Kilgore is best known as the pastry chef for Alter and Brava at the Arsht Center, with both kitchens helmed by her husband Brad Kilgore.
Surrounded by shops like Louis Vuitton and Dior, MadLab Creamery fits right into the neighborhood with giant, modernistic ice cream cones signaling you in like pastel beacons.
Inside, the clean space features pink walls and a gorgeous floor of hand-painted ice cream cones. Says Kilgore of the space, "Everything here reflects me. It's super girly. I always wanted to have a sweet shop, but I didn't want to go the usual route of croissants and little cakes."
The menu is concise but filled with opportunities to be creative. Soft-serve ice cream serves as a base. Right now, there are three flavors: green matcha, vanilla, and a rich chocolate made with Ecuadorian cacao.
A cup or cone is $7.50 and includes one topping and one sauce. Add-ons cost 50 to 75 cents, with over two dozen to choose from. Options range from traditional sprinkles and fresh fruit to cotton candy, edible glitter, and Kilgore's Japanese cheesecake. Want to make your ice cream stand out? Top it with a wisp of cotton candy,
A matcha tea/chocolate swirl cup festooned with the aforementioned cheesecake, Filthy cherries, dulce de leche bits, golden glitter, and Pocky was picture-worthy, true. But under Kilgore's skillful hand, it was a rich and flavorful treat as well. The Japanese cheesecake is as fluffy as the best soufflé you've had, and the ice cream is rich with the right balance of sweetness and a hint of bitterness for balance. These are sophisticated flavors meant for adults as well as kids.
Additional ice cream flavors, including a coconut-milk-based option for vegans, will be introduced and rotated out.
Kilgore also makes decadent chocolates. Sold by the gram ($7.50 for 100 grams), flavors include matcha and raspberry, dark chocolate and cereal, white chocolate and coconut, dark chocolate, and the "healthy bar," which includes dried apricots, Maldon salt, figs, and almonds.
Expect to see Kilgore's ice cream blowing up your Instagram feed, so best get there soon. If you loved the Museum of Ice Cream, consider MadLab a living artist's studio of ice cream.
MadLab Creamery. 140 NE 39th St., Miami; madlabcreamery.com. Daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
