50 Best Ice Cream Shops in San Diego

“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!“

“Had a great experience here. The service was good & ordering was easy. I ordered the ice churro & 9t was delicious- great combination of hot churros on top of ice cream!!
Had a great experience here & would recommend to family & friends!!🍦🧁🍦“

“I live in Arizona and walking my found this place. To sum it up I’m addicted to this ice cream. Every time we go to San Diego I have this ice cream 2 to 3 times a day.“

“Fantastic, velvety smooth creative flavors and made from scratch! They also switch out their flavors every 2 weeks or so! Fun concept, wonderful staff. Highly recommend. Putting San Diego on the food map :)“

“The perfect treat on a hot day. And now that we know the deliver , I’m getting gelato at work.“

“This is by far one of the best ice cream shops I’ve been to! The ice cream is phenomenal and is all made in house. The owner Dave was so kind and helpful! I will absolutely be back to this stop next time I’m in town! P.s. don’t sleep on the mushroom ice cream. It is BEYOND good!“

“Handel’s is an iconic San Diego spot and a must if you’re around Mission Beach. Whenever I’m in the area I make it a point to walk over and grab an ice cream. The flavors are great, the portions are generous, and it has that classic beach-town vibe. Definitely something to put on your list if you’re visiting.“

“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!“

“They were very polite and answered all of our questions. The ice cream is light not heavy and absolutely delicious. The cones are sweet and shaped like a fish, which was such a fun touch. I ordered the matcha and banana pudding swirl in a cone with Fruity Pebbles as the topping. The banana pudding wasn’t overpowering at all it was refreshing, light, and incredibly tasty.

I had the ube cookie and cream swirl in a cone with fruity pebbles last time and both are delicious. You can't go wrong with what you try.“

“I’m officially a Salt & Straw fan, and the Little Italy location in San Diego does not disappoint. I love sampling their rotating flavors, but I’m hooked on the Chocolate Gooey Brownie, and my boyfriend swears by the Double Gold Vanilla—both are absolutely amazing.

I’ve also been to Anne’s Dry Cleaning (the ice cream spot everyone raves about), and while it’s hyped as one of the best in the country, it didn’t quite live up to the wait for me. Salt & Straw, on the other hand, has far more efficient lines—they did seem a little shorter to me than Anne’s Dry Cleaning, and I’ve never had to wait over 45 minutes like I did there. Both staffs are very friendly, which makes the experience even better.

The flavors here are adventurous and fun—sweet, salty, savory, seasonal, you name it. Not every flavor is my style, but there’s something for everyone. If you’re strolling around Little Italy after dinner or just exploring, this spot is a must-visit. For me, it’s the clear winner.
Parking is a bit difficult if it's a busy night downtown but in telling you it's definitely worth it and then you can walk to the fountain across the street or take a stroll.“

“The best ice cream in San Diego hands down“

“Best ice cream I've ever had!
Cheesecake filled with salted caramel, dipped in white chocolate, drizzled with milk chocolate and had to have the sprinkles too!
Friendly service, highly recommended!
Geoff from the UK“

“The Salt and Straw at One Paseo in Del Mar was a stop we made on a “girls weekend” in San Diego. We’d like to thank Shahin who greeted us with warmth, enthusiasm and proudly served us samples until we made our final choices. He appeared sincere and listened intently to our own ice cream stories (what better place to share favorite flavors than an ice cream shop!) Shahin gets our award for BEST SERVICE EVER!“

“I live in Arizona and walking my found this place. To sum it up I’m addicted to this ice cream. Every time we go to San Diego I have this ice cream 2 to 3 times a day.“

“Their homemade ice cream“

“I live in Arizona and walking my found this place. To sum it up I’m addicted to this ice cream. Every time we go to San Diego I have this ice cream 2 to 3 times a day.“

“Conveniently located right next to where we had BBQ, Sunday Ice Cream was an easy and sweet stop after dinner. The shop has tons of creative Asian-inspired flavors that caught our eye right away — from sesame to matcha to taro. We tried the sesame ice cream, and it was creamy, rich, and awesomely delicious. The place was packed but the line moved quickly, and the staff were friendly and efficient.

