On Prescription Ice Creams: Farmacy

They say that a single scoop of ice cream contains an average of 216 calories. That equates to more than three miles of brisk walking, in case you want to burn them afterwards.

But if calorie count doesn’t (always) concern you, just like me, let’s proceed with the real prescription, shall we?

We were walking around BGC when my friend Paul mentioned about having desserts in Farmacy.

“Farmacy? as in pharmacy drugstore that specializes in selling ice creams? What?” I said.

“Yes, Farmacy pero spelled as F-A-R-M-A-C-Y. Farmacy. Gusto mo i-try?” said Paul.

To my curiosity, of course I said yes.

Farmacy is another business of the owner of Wild Flour. And it’s the one and only branch so far. It’s just three months old, I think?

When we arrived, the store gave me mixed impressions.

The facade of the store looks like a blend of pharmacy and winery shop.

It has a simple long dessert bar set up with empty bottles, beakers, and flasks on display inside medicine cabinets. While outside, there were a few wooden stools, both high and low, plus a painting of The Beatles on the left side –perfect for the chill, casual, and hipster vibes.

I was actually quite hesitant on whether to step foot inside or not. It doesn’t feel like your usual ice cream store. If Paul didn’t tell me it’s an ice cream store, I would be clueless.

He shares that back in the late 1800’s, pharmacy was originally associated with soda fountains and ice cream more than medicines. Hence the vibe! Kind of weird now but it is indeed, interesting.

Farmacy offers an extensive list of flavors. For P130 per scoop (P160 for two scoops, P210 for three scoops, plus 10% service charge), you get to choose from: peanut butter, gianduja, hazelnut, calamansi, pistachio, green matcha, chocolate, and banana with salted caramel, to name a few. They also have available toppings for the ice cream, and some cookies, donuts, and milkshakes to match it. Wines and beers are available too! That is why!

What really got me into trying their ice cream was when Paul mentioned the black sesame flavor. I’ve been trying to find something similar ever since I tasted one in the outskirts of Tokyo last year. No luck so far, so this is gonna be my first.

I asked the attendant if I could sample it and she happily obliged and served one using a tiny metal scoop. I liked it. Probably because the taste of toasted black sesame is there but not too strong, unlike the one in Japan. Still, the existence of the flavor is quite overwhelming. So I ordered one scoop of that.

Then I tried Gianduja, the flavor closely resembles hazelnut with a hint of milk but not quite. Then I tried another one: Milky Dreams? That one is unforgettable, not even sure if that is the correct name.

And then there’s the peanut butter, the flavor I truly love since forever. I want to try it so the attendant gave me a tiny scoop with real peanuts on it. The flavor was okay as it is really saying that it is peanut butter so I ordered that as well.

When my orders came, the peanut butter was on top of the black sesame in a belgian cone. I enjoyed eating the peanut butter but then I realize later on that two scoops are good for two –which is weird because I can consume a tub of Reese’s ice cream in just one sitting.

The flavor of the peanut butter overpowers that of the black sesame that it’s just not the same anymore. The latter lost its identity when paired side by side with the former.

I also tried the avocado flavor from Paul which he topped with nuts. Guess what, the ice cream is not green, it’s cream! No artificial colors, he said. It’s also interesting to note that the avocado flavor is very much intact. Good choice.

Overall, Farmacy has the sense of overwhelming you with exciting flavors that eventually subsides. It doesn’t have the lingering feeling of wanting to try another scoop.

It’s a bit overpriced for an ice cream, I must say. A scoop here could already get you a pint of commercially-produced Rocky Road and I’m sure you will be happy with it.

I wouldn’t recommend Farmacy that much if only for the taste. But for the ambiance, it’s good.

Rating: ❤️❤️ over 5

Farmacy Ice Cream & Soda Fountain
4th Avenue corner 26th St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Philippines
Store Hours:
Monday – Wednesday: 12nn to 12mn
Thursday – Saturday: 12nn to 2am
Sundays: 10am to 6pm