Scooping the Sweetest Spots: A Local’s Guide to Austin’s Best Ice Cream Shops

Hello fellow Austin explorers and ice cream aficionados! If you’re as passionate about the sweet, creamy delight as I am, then you’ve come to the right place. I’ve been on a quest for Austin’s best ice cream and I’m here to spill the (ice cream) scoop! Let’s embark on a taste bud-tingling adventure as we explore the Guide to the Best Ice Cream Shops in Austin, all tucked away in the heart of Texas, awaiting your discovery.

Experience the Blend of Unique and Rustic at Lick Honest Ice Creams

To start this sweet journey, we’ll take a pit stop at the organic ice cream paradise, Lick Honest Ice Creams. This homegrown establishment, originating in Austin in 2011, proudly prides itself on its Texas-grown roots.

• Unique Selling Point: Lick Honest Ice Creams gets their name from their approach to ingredient sourcing. They believe in keeping things close to home by using carefully selected ingredients straight from local family-owned dairy farms and artisan food producers. You can truly taste the local love in every delightful scoop!
• Variety of Flavors: The variety in this place is simply mind-boggling. From the wholesome classics, vegan-friendly options, to innovative seasonal flavors like ‘Honey Lavender’, ‘Roasted Beets & Fresh Mint’, and tantalizing ‘Dark Chocolate with Olive Oil and Sea Salt’, there’s undoubtedly a flavor for everyone.
• Atmosphere: Step inside and you’ll be warmly welcomed into a chill, rustic atmosphere synonymous with Lick’s ethos: simple, honest, natural, and down-to-earth. Minimalistic wooden furniture, friendly scoopers, and a cozy ambiance round off this extraordinary ice cream experience.
• Address: 6555 Burnet Rd Suite 200, Austin, TX
• Working hours: They maintain pretty flexible hours, opening doors from 12:30pm till 10pm from Monday through Sunday.

Experiencing Lick Honest Ice Creams feels like a beautiful homage to Texas, with ice cream that oozes honesty and radiates extraordinary, authentic flavors.

Indulge in a Twirl of Tradition at Cow Tipping Creamery

Moving on, let’s introduce your taste buds to the second ice cream marvel on our list, Cow Tipping Creamery. This family-run dessert truck turned brick-and-mortar shop boasts of taking soft serve ice cream basics to sky-high levels!

• Unique Selling Point: What sets this place apart is their innovative approach to traditional soft serve ice cream. They’ve created something entirely different – stackers! These are deceptively sumptuous layer cakes of creamy soft serve, mouth-watering sauces, crowned with crunchy toppings. Discover a new favorite with every bite.
• Taste sensations: Their ice cream creations have something special for everyone. The much-raved ‘Southern Charm’ stacker features bourbon caramel sauce, Bananas Foster bread pudding chunks, and vanilla soft serve bound to transport you into a gastronomic ecstasy. The ‘At The Ritz’ stacker with sweet and salty Ritz cracker crumble offers a different yet equally satisfying experience.
• Variety: They also offer vegan-friendly and eco-conscious options, ensuring everyone gets to savor their innovative ice cream treats.
• Address: 4715 S Lamar Blvd #103, Austin, TX.
• Working hours: They’re open seven days a week, from 12pm till 10pm.

Upon entering Cow Tipping Creamery, you’ll be greeted with a quirky, family-friendly atmosphere, where traditional ice cream is playfully twisted into extraordinary culinary delights.

Immerse In Authentic Italian Gelato at Dolce Neve

Next, we’re off to Dolce Neve – a slice of Italy lodged right in Austin! This authentic Italian gelateria is serving up some of the best gelato in town.

• Unique Selling Point: This family-owned gelateria firmly sticks to traditional Italian gelato recipes by crafting fresh scoops every day. They use organic milk sourced locally and churn their gelato in-house to offer the creamiest texture and richest, most authentic Italian flavors.
• Taste Sensations: ‘Stracciatella’, and ‘Zabaione’ stand out as must-try flavors, alongside their incredibly refreshing, dairy-free sorbet options.
• Atmosphere: The moment you step in, the rustic brick interior, the sweet aroma of freshly-baked waffle cones, and vibrant gelato display create an intoxicating and inviting Italian flair.
• Address: 1713 S 1st St, Austin, TX.
• Working hours: Stay open from 12pm till 10pm daily, ensuring you can get your Italian gelato fix almost any time of day.

Visiting Dolce Neve feels like taking a mini vacation to Italy without leaving Austin – it’s a sweet and rich cultural exchange served in a waffle cone!

