Vanilla, strawberry and chocolate will always be at the top of the most popular ice cream flavors list, but thanks to chef-driven ice cream shops and gelato masters churning out creative blends in their home kitchens, ice cream is becoming even cooler than it already was. But before you go googling best ice cream near me, stop to consider a few of the all-time best ice cream shops and gelaterias making headlines with their superior scoops. From classic cones and traditional flavors, to over-the-top ice cream bars, fish cones and even ice cream sandwiches on burger buns—here are 20 must-try ice cream shops in the U.S. to visit on National Ice Cream Day (July 17th) or year-round.
Best Ice Cream Shops in the U.S.
Arethusa Farm Ice Cream
New Haven and West Hartford, Connecticut Arethusa gives new meaning to the term farm fresh ice cream. This idyllic dairy farm in Litchfield, Connecticut is home to three different breeds of cows that are well-accustomed to churning out “milk like it used to taste,” which obviously gives their old-fashioned ice cream that rich, creamy flavor. Perhaps you’ve seen their yogurt or pints at an organic market near you, but there’s nothing like visiting in person. Arethusa prides itself on the melding of art and science to make its famed flavors, blending careful recipe development with good, old-fashioned taste testing. Regular mainstays include Coconut w/ Dark Chocolate Chunks and Butter Pecan, but the seasonal Pumpkin w/ Ginger Molasses Cookies is off the charts.
Betty Rae’s Ice Cream
Kansas City, Missouri If you go to Kansas City and don’t have ice cream topped with burnt ends, did you even go? Famous for their twice-cooked burnt ends, of course, ice cream legend Betty Rae’s incorporates the BBQ staple into their cones. They’re also known for flavors like Honey Lavender (one of their first), Goat Cheese, Apricots, & Candied Walnuts, Turtle Cheesecake and some epic ice cream sammies—order the Cereal Chiller.
Brickley’s Homemade Ice Cream
Wakefield and Narragansett, Rhode Island After a long day at the beach, true Rhode Islanders exit and make their way straight to Brinkley’s. The vibe is roadside beach shack, but the banana, black raspberry and strawberry ice cream is life-changing. And they’re open 7 days a week, which means cravings satiated, thanks to 45 flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurt, no-sugar added ice cream, sherbets and sorbet. But really, just go for the banana. Or apple pie, Or rum raisin. Or malted milk ball…you get the point.
DipDipDip Ice Cream
Austin, Texas DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya became such beloved spot for Japanese shabu-shabu in Austin that Owner/Chef Tatsu Aikawa had to follow up that success with an equally mind-blowing ice cream concept. DipDipDip Ice Cream features composed ice cream creations made with local milk cream and buttermilk from Hill Country Dairies, but it’s all about the house-made, hand-dipped mochiko waffle cones made from mochi flour. Our personal favorite is the Shroom of Doom (pictured above, right) with caramel-chocolate-shitake ice cream, sherry sauce, hazelnuts and fried parsnips in a chocolate-cacao-nip -dipped cone, but don’t sleep on the Sum Yum Yuzu (pictured above, left) black pepper-yuzu mascarpone ice cream with meringue kisses, berry preserve and shiso leaf in a pink lemon dipped cone.
Fifty Licks
Portland, Oregon Fifty Licks is known for legendary (and legend-non-dairy) ice cream, plus crazy flavor concoctions. The secret to their extra luscious, creamy ice cream is tons of cage-free egg yolks, so when in Portland take a trip there just to taste some of their prize-worthy flavors. Choose from Vegan Mango Sticky Rice (alphonso mango drizzled into a jasmine rice and coconut milk ice cream), Chocolate AF (rich, deep dark chocolate laced with chunks of homemade chocolate ganache), Vegan Golden Milk (turmeric, ginger, cardamom and black pepper ice cream with a hint of cinnamon in coconut milk), or order a Cafe Cubano poured over a scoop of ice cream for the best affogato ever.
Gelatissimo Artisan Gelato
New Canaan, Connecticut You’ll think you’ve been transported to Italy upon entering CT’s favorite gelateria, located in the heart of New Canaan. Authentic Italian gelato is made daily—with a whopping 18-22 flavors a day!—and the artisan delicacies don’t stop there. They also specialize in gelato cakes, crepes (and waffles) filled with Nutella and gelato and every kind of Italian coffee, of course. A few of our favorite flavors include: mint chocolate chip, cioccolata (chocolate), stracciatella (vanilla chocolate chip), pistachio, hazelnut, and a variety of non-dairy options. Be sure to check out their seasonal offerings as well. Candy Cane Persimmon, anyone?
g.l.o.w.
