50 Best Ice Cream Shops near Imperial Beach

“Nice little ice cream shop in a great location by the pier. Service is friendly.
It was a bit busy on July 4th weekend, which is understandable.
They offer a variety of I've cream as well as shaved ice, hot and cold drinks.“

“Had a great experience here at this Cold Stone. The worker Ilenia gave the most amazing customer service! Her interaction with my family absolutely made our day! She is very sweet and kind and has a heart of gold. We live in Chula Vista but my family will make the drive just to come to this Cold Stone to interact with Ilenia!“

“I love stopping by Arandas Café whenever I’m in Imperial Beach. It’s such a cute little spot and it always feels cozy. This time I got a matcha, their freshly squeezed orange juice, the Monte Cristo, and a parfait — everything was so fresh and honestly so yummy. The vibe is calm, the people are sweet, and it’s just one of those places you’re happy you found. Definitely one of my little go-to gems.“

“As we walked in the first thing we noticed is store was extremely clean, we have not been in for a couple of years (due to previous bad experiences) but heard it was under new ownership. The cakes are really nice we had a Dubai bar and it was 1000/10 also grabbed some shakes their ice cream selection is also really good 100% recommend“

“Crème brûlée gelato is addictive!“

“I was nervous about the flavors, mostly because I didn’t know what they were! But was able to taste test and decided on the Quattroberry and stracciatella. Delicious! Great price- $6.50 for two big scoops! Definitely wanted to go back. Try the dragon fruit/lemon one- super tart and so good!“

“Salt & Straw is a must try whenever you are in the area.

This place offers delicious ice cream flavors in a variety of cone shapes and tastes.

Staff is very friendly and helpful when it comes to choosing the flavors.

They also serve other sweet treats.

Again, a must try!“

“Very good and authentic Mexican food owned and operated by a great family! Viva Cristo Rey!“

“I normally order the Panda Cloud Foam. Today I ordered the White Rabbit and Meis Keso Both good“

“Thank you so much for such great caring service tonight. My s'mores paleta with dark chocolate drizzle was very yummy 😋 such a nice cozy spot & they also have great variety of paleta flavors to choose from too. Next time I'm going to try mango chamoy or the one with the concha 😋“

“Fabulous popsicles and top notch service! We went back again and again for the cute popsicle boy Socrates! Friendly, welcoming, helpful. Best thing we found in San Diego for sure!“

“The best ice cream in San Diego hands down“

“Great food and ice cream. Very good service given by a sweet lady.“

“Fun sweet treats in the area, by the ballpark. Best mom and kids team running the place. Great flavors, lots of toppings to choose from, love to accommodate your taste palates and adventures, LOL. Don't forget to try if you are in the area.

We tried the banana split and it was yummy, we did switch to include one scoop of the dole whip soft serve.“

“Great ice cream! The cookie dough sundae was awesome!“

“My favorite neighborhood ice cream shop! You can seriously tell that everything is made fresh, the fruit ice creams taste just like the fresh fruit! Also hired their ice cream cart for our wedding and it was so great! All of our guests loved it!!“

“We strolled over after Fish Guts and enjoyed a cooling treat after a hot day. The mango shaved ice, avocado pistachio ice and coffee almond fudge all had great flavors. We got cookies to take home also (so good). I will definitely try the shaved ice next time around.“

“Been here several times over the trips to San Diego, always wanting to get the ice cream but for some reason never have. Mainly stock up on chocolate before I head home. They have several flavors of chocolate to choose from, pink and mix and pre-packed bags.“

“Best Ice cream in San Diego“

“This place is A+!!! You can buy posicles for 50 cents each or a dozen for only six bucks and you can pick any flavors you want and make your own custom box! I don't know why it's not as popular but it's my favorite store now. Definitely check it out if you can, you won't be disappointed“

“The best ice cream with super unique flavors. Highly recommend!“

“Love it and delicious... I will be back definitly... Very cheap prices...“

“Stopped here after the beach for a refreshing paleta. The limón is always my go to and it did not disappoint. Perfect texture to bite into with a delicious citrus taste. You can pay extra to get toppings on them. There is a small parking lot here which was a bonus. Not busy at all when we went on a Saturday evening. Would definitely stop again.“

“With the commercialized takeover of the creamery industry there aren’t too many true creameries left in this world. I stumbled up Handel’s when I was visiting In’n’Out on a work trip. The slogan “Handmade since 1945” caught my eye and it looked like a creamery I remember as a boy. I was stunned at their setup of ice cream freezers behind the counter. It’s cool to watch them scoop cones! I read about Handel’s story and the people who bought Handel’s did it right when they scaled the business. It definitely feels like a small town creamery which is rare these days.

