Ice Cream. Who can resist its sweet, creamy siren call on a summer night? Or day? Or...if we're being honest here, any day, regardless of time of year?
In my opinion, ice cream is a taste of pure happiness. And while that happiness is universal, precise preferences can be regional. Everyone has a favorite spot. For some, it's the ice cream shop in the town where they grew up; for others, it's the swanky scoop shop they discovered as a mature adult; for some, it was a chance encounter: love at first lick while on vacation or visiting relatives or the like.
But collectively, I believe that we can all share in this sweetness, and so I hit up basically everyone I knew and asked where they'd suggest getting a cone or a cup, a scoop or a sundae. And I dutifully logged every single response. Consider this the soft-serve of that labor: a highly informal guide to where to get ice cream in the US. Don't be disappointed if I missed a spot you'd suggest: instead, chime in. I'm happy to add suggestions that come in via email or as comments. Just please no nationwide chains (regional is fine). Also, while I am happy to mention regional brands, I am primarily looking for places with retail locations.
Got it? Good. Let's go. It's a sweet trip.
Alabama
Durbin Farms in Clanton (Lisa O., who says "peach ice cream and more!")
Sweet Advantages in Selma (Cindy Lou's Cupcakes, etc)
Honorary Mention (not actually ice cream): Steel City Pops (Minde M-B, who says "100 percent natural homemade gourmet and delicious")
Alaska
Hot Licks, Fairbanks
Arizona
The Sugar Bowl, Scottsdale (Emily S., who says "Very historic and very delicious")
Sweet Republic, Scottsdale (Randi S., who says "has amazing flavors")
Arkansas
Loblobby Creamery, Little Rock (Deede M.)
Yarnell's (Mini Empire baker Christy; "But I heard rumors they were going out of business")
California
Bi-Rite, San Francisco (many people, but the first to mention it was @madebyUSwthlove)
Dandy Don's (Like the self-confidence, @DandyDonsIC!)
Dewar's Ice Cream & Fine Candies, Bakersfield (Donna L.)
Flavor Brigade, Oakland (@tartoakland)
Humphrey Slocombe, San Francisco (@barbie2be)
Ici, Berkeley (famed pastry chef Dana Cree says "best in the country!")
Kind Kreme (Ben C. says "makes some amazing vegan flavors")
Penny Ice Creamery, Santa Cruz (Erin Hunter)
Scoops (says Jesse LeDoux, who proclaims it "best in the world"!)
Sketch, Oakland (Mari Osuna)
Tucker's, Alameda (@tartoakland)
Colorado
Liks (Mary P.)
Little Man, Denver (Mary P.)
Sweet Action Ice Cream (@dnsvm and Church of Cupcakes)
Connecticut
Rich's Ice Cream, Oxford (Heather L.)
Shady Glen, Manchester, CT: Classic 50's throwback (Dan Sheehan)
Sweet Claude's, Cheshire (Blondie & Brownie)
UConn Dairy Bar, Storrs, CT: Fresh from University cows, made by scientists or something, very seasonal flavors. (Dan Sheehan)
Delaware
Woodside Farm Creamery (Amie F.)
Florida
Jaxsons, for the "homemade ice cream and home of the kitchen sink." (Kim M-F)
Georgia
Leopold's, Savannah (Kim M.)
Morelli's, Atlanta (Candy W.)
Hawaii
Tasaka Guri Guri Shop in Kahului on Maui (Jennifer H.)
Photo: Vanessa V., on YelpIdaho
Rainey Creek Country Store, Swan Valley (Erin J., who informed me they sell SQUARE ice cream, pictured above)
Sub Zero Ice Cream, various locations in Idaho and beyond
Illinois
Black Dog Gelato, Chicago (famed pastry chef Dana Cree)
Margie's Candies, Chicago
Ollie's Frozen Custard, Sycamore (Emily B.)
