CHVN’s The Great Winnipeg Sundae Search continues, as we search for the best ice cream in the city while serving up summer adventures alongside the Manitoba Museum.
This stop brought CHVN to Sub Zero Ice Cream, located in the heart of Elmwood, where creativity, community, and a love for frozen treats have been at the centre of the business since 2017.
Owner Linh Le has spent nearly a decade creating unique ice cream combinations, with Sub Zero becoming known for its impressive menu featuring more than 80 different parfait creations.
“We are constantly creating new seasonal specials and limited-time flavours, so there is always something new for customers to try,” Le said. “Many of our regular customers come back throughout the season just to see what new creation we have come up with next.”
One thing that sets Sub Zero apart is its commitment to quality ingredients. Rather than using ice milk or powder-based products, the shop uses real Canadian cream in its soft ice cream, creating a rich and creamy texture customers have come to love.
Le says summer at an ice cream shop can bring a unique kind of busy season.
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“Most businesses have a few rush hours, but for an ice cream shop, we can have a nine-hour rush from open to close,” she said.
Since opening, Sub Zero has grown from a small operation with just two employees into a seasonal team of around 25 staff members, helping welcome customers throughout the summer months.
For Le, the best part of owning Sub Zero is seeing the joy it brings to the community.
“Sub Zero has become a happy summer destination for the community,” she said. “I don’t even feel like I’m working most of the time—it feels like my hobby and my passion.”
The Minion, peanut butter fudge sundae, the Green Forest specialty parfait, and black licorice hard ice cream.
Sundae Search
During the CHVN Great Winnipeg Sundae Search stop, CHVN’s Lianna Peters and Angela Peacock, along with Scott Young, Planetarium Astronomer with the Manitoba Museum, sampled some of Sub Zero’s creative offerings.
The group tried a variety of flavours and creations, including the Minion parfait featuring peanut butter, banana, and Oreo, the peanut butter fudge sundae, the Green Forest specialty parfait, and a rare black licorice ice cream flavour.
After enjoying the treats, Young shared what families can look forward to this summer at the Manitoba Museum Planetarium.
Manitoba Museum Planetarium looks to the skies
Located in the lower level of the museum, the Planetarium is included with museum admission and offers several shows for visitors of all ages.
Young says one of the featured shows is Voyage of the Stars, designed especially for younger audiences.
“It’s got a cute little starfish and a shooting star that go on an adventure together,” Young explained. “They go underwater and they go into space and see different things.”
The show also includes real underwater footage, giving visitors the feeling of being surrounded by the experience inside the Planetarium dome.
The Planetarium is also featuring shows about the northern lights, Aurorae and the Milky Way, offering visitors a closer look at some of the wonders found in the night sky.
Young says summer is a great time to look up and explore what is happening above us.
“The Milky Way is something you can see in the summertime sky, especially if you get out of the city,” he said.
Meteor Shower
He also highlighted the upcoming Perseid meteor shower, expected around August 11, 12, and 13. After midnight, stargazers may have the chance to see dozens of shooting stars each night.
Young says whether it is planets, the moon, meteor showers, or different constellations, there is always something new happening in the sky.
Through the Planetarium’s programming, he hopes visitors leave with a better understanding of what they can discover for themselves outdoors.
As CHVN continues its Great Winnipeg Sundae Search, the team will keep exploring local ice cream shops and the summer experiences that make Winnipeg a special place to enjoy the season.