Get the scoop on new Minnesota ice creams

Beyond chasing affogatos around town, we found that the ice cream-espresso drinks aren't the only thing on the frozen treats scene generating a buzz. More Minnesota makers are getting into the frozen treat business, churning out their own brand of everything from ice creams to gelatos. Check out some of the latest names to hit the market during this last call of summer. Here's the scoop:

801 Fish

We never imagined some of our favorite desserts in the Twin Cities would come from a downtown Minneapolis seafood spot. But pastry chef Jeremy Intille, recently seen on "Next Baking Master: Paris," has been wowing the power lunch crowd with visually spectacular sweet-but-not-too-sweet desserts. Go big with his ever-rotating ice cream-filled puff pastry (currently: sweet corn ice cream with blackberry mousse and toffee popcorn). Or just order by the scoop. Our server implored us to get an elegant little coupe of the campfire brownie s'more ice cream ($8), and she did not steer us wrong. (Sharyn Jackson)

$8; 800 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-234-6700, 801fish.com

Little Bird Gelato

This past spring, Little Bird Gelato started landing at Twin Cities restaurants. Alison and chef Steve McMullen launched Little Bird, named after their dog, out of a love for gelato they developed while living in New York. Ten flavors are available, including their bestseller: a ricotta, lavender and honey, in which the housemade honeycomb candy is made with honey from a family friend's apiary in Brainerd.

Little Bird now has scoop shop residencies at two Minneapolis Cafe Ceres locations (Linden Hills and Penn Avenue, starting at $5.50) as well as other Daniel del Prado restaurants. In addition to Porzana, where Steve is the executive chef, Josefina's, Martina, Rosalia, Colita, Cardamom (via a pistachio affogato that we can vouch is delicious) and the new Dexter's all feature Little Bird Gelato on their menus. (Nancy Ngo)

Available at several metro locations. For the latest, visit instagram.com/littlebirdgelato

Minnesota Dairy Lab

What began as online-only sales by the pint two years ago has morphed into more than two dozen retailers and restaurants. And Minnesota Dairy Lab is just getting started. Phil Farzanegan, a chef/restaurant industry veteran from Florida who moved to Minnesota a few years ago, launched the brand that prides itself on an ice cream base that's pasteurized in-house with creative flavors such as kombucha pear sorbet, koji caramel raspberry and peach crisp.

Earlier this year, he joined forces with Jeff Erkkila of Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery and Wrecktangle Pizza. You can find their ice creams by the pint at places such as Honey & Rye, St. Boni Bistro and Wrecktangle Pizza's LynLake location. The local brand is also available on restaurant menus (Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery, Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks, Francis Burger Joint, the Kenwood Restaurant, the Bungalow Club and, of course, Wrecktangle Pizza).

Or, find it by the scoop at the Painted Turtle, the seasonal food stand at Lake Nokomis where Minnesota Dairy Lab just set up a residency. A scoop starts at $5, and we highly recommend that the buttermilk strawberry be one of them. (N.N.)

Available at several metro locations. For the latest, visit mndairylab.com

Sugar & Salt

Jennifer Lisburg unveiled Sugar and Salt, a rebrand to her former La La Homemade Ice Cream, this spring. "I found that after being in the Uptown spot for seven years, regular customers didn't realize there was food being served [too]," she said.

The casual menu at the Hennepin Avenue hangout has a farm-to-table vibe that translates to the ice cream counter. From mint to basil ice creams that start at $5 a scoop, ingredients are as locally sourced as possible. Timing is also of the essence. On a recent visit, among the rotation of flavors was a strawberry ice cream starring fresh-picked berries that resulted in a true strawberries-and-cream treat. (N.N.)

Sugar & Salt, 3146 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., 612-824-5252, sugarandsaltmpls.com

Crank and Dasher at Kowalski's

When Kowalski's rolled out its Edina Market location in late May, the local grocer introduced a host of new products, and that included house-brand ice creams. Crank and Dasher out of Duluth is now making a dozen flavors for Kowalski's, including vanilla bean, turtle cheesecake, mint chocolate chunk, maple brown sugar bourbon and chocolate malt. Find these rich and creamy ice creams by the pint ($9.99) in the freezer section at Kowalski's locations. Bonus: The Edina Market also has a counter where you can get it by the scoop. (N.N.)

Kowalski's markets, kowalskis.com

Udder Buddies

Friends Kevin Korbel and Jamieson Lindquist have lofty goals for their ice cream company, which just celebrated its first anniversary. "Our main focus is to not only have a great ice cream product that people love and enjoy, but to give back to farmers down the road," said Korbel, a third-generation dairy farmer. Through the University of Minnesota's Pilot Plant, the duo found the guidance and facility to turn their idea into a delicious reality.

Pints of Udder Buddies' vanilla ice cream ($10) are available both in the Twin Cities and in a handful of stores surrounding their Lonsdale, Minn., farms. They have one flavor, vanilla, and aren't planning to change that, preferring to keep it simple — "just real milk, real cream and all the good stuff." The result is a clean, fresh, creamy, smooth ice cream that, while perfectly crushable on its own, is the ideal exclamation point on a late-summer fruit crisp.

"Life should be simple, you know? Just enjoy the simple things in life," he said. Like this ice cream. (Nicole Hvidsten)

Available at several Twin Cities locations, including the Nokomis Farmers Market, Clancey's Meats, Utepils Brewing and Eastside Co-op in Minneapolis and Mike's Butcher Shop in West St. Paul. Follow Udder Buddies on Facebook or Instagram for updates.