
Parents are submitting their picks for the best ice cream around Philadelphia to our interactive list - with a handy map so you can easily find a spot near you!
Review your favorite Philadelphia ice cream shops below and help other parents find a new place to score a cool treat with the kids.
Our list of favorite Philly dessert spots has plenty of sweet ideas, too.
Woodside Farm Creamery
Sue Krawitz Tandoc: Enjoy fresh homemade ice cream from the Woodside Farm Creamery made from the milk of their 30 Jersey cows. They feature a wide variety of flavors to make everyone's day sweet, plus novelties such as ice cream cakes and pies. This 200+ year-old family- owned farm supports local community organizations as well as local agriculture.
Cookie Dope
Sue Krawitz Tandoc: Check out award-winning Cookie Dope this summer. They feature premium Bassett's ice cream in tempting flavors plus sundaes, shakes, cookie sandwiches and 20 flavors of snow cones. However, perhaps their most popular item is homemade cookie dough in a variety of flavors.
Bruster's Ice Cream
Shila: Enjoy fresh ice cream, banana splits, waffle cones, cakes, pies, shakes, and popular Bruster’s Blasts where you can mix in all your favorite toppings. Kids under 40" receive a free baby cone. And dogs of all heights receive a free Doggie Sundae.
Brown's Cow
Michelle Joy Blattner: Tucked away in the heart of Phoenixville lies a special treat, Brown's Cow. This quaint shop sells various delicious flavors of Bassett's ice cream, as well as sugar-free and non-dairy ice cream!
This place is a treat in itself. They open every season on tax day by giving out free green ice cream to, according to the owner, "give people a little Green back on tax day!"
How sweet!
Handel's Homemade Ice Cream
Sue Krawitz Tandoc: Handel's Homemade Ice Cream serves up decadent homemade ice cream in every flavor under the sun plus water ices, sherbets, yogurts and a variety of menu goodies like banana splits, milk shakes, smoothies, hurricanes, floats, pops, ice cream sandwiches and much more. Local locations include Berwyn and Royersford!
Zwahlen's Ice Cream
Sue Krawitz Tandoc: Treat your taste buds to the deliciousness of Zwahlen's homemade ice cream. Their staff makes super-rich, premium all-natural ice cream daily in vanilla, chocolate and a special flavor of the day. Stop in for a cone or buy a pint or quart size to take home! In addition to ice cream, their store sells chocolates, gourmet apples, gift baskets and more.
Lil' Pop Shop
Shila: Need a twist on ice cream? Lil' Pop Shop is famous for their hand-crafted, artisan ice pops available in lots of modern flavors like Chocolate with Salted Caramel Brownies and Vanilla Bean with Rainbow Sprinkles!
The pops are made from fresh fruit, organic eggs, milk, yogurt & cream. They're sweetened with pure cane sugar, with no neon or artificial dyes. And they have both Creamy & Non Dairy assortments.
The West Philly location also has a few toys for young children & the Rittenhouse Square location is just 1 block from the park of the same name.
C&C Creamery
Vanessa M.: C & C Creamery, short for Custard & Cakes Creamery, has been creating frozen custard, ice cream cakes, novelty desserts, milkshakes and malts, water ice, and more in Philadelphia since the 1950's. Their award winning custard is available in flavors such as Cherry Vanilla, Cake Batter, Minty Cookies and Cream, and seasonal flavors such as Caramel Apple Pie and Pumpkin Spice Cookie.
Sweet Charlie's
Vanessa M.: Sweet Charlie's ice cream is custom made right before your eyes! Fresh ingredients are poured onto a sub-frozen slab, mixed with your choice of flavors and toppings, and rolled into mouth-watering ice cream rolls. Upgrade your Sweet Charlie's experience by ordering the Tall Charlie to enjoy your ice cream rolls sandwiched between a freshly baked glazed donut. Choose from ice cream or non-fat frozen yogurt, or create your own flavor by mixing and matching. Feel free to let the kids go crazy with the toppings....they are free!
Philly Flavors
Sue Krawitz Tandoc: Homemade ice cream and other sweet treats are available at Philly Flavors. Sundaes, frozen drinks, gelato and old fashioned ice cream cones will delight your sweet tooth and make you want to go back for more!
Scoop DeVille
Vanessa M.: Scoop DeVille's Ice Cream Parlour has been scooping up delicious ice cream concoctions such as ice cream waffles and banana splits in Philadelphia since 1989. They offer hundreds of mix-ins to create your own soft serve on the spot. With so many choices, the flavor combinations are endless! Try a Lucky Charms or Cinnamon Toast Crunch Milkshake! Dairy free and gluten free available.
Bassett's Ice Cream at Reading Terminal Market
Vanessa M.: Bassett's Ice Cream boasts being America's first ice cream company, established in Philadelphia in 1861, and serving ice cream at Reading Terminal Market since 1892! Their super premium ice cream is made in over 100 decadent flavors such as Raspberry Truffle, Birthday Cake, and English Toffee Crunch.
Bredenbeck's Bakery & Ice Cream Parlor
Juan L.: This place is a Philadelphia tradition that opened all the way back in 1889! They serve all your basic flavors -- vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint -- and offer more exotic flavors such as Phillies Graham Slam, Gadzooks, and Guatemalan Ripple. There are tons of toppings that will delight any kid's imagination. The atmosphere of the place is so homey and warm. It's sure to bring a smile to the whole family.
They also make wonderful cakes, cupcakes, pies, and pastries. Bredenbeck's won't disappoint even the sweetest sweet tooth!The Franklin Fountain
Vanessa M.: At The Franklin Fountain, all ice cream, toppings, and baked goods are made in house from scratch using fresh, local ingredients. The menu includes everything you'd expect to find at a true old-fashioned ice cream fountain, from sundaes, banana splits, milkshakes, floats, egg creams, and phosphates. Specialty ice cream flavors include Honeycomb, Hydrox Cookie, and Whirly Berly (Chocolate with Honey Nougat, Salted Chocolate Caramel, and Cocoa Nibs). Vegan and Sugar-Free options available.
Weckerly's Ice Cream
Vanessa M.: Weckerly's Ice Cream specializes in small batch French custard ice cream that they create in house. Their flavors are inspired by the seasons, and their ingredients come from local farms. Flavors like Blueberry Breakfast (cinnamon toasted oat ice cream + blueberry swirl), CONEy Island (vanilla ice cream + islands of chocolate smothered cones), and Summer Jam (chocolate ice cream with marshmallow fluff marbled with vanilla ice cream + raspberry swirl) will lure you in!
Uncle Mike's Homemade Ice Cream
Sue Krawitz Tandoc: Head over to Uncle Mike's Homemade Ice Cream for scrumptious homemade ice cream, sorbets and a large selection of made-to-order treats like ice cream cakes, pies, sandwiches, floats, sundaes, milk shakes and much more. Visit their site for special monthly flavors and deals!
Sweet Pea Homemade Ice Cream
Sue Krawitz Tandoc: Gather the kids and head to Sweet Pea Homemade Ice Cream in Doylestown for delectable ice cream flavors such as Cookie Monster, Peach Cobbler and Salted Caramel. They also feature adult-only flavors such as Beer + Pretzels, Boozy Banana and Salted Pecan Bourbon. They feature several ice cream trucks for events, too!
Primary photo: Markus Spiske on Unsplash
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