Ruth and Phil's Gourmet Ice Cream, Chicago
Scooter's Frozen Custard, Chicago (Sarah K-M)
Indiana
Iowa
Whitey's (with locations in Iowa and Illinois, per Lindsey P.)
Kansas
Sylas & Maddy's, Lawrence (Courtney J.)
Kentucky
Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen, Louisville (Casey S-P)
Louisiana
Creole Creamery, New Orleans (Krystle S., who says "Bananas foster ice cream! Homemade Waffle cones! And it's right in the old McKenzie's bakery shop on Prytania. It's a must-stop.")
Eskamoe's Frozen Custard in both Monroe, West Monroe, and Ruston, LA ("is pretty awesome." - Christina R.)
Maine
Mount Desert Island Ice Cream Co. (Blondie & Brownie)
Red's Dairy Freeze, South Portland(Brittany, who says "They have amazing non traditional soft serve flavors.")
Round Top (Blondie & Brownie)
Maryland
The Dairy, University of Maryland, College Park (Says Brittany: "Allegedly has a higher fat content than allowed by law because it is only sold on campus.")
Takahara Bros, Baltimore (Jenny D.)
Massachusetts
Sweet fact: I was told by reader Mary Parker "Did you know they eat more ice cream in Boston, per capita, than anywhere else? Toscanini's, Rancatore's, and Christina's lead the bunch (though they are all technically Cambridge et al.)" .
Four Seas on Cape Cod ("is the greatest ice cream!" says @ExpatC)
Johnson's Drive In, Groton (Wendy M.)
Picco (Jen M.)
Polar Cave, Cape Cod
Toscanini's, Cambridge (Jen M.)
Honorary Mention (in stores only): Batch (Jen M.)
Michigan
Hudsonville (Pam P. and Kimberly CupcakeBoss)
Michigan State University Dairy Store (Laurie E.)
Ray's (Pam P.)
Minnesota
Sebastian Joe's, Minneapolis (James Norton)
Mississippi
Mississippi Ice Cream Factory, Brookhaven
Missouri:
Andy's Frozen Custard, Columbia (locations in TX, AR, and IL too, but the biggest concentration in MO) (@Kap_L)
Glacé in kansas city (@jonesingfor)
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (ReTrailer)
Montana
Chocolate Moose, Bozeman (Lindsey H.)
The Big Dipper (Lindsey H. and Carrie S., who adds They also do " random acts of community" where they will just show up in random spots where they know there will be a crowd and serve ice cream for free for whoever wants it. They keep out a tip jar and choose a charity to donate all of the jar to. Awesome place.)
Nebraska
Goodrich dairy, Omaha (they have locations in the area, but mostly Nebraska) (Tracy Z.)
Ted and Wally's
Nevada
Luv it Frozen Custard, Las Vegas (Julie B-H)
New Hampshire
Annabel's, Portsmouth (Blondie & Brownie)
Arnie's Place, Concord (Wendy M.)
Beech Hill Farm, Hopkinton (Jennifer V.)
Bishops Ice Cream, Littleton (Louise W.)
Granite State Candy Shoppe and Ice Cream (Wendy M.)
Sawyer's Dairy Bar (Wendy M.)
New Jersey
Applegate Farm, Montclair (Cait)
The Bent Spoon (Elizabeth S.)
Denville Dairy, Denville (@MrsAdamHughes)
Halo Farms, Trenton (Kathleen L)
Ryan's, Shrewsbury (Terri W.)
Van Dyke's, Ridgewood (Regina J.)
Zita's Ice Cream, New Providence (Jennifer N.)
New Mexico:
Taos Cow, Taos
New York
Abbott's Frozen Custard (Courtney N.)
Ample Hills, Brooklyn (David V.)
Anderson's Frozen Custard, Buffalo (Kara A.)
Gifford's Ice Cream (Nancy A.)
Herrell's, Huntington (Danielle J.)
Itgens in Valley stream (Linda K-S, who says "written up everywhere")
Ji and Jo, NYC (Beccy R.)
