Best of Cleveland 2017: Vegan Ice Cream

Marissa Flynn wasn’t always in love with her vegan flavors of ice cream. “I tried making some and they were like meh,” says the Ice Cream Joy owner. “I kept adding different things and taking things out and came up with a pretty good thing.” To make her winning formula, she purees ripe avocados, adds pureed tofu, then pours in thick coconut milk, a hint of rum — to reduce the freezing point and make it easy to scoop — and a house-made almond milk. Customers will find about a 50-50 ratio of vegan to nonvegan flavors made daily in Flynn’s Lakewood shop. Wacky options such as cantaloupe cinnamon and cayenne sweet potato pecan are just some of the 40 rotating varieties. “Somebody will ask me to do a certain flavor or mention a certain flavor, and I will take it and mix it with other things,” she says. 15210 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216- 644-2014, iscreamjoy.com