Meet the ‘Lobster Cone,’ a uniquely Boston ice cream creation

The Newbury Street dessert combines soft serve, butter-inspired toppings and lobster-roll presentation for an ice cream experience designed to feel distinctly Boston

On Newbury Street, ice cream doesn’t just come in a cone — it sometimes comes dressed in an apron.

At a mobile dessert stop run by the Snacksbox crew, customers are handed bibs before digging into one of Boston’s most unusual creations: the “Lobster Cone.”

“The first thing we offer is the apron,” one worker says.

Wait … isn’t this an ice cream show? It is — but not the kind most people expect.

The Lobster Cone, created by partners Juan Franco and Ligia Van, blends soft-serve ice cream with lobster-inspired presentation and flavor elements designed to feel distinctly New England.

“Lobster is like the spirit animal of New England — it’s iconic and dramatic,” Van says. “We wanted something that feels very Boston.”

Customers are often split on first reaction.

“Half the people are confused, and the other half pull out their phones and start filming,” one crew member said.

The cone combines elements including vanilla-style soft serve with butter-inspired toppings meant to echo a traditional lobster roll experience — sweet, salty, and intentionally unexpected.

For Franco and Van, the idea reflects a deeper cultural blend. Their backgrounds span Colombia and Vietnam, and they say food has always been tied to memory, family, and celebration.

“Food is not just about eating,” Van says. “It’s about culture, memory, and survival.”

That mix shows up in every detail of the trailer, which they describe as a fusion of Latin and Asian influences with European technique and “a Boston attitude.”

Even skeptics are coming around. Still, success in Boston isn’t instant.

“People here will support you — but you have to earn it first,” Van says.