50 Best Ice Cream Shops in Philadelphia

“The service was phenomenal. The food, delicious. Best italian restaurant in Philly, the closest thing I've seen so far to an authentic italian restaurant in Philly (I stayed in Italy for 6 weeks). We got the tiramisu and gelato, and we got the carbonara and pappardelle al ragù. All of it was just so good. I wanna come back again, but I need to save up for it because it was very pricey. But worth it.“

“Delicious ice cream, charming ambiance (moulin rouge-cirque du soleil vibes mixed with a daydream) and a diverse menu that would cater to whatever mood I’m in. Chris was awesome in breaking down all the options and served us up something tasty. Love this place!“

“If you've never had an Amish pretzel, you've got to come to Miller's twist. The last time I had a really good Amish pretzel. I was in Baltimore Maryland. Getting into line and move fast and something about how the Amish make the pretzel. It is super soft with a amazing flavor. It taste as though your grandma made it for you. I guess that's how it tastes.“

“Flavors were absolutely amazing. My entire family of 3 loved all the different flavors that were available. After our first visit, my son has already petitioned me to only go to this store and no other for ice cream. So now I am expected to drive from NYC to Philly each week for Milk Jawn.“

“LOVED IT HERE! Truly authentic Italian cooking, with authentic ingredients to purchase. The staff was so friendly and accomodating on their menu. We had to make a slight change in order for a vegetarian, and they had no issues. We tried their breakfast sandwiches & lunch sandwiches, and each bite was jam packed with substance & flavor (I mean, just look at the layers in my photo.) Fresh ingredients, and an overall quaint/bright spot. This would be an awesome place to post up and get some work done, do some people watching, and enjoy delicious food. Not to mention, their baked goods looked out of this world. We wanted to get so much, but I landed on their passion fruit donut, partly because it was the last one left (so I figured something must be good!) And let me tell you, their dough is different. The donut was dense & fluffy at the same time, and their passion fruit flavor was y-u-m-m-y. I can't wait to go back to try more sandwiches and get some grocery shopping done!“

“From the tasting to after the wedding, Bredenbeck’s was amazing! The cake came out EXACTLY how I expected it to. It was beautiful! And it tasted amazing! All of my guests really loved every layer (each one was a different flavor). We had a small issue with the filling but Bredenbeck’s rectified the issue right away and took accountability! I look forward to visiting them for another cake order in the future!“

“Clean minimal shop with quality matcha products and great ice cream.Strawberry and earl grey swirl are my current go to after dinner in Chinatown, however it is a seasonal flavor so get it while you can. I’ve also had the hojicha float which was refreshing and had a deep roasted nutty flavor with an edge of bitterness.What I enjoy most about this place is the typical Asian compliment when it comes to dessert “not so sweet”.Surreal is quite trendy but I find myself becoming quickly tired of it due to amount, all the toppings, and just the overall sweetness of the ice cream whereas matcha Maiko has the perfect amount of sweetness to remind you it’s a treat but not to the point where halfway through you feel like need water or tea to tone down the sugar“

“The best water ice, hands down. The prices are good, they use fresh fruit, and the flavors are delicious. Staff is kind and quick. even with long lines it’s still a pleasure to go here because it moves fast. I am always sad when they close for the season! This is a neighborhood- and Philadelphian- staple and I’m so glad it is part of our community.“

“I’ve been going here for years with my wife. Great food and good prices. It’s always nice to support a Muslim business.Dietary restrictions: My wife can only have dairy free and they’ve always accommodated her and her preferences. And the food doesn’t taste any less great!“

“Such a cute little spot. Heard about it from one od our Neighbors who is vegan and raves about the (n)ice cream here. We've walked past it several times but either we weren't in the mood for dessert or the shop was closed so we could never try it before. They have so many options but we got the Banana A Paris - it has their signature whipped banana, nutella, hazelnuts, strawberries topped with coconut milk whipped cream. It was so good and tasted pretty much like frozen yogurt. The best part is I didn't feel guilty after eating it lol.“

“This is really a nice ice cream place. The atmosphere is calm and quiet. The lady that works here is super nice and friendly.. And lastly, the ice cream was really good. You can definitely tell that it's made fresh and with fresh ingredients. You should definitely check this place out. Plus they have lavender ice cream.. Parking: Free parking on the street..“

