Bears Ice Cream puts Kent creativity at the top of The Guardian’s Scoop of the Year

Now that creativity has received national recognition, with Bears taking the No.1 spot in The Guardian’s ‘Scoop of the Year’ taste test, which ranked 99 unusual ice cream flavours from across the UK.

Bears’ Brown Butter Popcorn was named the best flavour overall, while Miso, Banana & Butterscotch Pudding and Apple Jazz, Cinnamon Sponge & Cream Cheese Swirl were both placed joint second. Blueberry & Lavender Jam with Meringue Swirl also made the top 20, giving Bears four flavours among the highest-rated scoops in the national taste test.

Creative ice cream, made in Kent

Founded by Vera Thordardottir and award-winning chef Philip Harrison, Bears was created with a simple ambition: to bring more creativity to ice cream.

Rather than relying on traditional flavour combinations, Bears approaches each new creation with a chef’s mindset, combining ingredients, textures and flavours in imaginative ways while always making sure the finished scoop tastes as good as it sounds.

That creative approach can mean brown butter and popcorn, miso and banana, or blueberry and lavender, with each flavour developed and made by the Bears team at its Ice Cream Imaginarium in Whitstable.

A growing list of awards for Bears’ creative flavours

The Guardian result is the latest recognition for Bears’ approach to creative ice cream.

In 2026, Bears also received two Great Taste 1 Star Awards for Miso, Banana & Butterscotch Pudding and Brown Butter & Rosemary Ice Cream with Sour Plum Swirl.

Bears’ wholesale range has been built around the same principle: chef-made, creative ice cream with distinctive flavour combinations, made in its Whitstable kitchen.

Where to try Bears’ creative ice cream in Kent

Kent ice cream lovers can try Bears by the scoop at three locations across the county:

Bears Ice Cream Imaginarium, Whitstable
The home of Bears and the kitchen where its creative flavours are developed and made.

Bears Ice Cream Scooptopia at Macknade Food Village, Faversham
A dedicated Bears scoop destination at Macknade.

Angela’s Ices, Margate
Serving a full menu of Bears scoop ice cream on the Kent coast.

From brown butter popcorn to miso banana butterscotch, Bears continues to prove that ice cream can be much more than the expected.

Discover Bears’ latest creative ice cream flavours and find out where to try them at www.bearsicecream.co.uk.

You can also read The Guardian’s full Scoop of the Year taste test.