One thing we scoop girls never say no to is ice cream. With the temps heating up, it’s hard to resist an icy treat to help us cool off.
We’ve rounded up the best ice cream spots and treats in the greater Charlotte area for all the deliciousness you can handle, sorted by neighborhood for your convenience. Enjoy!
South End Ice Cream
Tutti Gelato
1700 Camden Rd STE 101
New to Charlotte, Tutti Gelato brings real artisan gelato to the heart of the city. Expect flavorful but not too sweet, dense and creamy gelato made only with real ingredients. Each week will bring new flavors such as dulce de leche, tiramisu, bubble gum, pistachio, strawberry cheesecake, and many more. Oh, and they serve coffee to pair with your gelato, too.
SWIRL
2822 South Blvd B (LoSo)
1640 Oakhurst Commons Dr #103 (Oakhurst)
The first and only made-to-order cupcake shop with fresh baked cookies and customizable ice cream treats. Stop by and try their (almost) famous Swirls, Shakes, Floats, and award-winning Squish Ice Cream Sandwich.
Two Scoops Creamery
1616 Camden Rd. (South End)
913 Central Ave. (Plaza Midwood)
119 Landings Dr., Suite 104 (Mooresville)
161 W. Main St. Rock Hill, SC (Rock Hill)
What’s better than one scoop of freshly churned flavorful ice cream? Two. Better yet, three. At Two Scoops Creamery expect 32 homemade and house-churned playful ice cream flavors year-round, as well as seasonal specials to keep you on your toes.
The Waterman Fish Bar
2729 South Blvd suite d (South End)
9615 Bailey Rd (Cornelius)
Leave some room for dessert at this neighborhood favorite. Waterman’s newest treat is the Mixed Berry Shortcake made with buttermilk biscuit, mixed berry compote, and vanilla ice cream. Another menu favorite is the Southern Pecan Bar topped with vanilla ice crea. Delicious.
Urban Sweets
222 West Blvd Suite S114
Chances are you’ve seen Urban Sweets rolling around town with their adorable ice cream carts, but did you know they have a dessert shop right here in South End? Expect ice cream, milkshakes, popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, and a variety of mini cakes, macarons, and seasonal pastries.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream
1920 Camden Rd. (South End)
416 E 36th St., Suite 400 (NoDa)
4203 Park Road (Park Road Shopping Center)
9828 Rea Rd (Blakeney)
Jeni’s offers best-selling flavors and scoops made without synthetic flavorings, dyes or off-the-shelf mixes. Crowd favorites include Powdered Sugar Donut, Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flecks, and Everything Bagel (sounds weird, we know — but it’s SO good!).
Morelia Ice Cream Paletas
1425 Winnifred St #104 (South End)
16940 Birkdale Commons Pkwy Suite A (Huntersville)
With a location in South End and one recently opened in Birkdale Village, Morelia’s offers 16 different flavors of hand-made, artisanal paletas, which are bigger than the normal ice pop. Pick your flavor of paleta, then head to the dipping station where you can choose from dipping flavors such as cookie butter, dark chocolate, crunchy hazelnut, and more. Afterward, choose a topping such as Oreos, sprinkles, graham crackers and more, and then you have a deliciously cooled layered treat.
Steak N’ Shake
*Multiple locations in Charlotte, Rock Hill, Concord, and Gastonia
Since 1934, Steak N’ Shake has been serving up their hand-made creamy milkshakes to pair with their savory steakburgers. Try flavors such as chocolate chip cookie dough, Snickers, Oreo mint, and much more. The best part? You can try any shake half off during their happy hour, weekdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Uptown Ice Cream
401 Social
401 E M.L.K. Jr Blvd
Save room for dessert when eating at 401 Social because this gathering spot serves up a refreshing lemon pound cake with semifreddo and fresh berries. Don’t know what semifreddo is? It’s a velvety soft, frozen Italian dessert similar to ice cream, but not churned (think frozen mousse). Delicious.