“We came in on a December Thursday night and were the only ones in the store. You're able to sample any flavor you want, which was great. We ended up getting thin mint and a pumpkin, which were both delicious. The sad part about winter is that not many people are coming in for ice cream, so the ice cream itself wasn't as creamy and had some ice chunks. I've come in the summer and thought the ice cream was delicious then. Give it a try if you're in the area!“

“Look at the perfect swirl of the soft serve! The soft serve was rich and creamy with a smooth texture. We were shocked to get 8oz of soft serve for only $6 after we paid extra $0.5 for the waffle cone! Also if you’re wondering, it was totally worth it to get the waffle cone.If I ever go back I’ll try the coffee cookie dough ice cream that we didn’t have enough stomach space to try.＊ Vanilla Soft Serve with Dark Chocolate DipMy friend ordered this classic combo, simple but delicious. The Valrhona dark chocolate shell was thin and crispy, giving a satisfying crunch as we bit into it.＊Turkish Coffee & Donut Twist Soft ServeI was not the only person who was brave enough to order coffee soft serve at late night, as I kept seeing people holding the coffee/donut twist.The Turkish coffee tasted so unique that it didn’t taste like any other regular coffee soft serve. It captured a strong and robust flavor. While the donut side was sweeter and helped mellow out the intensity from the coffee.“

“Very detailed, knowledgeable, FUN pasta making class! The space is intimate and Nick was great at teaching us how to properly make pasta. Hands down the best pasta we had in Philly. The pistachio pesto sauce is out of this world and the charcuterie boards before the meals were delicious! They had pasta kits available for sale which we snagged after the class. It was a different fun thing to do and we cant wait to make our pasta at home :-)“

“Live love Chucks ? best water ice and custard in South Philly, everything is homemade and fresh and the owners are so sweet. Down to earth place, prices are affordable. Personal favorite ices are the black cherry, pina colada, and strawberry lemonade.“

“Let me start off by saying how nice the owners are. “Life” and “time”, have been standing in the way of us trying this ice cream parlor. Now that time was on our side, we we’re finally able to try this delicious ice cream. I had the salted caramel pretzel, and my daughter had the cookie dough. Both were delicious! I was also gifted the banana pudding, but I haven’t tried that one yet. If you get a chance, go support this small business. I promise it’ll be worth your while.“

“I am a local and I visit Jimmy’s very often! Multiple times a week. The service is always fast and friendly. The water ice is some of the best in south Philly and the pizza pretzel is my go to for a quick bite to eat. I highly recommend jimmys water ice!!“

“I couldn't put the cup down. It was sooooo fresh and tasty. I was able to try all the available options before purchasing. The mango lemonade was the best. I had the blueberry lemonade as well. That was great too. I love that I could see the fruit in the water ice. I definitely will be back to try other flavors and the funnel cake next time I'm in Philly!!“

“This would be my third time coming to this small ice cream shop .I came in with my two young children after ordering I proceeded to pay with my debit card unfortunately their system was doing and can only accept Venmo or cash I didn’t have any cash, and I do not have Venmo jay (employee ) was so sweet and understanding he gave me the option to come back and pay which not many places would do for lack of trust .. at the end I was able to get my hubby to Venmo the placeI will be back thank you jay !“

“My buddy told me about this place. I was in the area so figured I’d stop in.It’s a very tiny storefront, however it’s not out of the ordinary for places like this, especially in the city on a Main Street to be much bigger if at all. It has all that you need. I believe it had a wooden bench in there to sit and eat at. As well as 2 or 3 Bar-top kind of tables. Seating capacity is probably 8-10 at most.I can’t speak for anyone but one could only assume that most people are To-go’ing instead of dining in. However, it’s definitely an option. I sure did. I like the small quaint atmosphere. I enjoyed looking at the pictures on the wall, checking out the ice cream/milkshake flavors.Very unique place.Has your average milkshake flavored options, but also has some that you wouldn’t find in many other places. #supportsmallbusinesses“

