When the temperature starts rising the only logical thing to do is turn to one of the 50 best America ice cream parlours to help you cool down. Creamy gelato, fruity ‘n’ zesty popsicles and all sorts of creative scoops can be found all over the country.
We’ve got you covered with the one scoops place in every US state you simply cannot afford to miss. From old school stores that have been making ice cream for decades to whack new creations in NYC, there’s so much variety here.
So forget about the gym or that diet you’ve been working on. It’s time for a treat. Grab a friend and hit one of the 50 must-visit America ice cream parlours..
1. Cammie’s Old Dutch Ice Cream Shoppe – Mobile, Alabama
When a shop has been keeping their customers happy since 1956 you know they are doing something right. One taste of the scoops here and you’ll see why it’s such a local favourite.
After over a century in business their ice cream is still as tasty, creamy and delicious as it always was. Make sure to look out for their banana splits which are truly epic.
2. WooHoo! Ice cream – Anchorage, Alaska
A beautiful little ice cream shop that is focused on community and, as they say, “making the world better one scoop at a time”.
The place feels super homely and you’ll always leave with a big, happy smile on your face. How could you not when you’re munching into a homemade ice cream sandwich?!
3. Churn – Phoenix, Arizona
Churn insists on keeping the product as pure as possible. That means no additives and no chemicals and ice cream that is always churned fresh daily.
The end result is rich, creamy and melts in the mouth. They have some regular flavours that never leave the menu and a large extra selection that are on rotation. Never a dull moment here.
4. Burton’s Creamery – Fayetteville, Arkansas
Burton’s Creamery opened in June 2014 and serves some of the very best soft serve in the country. Fresh, crunchy cones and you can even cover the entire thing in chocolate.
Their secret is that most soft serve contains 1-3% butterfat – Burton’s sweet cream yields a staggering 10% butterfat. All of the flavour!
5. Shubert’s Ice Cream & Candy – Chico, California
Shubert’s Ice Cream & Candy first started making ice cream back in 1938 and have been going strong ever since. Incredibly, they still use the same original machines to this very day.
Locals know the ice cream as some of the best they have ever tasted and they have won numerous national awards. The real deal!
6. Josh & John’s Ice Cream – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Their ice cream is creamy, dense and full of flavour and this is all achieved through a super slow churning process.
They also make super colourful and tasty cakes but the star of the show here is the ice cream. As soon as you taste it once you’ll be addicted for life.
7. Rich Farm Ice Cream Shop – Oxford, Connecticut
Rich Farm Ice Cream Shop have three locations and the key to their success is churning the ice cream daily to keep things super fresh.
They have some stellar flavours that never leave the menu but also have some specials that change on an ongoing basis. A wonderful place for a family day out.
8. Vanderwende Farm Creamery – Greenwood, Delaware
This family-owned and operated farm has been a business that’s passed through the family for three generations. It started way back in 1954 with just six cows and a small plot of land.
They now have about 4,000 cows and produce all their own ice cream from scratch with absolutely delicious results. The real deal.
9. Mr Krean – Miami, Florida
Mr Krean is the world’s first ever ‘Hip Hop ice cream shop’ and a seriously fun place to spend some time.
Bright colours, slick decor and pumping tunes, but most of all some of the most colourful and flavoursome ice cream you will ever taste. If only all ice cream shops were this imaginative and exciting.
10. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams – Atlanta, Georgia
They put huge effort on growing a community around their brand building a business with integrity that will be here for decades to comes.
Having said that, the main focus is the quality of the product and some seriously world class ice cream. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams has stores all over the state but the Atlanta one is a real gem.
11. Black Sheep Cream Co – Waipahu, Hawaii
Black Sheep Cream Co. is well known locally as the best ice cream on all the islands and consistently wins awards.
They even have a tasting board of ice creams where you get small scoops of different flavours to help you fully experience the offering. It doesn’t get much better than eating ice cream in Hawaii.
12. Delsa’s Ice Cream Parlour – Boise, Idaho
The ice cream parlour first opened in 1961 and more than half a century later it is going stronger than ever.
They make 130 flavours of premium ice cream on-site at the creamery. Their ice creams are also wonderfully natural and free of unnecessary ingredients.
