The textures are smooth, the ideas (mostly) deliberate. Even if some of them are bit short on joy. 

Is The Dreamery worth the hype?

My Dreamery review verdict is this: it’s theatre first, ice cream second. But when (if) the ice cream lands, it works.

The space is undeniably special, if tiny. The mural ceiling alone makes it one of the most visually arresting dessert spots in London. It feels cinematic without being pretentious.

So is The Dreamery ice cream worth the hype? It depends entirely on the flavour board that day.

I’d go far as to say this isn’t a frou frou ice cream parlour. It’s grown up, but in its sophistication, risks losing the mad joy of a great ice cream.

Would I queue again?

Honestly? No. I wouldn’t trek back to Islington to stand in a queue for the possibility of loving one flavour.But then, if you asked my sister or sister-in-law, their answers would probably be different.

I can say this:

If there’s blueberry crumble and custard ice cream on The Dreamery menu, get it. 

The Dreamery London might not change your life.

But it will, at the very least, make you look up.

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The Dreamery London review
Address – 20a Halliford St, London N1 3HD
Nearest Tube – Essex Road