I scream, you scream, we all scream for the best darn dessert ever to hit summer.
Ice cream needs no introduction. One of the most versatile sweet treats around, you can spring it with toppings, freeze it with nitrogen, put it in a shake or squeeze it between cookies for extra gooey goodness. Everyone does ice cream a little differently, but what flavor or texture do you like best?
See also: 20 of the Best Coffee Shops Across America
We asked our editors to tell us where to get the best ice cream in their city. Now, we're giving you the national scoop. From Chicago to Miami, New York City to Los Angeles and everything in between, here are some of the best ice cream shops across America.
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Multiple locations / Website
Locally crafted in small batches with real cream and fresh ingredients, the brilliant minds at Butter & Cream take classic flavors and reinvent them with unique, modern twists. Offering up to 20 different flavors at any given time, you can expect seasonal rotations of quirky concoctions, including milkshakes, slushies and ice cream floats. Every inclusion, from brownies and cookies to toffee and sauces, are made in-house and guaranteed fresh. Be sure to stop by the Beltline location with your pooch and treat them to a pup cup. Ready for more? Atlanta’s full list includes gelato, nitrogen ice cream and other frozen delights.
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201 Elk Ave., Crested Butte; 970-275-6650 / Website
It all started when Matt Smith and Kendall Tankersley wanted to bring exceptionally fresh and natural homemade ice cream to Gunnison Valley. With overwhelmingly positive feedback and support from family and friends, Third Bowl Ice Cream shop opened in Crested Butte in 2012. Since then, they’ve been serving creative concoctions, including coconut vanilla malt, blueberry pie and Fluffernutter, along with dairy-free choices, including chocolate, cowboy coffee and honey lavender. If you can’t make it to Crested Butte, look out for pints and half pints being sold at your local grocery store. Don’t stop there because Aspen offers three more must-try ice cream parlors on its full list.
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Various locations / Website
What started as a small ice cream shop in Jamaica Plain is now one of the most beloved creameries in Massachusetts. Savor a scoop of classic flavors like mint chip and cookies n cream or the dairy-free honey cow paws. For something a bit richer, indulge in one of their specialty treats like the peanut butter cup sundae—a heavenly creation of vanilla ice cream topped with homemade hot fudge, peanut butter sauce, fresh whipped cream and Reese’s cup. Still want sweet? Check out the other great ice cream shops on Boston's full list.
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9233 S. Western Ave.; 498 E. Roosevelt Road, Lombard; Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave. / Website
Long before the age of Instagram, this 95-year-old Chicago institution was serving up the ultimate post-worthy frozen treat, a signature five-layer towering concoction of chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (that would be vanilla with cherries and walnuts), pistachio and orange sherbet. New for ’21? Four ice cream trucks that are wandering the streets of the city, ready to bring ice cream delight straight to you. Still got a sweet tooth? Try one of Chicago’s other six favorite ice creameries on the full list.
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2116 Greenville Ave.; 5959 Royal Lane, Suite 622 / Website
From gelato and popsicles to cakes and sundaes, Botolino has your cool cravings covered. Using pure ingredients to craft his desserts from scratch, founder Carlo “Botolo” Gattini has a heart for timeless Italian flavors plus creative creations like olive oil, mascarpone and figs, and peanut and jelly sandwich. If you crave something different from the rest, try their affogato, which is your favorite gelato flavor drowned in your choice of Valhorna chocolate sauce or espresso and coffee liqueur. Summer is super hot in Dallas, though, so try the other four ice cream stops on Dallas full list.
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2391 Montauk Hwy., Bridgehampton / Website
Sometimes the best things are left classic. That is why Bridgehampton Candy Kitchen has one of the strongest ice cream games out East. The restaurant is nothing short of adorable, radiating ultimate ice cream parlor vibes. Needless to say, their homemade ice cream hits the sweet spot, with flavors ranging from mint chocolate chip to coffee chip. After munching on one of Candy Kitchen’s signature lunch dishes or in the need of a refresher, their ice cream makes for the ultimate sweet treat. Top your ice cream with a sugar confection that puts the candy in Candy Kitchen. Still feeling sweet? Try one of the other six spots on the Hamptons’ full list.