Parking, on the other hand, was a bit of a hassle. The area is super busy, so we ended up parking in a nearby paid garage — not too bad for the convenience. Overall, a fun and tasty experience, especially if you’re into Asian-style flavors and want a nice treat after your meal!“

“It’s nice to have soft serve in the hood!!“

“I work at Sisters pizza. So I decided to go to Jennis for the first time to try the ice-cream since it’s in the area of NorthPark why not? Aloooot of different flavors. They handed me a tiny heavy spoon. I was like oh wow fancy haha. The gentleman helping me was nice. I was kinda overwhelmed with all the different flavors but I decided to choose 2 but the guy got one of them wrong . Didn’t wanted to make it a bit deal but 1 star off for that. Tipped also. If you want to try for the first time I say u should! But they are super tiny portions I think for 2 scoops was like $8 dls but small. The guy was friendly but he was kinda serious looking“

“Fives across the board! The gelato and chocolate here is incredible and the service is the same if not better. Gianna was kind enough to let me sample some of the chocolates and patiently explained each of the products I asked about. I will definitely be stopping by again soon!“

“Delicious gelato. The free samples outside were great, and then going inside and them still offering free samples was awesome. The salted caramel and the banana + dulce de leche were incredible. Also the pricing for the sizes was great too, was very full.“

“We found Cabetos a few years ago at a farmers market. Ever since then if we ever see them somewhere- it’s a must have treat. We recently had a grand opening event for our new business and had them cater. They were awesome to work with. Weston, who was at our event was so fun and EVERYONE loved the ice cream. I highly recommend to find them at a farmers market near you or book them for your next event. I now need to go to their new store! So fun!“

“This your local Ma & Pop shop. Personal Fav: Acai/Blue Spirulina Bowl (Acai Roots Brand 💜) They have quite a few bases to choose from so that's nice.

Every bowl, no matter who is working, is made with love. Employees are super sweet, very engaging and always greet you with a smile when you walk in.

Froyo/Sorbet/Gelato favors, yes they have multiple options, are super good and changing often. However, Pineapple Dole is always on tap which is another personal fav of mine, so that's rad.

If you want an OG froyo/acai bowl... This is your spot.“

“Great spot for the perfect evening treat 🍦“

“The best, smoothest texture, greatest flvor gelato in San Diego and I've tried them all. Chocolate hazelnut is my favorite but the strawberry snd spumoni are also great. Outdoor streetside seating or try the upstairs room (stairs are outside) to watch the planes land. Lots of nearby restaurants to try beforehand. Other desserts available as well.“

“Had the best experience at Salt N Straw UTC. To the guy who helped us 10 pm on this Friday night, absolute gem of a man —thank you for being so patient with us and walking us through every flavor and answering all of questions with enthusiasm. Made our week :) loved the cinnamon bun and cheddar flavor, thanks for the rec!“

“I live in Arizona and walking my found this place. To sum it up I’m addicted to this ice cream. Every time we go to San Diego I have this ice cream 2 to 3 times a day.“

“Oh my god the Mexican chocolate is the best I've ever had it was so soft but sweet. A great nostalgia reminds me of my grandmas chocolate. The employees were very nice. Did you see the art gallery in the back, it's worth a visit and the indie art is for sale.“

“In love with this shaved ice! more than you can eat for a great price.“

“Love the cheerful, friendly welcome and the first timer helpfulness! Delicious sandwiches prepared to order, personal preferences are catered to. Always something new to try, creative variations.“

“This place has been wonderful. The flavors are always rotating but I'm always sticking to an original - vanilla with gummy worms and popping boba. Best times to visit are summer, fall, winter, and spring. ALL YEAR!
I am treated with the same exceptional service every visit, specifically by Kris, the manager. Go only if you see the purple Miata in the parking lot, that car is an indication that the legend himself is on shift.

Highly recommend for solo stops and families!“

“Stopped here on a whim (treat for the kids after flu shots nearby) and was pleasantly surprised that they had Superman ice cream!

I haven’t had it in years and it was very nostalgic. That was the best flavor at K Mart growing up lol.

Nice little spot, very clean, seems family owned.