The Vegan Delight – Sweet Ritual Ice Cream

Now, a shout-out to the vegans out there! Say hello to Sweet Ritual Ice Cream, a dedicated vegan ice cream shop that shows us you can experience creamy, dreamy ice cream without a drop of dairy.

• Unique Selling Point: Sweet Ritual Ice Cream is not your typical ice cream shop. Every ice cream here is indisputably vegan, dishing out dairy-free, gluten-free, and even soy-free options. Pair that with the numerous nut-free and low-glycemic choices, and you have an ice cream shop that ticks all dietary requirement boxes!
• Variety: Their ice cream bases are crafted from almond, coconut, and sunflower seeds, ensuring a guilt-free indulgence that doesn’t skimp on taste or creaminess.
• Adventurous Flavors: Don’t miss their ‘Unicorn Poop’, a vibrant, Instagram-worthy swirl of sprinkles, edible glitters, and gorgeous pastel ice cream that kids and adults alike will love!
• Address: 4631 Airport Blvd #125, Austin, TX.
• Working hours: From Monday to Sunday, they open at 12pm and close at 10pm.

Sweet Ritual is a testament to the fact that dietary restrictions don’t mean sacrificing delicious ice cream. Here, the vegan ice cream isn’t just an afterthought – it takes center stage!

Enjoy Tradition and Fun at Amy’s Ice Creams

No Austin ice cream tour would be complete without a visit to the much-loved local star, Amy’s Ice Creams.

• Unique Selling Point: More than just their wide array of delicious, ever-rotating ice cream flavors, it’s the fun, lively atmosphere that sets Amy’s apart. The staff, also known as “scoops,” are known for putting on an enthralling show, tossing and catching ice cream in a spectacle that leaves everyone in awe.
• Fla-Fla-Flavors: Amy’s offers flavors that pay homage to Austin’s culture like ‘Mexican Vanilla’ and ‘Shiner Bock,’ a unique blend containing Texan beer. Be ready to be surprised by their rotating selection of over 350 flavors.
• Address: There are multiple convenient Amy’s locations around town, with a popular one at 1301 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX.
• Working hours: Open for your sweet fix from 11:30am till 11pm daily.

Amy’s has been serving delightful scoops of happiness for over three decades. It’s an Austin ice cream tradition that perfectly blends whimsy and flavors into one memorable experience.

Savor Boozy Delights at Prohibition Creamery

Our next stop is the elegant amalgamation of after-dinner drinks and decadent dessert – Prohibition Creamery.

• Unique Selling Point: This stylish, adult-oriented spot stands out by handcrafting alcoholic concoctions to pair perfectly with their ice cream – a boozy twist that really shakes things up!
• Flavors: It’s a lush experience for dessert-loving adults with enticing flavors like the bourbon-infused ‘Whiskey Chocolate’ and wine-laden ‘Tiramisu.’
• Atmosphere: This creamery exudes an intimate and speakeasy ambiance, with a cozy, dimly lit bar to enjoy your indulgent boozy ice cream.
• Address: 1407 E 7th St, Austin, TX.
• Operating hours: Serves its divine creations from 3pm till 10pm, Tuesday through Sunday.

This charming, unique parlor is a must-visit for a grown-up ice cream experience that’s far from vanilla.

Discover Comfort at Your Doorstep with NadaMoo

Lastly, introducing a unique variation to our list of best Austin ice cream shops – we have NadaMoo, deliverers of strictly organic, dairy-free, coconut milk-based ice cream straight to your doorstep.

• Unique Selling Point: This Austin-based company specializes in bringing delicious, plant-based ice cream to you at home. With online ordering, it’s a comfortable and convenient option for those cozy ice cream cravings.
• Flavors: With an imaginative array of flavors such as ‘Birthday Cake Cookie Dough’ and ‘The Rockiest Road,’ you are sure to find more than a few you love.
• Delivery options: You can easily place an order through the NadaMoo website, Amazon, and Instacart, making it incredibly easy to get your ice cream fix.

With NadaMoo, the best ice cream in Austin is never more than a few clicks away!

To conclude, Austin’s ice cream scene is as vibrant and eclectic as the city. The city boasts an array of delightful ice cream venues, each stirring its unique touch into the mix. So now it’s time for you to explore the most appetizing corners of the Guide to the Best Ice Cream Shops in Austin. Remember, in Austin, we scoop it right! Make sure you check these spots out, not because I said so, but so that you can taste the difference for yourself! Happy scooping, everyone!