Best Ice Cream in NYC
Craving a summertime sweet treat? New York City has you covered. From classic scoops and creamy gelato to soft serve, vegan, boozy, and dog-friendly options, these are the best ice cream spots across the boroughs to keep your summer cool and sweet.
P.S. Scroll down for National Ice Cream Day Deals 2025
513 Henry St | Carroll Gardens
PHOTO: Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain
Transport to the olden days at this Carroll Gardens treasure. Brooklyn Farmacy is a classic soda fountain slinging egg creams, sundaes, floats, shakes, and of course, traditional scoops. Their Strawberry Milkshake? Chef’s kiss.
6-82 Woodward Ave | Ridgewood
PHOTO: ICE CREAM WINDOW
You’ve heard of Italy’s wine windows, now meet Ridgewood’s Ice Cream Window! Back for its fifth summer, it serves joy in scoop form every Saturday & Sunday during the summer, featuring beloved LadyMooMoo ice cream and exclusive seasonal flavors.
141 8th Ave | Chelsea
Photo: OddFellows Ice Cream
Concocting over 500 wacky and wonderful flavors in the last 10 years, including fresh takes on classics, OddFellows truly captures the spirit of NYC in ice cream! Founded in Brooklyn in 2013, this small-batch company’s wild creativity makes every scoop the most exciting part of your day.
Gramercy & Greenpoint
Photo: Caffè Panna
Cookies 'N Panna, Oreo PB Fluff, Stracciatella, Red Flag, there’s no wrong choice. Whatever flavors they’ve got left, consider yourself lucky. Caffè Panna isn’t just a local ice cream shop; it’s a scoop-sized trip to Italy. Everything’s made fresh in-house, with flavors that rotate daily. If you see a line, it’s more than worth the wait.
Multiple Locations (Manhattan, Brooklyn, & Queens)
Photo: ample hills
This whimsical shop, named after a Walt Whitman poem, serves creative scoops and colorful cones beloved by locals. Don’t miss PB Wins the Cup or Breakfast Trash, two fan favorites you’ll find on their rotating, small-batch menu.
314 New Dorp Ln | New Dorp
Since 2011, this Staten Island staple has served up homemade ice cream, bubble tea, smoothies, and macarons using fresh ingredients like low-fat milk and real fruit. It’s cozy, local, and the perfect amount of sweet for a treat.
Multiple Locations (Manhattan & Brooklyn)
Photo: sugar hill creamery
Family-owned and Harlem-rooted, Sugar Hill Creamery crafts small-batch flavors inspired by Caribbean and Midwestern traditions. It’s community-first, flavor-forward, and a favorite scoop stop in uptown neighborhoods.
158 Irving Ave | Bushwick
PHOTO: Ollie's Ice Cream + Stuff
Out with your four-legged friend and craving ice cream for you and your pup? Head to Ollie’s Ice Cream + Stuff, a playful Bushwick shop with fun flavors, vegan options, dog-friendly scoops, and plenty of nostalgic treats.
Multiple locations (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens)
PHOTO: emack and bolio's
This rock-and-roll-inspired parlor is known for wild cones and wild flavors to match. Expect over-the-top creations that satisfy the sweet tooth and the nostalgia. Take a look at their menu!
1498 First Ave | UES
PHOTO: sedutto
A neighborhood gem on the Upper East Side, Sedutto serves over 40 flavors of ice cream, sorbet, and yogurt, plus a toppings bar to customize it all. Cookie Monster is a local favorite, but you can’t go wrong.
341 5th Ave | Park Slope
Photo: L’Albero Dei Gelato
Italian gelato meets Brooklyn at this Park Slope shop known for organic ingredients and rich flavors. From hazelnut to seasonal fruit, everything’s made fresh and responsibly sourced.
Multiple locations (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens)
PHOTO: tipsy scoop
Booze and ice cream? Yes, please. Tipsy Scoop serves 21+ customers flavors like Cake Batter Vodka Martini and Mango Margarita Sorbet. A perfect stop for grown-up dessert lovers.
88 W Houston St | Soho
PHOTO: morgenstern's
With 88 flavors, Morgenstern’s is known for pushing the limits, offering bold scoops like Yuzu Yamazaki or Blueberries n Cream with sesame honeycomb. Plus, their soft-serve spinoff, Morgenstern’s BANANAS, is less than a mile away from the OG spot.
195 Spring St | SoHo
Photo: Rivareno
Hands down one of DoNYC’s favorite spots for a sweet treat. We know some folks might be mad it’s not technically ice cream, but once you try it, you won’t regret it. They opened their first NYC location in SoHo earlier this year, and it’s already become a neighborhood favorite.
Multiple locations (Manhattan & Queens)
PHOTO: chinatown ice cream
Chinatown Ice Cream draws crowds for rich, housemade scoops inspired by traditional Chinese recipes. Some flavors include black sesame, lychee, and red bean, all served in a cozy shop that’s become a local favorite.
Multiple NYC Locations
PHOTO: VAN LEEUWEN
A favorite here at DoNYC: Van Leeuwen. What began as an ice cream truck in 2008 is now all over the city, serving rich ice cream, fun seasonal collabs from King Cake to Mac 'n' Cheese, and a wide range of VEGAN flavors!
Multiple Manhattan Locations
PHOTO: Anita Gelato
We couldn't NOT include Anita Gelato just because everyone already knows it. But, if you don't, Anita is a summertime staple here in NYC with vibrant flavors and super creamy gelato that will transport you straight to Italy.
National Ice Cream Day Deals (7/20/2025):
- Dairy Queen: Free Dilly Bar with any DQ app order of $1 or more.
Heap's Ice Cream: Free scoops to the first 100 guests starting at 11:30 AM, followed by $3 scoops for the rest of the day.
Smorgasburg's Great Ice Cream Fair: A FREE one-day celebration of small-batch scoops, community, and summer.
Woof Wellness: Free Ice Cream & Pup Cups
Did we miss something? Email [email protected] with your suggestion.
Updated July 2025
