Frozen Cow, Lido Beach; New York Gelato Co., West Islip

Frozen Cow Ices & Cream

300 Lido Blvd., Lido Beach, 516-665-3997, frozencowicesandcream.com

Frozen Cow has nerve. The ice cream shop opened in May a block east of Marvel Frozen Dairy, a Long Island icon. "Our product is totally different," says partner Larry Rosenzweig, and he's right. Marvel serves a narrow range of classic soft serve; Frozen Cow makes dozens of inventive hard ice creams, ices and cream ices. Among the rich ice creams, Key lime pie (with custard and real Key lime juice), "breakfast special" with maple syrup and bits of bacon and Belgian waffles, and the shop's bestseller, sea-salt caramel. A small cup is $4; large, $6; sundaes, $7.50.

New York Gelato Co.

939 Montauk Hwy., West Islip, 631-539-6994, nygelatoco.com

Although Kevin Gottlieb makes more than 600 flavors of gelato and sorbetto at his year-old shop, fewer than 50 are on offer at any one time. "It keeps customers coming back," he joked, noting that he always stocks vanilla, strawberry, hazelnut, pistachio and one of his 15 chocolates. Other flavors of note: Snickers, banana-walnut-praline and mixed-berry gelati and lemon (crazy tart) sorbetti. All varieties are unusually creamy and fresh. "I make very small batches," he said. "If it's not gone by the end of the night, it gets tossed." One scoop is $2.99; two scoops, $4.99.