From frozen custard and gelato to paletas and milkshakes, here’s where to cool down this summer.
By Luca Muehlbauer
Raleigh’s ice cream scene runs deeper than a scoop and a cone. Across the city, you’ll find hand-churned gelato, frozen custard, fruit-forward paletas and towering milkshakes — every kind of frozen treat to help you beat the July heat. Here’s our A-to-Z guide to the best ice cream shops in Raleigh.
Amorino
This popular chain gelateria brings the taste of Italy to downtown Raleigh wand is famous for serving their gelato shaped like a rose. It’s a popular stop for tourists and locals alike, especially after visiting a museum or a festival on nearby Fayetteville Street. 137 E. Davie Street; amorino.com
Andia’s Ice Cream
Founded by local entrepreneur Andia Xouris and her husband, George, Andia’s is consistently ranked in the top 10 for ice cream shops by USA Today. In addition to classic flavors, Andia’s offers unique signature flavors, like Coffee Bean Crunch and baklava. For Mondays during summer they are offering a buy one get one free sundae, while you’re there you can also try their rotating monthly flavors. 2201 Iron Works Drive, Suite 129; andiasicecream.com
Ben & Jerry’s
While we love to celebrate locally-owned spots, this national chain hits the spot when you know exactly what you want — Half Baked, anyone? Raleigh has two scoop shops to satisfy the craving: one in North Hills and another on Hillsborough Street near NC State, both serving up the classics alongside seasonal and limited-edition flavors. 4160 Main Street Suite 100 and 3801 Hillsborough Street; benjerry.com
Captain Cookie & the Milkman
Build your own ice cream sandwich here: pick any two made-from-scratch cookies — think chocolate chip, ginger molasses or a rotating daily special — and a scoop of ice cream from a local creamery to go between them. The Raleigh outpost of this DC-born concept also serves milkshakes and soda floats at its two locations. 500 E. Davie Street (Transfer Co. Food Hall) and 4421 Six Forks Road Suite 110; captaincookienc.com
Cook Out
With several locations all throughout Raleigh, this North Carolina-founded chain is a go-to for its milkshakes. With over 40 flavors such as fan favorites banana pudding and oreo mint, there are plenty of options to choose your perfect treat. And since Cook Out is a drive-thru, it’s an easy stop on the way home from sports practice or the pool. 1201 New Bern Avenue (many more locations available); cookout.com
Escazú Chocolates
In the mood for some fresh chocolate ice cream? Escazú is the spot for you. Though it’s known for being an artisan chocolatier, Escazú also makes ice cream that’s a year-round favorite. Their chocolate ice cream is (naturally) a classic go-to flavor with its incredibly rich and deep flavor. But if you don’t like chocolate, not to worry, they also have rotating flavors such as root beer and orange creamsicle which are great options as well. 2409 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 124; escazuchocolates.com
FRESH. Local Ice Cream
With signature treats and flavors, this local shop which was established in 2011 makes your sweet tooth tingle. FRESH. is currently offering Firecracker, Milky way and Strawberry Lemonade Sorbet as their flavors of the month. Don’t forget to try out its signature Cheerwine floats as well! 6033 Glenwood Avenue; freshlocalicecream.com
Geluna Gelato
Recently, Geluna was named “best gelato outside of Italy” by The Local Palate. With its award winning flavors, this locally-owned gelateria is a must-try. Though it only has 10 to 12 flavors available at one time — fan favorites include the stracciatella and sea salt caramel — you can’t go wrong with any choice of flavor. 111 E. Chatham Street, Cary; gelunagelato.com
Goodberry’s Frozen Custard
Founded in Raleigh in 1988, Goodberry’s Frozen Custard has earned the lines of customers that sometimes snake outside the store. They craft rich flavors such as vanilla and chocolate along with their popular flavor of the day. They also have unique items such as the Carolina Concrete — where you can mix in toppings — along with traditional items like shakes and sundaes. 2042 Clark Avenue (many more locations available); goodberrys.com
Howling Cow
An offshoot of NC State’s agricultural program, Howling Cow ice cream is a source of pride within Raleigh. Known for using fresh milk and cream directly from the university’s dairy farm, the shop offers over a dozen traditional and seasonal flavors for example Chancellor’s Wolf Tracks which is vanilla ice cream with chocolate fudge and mini peanut butter cups. Visit its Dairy Education Center and Creamery to learn how the sweet stuff is made! 100 Dairy Lane; howlingcow.ncsu.edu