Red Salt By David Burke
North Tower, 555 S McDowell St. Tower
So many sweet desserts can be found at Red Salt By David Burke, including our favorite, the Caramelized Apple Tart with fig caramel and cinnamon ice cream. Other fan favorites include the Mochi Ice Cream and the Tin Can of Cake with warm chocolate red velvet cake, caramel ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and heath bar crunch. Catch us devouring these icy treats all summer long.
Sea Level NC
129 E 5th St.
The seafood isn’t the only thing catching our eye at Sea Level. For dessert, opt for the Peach Cobbler with red wine poached peaches, streusel, vanilla ice cream, and a peach reduction. The perfect ending to a delicious meal!
Golden Cow Creamery
601 South Tryon (Uptown)
170 West Summit Ave. (South End)
720 Governor Morrison St. (SouthPark)
Locally owned by native North Carolinians, Golden Cow Creamery is Charlotte’s first scratch-made ice cream company. With 3 locations in Charlotte, the newest being Uptown’s first stand-alone ice cream shop, Golden Cow Creamery is sure to satisfy all your ice cream needs this summer. Stay up to date on the rotating flavors by following them on Instagram.
Day & Night Cereal Bar
127 Brevard Court
As Charlotte’s first exotic cereal bar, Day & Night has changed the way we think of breakfast. Stop by and treat yourself to a cereal shake – your favorite cereal and toppings all blended together with ice cream and topped with whipped cream. Flavors on our radar include the Cookies & Cream (Cookie Crisp, Hershey’s Cookie and Cream cereal, chocolate Donut Sprinkle) and Unicorn Breath (fruity Lucky Charms, Fruity Pebbles, whipped cream, and strawberry drizzle).
NoDa & Camp North End Ice Cream
Seemingly Overzealous (Camp North End)
701 Keswick Ave #102
This new ice cream shop welcomes (and accommodates!) all, with the goal of inspiring deeper connections with others. Best known for crafting handmade, dairy and egg-free flavors, Seemingly Overzealous strives to have something for everyone, even those with food allergies. Check out their Instagram page for what they’re scoopin’ up for the day.
Popbar
3123 N Davidson St. (NoDa)
270 Camp Rd Suite 105 (Camp North End)
Get creative at Popbar and customize a pop just to your liking. Choose from the freshest natural ingredients (think coconut, chocolate, pistachio and more) to dip your popGelato, popSorbetto, or yogurtPop in. Another great option (and very photogenic) is the Gelato Shake in flavors such as strawberry, chocolate, vanilla caramel, coffee, toasted marshmallow, and more. Available at the NoDa location.
Elizabeth, Plaza Midwood & Optimist Park Ice Cream
Cold Hearted Gelato
1308 The Plaza
New to Charlotte, this chef-driven and female-owned gelato shop is dishing up unique and globally inspired flavors to Plaza Midwood. Expect to find creative flavors that range from chocolate honey & banana caramel, dulce de leche tiramisu, rose green tea, and more.
Marble Slab Creamery
1509 Central Ave (Plaza Midwood)
Marble Slab is the place to be if you’re looking for unlimited options for your creamy dessert. Choose from a variety of traditional flavors, seasonal flavors, and unlimited mix-ins to craft the perfect cup (or cone) of ice cream. Don’t forget other treats such as sundaes, shakes, smoothies, cakes and cupcakes.
Honeysuckle Gelato (Optimist Hall)
1115 N Brevard St.
After wandering the many food stalls at Optimist Hall, be sure to make a stop at Honeysuckle Gelato for an ice cold treat. Choose from out of the ordinary gelato flavors such as pistachio, lemon basil blackberry, honey lavender, somoa, and more. You can also find delicious fresh baked cookies to make a gelato sandwich with, or turn your gelato into a drink with their gelato floats or milkshakes.
Elizabeth Creamery
1601 Elizabeth Ave.
This family-run shop makes each flavor and waffle cone with natural, fresh ingredients. Grab a classic flavor or try something different like Green Tea or Ginger. In addition to old-fashioned scoops, you can try a shake or sundae.
