NYC has always been a city that ignores the rules — and nothing proves it like eating ice cream and sushi in the middle of December, while the wind slices through the avenues like it wants a tip.

You’d think winter would shut down cravings for anything cold.
But New York never slows down, and neither do its tastes.

This tradition has roots.
Back in the early 1900s, New Yorkers were already lining up for ice cream in winter. Old-school soda shops stayed open year-round because people believed cold dessert keeps you healthy in cold months. Fast-forward a century, and the logic hasn’t changed — but the flavors definitely have.

Sushi in December?
That one came later. When NYC’s Japanese restaurants started booming in the 70s and 80s, chefs learned that winter brings the freshest, fattiest fish of the year — prime salmon, buttery toro, deep-red tuna. December became the quiet food-lover’s season: chill streets, warm sake, clean flavor.

Now combine the two?

It’s peak New York chaos-in-perfection:

• Hot broth from the sushi bar
• Cold raw fish that melts like snow
• Ice cream that hits different when it’s freezing outside
• Street energy that never sleeps, even when the sun sets at 4:28 PM

OnCraveFood went out to taste the December duo — and here’s what hits:

Ice Cream Desert in December

Winter fish is the real king right now:

• Fattier
• Cleaner
• Shockingly fresh
• A little sweet from the season’s cold waters

Every bite tastes like the streets outside — sharp, cold, alive.

Ice Cream in December

NYC ice cream makers push harder in winter because the tourists are gone.
Small-batch shops drop:

• Toasted marshmallow scoops
• Spiced ginger cones
• Matcha and yuzu blends
• Seasonal dairy-free flavors

Eating cold ice cream in cold air does something to your senses:
It wakes you up.
It slows the city noise.
It gives you that “this is weird, but I love it” energy NYC lives on.

Together?

Ice cream + sushi in December feels like the ultimate New York move:
Unexpected.
A little rebellious.
Perfectly delicious.

It’s not about temperature — it’s about the moment:
Standing on a corner, chopsticks in one hand, a cone in the other, December wind hitting your face like, “Welcome to New York.”

This isn’t a trend.
It’s a lifestyle.
It’s the city.
It’s OnCrave.