Our Favorite Summer Dessert Trick Is an Amaro Float

You've just had a great (albeit indulgent) meal and find yourself faced with a classic dilemma: Do you go for something a little bitter, like an amaro, to help you digest? A coffee to perk you up? Or do you end the night on a sweet note with dessert? According to chef Joe Beddia of Philadelphia's beloved Pizzeria Beddia, there's no need to choose—or rather, you just need to choose an amaro float. Inside the Hoagie Room (where Beddia serves a hoagie and pizza omakase—yes, you read that right), glass cups filled with creamy soft-serve ice cream are swirled with bitter Italian liqueur, the ideal ratio being five ounces of high-quality ice cream topped with one ounce of amaro. The result is a perfect treat that, like the ending of any great meal, is bittersweet. Here are some of our favorite amaro floats to make at home.

Vanilla Ice Cream + Sfumato

When you drizzle smoky, woodsy Sfumato on top, vanilla ice cream is hardly a boring option. ($22, klwines.com; Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean ice cream, $5, target.com)

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream + Montenegro

New to amaro? Montenegro is a great starting point. This float is the boozy version of After Eight chocolate thins. ($29, klwines.com; McConnell's Mint Chip ice cream, $12, mcconnells.com)

Espresso Ice Cream + Averna

Averna's herbaceous flavor paired with espresso ice cream makes for a bold, Sicilian-inspired treat. ($30, klwines.com; McConnell's Turkish Coffee ice cream, $12, mcconnells.com)

Chocolate Ice Cream + Caffè Moka

Our staff-favorite pick takes our love of chocolate to the next level with the help of this bitter Italian espresso liqueur. ($44, astorwines.com; Jeni's Darkest Chocolate ice cream, $12, jenis.com)

Lemon Sorbet + Cynar

For a tart and refreshing finale, combine lemon sorbet with a shot of Cynar, which is made from 13 herbs and plants, including artichoke. ($25, klwines.com; Häagen-Dazs Lemon Sorbet, $5, target.com)