“First time checking this place out. The young people that work here provided very good customer service. The soft vanilla ice cream was good as well as the cookie dough hard ice cream and vanilla soft ce cream with sprinkles.I would recommend this place. Another bonus is that this place has a drive through and some parking spaces.“

“Delicious and fun rotating vegan flavors so I always have a reason to come back. The staff was really nice about letting us try different flavors which allowed us to go out of our comfort zone and get a new flavor that we were pleasantly surprised by l“

“Philadelphia has several excellent small batch ice cream platforms for your tasty enjoyment. Weckerly's on Girard Avenue in Fishtown, is one of them. I was recently there for a Yelp Event where we sampled a scoop of one of two available flavors. It was smooth, silky, sweet and addictive. In addition, I purchased a take home Classic Sandwich (Vanilla ice cream between Chocolate Wafers), which was even more compelling that the Graham Berry concoction tasted while in the house. The sandwich was thick with 'scream - more than an inch wide - while the choco layer was stable enough to hold the opus together and last to the very last lickin' bite. The vanilla was creamy and inviting; while the wafer offered a soft embrace with mild flavor that did not dominate their combination. Family loved it, too. Made me wish I had started with those other mixtures which were definitely the best way to experience what Weckerly's really had to showcase. Apple Breakfast, or any flavor between shortbread cookies....Are you kidding me?!?! Return visit mandatory!“

“What a Gem!!! Everything was fantastic. But really sets the cafe apart from ALL others is the Barista. A true ambassador of the Nona and Pops but also of Termini. I wish I had asked her name. She is the epitome of customer service and quite evident she loves her job and her employer. Give her a big raise, elevate her within the company to customer service trainer for all of your new employees.“

“Absolutely amazing experience! The matcha latte was honestly the best quality I have ever tasted! All the food we ordered wasn't too sweet, and the matcha flavor itself was delicious! I was wary of a matcha overload, but it was perfect. The atmosphere is adorable too, and the matcha was in a cute green cup. I admire how even the ice cream cone wasn't the generic too-sweet cone. My kid brother loved the stuffed animals, and we will definitely come back!! ?“

“Very fast and SO good. I ordered a very simple mix so that I could actually taste the ice cream base. My boyfriend and I LOVED IT. We arrived during a time where it was VERY busy yet we ordered and had our ice cream in our hands within 5 min of walking thru the door. Awesome first experience with rolled ice cream!“

“Old school Italian-American bakery. Tasty sweets, espresso, cakes and pies. Cannoli, of course! Had the red velvet cake and it was very good. Service was warm and welcoming. Open late! No gluten free options tonight (I asked). I didnt ask if they had dairy free or sugar free options, but... I really wouldn't expect them here. Very nice pricing! :) Tables available inside and outside.Dietary restrictions: No gluten free options (I asked).“

“If you’re looking for a great latte,coffee,breakfast sandwich or dessert look no more because the Great Awakening has the best, the vibe inside is so welcoming and all the workers make you feel like family it’s truly a hidden gem. I look forward to seeing everyone at the cafe and enjoy the awesome coffee they make.“

“Chill on the Hill had mango fruit topping! 5 stars from me!They also had fresh strawberries and blueberries and HOT FUDGE! Most froyo places have that cold, watery bottled chocolate sauce. Most importantly, they have good yogurt and the flavors I liked.“

“"If you know you know!" Desserts are on the lighter side which i like not the average sugar loaded desserts . Lots of Mango stuff obviously... some red bean yum.. I'm glad they have this spot in the northeast we don't have to travel to China Town and deal with the parking, this is close to home ??“

“It’s a great experience from the jump! As soon as you walk in Ms. Bre welcomes you with a smile and is so accommodating when it comes to her flavors! This place is such a sweet treat (pun included) to the neighborhood I grew up in. (: I look forward to many years to come!“

“Such a fun twist on soft serve topping boba milk tea with it. Lots of options and fully customizable and very fun. Small location so not much room to sit inside and eat if the weather isn’t nice, but easy to take on the go. Highly recommend.“

“I just moved here from NC last weekend, and everywhere that I have been, people have been rude! I came here to get ice cream the other day it was warm outside. The Hispanic lady that I encountered was no nice, customer service was just amazing!!!! I just wanted to hug her lol because it definitely gave me hope that I won’t encounter rude people everywhere I go in Philly. The ice cream was delicious as well. Thank you!!“