Myers Park and SouthPark Ice Cream
ACE No. 3
829 Providence Rd (Myers Park)
1001 Belmont Ave (Belmont Village)
8520 Pit Stop Ct NW #10 (Concord)
Mouthwatering burgers aren’t the only things served at ACE No. 3. If you’re craving something frozen and sweet, try their soft serve ice cream with flavors of vanilla, chocolate, and a vanilla/chocolate swirl. Best part? You can top your ice cream with cookie crumbles or rainbow sprinkles for an extra crunch.
Napa on Providence & Napa at Kingsley
110 Perrin Pl (Charlotte), 1310 Broadcloth St. (Fort Mill)
A glass of California wine and a warm peach cobbler topped off with vanilla bean gelato. Need we say more?
Village Tavern
4201 Congress St.
A SouthPark favorite, Village Tavern has a dessert that is worth saving room for. End your meal with their Warm Butter Cake, topped with French vanilla ice cream, raspberry sauce, fresh strawberries and blueberries. Pro-tip: order one to go for a little midnight snack, you’ll thank us later.
800° Carolinas
6815 Phillips Pl Ct
Pizza isn’t the only thing 800° Carolinas does right, their dessert list has us drooling every time we visit. Ice cream lovers, we recommend the Ernest Hill Chocolate Chip Cookie with a handmade chocolate chip cookie cooked in a 5” skillet in their 800° oven and topped with a scoop of Häagen Dazs Ice Cream.
Ballantyne Ice Cream
Marble Slab Creamery
7800 Rea Rd. (Ballantyne)
Marble Slab is the place to be if you’re looking for unlimited options for your creamy dessert. Choose from a variety of traditional flavors, seasonal flavors, and unlimited mix-ins to craft the perfect cup (or cone) of ice cream. Don’t forget other treats such as sundaes, shakes, smoothies, cakes and cupcakes.
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard
16631 Lancaster Hwy suite 106 (Ballantyne)
2015 E Arbors Dr Suite 260 (University City)
Choose from Italian Ice made fresh with real fruit, frozen creamy custard, or gelati – layers of Italian Ice and custard. Don’t forget to try a Misto Shake, which is Italian ice taken for a spin with custard. Or opt for a concrete, milkshake, or custard cookie sandwich . Either way, RIta’s has everything you need to cool down this summer.
The Local Scoop
5355 Ballantyne Commons, Suite 100 (Ballantyne)
1600 E. Woodlawn Rd, Ste 110 (Montford)
105 W. Charles Street (Matthews)
Grab the family and friends and head to The Local Scoop where you can enjoy mouthwatering ice cream made with ingredients from locally sourced farms and dairies. Choose from a variety of premium flavors and eight dairy-free flavors.
P.S. Every Wednesday, they choose two random names and post them via Instagram; if it’s your name, you get a free scoop that day.
Ice Cream Spots Worth a Drive
Ninety’s Dessert Bar
9009 J M Keynes Dr. (University City)
502 Cherry Rd Suite 105 (Rock Hill, SC)
If you’re looking for over-the-top, Insta worthy ice cream creations, Ninety’s Dessert Bar has you covered. At Ninety’s, there’s always something new and unique to try, from cereal milkshakes stacked high with toppings, to brownie sundaes, ice cream macaroon sandwiches, and so much more. Follow @ninetysdessertbar on Instagram to drool daily over these lively creations.
X-tra Ball Ice Cream & Pinball (Charlotte)
2914 Mt Holly-Huntersville Rd.
Grab the family and head to X-tra Ball for dessert and games. This part ice cream shop, part pinball parlor offers hand-dipped ice cream, hand-spun milkshakes, and authentic pinball.
Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop
16836 D, Birkdale Commons Pkwy (Huntersville)
In Birkdale Village, Buttermilk Sky Pie shop serves up your choice of an individual 4″ pie mixed in with ice cream, also known as ‘Cloud 9’ — because yes, this unique dessert will have you feeling like you’re floating on Cloud 9.