Lake Effect Ice Cream
Martha's Dandee Creme, Queensbury (Josh of Bluebird Microcreamery)
Max & Mina's, Queens (Kelly Mola)
Van Leeuwen, Brooklyn (Mariah E.)
Victory Garden (J. Benjamin)
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Graeter's (Diane Kappa and Elizabeth Gordon)
Aglamesis Brothers; Dojo Gelato; & Madisono's Gelato & Sorbet. @roarke_d
East Coast Original Frozen Custard!! A classic from the days of Euclid Beach Amusement Park! (Kelly F.)
Handel's (Sara D-P)
Honey Hut Ice Cream, Cleveland (Stephanie Z.)
Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream
Mitchell's (Diane Ketler)
Sweet Moses, Cleveland
Oklahoma:
Braum's, various locations
Freckles Frozen Custard, Tulsa (Becca S., who says "the golden driller in particular --- it has an 'oil' pool of hut fudge in it!")
The Custard Factory (formerly Rusty's), Norman (Ashley B.)
Oregon:
K R Drive Inn (Lisa O.)
Salt & Straw (@sockittomesocks)
Tillamook (Java Cupcake)
Regional Brand to try: Umpqua Dairy Ice cream - Roseburg, Oregon
Pennsylvania
Bassetts, Philadelphia
Dave and Andy's, Pittsburgh (Joe)
Gerenser's Exotic Ice Cream, New Hope
Landhope Dairy in Kennett Square, PA (Jill Lightner
oWowCow, 2 locations (Audrey O.)
Rakestraw's, Mechanicsburg (Stacy M., who says "you *have* to try the Teaberry!")
Tanner Bros. Dairy in Ivyland Pa (Kathleen L.)
Rhode Island
Ice Cream Machine in Cumberland, RI (Kim S.)
The Original Vanilla Bean, Matunuck, RI: crazy, fun, delicious flavors. (Dan Sheehan)
Gray's Ice Cream, Tiverton, RI: fancy flavors (Dan Sheehan)
South Carolina
Kilwin's Chocolate and Ice Cream, Charleston
South Dakota
Dairy Bar at SDSU at Brookings (@lindseyhurd says "amazing ice cream & they also invented cookies and cream ice cream." - read more here)
Tennessee
Mayfield Dairy (Carol H.)
Sheridan's Frozen Custard (Erin)
Texas:
Note: "Texas is Blue Bell Country," says Anna Ginsberg, author of The Daily Cookie: 365 Tempting Treats for the Sweetest Year of Your Life
Amy's Ice Creams (@charmingred)
Utah
Utah State University. (Erin J., who says "Rich, creamy, thick ice cream. Aggies all the way!")
Vermont
Burlington Bay Cafe (Gina H., who says "Maple Creemees!")
Mountain Creamery, Woodstock
Virginia
Bev's Homemade Ice Cream, Richmond
Dairy Godmother, Alexandria
Washington
Bluebird Microcreamery (did you know I did a mural in their bathroom?)
Cupcake Royale (Sara Jane Elisabeth)
Elevated Ice Cream, Port Townsend (@gfrancie)
Ferdinand's, Washington State University (Jama W.)
Full Tilt Ice Cream (Jill Lightner
Mallard Ice Cream, Bellingham
Molly Moon's, Seattle (multiple people, but the first was @vanadiumzest!)
Olympic Mountain, Shelton (Linda W.)
West Virginia
Brake's Dairy King in Buckhannon (Beth J.)
Wisconsin
Babcock Hall (James Norton, who notes "although frozen custard is the real cult favorite in the Dairy State (a big vote for Michael's)". Don't worry James, I have included custard, too!)
Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream (@epistemophilia) of note: Signage outside says, "You want nutrition, eat carrots."
Purple Door Ice Cream, Milwaukee (MKE Cupcake Queen)
Wyoming
Moo's Gourmet Ice Cream, Jackson Hole