The Coolest Ice Cream Shops in Philadelphia
From soft serve to scoops to gelato, here are our favorite places to chill out with a sweet treat this summer.
Weckerly’s | Facebook
It’s ice cream season — and while we consider the frozen delicacy to be a year-round food, nothing quite hits the spot in hot weather like a frosty double scoop in a crisp waffle cone or a fudgy, overloaded sundae. Here are our favorite Philly-area ice creameries to keep you cool and creamy all summer long.
Weckerly’s | Facebook
Weckerly’s, Fishtown
Jen and Andy Satinsky’s Best of Philly-winning Girard Avenue scoop shop sources hyper-local ingredients for seasonal flavors of their rich, French-style custard. Be sure to get a mini ice cream sandwich to top your next scoop (served in a homemade waffle cone, of course).
Scoop DeVille, Midtown Village
This candy-colored, retro-style ice cream parlor is the place to be when you’re ready to overload on creamy, cold, sugary goodness. Get sundaes and scoops with whipped cream and a ton of toppings, or take your ice cream served in a cookie cup.
Franklin Fountain | Facebook
Franklin Fountain, Old City
Eric and Ryan Berley’s ice cream parlor recreates a Victorian-era vibe with old-timey uniforms, decor, and even equipment. Be sure to check out its just-opened sibling, the Franklin Ice Cream Bar, right next door.
La Michoacana Ice Cream, Kennett Square
This offshoot of downtown Kennett Square’s Michoacana Grill makes more than 50 flavors of house-made ice cream, water ice, and frozen pops in classic flavors and tropical options like guava-guayaba and passionfruit.
Roly Cow, East Passyunk
Cool down on the Avenue at this spot, which sells Thai-style rolled ice cream, made to order. Get it in a cup, traditional waffle cone, or in a taco-style homemade waffle cone.
C & C Creamery, Manayunk
This seasonal spot on Ridge Avenue has been serving up frozen treats and baked sweets for several decades. Head there for house-made water ice, soft serve, shakes, and malts.
Philly Flavors, Fairmount, Center City, Midtown Village, East Passyunk
This mainstay for frozen treats offers a wide variety of sweets, from water ice to sundaes to shakes. Try the Philly Blast, a milkshake blended with the sundae topping of your choice.
Zsa’s, Society Hill and Rittenhouse
This scratch-made Philly brand sells scoops and sandwiches in seasonal flavors like salted caramel and strawberries and cream at the Rittenhouse farmers’ market on Satursdays and at the Headhouse Square on Sundays.
El Pueblo, Italian Market
This 9th Street spot offers more than 20 flavors of ice cream, plus popsicles, fresh juices, and chamoyada (smoothie-like shaved ice with pickled fruit) sourced from La Michoacana.
Häagen Dasz, South Street
One of the oldest ice cream shops in the city, owner Brian Calhoun’s outpost of the Bronx-based chain (yeah, we always thought it was European too) has been scooping at 3rd and South Streets for 33 years.
Gran Caffe L’Aquila, Center City
This Chestnut Street emporium boasts espresso, a full menu, and a shop full of Italian goodies — plus some of the best gelato in the city. Stop in for a scoop or go all out and book your own gelato tasting with optional wine pairing.
Sweet Charlie’s | Facebook
Sweet Charlie’s, Washington Square West and Rittenhouse
This Philly-based chain makes rolled ice cream, but nighttime is when they really shine: from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at the Rittenhouse location, they offer special boozy menu items for 21+ customers.
Tubby Robot, Manayunk
A Best of Philly winner, Tubby Robot makes all their flavors in-house, using locally sourced ingredients. Even better? You can order up ice cream flights, sundaes, waffles, and even an ice cream hoagie — that’s scoops sandwiched inside a fresh-baked puff pastry “roll.”
Koffmeyer’s, Havertown
This longtime Society Hill cookie bakery moved to the ‘burbs in 2011 and added Pennsylvania-made Leiby’s ice cream to its offerings at the same time, somehow making an already-perfect menu even better.
Bassett’s, Market East
The OG of Philadelpia-style (egg-free) ice cream — and the oldest ice cream brand in the country — still serves up shakes, cups, and cones from its longtime stall in Reading Terminal Market.
Philly’s Coolest Ice Cream Shops, Mapped
