Surprise Scoop closing on 1st Avenue; skewer concept next?

Surprise Scoop, billed as "the world's first flavor roulette ice cream shop" after debuting in January, is closing after service on Dec. 14. 

The shop at 139 First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street recently reopened after a DOH-related visit on Sept. 13. 

The owners of the previous business here, Stuffed Ice Cream, closed in October 2024 to make way for this new concept. You order from a touch-screen menu. And there's only one item: "Surprise Ice Cream." 

Here's more from a Surprise Scoop Instagram post on Tuesday: 

It's been a short but very memorable journey. Testing a new bold concept in NYC is a dream come true, but due to a lot of circumstances, we've decided to give the space to friends who are interested in opening a skewer concept in the East Village. 

Thank you for all the love and support throughout the year, including the person who wrote us a review but never tried, and the person named Skibidi Toilet. 

Although our time is coming to an end, we're opening our doors for two more weeks. Thursday - Sunday 12/4-12/7 and 12/11-12/14. 

Surprise Scoop's social-media-friendly gimmick garnered media coverage locally from Fox 5 and NBC 4 to the Post.

The openings, reopenings and temp closures on one stretch of 1st Avenue

Photos by Steven 

With Banshee now open at 143 First Ave., let's reset the storefront scene on the west side of the avenue between St. Mark's Place and 10th Street.

In just the past few months, this short stretch has seen a flurry of new openings, closings and reopening-soon signs. Here's a quick rundown. 

Rowdy Rooster has been "temporarily closed" all this fall at 149 First Ave. There is no word on a reopening date for the quick-serve restaurant from the Unapologetic Foods team, which opened in February 2022.

Next door, Gooey on the Inside Cookies debuted in early October. Background here.

To the south, Kikoo Sushi, located between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street, reopened after a months-long renovation...

And next door, Surprise Scoop, billed as "the world's first flavor roulette ice cream shop," has been closed since the DOH paid a visit on Sept. 13...

The posted notices and the DOH website mention operating without a permit, as well as other sanitary violations.

While the shop's Instagram account notes a temporary closure, the interior doesn't look so promising...
 

The shop's Instagram account mentions "TEMP CLOSED due to permit issues."

Openings: Surprise Scoop on 1st Avenue

Photo by Steven

Surprise Scoop is now open at 139 First Ave., between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street. (Its grand opening was over the weekend.) 

The owners of the previous business here, Stuffed Ice Cream, closed the shop in October for this new concept. 

The brand's Instagram account states that it is "The World's First Flavor Roulette Ice Cream Shop —Where Every Scoop is a Surprise!" 

You order from a touch-screen menu. And there's only one item: "Surprise Ice Cream." (FYI: Everything is nut-free.) Staff working in the back will then hand you your ice cream in a to-go container. Flavors change daily.

How it works and questions...

If this sounds stressful, you want to pay in cash, you don't like a specific flavor of ice cream, or you only want vegan ice cream, you can simply go to one of the other 25-plus ice cream shops in the area that meet your needs.

Hours: 

Monday-Thursday, 2-10 p.m. 

Friday, 2-11 p.m. 

Saturday, noon-11 p.m. 

Sunday, noon-10 p.m.