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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Various Locations / Website
Okay yes, this may be an Ohio-based brand, but Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams has recently taken Atlanta by storm with local outposts in Decatur, Krog Street Market and Westside Provisions District. Jeni’s spearheaded the artisan ice cream movement more than a decade before it became a trend, utilizing whole ingredients, dairy from grass-pastured cows and nixing synthetic flavorings, dyes and off-the-shelf mixes. The result? Delicious, creamy offerings in flavors like frosé sorbet, sweet cream biscuits with peach jam and fluffernutter pie that are guaranteed to hit the spot. Ready for more? Atlanta’s full list includes gelato, nitrogen ice cream and other frozen delights.
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320 S. Galena St., 970-925-7585 / Website
Locally owned and operated, Paradise Bakery first claimed fame in town for their cookies and muffins made from scratch. Now, their homemade gelato and sorbet, popularly served in both summer and winter seasons, brings in plenty of business. The shop serves gelato in classic flavors, such as vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, and their refreshing sorbets, which come in flavors like mango or lemon, are guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth. Don’t say goodbye too soon! After a year of speculation that the 1981 bakery location had to move this upcoming October, co-owner Mark Patterson let The Aspen Times know that they’ve reached an agreement to stay at their beloved gathering spot on the corner of Galena Street and Cooper Avenue. Don’t stop there because Aspen offers more must-try ice cream parlors on its full list.
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Various Locations / Website
Transport yourself to the streets of Italy with just one taste of the divine delicacies from Amorino Boston. Hazelnut chocolate will take you to Northern Italy with every bite, while salted butter caramel’s sweet and salty combo will satisfy any dessert craving. Here, presentation is equally as important, with each scoop sculpted into the form of a rose. Top it off with a gelato macaron of your choosing for a truly decadent experience. Check out the other great ice cream shops on Boston's full list.
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859 N. Damen Ave., 773-235-3116 / Website
From espresso chip to sesame cookie dough and raspberry lychee (plus signature flavors like chocolate, mint cookie and goat cheese cashew caramel), these creative concoctions from pastry chef-turned-gelato-queen Jessica Oloroso have been wowing sweet tooths since 2010. Still got a sweet tooth? Try one of Chicago’s other 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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35 Newtown Lane, East Hampton / Website
What’s the scoop in East Hampton? Since the summer sun calls for an extra dose of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, A La Mode Shoppe brings the Newtown Lane scene the best of the best with a cherry on top. From the bustling streets of the Big Apple, this adorable, all-inclusive ice cream shop features an assortment of refreshing 100-percent nut-, egg- and sesame-free flavors–think delectable flavors like pink sprinkle, cooks and partly cloudy. 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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1203 S Main St., 702-426-7829 / Website
Here, all your ice cream dreams come true. From piled-high banana splits and sweet sundaes to doughnut ice cream sandwiches and Dole whips, this sweets shop in Las Vegas attracts the masses for dessert any time of day. In the mood for something else? Try one of the other spots on Las Vegas’ full ice cream list.
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Various Locations / Website
L.A.’s favorite grocery store serves it all—and more. On your next visit, be sure to stop by the Tonic Bar for a Cosmic Bliss Soft Serve. Order it traditional style, with just the coconut milk and vanilla base, or opt for Hailey Bieber’s version: vegan chocolate chips, sweet strawberry glaze, coconut whip and a drizzle of Spread The Love peanut butter. All that yumminess, and yet there are other amazing shops to try on L.A.’s full list.
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2211 NW Second Ave., Wynwood / Website
Dasher & Crank focuses on local, customized flavors made in partnership with Miami businesses, such as JoJo Tea and Per’la Coffee. The bubblegum pink-hued creamery dishes out delicious artisan flavors that rotate daily. Past favorites include Ube Macapuno, made with coconut ice cream and Filipino purple yams, and smoked almond ice cream with a dulce de leche swirl. Our pick? The cheekily-named Salty Beach coconut ice cream with sea salt and graham cracker is a must-try. Pero, like, you still have to try the 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 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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1500 Orange Ave. Coronado, 619-435-6611 / Website
Stop by Hotel del Coronado for a taste of delicious gelato on a cone or upgrade to a gourmet sundae. Build your own paletas are also a must-try, where guests can choose any ice cream bar to be dipped or drizzled with chocolate and covered in toppings. Ready for more? Check the fine flavors on San Diego's full list.
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Multiple locations / Website
With fresh-churned, smooth scoops served in hand-rolled, house-recipe waffle cones, Smitten Ice Cream sets the sweet treat bar high. With multiple locations throughout the city, the company achieves its delectable flavors with its one-of-a-kind, patented Brrr ice cream machine that churns creamy desserts in just 90 seconds. Even more exciting? There are lots of other fantastic ice cream spots to try on SF’s full list.
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18511 N Scottsdale RD ste105 / Website
This Asian ice cream shop sets the bar high with delicious creamy ice cream in flavors like chocolate, mango, matcha, black sesame, milk and taro piled high in a cute fish-shaped cone. Another favorite is the Snowflake, a classic Korean dessert made of shaved ice with condensed milk that’s loaded with a variety of toppings like red bean, Oreo, strawberry and blueberry cheesecake. All that and there’s still other sizzling ice creameries to try on Scottsdale's full list.
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Various Locations / Website
Ice cream scoops, sandwiches, tacos, oh my! This delectable ice cream shop, whose name aptly stands for "Cookies Rule Everything Around Me," specializes in handcrafted, warm ice cream sandwiches, ice cream tacos, milkshakes, sundaes and more. Decadent creations and classic flavors like Birthday Cake and Rocky Road reign supreme here. Still, there’s more where that came from on Silicon Valley’s full list.
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700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach; 112 S. Clematis St. / Website
A trip to Sloan’s Ice Cream will have you entering an ice cream wonderland. With extravagant pink walls and twinkling chandeliers paired with the irresistible aroma of baked treats, Sloan’s will satisfy your sweet tooth while also pleasing your eyes. 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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45 N. 12th St., 215-925-4315 / Website
Located in Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market, Bassetts is known for its delicious desserts and superior service. From shakes to sorbets, this sixth-generation family business has remained a city staple since 1861, dishing delectable flavors that can be enjoyed in a cup, cone or hand-packed container. Ice cream connoisseurs can taste these fan-favorite flavors at the Terminal or various local dip shops, fine restaurants and retail markets. All that said, and Philly still boasts more must-try ice cream shops, so check the full list.
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1420 8th St., NW, 205-518-1287 / Website
In 2006, this artisan gelato company opened its doors in Washington, DC. Dolci Gelati’s creative concoctions are made daily with handpicked fruits, fine chocolate imported from Ecuador and other fresh, rare ingredients. These delectable desserts are mastered with a consistent level of quality that will satisfy local ice cream connoisseurs without a doubt. 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