Parking: Shopping center parking with 2 dedicated spots

Kid-friendliness: Very kid friendly. Kid sized bowls.“

“Delicious malts and delicious food! Homemade French fries and home made ranch dressing“

“Thank you Woofpac for dropping off some Advent calendars at our veterinary hospital! These are honestly the first treats that every single one of my dogs loved! I will be stopping by Irvine Spectrum soon to get them more goodies 🐶❤️“

“Phenomenal gelato! Glad that they moved into the local community and decided that they are boycotting creepy and ugly Christmas decor that makes children scared and refusing to decorate. A community member asked why they haven’t decorated for Christmas & was told they decided this location was going to “anti Christmas”. Wonderful news! An’s is a marvelous treat no matter the location, thank you all🫶“

“Super fresh, delicious and nutritious!!! The fruit in the açai bowl was super fresh and it was nice to have a dessert option high in protein (PB and various nuts) and all natural sugar. My partner really enjoyed their milkshake and smoothies. Thank you Nancy and team!“

“This was my first time visiting and I loved it. The atmosphere of the store is so cute and aesthetic. The ice cream itself is delicious! I tried the Red Bean & Taro and was amazed at how delicious it was. I will definitely be sure to visit again and try various flavors. Highly recommend!“

“Came in with my kids today — first time trying it, after living here for 4 years! The ice cream was delicious and the kids loved their flavors. We tried Gansito, birthday cake and double
Chocolate chip. I loved their gansito, brings back memories of eating them at my grandmas house. Gerardo helped us at the counter. We’ll definitely be back! 😊🍦“

“Been coming here for 25 years! Best frozen yogurt!!“

“They have great flavors and toppings.“

“Stumbled upon this lovely little place while walking on Little Italy area. On stepping in you are greeted by the several paletas from fruit to milk based flavors on the counter. Place has a nice vibe and is spacious. They also have customizable topping options available for a surcharge.

Coffee flavor was amazing and had a center of leche, which nicely balanced out the strong coffee flavor. Loved the pistachio paleta.. it wasn’t overpowered by sugar, had a nutty flavor that let pistachio shine! Highly recommend the place.“

“Excelente repostería! Riquísimas donas ☕️🍩🍩🍩“

“Let's just say this.... I'm addicted. So yummy ?. I always get a medium chocolate cone, and I literally can't stop. The ice cream cone is 3x the size of McDonald's or Chic Fil a . The taste is much creamier and tastee. The place is always busy no matter what time I go. It's absolutely a local favorite. You can dine in, sit outside, or go. They have food also, but I always get ice cream. I'm ? sure the food is as good, based on the constant flow of happy customers.“

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

“I loved this place!! Very spacious, beautifully decorated, and clean.

Here you can find all kinds of chocolates and it's also a café. We tried the hot fudge sundae and the Dubai sundae, a real treat!!

The service was good and very fast.“

“bomb.com !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!“

“Ok, I am from NY and love pizza. I am not a NYC pizza snob though and welcome all iterations of 'za! I have to say that this pizza is probably the best I have ever had of its type. They are "Roman" slices, meaning focaccia crust. Variety of slice options are insane with creative combinations that are not only imaginative, but insanely delicious. Slices are cooked upon ordering for supreme freshness. I especially like the Lussuria - prosciutto, black pepper, mashed potato, mozzarella and olive oil. (I NEVER thought I would like mashed potato on a slice, but it's insanely good.) The help here is amazing as well. Caesar was working the oven and he gave great suggestions and explained the product well. Very inviting and definitely steered me in the right direction. Need gluten free? They got it! Will make a GF slice for you right on the spot. I challenge anyone to have just one slice. I had to go back for 2 more. Enjoy!“

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

“SO YUM YUM TO YOUR TUM TUM🍧❤️🍧❤️🍧 SO MANY FLAVORS TO CHOOSE FROM... BEST WHEN YOU ADD THE ABUNDANCE OF TOPPINGS ❤️🍧❤️🍧❤️“

“Can’t stop eating these. Go to the gas station by my house for a Mint & Chocolate one at least three times a week 🙈 Would love to buy a box if possible! 🐷“