Miami, Florida This recently debuted superfood and super froyo shop in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood features a gourmet fast-casual plant-based menu by award-winning Chef Todd Erickson and organic, superfood-enhanced super froyo made with probiotics like Guava Cheese, Earl Grey White Peach and cult-favorite Black Sesame Charcoal. Additional yummy desserts include the Fro-Conut, Super Food Sundae and Fro-Rito (a frozen yogurt-filled crepe) that’s next level. As for the name, g.l.o.w. is an acronym for ‘girls leading our world’ so patrons can feel good about their froyo purchase as 100% of net profits are donated to charities that support girls’ empowerment worldwide.
Ice Cream Jubilee
Arlington, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Flavors like Thai Iced Tea and Banana Bourbon Caramel put Ice Cream Jubilee on the map in Washington, D.C, but they’ve since expanded to three locations (including one in Virginia) and many more crave-worthy creations. Basil Goat Cheese, Citrus Sichuan Peppercorn, Chocolate Matzoh Crack and Cardamom Coffee are just a few more calling our name.
Jenni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Nationwide Ice cream made from essential oils? Yep, it’s a thing. So much so, Jeni Britton Bauer built her Jenni’s Splendid Ice Creams empire around the very notion, after adding cayenne pepper oil to chocolate ice cream in college, thus creating her Spicy Frozen Chocolate flavor. The ice cream queen now operates over 40 ‘scoop shops’ nationally and has done collabs with Chandon Brut (Sparkling Berry Punch Sorbet), Dolly Parton (Strawberry Pretzel Pie) and Tyler, the Creator (Pluto Bleu). She’s even made a White House Chocolate Chip flavor for the president and received a James Beard Foundation Award for her book Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home. Her latest masterpiece, Golden Nectar, tastes like fading summer sunlight topped with cracked caramel and it’s time to get involved.
Ladurée
New York, New York While we wouldn’t exactly call Paris transplant Ladurée an “ice cream shop” per se, we would call it the crème de la crème of Parisian bakeries and macaron parlors in the New York City. And they happen to feature the most exquisite ice cream and sorbet cups topped with what else—macarons—along with the prettiest ice cream macaron sandwiches. In addition to the confectionary delights you can find lining the pastry counters up front, there’s also a tea salon, full-scale restaurant and stunning, tree-shaded garden out back, perfect for the most celebratory affairs. We suggest a leisurely brunch with French omelets, their famed avocado toast, perhaps a quiche and frites, followed by tiered towers of sweets and homemade glacé to cap off the day.
Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream
New York, New York “Would you like that in a cup or cone, or in between freshly baked buns?” No you didn’t hear that wrong; it’s a common order at ice cream parlor Morgenstern’s in NYC’s NOHO neighborhood. Their Ice Cream Burger features Neapolitan ice creams (strawberry, vanilla and chocolate) stacked inside a buttered burger bun and is like no other. Give it a try the next time you feel like a burger—and ice cream? Or there’s a Smashburger-style menu full of real burgers you can follow up with a soft serve twist. Your call.
Polar Bear Homemade Ice Cream
Catskills, New York With plenty of grazing lands and countless creameries, it is no surprise that Great Western Catskills has some delicious ice cream spots for warm summer days. And with National Ice Cream Day on the horizon, there’s everything from small-batch ice cream made on the farms of Delaware County to big production facilities that distribute all over the country. For the best scoop or a delicious shake, Polar Bear Homemade Ice Cream offers made freshly-made ice cream daily using the original custard machines and recipes! And if you have more time to scream for ice cream in the area, check out the creative sundaes and flurries at Mac-a-Doodles Restaurant & Ice Cream. From the Doodle Bug Sunday (topped with Oreo cookie crumble and gummy warms) to the Snickers Flurry (chocolate dip, malt, peanuts, and caramel) there’s something for every sweet tooth.
Pretty Cool Ice Cream
Chicago, Illinois If the millennial pink facade doesn’t lure you inside Pretty Cool Ice Cream, we guarantee one glimpse of their Custard Bars and Fancy Pops sure will. The Logan Square hotspot is the brainchild of veteran pastry chef and author of Hello My Name Is Ice Cream, Dana Cree, and Michael Ciapciak, founder of Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits, and it’s quickly gained a rep for the best ice cream in Chicago. Whimsical fruit and buttermilk bars are coated in sprinkles, crunchies, potato chips and more goodness, but get your hands on the latest flavor du jour while you can: Peach Icicle Pie surrounded by a cinnamon graham cracker shell. Wowza.
