The Mad Dipper - Handcrafted Artisan Ice Cream!

Hard to find, sign is hidden in the trees. We finally got parked just to find out they were locked up on a Wednesday afternoon at 2pm. Was really looking forward to it and drove out of the way. I assume something happened but didn't see a message on the door indicating why they were closed.

One of the ice cream flavors we got had freezer burn. They ran out of spoons. The whole place had a smell of cleaner. Wasn't really impressed, and would rather go other places

Employee was wearing a Covid mask, but no gloves, or a hairnet over his long, unwashed hair. Priorities are wrong here. Meager scoops of ice cream, limited flavors catering to a 5yr olds palate (bubblegum, cake batter, skittles) can’t see the ice cream because it’s covered.

I couldn't even tell if it was open it was so dark inside. To our surprise it was open but the chairs were stacked on top of the tables so we couldn't sit inside. The place looked filthy and there were dead flies on the floor. There was a limited number of flavors and only a couple of cones in the display case. We did buy a couple of cones but should have just gone to Ingles and bought some. The ice cream was not very good.

Absolutely had a wonderful experience here while visiting the area! I love me a strawberry shake and this place had one of the best. What's better is that they will make a shake from any flavor they have. Fresh in store made waffle cones, yum. The staff was very friendly and eager to help us figure out what flavor we wanted with samples. Would recommend and will return when in the area again.

We ordered special dark chocolate and chocolate raspberry ice cream. The employee refused to make more waffle cones so we got both in cups. Both tasted like regular chocolate ice cream and employee refused to switch it out. This place is not good. It seemed like a dirty below average place when we walked in and it exceeded the initial impression. Don’t go here. We threw the ice cream away and walked out.

EDITS - Both ice creams tasted exactly the same. We were never offered sample even though we asked a lot of questions. We felt like we didn’t receive what we ordered. We were there an hour before closing and we ended up going to Kilwins where we received great ice cream and great service.

Flavors were good. Store seemed unkept and a little dirty. Worse part was the 2 strands of plastic found in the dreamsicle ice cream.

Two stars is generous. The ice cream was still tasty but man was the atmosphere off putting and cringy. We use to go to Ultimate regularly before it was bought out but went to the other location that since closed. This was my first time going to this location and it’s fairly hard to locate but when we walked in it just felt gross. Dim lights, flies, and dirty tables. Very limited flavor options as well. Luckily the had salted caramel still but everything about this place made me never want to come back. I’d be shocked if this place could pass a health inspection based on what we experienced

I’m giving this 3 stars because I don’t have it in me to go lower, but it’s definitely not what it used to be. This shop took over from Ultimate Ice Cream, which had a big reputation and even bigger shoes to fill—and unfortunately, The Mad Dipper doesn’t quite measure up.

The atmosphere was off from the start. The back lights where they usually prep ice cream and goodies were out, giving the whole place a dim, unfinished feel. There was also a strange smell that didn’t quite mix well with the sweetness of the ice cream, and it just created a weird vibe overall.

The flavor selection was really limited. If you’ve got kids who like more basic or traditional flavors, you may be out of luck—there wasn’t even a simple chocolate option when we went. That said, the ice cream itself *was* good. But for the price, you’d expect a more generous portion—a double scoop looked more like a kid’s cup, which made it feel overpriced.

What we really missed, though, was the fun, inviting atmosphere we always got from the original shop. It’s not just about ice cream—it’s about the experience—and sadly, that part seems to be gone.

I wanted to be excited. I’ve been here twice since it changed hands from Ultimate Ice Cream. What a disappointment. The ice cream is good; however the shop seems messy and disorganized and the ice cream is covered so you can’t actually see it. They were out of whipped cream the second time I went and no longer carried hot fudge for a sundae- only Hersheys syrup. Ice cream was fine but I would done better buying a half pint of Graeters French pot ice cream at Ingles. Won’t be returning.

Happy to say Sweet Cream hasn’t changed under new ownership.
My favorite ice cream in Asheville.

We are visiting Asheville this weekend and decided to try this highly rated ice cream shop. When we pulled up after dinner, the sign on the door said “Sorry we are closed” and the open sign wasn’t lit up. Within 20 seconds of being in the parking spot, the open sign was turned on. We thought that was strange since it said in their hours that they open at 1pm. We proceeded to go in and ask if they were open. They said yes and proceeded to say they’ve been in business for 20 years.

When we walked in, it looked like they were closed for business for good. It wasn’t an overly welcoming atmosphere and it was stark. They didn’t have their ice cream on display to choose from. Because it seemed the like place was in disarray, we weren’t sure how fresh the ice cream was. We were pretty disappointed.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 2

THIS IS THE BEST ICE CREAM I HAVE EVER HAD! If you are traveling through Asheville, you have to give this place a whirl. I can't say enough about how good this ice cream is. So glad I stopped in!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Go to The Hop.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Why is your business called the “Mad Dipper” if you don’t serve dipped ice cream cones? The ice cream didn’t taste homemade and the quality of the waffle cones were awful. Very stale.