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Located in the Village District shopping complex since 2023, this shop offers creative flavor combinations — who would have thought that an “everything bagel” could be an ice cream flavor. Looking for the more classic flavors? They have those too with a variety of chocolates and other traditional flavors. 2014 Cameron Street; jenis.com
Kilwin’s Ice Cream – Chocolate – Fudge
This national chain is a popular stop in North Hills, known for its rich and smooth ice cream texture. Their fresh waffle cones are a great complement to the ice cream. 200 Park at N. Hills Street; kilwins.com
La Michoacana Premium
This family owned Mexican dessert shop brings all sorts of authentic homemade frozen treats. It offers a variety of ice cream flavors and fruit filled paletas that are not just delicious, but artfully made (and very photogenic). Flavors such as mango, rice pudding and cappuccino are tasty treats for customers as well. 1716 St. Albans Drive, Suite A; instagram.com
Little Blue Bakehouse
This New Bern Avenue coffee shop and bakery doubles as an incubator kitchen for small dessert businesses, including Bold Batch Creamery, known for playful, ever-rotating scoops like Oreo Borealis and Ube Cheesecake. Flavors switch out weekly, so there’s always something new to try alongside your coffee. 2116-H New Bern Avenue; littlebluebakehouse.com
LocoPops
These juicy and full of flavor popsicles are exactly what you need to refresh your body on a warm day. With all sorts of flavors including cookies & cream and strawberry lemonade, the popsicles bring the perfect blend of flavor. Find them in the Pullen Park cafe, or visit the Durham store to find ice cream and pies along with a market which sells other goods. 2618 Hillsborough Road, Durham; locoshopnc.com
Morelia Gourmet Paletas
These paletas are so beautiful, it almost hurts to eat them. With visible fruit in the paletas along with precise decoration, each paleta gets your mouth to water. You can also make your own customization of a paleta, with many combinations to choose from. If you’re not interested in customizing, they have set flavors already made such as strawberry filled with condensed milk and banana filled with nutella. 500 N. West Street, Suite 135; paletasmorelia.com
Raleigh Rolls
Watch your ice cream get made right in front of you at this Morgan Street Food Hall stall, where sweet cream is spread on a frozen griddle, chopped and rolled into tight spirals. Try the Chocolate Overload with Oreos and Nutella drizzle, or Grandma’s Nanner Puddin’ for a Southern twist, plus rotating seasonal flavors like baklava. 411 W. Morgan Street; raleighrolls.com
Sunni Sky’s Homemade Ice Cream
It’s not technically in Raleigh — Angier is about 30 minutes south — but this shop has built a statewide following since 2003 for its sheer variety: more than 130 rotating flavors, from classic butter pecan to fiery novelties like Cold Sweat and Exit Wound. Worth the drive if you want bragging rights. 8617 NC Highway 55 S, Angier; sunniskys.com
Two Roosters
Founded in 2015, Two Roosters has gone on to become one of Raleigh’s most well-loved ice cream shops. In addition to getting scoops in bowls, sugar cones and cake cones, you can get an ice cream flight: an egg carton with six scoops in different flavors. Keep an eye out for their fun collabs with local sports teams and elementary schools. 215 E. Franklin Street #120 and 4025 Lake Boone Trail Suite 130; instagram.com
Videri Chocolate Factory
Already known for its award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate, Videri also serves up soft serve in vanilla, chocolate or swirl, finished with toppings like candied cocoa nibs, toffee and housemade fruit compotes. It’s a downtown Raleigh institution — pop in for a chocolate bar and leave with a cone, too. 327 W. Davie Street Suite 100; viderichocolatefactory.com
The Yard Milkshake Bar
Do you enjoy milkshakes? Well, The Yard has some spectacular massive milkshakes. With their signature jars, they’ll make you a huge milkshake filled with all you can think of. Some signature milkshakes include Cookie Monster or Peanut Butter Brownie Bliss, sometimes they even add an entire slice of cake on certain shakes. 704 Seaboard Station Drive; theyardmilkshakebar.com
This article originally appeared on waltermagazine.com on August 18, 2026.