13. Batavia Creamery- Batavia, Illinois
A family-owned and operated ice cream parlour that opened in 2006 and which serves 44 flavours of ice cream in store at any one time.
They also rotate another 100 flavours and serve scoops, sundaes, shakes, malts, sodas, smoothies, custom made ice cream cakes and pies. Basically, any sweet treat you could ever want.
14. Wyliepalooza Ice Cream Emporium – Indianapolis, Indiana
They first opened their doors in 2013 and are now a firm fixture and part of the community. They’re also just about to open their second store at the end of summer, so you’ve no excuse not to visit.
The ice cream itself comes in dozens of wonderfully original flavours which are rich, smooth and creamy.
15. Dane’s Dairy – Iowa City, Iowa
Dane’s Dairy has been an Iowa City tradition since way back in 1960 and is loved by both locals and visitors alike.
They serve soft serve vanilla, chocolate and strawberry cones as well as frozen blackberry yogurt cones. They have a huge variety of flavours as well as sundaes, shakes, malts, twisters, slushes, and a variety of other specialties.
A great place to bring the kids.
16. Betty Rae’s Ice Cream – Kansas City, Kansas
Betty Rae’s serves up homemade ice cream in 27 flavours served up in cones that are made from scratch.
Their food truck is a joyous ode to all things ice cream and will put a smile on your face as soon as you see it. If you’ve over 21 they also serve a great range of spiked sundaes and boozy shakes.
17. Chaney’s Dairy Barn – Bowling Green, Kentucky
This is a working dairy farm where not only can you get fresh ice cream but also milk and even full meals. Spending money here feels like giving to the people at the very source of food production.
The best thing is knowing that your delicious ice cream never has to travel more than a couple of hundred yards until it reaches you.
18. Creole Creamery – New Orleans, Louisiana
Now with three locations in the area, you are never too far away from their ice cream and that is a good thing.
As well as their regular menu they have seasonal flavours that rotate in and out, depending on what is available. They also serve a great selection of sorbets if you want something lighter but to miss out on the ice cream would be a travesty.
19. Kettle Cove Creamery and Café – Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Kettle Cove Creamery is bustling beach hut that is so good – they may have a line out the door but it is always worth the wait.
Their imaginative flavours include “Miso Seaweed” or “Grape-nut’; or perhaps an alternative sorbet we will satisfy your cravings.
20. Kilby Cream – Rising Sun, Maryland
The family of Kilby Cream have been dairying for over 100 years but only started making ice cream in 2005 when they started bottling their own milk.
A great place to come and relax and watch the world go by. They serve ice cream, shakes, sundaes, smoothies and blended ice coffee drinks. No corner is cut here in terms of ensuring the very best quality.
21. Crescent Ridge – Sharon, Massachusetts
This is a very modern take on a farm but the origins date back to 1928 when the produce was delivered in a Chevrolet milk truck.
Fast forward to today and the farm is as much of a community that is focused on quality and education. You can even order their produce online and have it delivered.
Their ice cream is creamy, rich, and delicious.
22. Moomers Homemade Ice Cream – Traverse City, Michigan
Moomers has 160 flavours of premium ice cream served in the store so plenty to choose from.
They also have a huge range of treats from the traditional ice cream cone to or an ice cream wedding cake. With close to 20 years in business they have a hugely loyal fan base who will agree that this ice cream is as good as it gets.
23. Izzy’s Ice Cream Cafe – St Paul, Minnesota
A Twin Cities institution that serves more than 100 flavours and unique combinations including fresh fruits, like peaches and blackberries.
They focus on high quality ingredients and sourcing the best of the best and that’s exactly what you’ll taste that as soon as the ice cream hits your lips.
24. Freezing Cow Rolled Ice Cream – Ridgeland, Mississippi
Seeing the ice cream being made here at Freezing Cow is pure theatre and will have you licking your lips in anticipation. Rolled ice cream is an amazing Thai dessert that’s now gone global.
Every ice cream will be unique with dozens of flavours, toppings, fruit and sauces to help you customise your treat.
25. Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Creamery – St Louis, Missouri
100% natural ingredients. All of their milk is from local, grass-fed, pasture-raised, hormone and RBST-free cows. It doesn’t get more pure and natural than the ice cream here.