Whit’s Frozen Custard
428 S Main St. (Davidson)
10410 Arahova Dr. (Huntersville)
1642 Highway 160 West (Fort Mill)
Whit’s has all the extra creamy ice cream you could ask for, with tons of flavor. They like to keep it simple, offering Vanilla, Chocolate, and Whit’s Special Weekly Flavor with fruit toppings, nuts, and candies that can be blended into custard for their famous Whitser™. Opt for a hand-dipped waffle cone to make your experience even sweeter.
Port City Club by David Burke
18665 Harborside Dr. (Cornelius)
So many tasty desserts at Port City Club by David Burke, it’s hard to choose just one!
- Banana Pudding Ice Cream Sundae (Pictured above)
caramel bananas, hot chocolate sauce, nuts, cherries - Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sliders
whipped cream, strawberry sauce - Ice Cream or Sorbet
3 scoops of your choice of vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, or seasonal sorbet - Flaming “Laked Alaska”
lady fingers, vanilla ice cream, meringue, sambuca berry sauce
Carolina Cones
20801 N Main St. (Cornelius)
Over the past thirty years, the family behind Carolina Cones has been churning out new flavors to keep Cornelius families coming back for more. The variety of flavors may make your choice difficult, but that’s just more reason to come back, right?
Rocky River Coffee Co.
4350 Main St. Ste. 109 (Harrisburg)
Espresso drinks aren’t the only thing that Rocky River is serving up. Visit their dessert bar to indugle in ice cream, house-made Italian cannoli’s, and other delicious desserts. Mix up your morning routine by blending ice cream with espresso, you’ll thank us later.
Abbott’s Frozen Custard
10070 Edison Square Dr. NW, E100 (Concord)
Abbott’s is the spot to be this summer. Try their homemade custard (they always have Vanilla, Chocolate and Chocolate Almond, but other flavors rotate daily) or fun treats like Chipwheels (cookie custard sandwiches), cakes, milkshakes, sundaes, floats, and more.
Cabarrus Creamery
21 Union St. S (Concord)
Don’t miss this sweet spot in Concord. Cabarrus Creamery has something for everyone, from nondairy and low fat, protein smoothies to no sugar added options.
The Percantile & Creamery
8635 Concord Mills Blvd. (Concord)
This adorable coffee, ice cream, and chocolate spot will have you falling in love. Choose from ice cream flavors including cake batter, southern peach, cherry blossom, moose tracks and more. Don’t forget to check out their ice cream sandwiches and banana splits, too.
Bruster’s Real Ice Cream
*Multiple locations including in Fort Mill, Indian Land, Cornelius, Monroe, Mooresville and Matthews
With over 150-flavors in rotation, you’re sure to always find something new at Bruster’s. Made fresh in-house daily, you can choose from creamy ice cream on a waffle cone, sundaes and splits, blasts and shakes, and ice-cream sandwiches. They also offer no-sugar-added flavors as well as fresh yogurt, sherbet, sorbet, or Italian Ice.
Andy’s Frozen Custard
2210 Matthews Township Pkwy (Matthews)
9921 Rea Rd (Waxhaw)
17055 Nat Bynum Ln (Cornelius)
8835 Christenbury Pkwy. (Concord)
Since 1986, Andy’s has been serving frozen custard to loving fans. Originally from Missouri, the custard shop has a spot in Concord, Waxhaw, Cornelius, and Matthews. Enjoy concretes, malts, shakes, sundaes, freezes, and more.
Waxhaw Creamery
201 W South Main St. (Waxhaw)
This Waxhaw family-run ice cream shop has been a favorite for years. Visitors can enjoy homemade ice cream made in-store every day. Waxhaw Creamery also serves up sundaes, shakes, cups, and cones. As for flavors, there is always something new and fresh with their seasonal flavor options.
Scoop n’ Swirl Homemade Ice Cream
753 Crossroads Plaza (Fort Mill)
Scoop n’ Swirl offers a variety of flavors daily with multiple toppings – making the options endless. Create-your-own shake, try a custom or traditional sundae, or opt in for a refreshing smoothie. Oh, and don’t forget to try the ice cream pizza (doesn’t it look delicious?!).