Purple Pie Place
Custer, South Dakota While Purple Pie Place is well known for its milkshakes and homemade pies (the best in the Black Hills!), the sundaes are a can’t miss as well. Plus the house’s decor is a Custer staple with its purple striped exterior. Also noteworthy in South Dakota: Memorial Team Ice Cream at Mount Rushmore. Their recipe is based on Thomas Jefferson’s original ice cream recipe from 1760 and it’s only a 30-minute drive from downtown Rapid City, so you can get a history lesson and a really good scoop of ice cream at the same time.
Strawberry Hill U.S.A.
Chesnee, South Carolina Fresh fruit mixed into hand-churned ice cream? That’s the DNA of Strawberry Hill U.S.A.’s is the retail portion of Cooley Farms, a family farm that dates to the early 1900s and that today offers 1,000 acres of South Carolina’s most beloved fruit, the peach, and the largest strawberry farm in the entire state. Stop by the Ice Cream Parlor where you can settle into a rocking chair to enjoy your cone and take in the views. As for the top flavors, you can’t go wrong with peach, strawberry and blackberry, since they’re made with Cooley Farms’ very own crops. The fruit is picked at its peak, peeled and sliced, and put right into the ice cream just hours after it’s harvested.
Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant
Scottsdale, Arizona Touring Scottsdale this summer? Beat the heat at Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant, which serves up classic American dishes and creative treats like sundaes, shakes and floats. The family-friendly ice cream parlor, which has been open since 1958, still features its authentic 1950s soda fountain seats and old-school decor. For out-of-the-box and innovative flavors a short drive away, Sweet Republic offers more artisan options like Salted Caramel Swirl, Sweet Corn, Sichuan Chocolate and Brown Butter Pecan.
Taiyaki NYC
Boston, Massachusetts, Miami, Florida and New York, New York Famous for their fish-shaped ice cream cones, people travel far and wide to Chinatown and Williamsburg in NYC for Taiyaki (and now, to Miami and the Boston Seaport), just to gram these adorable fishy concoctions. They also serve soufflé pancakes and colorful soft serve, but everyone’s clearly there for the Taiyakis topped with unicorn horns and ears. The word Taiyaki comes from Tai (sea bream that’s considered the king fish in Japan) and yaki (meaning fried, baked or grilled) and is actually a popular street food in Japan that’s a round-shaped cake served warm and filled with azuki sweet red bean paste.
Tipsy Scoop
The Bahamas, Boston, Massachusetts and Brooklyn, Queens and New York, New York New York-based fan favorite Tipsy Scoop already has stands, shops and carts all over NYC and its surrounding boroughs, but they’ve recently made their way to Beantown as a pop-up at Loews Hotel’s Precinct Bar & Kitchen and The Cove Atlantis in The Bahamas so you can get tipsy on flavors like Cake Batter Vodka Martini and Dark Chocolate Whiskey Salted Caramel on vacation or just strolling around Boston.
The Creole Creamery
New Orleans, Louisiana NOLA is anything but basic when it comes to cuisine so you know the ice cream shops will be just as decadent, rich and soulful as the rest of The Big Easy’s fare. For extravagant sundaes, scoops and banana splits in casual, yet retro digs, pop into The Creole Creamery on Prytania Street. There’s Lemon Icebox Pie is with swirls of graham cracker crust, Black Chai AKA coconut ash ice cream with chai spices and then there’s the Tchoupitoulas. A casual eight scoops of ice cream, eight toppings, served with whipped cream, sprinkles, cherries and wafers. Order it!
The Ice Cream Store
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Southern Delaware is best known for its coastal communities and a ton of farmland, which translates to: some of the best farm-made ice cream in the US. Even President Joe Biden is a fan. POTUS is known to visit The Ice Cream Store on family vacations to Rehoboth Beach. Located steps from the Rehoboth boardwalk, this family-run shop has been in business since 1970 and features 100 original flavors ranging from Carolina Reaper Pepper Ice Cream to the tamer, best-selling Delaware Peach. Undecided? Don’t worry—there are flights available with a taste of six different delights.