Their flavours are bright, vivacious and you’ll be savouring every single mouthful and craving a second portion. Ice cream really doesn’t get much tastier.
26. Big Dipper Ice Cream – Missoula, Montana
This is a wildly popular ice cream that is featured in national media on a regular basis.
Big Dipper can be found in Missoula, Helena and Billings, Montana as well as rolling around Missoula in their ice cream truck. The perfect summer’s day treat.
Super friendly staff serving up some outrageously delicious and rich ice cream. What more could you want?
27. Ivanna Cone – Lincoln, Nebraska
They make all their ice cream in house and slow churn it to ensure that it’s extra creamy.
They have some house staples which are always on the menu but also change their special flavours on a regular basis so you are always spoilt for choice.
Their waffle cones are better than anything you’ll ever taste so make sure not to miss out on those.
28. Grandma Daisy’s Candy Store and Ice Cream Parlor – BOulder City, Nevada
A family-owned old fashioned candy store and ice cream parlour that serves up some incredible sweet treats.
Fresh caramel apples and homemade fudge is made in the store daily with an old fashion copper kettle. Combined with their classic vanilla ice cream you will feel as if you have died and gone to heaven.
29. Memories Ice Cream – Kingston, New Hampshire
Go and visit this great working farm and see how the ice cream is made and then taste one of their 45 regular flavours.
Their ice cream is so good that many restaurants serve it. and you’ll also find it in a number of local shops and on sale wholesale so you can take some home with you. An absolute delight of a place.
30. Torico – Jersey City, New Jersey
A super family friendly ice cream shop that have some of the friendliest staff and over 65 flavours to choose from.
As well as some Italian classic style gelatos they serve some inspiring Asian flavours like green tea and litchi. Make sure to keep an eye out for their ice cream sandwiches. One of life’s great joys.
31. Taos Cow – Arroyo Seco, New Mexico
They have a huge focus on using only the best and most pure of ingredients. That includes organic egg yolks, pure cane brown sugar and all natural extracts including Madagascar vanilla bourbon.
The end result? An ice cream that is rich, pure and delicious. The only problem is that once you taste ice cream here no other scoop will come close ever again.
32. Tipsy Scoop – New York, New York
We can all agree that cocktails and ice cream are two of the best things in the world, right? So why separate them? Tipsy Scoop knows what’s up.
What they’ve created here are creamy, boozy and delicious treats that will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about life.
Not somewhere for the kids obviously, but this is a fun adult playground.
33. North Carolina – Calabash, Calabash Creamery
The key to their success is their passion for their product since they first opened back in 2003. They also use fresh 16% butterfat cream and the finest, freshest ingredients.
The only thing better than their ice cream is the warm smiles and hospitality you are greeted with when you walk in the door.
34. The Silver Lining Creamery – Fargo, North Dakota
They specialise in fresh, bold and unique flavours all created in-house using the most up to date and freshest ice cream ingredients.
They use 14% butterfat to increase the richness of the ice cream and also only make it in small 2.5 gallon batches to maintain quality. A world-class American ice cream experience.
35. Mitchell’s Ice Cream – Cleveland, Ohio
Each batch is hand-crafted in their Ohio City kitchen and they place a major emphasis on sourcing as many local ingredients as possible.
Their ice cream is silky smooth, tastes luxurious and is a perfect treat. Knowing that they put so much effort into sustainability is the cherry on top.
36. Roxy’s Ice Cream Social – Oklahoma city, Oklahoma
They make all their ice cream in house daily and specialise in hand dipped ice cream, fresh baked cookie sandwiches, floats, and sundaes.
Nothing beats getting in line on a hot day when you spot their truck and knowing you are going to get one of their delicious ice creams. Pure joy.
37. Fifty Licks Ice Cream – Portland, Oregon
Fifty Licks’ ice cream is made from scratch with local ingredients and tons of cage-free egg yolks for a luscious, rich texture.
Their flavours will blow your mind and include “French toast” and “Soy sauce”. This is ice cream making at the very cutting edge and it is utterly divine.
38. Penn State Berkey Creamery – University Park, Pennsylvania
This is a truly unique place by the Department of Food Science which aims to “provide quality dairy products to students in on-campus housing, and to maintain an economically viable retail outlet for dairy products to the University community.”
