A Look At The Rarest, Most Expensive Ice Cream In The World

For those who seek out the most expensive food items that money can buy, there's no dearth of options. From the gold-plated, most expensive burger in the world to the world's most expensive caviar, which can run you the price of a down payment on a house, there are some truly exorbitantly priced dishes out there waiting for the right customers to enjoy them. But the planet's most expensive ice cream might well be the final boss in frozen dessert opulence.

The priciest ice cream in the world actually comes from a country that neighbors China, where it's posited that ice cream was created hundreds of years ago. In 2023, Japanese luxury gelato brand Cellato released Byakuya, selling portions of the creamy treat for a whopping $6,696 each. At this hefty price tag, it's no surprise that Byakuya caught the attention of Guinness World Records, which officially bestowed it with the title of "world's most expensive ice cream." So, if you've got around 880,000 yen (around $6,034 USD) just lying around, you too can experience this unique, lavish dessert with sweet and savory undertones for yourself.

You can buy a lot of Ben & Jerry's for the same price as a single 4.4-ounce serving of Byakuya. But when you're looking at expensive and luxurious foods such as Cellato's offering, part of the charm (or gimmick if you're a little more cynical) of these products is the rare and extravagant ingredients. Byakuya is no exception here.

The gelato is made with a base that includes nutty and sharp Italian Parmigiano Reggiano, along with the slightly floral lees leftover from fermenting sake and an elegant touch of edible gold leaf. But the crescendo of the whole affair is the addition of white truffles, sourced exclusively from Alba, Italy, and regarded as one of the most luxurious and sought-after ingredients in the world. The ice cream even comes with a small vial of white truffle oil for you to mix in with your scoop, livening up the taste and texture. Additionally, each serving of Byakuya comes with a handcrafted engraved metal spoon featuring a design influenced by the aesthetics of Japanese temples and shrines. But if Byakuya isn't your four-figure cup of tea, Cellato does offer other luxury ice creams, including a black truffle ice cream and "Spring Thunder" made with Dom Perignon Champagne, strawberries, and cherry blossoms — both of which are cheaper than Byakuya, though still astoundingly expensive at $206 and $1,029, respectively. Either way, sampling some Cellato remains a bucket list item for dessert lovers and indulgent foodies alike.