“Many people have "must visit" places in the Reading Terminal Market. For us, it's Bassett's Ice Cream! It really is the best ice cream anywhere but serve it in the Market, with the greatest staff and this why we stop any time of year! Today, it was low 20s outside, did we care, NO, we had to have our Bassett's!“

“Nice little ice cream shop that was really popular when we popped in on a weekend afternoon. Line moved quickly and we got to ordering. They had some unique flavors that definitely held up against some of the best ice cream I've had, including their curiously similarly named competitor. Portions were enormous! You definitely got your money's worth. Friendly service too.“

“The ice cream is insanely good. The honeycomb was loaded with honey and chunks of crispy honeycomb. The caramelized banana was super caramel and the best banana flavor in ice cream I ever had. The peach was good, but paled in comparison to the other two.My issue with this place is not the quality of the ice cream. The ice cream is insanely good.The price is kinda steep. $15 for 3 scoops. Granted, the scoops are generous, you can see it overflowing this pint container. It's pricey though compared to places like Jenis. BUT it is really good. That's the conundrum. They also had like 40 people in line on a Sunday at 3pm. So the pricing isn't hurting their business. Just know that you're going to probably spend $10 minimum.Secondly the wait was kinda long. 45 minutes from getting in line to getting ice cream. The wait staff was nice though.Lastly there are no bathrooms or places to sit. So grab and go.I'll 100% stop by on a slower day to get this again. It was damn good.“

“Really love this place. I went there on a sweltering summer day to pick up an order my girlfriend had placed. There was a mixup finding the order (not their fault, I was working with incomplete information) but the staff was friendly and understanding the whole time. When we got it all resolved I was able to pick up what I went there for and got an ice cream sandwich for the road. Really delicious vegan Ice cream and cool folks! Float Dreamery is a great addition to the neighborhood and I'm looking forward to visiting again!“

“Willkay’s is the best water ice and ice cream spot ever! My family and I come all the way from South Jersey just to get some delicious desserts from them all of the time. The owner and staff are very friendly, kind and pleasant to every customer. They always make us feel like family when we come visit from out of town. Their establishment is very clean and their food and water ice/ice cream are always fresh and delicious. They’re the best hands down! You definitely gotta visit try them whenever you are in the area.“

“This place gets BUSY but the staff works incredibly hard and fast! The ice cream is light with a wide array of interesting flavors. Hard scoop type, no softserve/custards. They make their own waffle cones which always smell incredible-- sweet, vanilla-rich, and toasty.If you're newer to Jeni's, go when there isn't a crazy line to taste a couple flavors. It holds up the line like crazy when a party of people want to try every flavor and the rest of the line is spilling onto the street lol.Vegetarian options: Large selection of dairy based ice creams and some non-dairy!Dietary restrictions: notify staff if you have dietary restrictions! The scoops mostly share the same cleaning station.Parking: super limited street parking. Nearby paid garages and lots.Kid-friendliness: Very kid friendly ice creamWheelchair accessibility: It's a somewhat narrow location!“

“in the heart of Philly is this little water ice spot that serves really tasty water ice. Multiple different flavors my family was able to choose from and they all loved it. Wonderful and speedy service. Really nice staff, overall an extremely pleasant experience to enjoy a nice treat.“

“Stopped here after work several times this summer- was the perfect place to introduce a friend to Philly's water ice for the first time. I go for the classic mango and vanilla soft serve combo, but also enjoy some of their other flavors. Quick service, cheap and really tasty!!“

“Amazing family coffee shop for locals and visitors. Lots of seating with a nice street-level view, the smell of warm coffee within their shop, delicious treats, and a friendly smile behind the counter. Our food tour loved the coffee pick-me-ups and grabbing some extra sweets.“

“OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! This icecream is life changing!! Im about to go get a higher paying job and hit the gym 3x/day so I can eat this icecream EVERY DAY!!!! It tastes like the best moments of my childhood in a cone! It tastes like I died and went to heaven and fat little babie angels are flying around spraying magical sparkles over me! This icecream is not to be missed! Its the best icecream Iv had in my entire life of international travel!!!!!“

