A neon ice cream sign (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
No matter your age, no single food captures the spirit of summertime like ice cream. While most of us enjoy the sweet treat year-round, there’s just nothing like licking a cone from an ice cream truck, beach or poolside shack, or neighborhood scoop shop to cool yourself off on a sweltering summer day.
That’s why, ahead of National Ice Cream Day on July 17th, Yelp has released their list (below) of the top-rated ice cream shops in every U.S. state.
Reading through the list, I was struck by a couple thoughts. First, how few of my go-to scoop shops didn’t make the list. How could Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams not rank supreme in Ohio, and what about Salt & Straw for Oregon? In New York, how did Morgenstern’s, Van Leeuwen, and Il Laboratorio del Gelato not make the cut? I guess we all have our favorites.
While I can vouch for the deliciousness of a handful of others on the list, like the old-fashioned flavors mint chip or strawberry at Arethusa Farm Dairy in Connecticut, and creative combos like Lemon Poppy Berry Jam or Butterscotch Miso at Mount Desert Island Ice Cream in Bar Harbor, Maine, I realized how many of these amazing ice cream makers I’ve yet to visit for myself. To remedy that, I’ll try to get to Bontà Natural Artisan Gelato in Bend, Oregon and The Social in Brooklyn yet this summer. Next, I’m putting two further-flung ice cream destinations – Wild Scoops in Anchorage Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice in Hawaii – on my foodie travel vision board.
Sweet Society, Mount Desert Island Ice Cream, Treats, Cookies and Creamery ranked highest for ice ... [+]
Yelp’s Best Ice Cream in Every State
- Alaska (Anchorage): Wild Scoops
- Alabama (Birmingham): Big Spoon Creamery
- Arkansas (Little Rock) : Loblolly Creamery
- Arizona (Phoenix): Novel Ice Cream
- California (Costa Mesa): Confetti Italian Ice & Custard
- Colorado (Denver): I Scream Gelato – Lowry
- Connecticut (New Haven): Arethusa Farm Dairy
- Washington, DC: Everyday Sundae
- Delaware (Lewes): Hopkins Farm Creamery
- Florida (Davie): The Magic Cow
- Georgia (Suwansee): Scoopjoy Ice Creamery
- Hawaii (Kihei): Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice
- Iowa (Clive): Monarca Gourmet Paletas
- Idaho (Meridian): Lovejoy’s Real Ice Cream
- Illinois (Chicago): Vaca’s Creamery
- Indiana (Indianapolis): TeeJay’s Sweet Tooth
- Kansas (Overland Park): The Golden Scoop
- Kentucky (Louisville): Louisville Cream
- Louisiana (Baton Rouge): Sweet Society
- Massachusetts (Mashpee): Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour
- Maryland (Rockville): Carmen’s Italian Ice & Cafe
- Maine (Bar Harbor): Mount Desert Island Ice Cream
- Michigan (Traverse City): Moomers
- Minnesota (St Paul): Treats
- Missouri (Kansas City): Cookies and Creamery
- Mississippi (Bay Saint Louis): Creole Creamery
- Montana (Whitefish): Sweet Peaks
- North Carolina (Nags Head): Surfin’ Spoon
- North Dakota (Fargo): Silver Lining Creamery
- Nebraska (Omaha): Ted and Wally’s
- New Hampshire (North Conway): Tricks and Treats
- New Jersey (Nutley): Kubo Coffee And Creamery
- New Mexico (Las Cruces): Caliche’s Frozen Custard
- Nevada (Las Vegas): The Paleta Bar
- New York (Brooklyn): The Social
- Ohio (Cleveland): Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream
- Oklahoma (Tulsa): Rose Rock Microcreamery
- Oregon (Bend): Bontà Natural Artisan Gelato
- Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh): Treat – Ice Cream and Liege Waffles
- Rhode Island (Providence): Tricycle Ice Cream
- South Carolina (Myrtle Beach): Melt
- South Dakota (Spearfish): Leones’ Creamery
- Tennessee (Knoxville): Cruze Farm Ice Cream Downtown
- Texas (Houston): Connie’s Frozen Custard
- Utah (Bountiful): Blacksmith Ice Cream
- Virginia (Centreville): Bôn Tea House
- Vermont (Burlington): Shy Guy Gelato
- Washington (Tacoma): Melon Seed Deli & Frozen Yogurt
- Wisconsin (Greenfield): Kopp’s Frozen Custard
- West Virginia (Charleston): Ellen’s Homemade Ice Cream
- Wyoming (Jackson): Moo’s Gourmet Ice Cream
Did your home state favorite make the list?
Yelp’s methodology was this: they ranked businesses in the ice cream category in the United States and Canada according to a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews between April 21, 2021 and April 21, 2022. All businesses were marked open on Yelp and have a passing health score as of May 12, 2022.
For the full list, including Yelp’s top picks for Canada, visit the Yelp blog.