I had the pistachio ice cream with a waffle cone and it was very good! I got the small and they piled the ice cream high! Definitely worth the price!“

“The flavor of the ice cream is worth the $$$ that we paid for it My favorite flavors are great golden pistachio and butter pecan“

“I have been coming here for a long time and they have everything I have been craving from ice cream I haven’t had in a while to candy and new ice cream I have been seeing all over TikTok and Instagram. The prices are super good and it is a family business with the best service, they take their time and get you what you ordered so quickly. I definitely recommend coming here if you want some to the best snacks!“

“La atencion al cliente muy buena.“

“Best cannoli of my life. This is an absolute must stop in Little Italy.“

“The place is very clean. Variety of flavors and toppings and the staff is very friendly. Price is about $0.49 per Oz. Filled up with kiwi strawberry, watermelon, and cookie n cream. Comparable with NuYo, but pricier.“

“Every time I visit, the cookies are fresh, warm, and packed with flavor. I love that the menu changes weekly—it keeps things fun and gives me something new to look forward to. The store is super clean, the staff is friendly, and the service is always fast. My favorites so far are the classic chocolate chip and any of their seasonal specials. Definitely worth the hype!“

“la nieve muy deliciosa(Gelato) matcha late no esta muy concentrado como ami me gusta, el pan que venden muy rico, la chicas que atienden muy amables, pero sobre todo una vista maravillosa... P.D. precios accesibles.“

“Great selection of drinks, pastries, ice cream and sandwiches! Awesome and fast service! The rotating specials are creative and delicious, always hard to figure out which to choose between in all the different items on the menu ! Don't pass it up!!!“

“Lo que pruebes esta delicioso! 🤤🤤“

“friendly staff and everything we ordered was delicious“

“My boys ❤️ the coconut yogurt!!“

“I’ll start off my review with saying great customer service . It shows the owner has put in a lot much of his/her time to train their employees properly . Every time I walk in I am always greeted and never rushed when ordering . I personally love there fruit waters and making my own chip bowl. All prices are decent and affordable so they fit everyones budget . It can get busy from time to time but totally worth the wait . I definitely recommend visiting this location to grab something for your sweet tooth or salty craving:) . Most importantly this location is always clean and sanitized ! You will never see a mess.“

“best local burger spot. Fresh, delicious and great prices. 👍 Support local businesses.“

“Located near the Taco Bell. The raspado was actually good I thought it would take fake but it was quite good. My kid got the lime one.
I picked up some tostilocos not my favorite honestly. The lacked more toppings. But would go back to try more of the raspados since the syrups looked so tasty and fresh. They also have a nice sitting area to enjoy your treats. Very clean.“

“I Don’t Go Often But When I Do I’m Never Disappointed!! Yum“

“I would like to share our wonderful experience with this place. From the moment we arrived, we were treated with professionalism, respect, and genuine care.

The owner, Joe, and the manager, Maik, are outstanding individuals who truly take pride in their business. Maik is an excellent manager—professional, attentive, respectful, and always willing to go the extra mile to ensure customers have a great experience. Joe’s leadership is evident in the welcoming atmosphere and high standards they maintain.

Both Joe and Maik are responsible, fair, and reasonable, making every interaction pleasant and enjoyable. It’s clear that customer satisfaction is their top priority.

I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for exceptional service and a positive experience. Thank you, Joe and Maik, for your dedication and outstanding hospitality!“

“Lo que pruebes esta delicioso! 🤤🤤“

“delicious and great prizes. love it“

“I came here for lunch, the picture of the tacos looked bomb. Unfortunately the taco lady wasn’t there. Dillon who took my order was super helpful in recommending the torta he let me sample Panela cheese to see if I would like it, I got the vegetarian torta and was not disappointed. Dillon was nice enough to offfer me a sample of the strawberries con crema says his mom makes the cream fresh every morning. They were delicious but I opted for the fruit salad instead. It came with papaya, cantaloupe, honeydew melon,mango strawberries apples cottage cheese granola and honey. Everything was fresh and crisp the friendly service got me to stay, even though there is no restroom for customers, something g to consider if you’re a person who is looking for a lunch break and need a bathroom to relive yourself and wash your hands.“

“Omg! I just started working in the area, and I stop by to try it out. The staff was so nice. I got the pineapple sorbet with chamoy and tajin, I was so delicious. I gonna come back and bring my kids, they would live to see them make and roll the ice cream. Super cool experience.“

“tenders are great ❤️ milkshake too“

“The best place to eat, recommend it by me.“

“Very friendly staff. Coffee, pastries, panini's and biscotti was fresh! our morning go to during our stay. (connected to the hotel we stay at) Highly recommend!“

“Primera visita y me atendieron con mucha amabilidad y muy buenos precios, variedad de dulces mexicanos, gracias por su atención“

“😁❤️ always excellent service“

“Lo que pruebes esta delicioso! 🤤🤤“