Cult-Favorite NYC Ice Cream Shop Van Leeuwen Will Open a Houston Location

Van Leeuwen, a New York City-born ice cream shop with a nationwide cult following, has set its sights on Houston.

A representative for Van Leeuwen confirms to Eater that the chain will expand to Houston, but declined to provide further details on where or when it will open. In early August, Van Leeuwen registered a business entity called “Van Leeuwen Houston Montrose” with the Texas Secretary of State’s office, which indicates that the iconic scoop shop has plans to open its first Texas location in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood.

Speculation on Houston real estate forum HAIF indicates that the shop will debut at the forthcoming Montrose Collective development. Van Leeuwen is currently listed in the leasing brochure for Montrose Collective, but it’s unclear whether or not a lease has been signed.

For those who are unfamiliar with Van Leeuwen’s wildly popular ice cream, the shop got its start as an ice cream truck in Brooklyn in 2008, and has since expanded to a small empire of shops across NYC and Los Angeles in the years following its debut. In January, Eater NY reported that the chain had raised more than $18 million to fuel its growth, both with new locations and a push into retail stores.

As far as the ice cream is concerned, expect a dense, creamy scoop that’s almost a little bit chewy. Van Leeuwen is also known for its creative and complex flavors, like currants and cream, chocolate fudge brownie, and Brooklyn brown sugar chunk.

No timeline has been made publicly available for Van Leeuwen’s Houston debut. In the meantime, though, pints of the shop’s ice cream are available for sale at Central Market locations in Texas.