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2301 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu; 808-200-1640 / Website
At Banán, the desserts look like ice cream—but taste like the tropics. Aiming to provide its customers with fresh, healthy ingredients, this island eatery transforms Hawai'i grown bananas into plant-based frozen treats. Banán is on a mission to make both people and the Earth happy and has done so with its various initiatives to revive Hawai'i’s banana industry and create a culture focused on local agriculture. With acai bowls, papaya boats and even pineapple yachts, Banán has put a unique twist on Hawai'i’s frozen desserts. Why quit now? Island hop your way to more frozen treats with Hawai’i’s full list.
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1848 Westheimer Road; 281-501-0639 / Website
With its modern approach to flavors and creative mix-ins, ice cream at Milk + Sugar is anything but ordinary. Started by two picky ice cream enthusiasts who wanted to find the perfect mix of not too sweet, super creamy and never icy, this aesthetic creamery offers flavors you won’t find in the freezer aisle. “Life is too short for plain vanilla,” they say. Instead, Milk + Sugar serves unique combinations such as cereal milk, with a cereal milk base and toasted frosted flakes, rain or shine, a mix of earl gray, lavender and lemon, and the city that never sleeps, which has a coffee and pretzel base with chocolate flakes. Of course, Houston stays hot for most of the year, so there’s plenty of time to try all nine ice cream spots on H-Town’s full list.
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7920 W Tropical Pkwy #150 / Website
No scoops, just rolls. Rolled Ice Cream is known for its exciting rolled ice cream flavors like Nutella, s’mores, avocado and piña colada, among others. If you want to take your sweetness to the next level, try its cereal cookies, varying from Lucky Charms and Cocoa Pebbles to peanut butter and chocolate chips. Want it all? Try its rolled sandwiches featuring two cookies with rolled ice cream in between. In the mood for something more traditional? Try one of the other nine spots on Las Vegas’ full ice cream list.
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829 E 3rd St.; 240 N Larchmont Blvd. / Website
Known for mouthwatering unique scoops, Salt & Straw is a must-visit for locals and visitors alike. Out-of-the-box flavors like honey lavender, pear and blue cheese, and bourbon and caramelized honeycomb have curious customers waiting in lines wrapped around the store. For those will a less daring palate, Salt & Straw also offers more traditional flavors like double fold vanilla and sea salt with caramel ribbons. All that yumminess, and yet there are still 11 other shops to try on L.A.’s full list.
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1502 SW 8th St., Little Havana; 305-381-0369 / Website
If you’re craving something a little more worldly, head over to Azucar Ice Cream Company for its inventive Cuban-inspired treats. The creamery’s signature Abuela Maria, named after owner Suzy Battle’s grandmother, is a cult favorite with crushed up Maria cookies, guava and cream cheese. While enjoying your scoop, take a moment to appreciate the shop’s famous art pieces, including a painting of Celia Cruz and a giant ice cream sculpture that has become a Calle Ocho landmark. Pero, like, you still have to try the seven other stops on Miami’s full list.
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2 Rivington St.; 212-209-7684 / Website
Morganstern’s has perhaps some of the most unique ice cream flavors in the entire city. While they carry traditional flavors such as Cookies N’ Cream and Rockiest Road, they also reinvented the concept of ice cream through their nonconventional flavors of Olive Oil Chocolate Orange, Sour Cream & Brown Sugar Strawberry, and French Fry. This spot is legendary, but so are the other 10 shops on NYC’s full list.
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Multiple locations / Website
Afters is anything but your typical ice cream shop. Here, creativity and culture blend together in a unique array of flavors like Jasmine Milk Tea, French Toast Churro and Cookie Monster. Devour stacked scoops on homemade waffle cones or the Milky Bun, a glazed bun stuffed with your favorite flavors. Orange County is not playing around, and there are 14 other amazing ice creameries you have got to try on the full list.