“Love this place. They always receive me with a smile. I go there often to get ice cream and blizzards. This week I bought an ice cream cake from them for my birthday and I asked them to make it galaxy theme. I communicated with the cake decorated and it turned out beautifully. Looks amazing and tastes amazing!“

“If you're in the mood for Roman-style pizza (crispier, thicker crust, square) like no other, Alice Pizza should be on your list! It is one of my favorite restaurants of Philadelphia! -- Highlights: Both counter service for pizza takeaway and personal pizzas for seated dining are versatile options for the type of dining you're craving. Also, the apple tart is delicious! -- Alice Pizza is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. It offers both counter-service for pizza slices or takeout and limited seating at tables, the bar, and window counters. For takeout, the slices are measured by weight and can be heated or not. I would recommend asking for a long heating if you want your pizza to be very hot. Depending on the person, I've found the pizza is still room temperature. Additionally, for take out, at the time I have written this review, they currently do not accept tap to pay with card, so Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. will not work and you need to have your physical card on hand. I've dined at Alice Pizza many times and I've found that my vegetarian favorites are the gnocchi, funghi e quattro formaggi (mushroom, four cheeses) pizza, and the apple tart. The gnocchi has a nice chew but isn't too tough. The mushroom pizza has a white sauce and it is so creamy and delicious. However, almost all of their pizzas are winners for me. They are Roman style pizzas, so they have a thicker crust compared to the NY style. Lastly, the apple tart is genuinely one of the best I've had in my life! Its thick crust and not too sweet apples with the ice cream on top are so tasty! Other desserts I enjoy are the tortina del nonna (lemony), banana bread pudding (has nuts), and strawberry ricotta cheesecake (very decadent). I would recommend making a reservation if going for restaurant week or dining at a peak hour. I recommend passing on the gelato for the other desserts, though it is personal preference. Unfortunately, I do not believe they have many/ any gluten free pizza options however they do try to be very mindful of other food allergies. I've always had impeccable service and delicious food at every visit to Alice Pizza. It is a little sunny inside during the day and dim during evenings. The tables are a little close to each other, as well. I highly recommend Alice Pizza for a grab and go bite or for your next date or special occasion! It is especially convenient for those seeing a show at the Kimmel Center or nearby.“

“It was good, but there's no organization for the lines, people stand wherever, you're never sure where to stand. They need to get some rope or something to let people know there are two windows for service. The war ice was good, but the turkey sausages weren't as good as they've been in the past.“

“We love supporting small businesses! This small corner store located in the Italian Market is a great place to stop by for dessert. There is also a dessert spot across the street. I'll need to do a comparison on which is better soon!I had to crop the picture so I had something to write a review about lol. We got Guava with cream ice cream and this was very light! Probably around $3 for a small. We also got Mango Loco ($8), which seems to be a popular dessert. I only recommend this if you like sour foods. This is my terrible way of describing it: The mango is cut up, but it seems to be a sour mango. There are pieces of candy peanut, and sour gummies(?)/candy in it. The thing sticking out is a straw covered with a sour candy. The entire thing is drenched in Chamoy, Tajin, and Valentina (i think). The store also sells fruit, strawberries and cream, fresh potato chips, fry-ums (?), pina colada, shortbet, smoothies, candy, and so much more!I've been to Mexico City and the store felt like I was back in Mexico. The ladies who work there are also sweet!“

“This is an old ice cream shop that I think has been around for years (or just looks like a traditional ice cream parlour). In any case - the servers were working fast because there was quite a line but they were very friendly and the ice cream was great! We ate our ice cream while walking though just since the place wasn't that big and a lot of people were already inside. But it's near the river in a nice part of the city center, so good area for walking. We actually had dinner nearby at an Asian restaurant so it was conveniently located for dessert.“

“Don't think twice, just stop. This was my 1st time. Prices are reasonable, portion sizes are great and customer service was excellent. Fruit roll up ice cream bars are Amazing!! My kids loved the ring pop water ice and the passion fruit water ice is delicious.“

“These girls were so helpful when I was being really annoying. I asked for the wrong cone and they gave me the wrong one and the right one and didn’t charge me and didn’t even seem bothered. The darkest chocolate was so good. Thanks for your “