In short, they make delicious ice cream and lean on science and decades of experience to do so. Setting the standards for ice cream globally and always raising the bar.
39. Brickley’s Homemade Ice Cream – Narragansett, Rhode Island
They make all their own ice cream onsite to ensure that it is as fresh as possible every single day.
They often have over 45 flavours of ice cream as well as frozen yogurt, no-sugar added ice cream, sherbets and sorbet. If you can’t find something you like here you never will!
40. Sweet Cream Co. – Colombia, South Carolina
They are all about the core ingredients and sourcing the best of the best to make everything from scratch. As they say, “bad ice cream can be covered up by toppings”.
With those core ingredients, classic techniques and pure passion they produce some of the silkiest, richest and most flavoursome ice cream you will ever taste. Absolutely world-class.
41. Armadillo’s Ice Cream Shoppe – Rapid City, South Dakota
Armadillo’s first opened their doors in the spring of 1996 and they have been going strong and getting better every day since.
Their soft serve is the stuff of legend and with a huge variety of toppings there is something here to please everybody. Make sure to try their flavour of the day as it is always something seriously special.
42. Cruze Farm – Knoxville, Tennessee
Cruze Farm is a family dairy where you get to spoil yourself not once but twice in the same visit. That’s because besides great ice cream they also do some of the best pizza in the business.
Their ice cream is super rich and silky smooth and best enjoyed from one of their perfect waffle cones. The sort of treat that you are not going to forget in a hurry.
43. Amy’s Ice Creams – Austin, Texas
Established in 1984, they make super premium ice creams, dairy-free fruit ices and frozen yogurt. You know that somewhere as popular as this in business for 30 years is doing something right and is worth checking out.
They have over 350 flavours in rotation which means that you have plenty of excuses to keep coming back on a regular basis.
44. Farr Better Ice Cream – Ogden, Utah
Farr’s Ice Cream has been providing the highest quality, best priced frozen treats since 1929s. With close to a century of experience you know this is going to be a serious ice cream experience.
With over 600 possible flavours at any given time you are going to be seriously spoilt for choice. Choose between Spumoni, playdough, and the delicious Burnt Almond Fudge!
45. The Village Scoop –Â Colchester, Vermont
They make cakes, cupcakes and ice cream cakes but you want to come here and just enjoy a couple of simple scoops. This is the thing they do best and which will have you drooling for more.
You can choose from either soft serve or traditional ice cream with both being packed full of flavour and equally delicious.
46. The Dairy Godmother – Alexandria, Virginia
An awesome place to come for cookies, frozen custard and ice pops as well as some of the softest and most delicious ice cream you could ever imagine.
The menu is constantly changing, including daily specials, so you have every reason to keep coming back on a regular basis. Absolute heaven for anybody with a sweet tooth.
47. Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream – Seattle, Washington
They source 90% of their ingredients from the Pacific Northwest and have a manic focus on only using the best of the best.
As well as having some outrageously tasty ice cream they donate 1% of their sales to food banks and support many other charities.
You can spoil yourself here while knowing you are supporting a seriously sustainable and ethical business at the same time. Win-win.
48. Austin’s Homemade Ice Cream – Kenova, West Virginia
They make all of their ice cream in house and have some of the most colourful and imaginative flavours you could ever wish for.
Sit in and have a sundae, get one of their huge soft serves to go or take some of their ice cream home with you. Whatever way you eat it you’ll never be able to get enough of their ice cream.
49. Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor – Ephraim, Wisconsin
This spot is like taking a step back in time to an older America and all in the best way possible.
An old-fashioned soda fountain, ice cream specialties, home-brewed draft root beer, flame broiled burgers and juke boxes playing the classics. It’s iconic.
You’ll have so much fun here and the ice cream really is the crowning moment of it all.
50. Moo’s Gourmet Ice Cream – Jackson, Wyoming
Moo’s Gourmet Ice Cream serves only all natural and organic ice creams and sorbets and only ever use fully organic cream.
Even their sorbets are made using 99% pure organic fruit with just 1 % cane sugar.
The end result is a product so pure and so delicious that you would drive across the county to get your hands on some. And many people do!