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Piazza Della Famiglia, 550 W Date St.; 858-255-8693 / Website
While Bobboi offers classic flavors like stracciatella and pistachio, unconventional options such as matchatella (matcha and chocolate shards) or rosehoney (honey and Lebanese rosewater) are what truly stand out. Rather than showcasing their gelato like most shops, they store it away to maintain freshness and temperature, ensuring a flawless consistency every single time. Ready for more? Check the fine flavors on San Diego's full list.
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815 Cole St.; 415-742-4932 / Website
Take a quick, sweet trip to the past at The Ice Cream Bar, a 1930's style soda fountain serving ice cream and baked treats made in-house. Open from Wednesday through Sunday, this ice cream shop serves an assortment of flavors like Banana Puddin', Caramelized Honey and Creme Fraiche. Pair any of their ice cream flavors (they have vegan options!) with their chocolate chip cookies or a slice of pie. If you're in the mood for a shake instead, try one (or all) of their 'Boozy Drinks.' Even more exciting? There are 14 other fantastic ice cream spots to try on SF’s full list.
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1608 N. Miller Road, Ste. 5; 480-634-6460 / Website
Stay cool in the Valley heat with a Fatty Daddy’s Cookie Cup that includes your choice of a single scoop gelato, sorbet or ice cream, topped with a macaroon and a toasted marshmallow. Gelato and sorbet are made with local, natural and organic ingredients in a variety of seasonal flavors that rotate weekly. For die-hard cereal fans, we guarantee you’ll get your fix and then some with ice cream flavors like Captain Crunch, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cookie & Cream and Fruity Pebble. All that and there’s still seven other sizzling ice creameries to try on Scottsdale's full list.
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3946 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto; 650-493-6553 / Website
With 48 inventive flavors to choose from, you'll never tire of Rick's ice cream. Since 1956, this Palo Alto gourmet microcreamery has been serving the community delicious scoops of flavors like Black Raspberry Crunch, Rose—made with rose syrup from India—Sweet Coconut, and many more. They also craft incredibly creative ice cream cakes perfect for any special occasion. Still, there’s more where that came from on Silicon Valley’s full list.
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66 Via Mizner; 561-814-5966 / Website
Serving locally sourced, handcrafted gelato and sorbetto, Piccolo Gelato is an ideal locale for the dessert-lovers of Palm Beach. The eatery offers a variety of over 20 rotating flavors, including some that are only 80 calories per serving and dairy free. Of course, sunny south Florida has more than one great ice cream spot, so check the full list for Palm Beach.
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111 S. Independence Mall E.; 215.988.9998 / 1109 Walnut St.; 215.988.9992 / Website
Since its opening in 1989, Scoop DeVille has been serving Philadelphians with the most memorable ice cream experience in town. From colorful cakes to custom blends, guests can create their own soft serve flavors or choose from hundreds of magnificent mix-ins. Whether you’re craving a sweet treat or savory splendor, the flavor combinations are endless with Scoop DeVille. All that said, and Philly still boasts three more must-try ice cream shops, so check the full list.
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8030-B Georgia Ave., Silver Spring; 202.849.6151 / Website
Since its opening in 2002, Moorenko’s has crafted Washington D.C.’s finest, ultra-premium ice cream. These wholly-satisfying desserts are made by hand daily using only the highest quality, natural ingredients. Dishing out a distinctive range of ice cream and sorbet flavors, like fresh ginger or honey lavender, guests are sure to find new and unexpected twists on this classic frozen treat. Is D.C. the capital of ice cream? Try the other spots on the city’s full list and judge for yourself.
Looking for more ways to have fun this summer? Pair your ice cream with some summer nail designs, or hit the road and enjoy one of the best summer festivals across the U.S.
Photography by: foodandstyle / Getty
