Austin’s Best Ice Cream Shops: Where to Get Your Freeze On

Austin’s heat can be reason to gripe about the city, but I counter it by using it as an excuse to eat ice cream year round. And with Austin’s craft ice cream scene gaining momentum with seasonal flavors, alternative options, and new trends (read: boozy milkshakes), you’ll never run out of options for a creamy treat.

Read on for PaperCity’s picks for Austin’s best ice cream shops.

Lick Honest Ice Cream

1100 S Lamar Blvd

Seasonal and sustainable artisan ice cream that celebrates the flavors of Texas can be found at Lick Honest Ice Cream. Dairy free, vegan, and seasonal options mark the daring menu with flavors like Roasted Beets and Fresh Mint and Goat Cheese, Thyme and Honey.

Our pick: Too Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows — chocolate combined with cinnamon, chipotle, cayenne pepper, local honey and vanilla bean marshmallows.

Sweet Ritual

4631 Airport Blvd

My personal favorite, Sweet Ritual features vegan ice cream made with coconut milk, cashew milk, sunflower butter and soy milk — with gluten free options and cones. A variety of toppings, shakes and sundaes are also available.

Our pick: Unicorn Poop — coconut milk ice cream mixed with skittles and rainbow sprinkles.

Spun Ice Cream

1912 E 7th St.

Spun ice cream is all about trendy liquid nitrogen ice cream made with organic sustainably sourced ingredients with four rotating flavors. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options are also available. Daily specials of expertly created sundaes are spectacular.

Our pick: Salted Caramel with Peanut Brittle and Waffle Bites

Amy’s

Multiple locations through Austin

Amy is a  quintessentially Austin institution that we wouldn’t dare leave off a best ice cream list. It brings handcrafted ice cream, dairy free fruit ices, and frozen yogurt with seven standard flavors and always changing options with toppings and “crush’ns”.

Our pick: Coffee with Nilla Wafers

Moojo

2322 Guadalupe Street

Moojo is built around ice cream sandwiches made with gourmet ice cream smashed between warm, freshly baked cookies. Twelve different types of cookies, 16 flavors of ice cream and a wide range of toppings let true ice cream devotees make their own creation. Gluten free and vegan options are also available.

Our pick: Snickerdoodle-Moo — Snickerdoodle cookies with salted caramel pretzel ice cream.

Prohibition Creamery

1407 E 7th St

Boozy ice cream, need I say more? Small batch boozy and non-boozy ice creams and milkshakes, vegan sorbets and cocktails make Prohibition Creamery stand out.

Our pick: Bananas Foster — Rum, banana liqueur and salted caramel ice cream

Dolce Neve

1713 S 1st St.

Gelato served up in an adorable converted house, inspired by Italian traditions, local ingredients and desserts in Austin and around the world stand at the center of Dolce Neve. Gelato and sorbet flavors rotate depending on the season.

Our pick: Coconut Milk and Black Raspberry Jam.

Vicecreme

6550 Comanche Trail

Vicecreme brings vegan ice cream with dairy free options next to The Oasis, so you’re guaranteed to have a great view of Lake Travis while enjoying your cone. Six rotating flavors, vanilla and chocolate soft serve, splits and sundaes are available.

Our pick: Banilla (Banilla + Vanilla) soft serve with waffle cone pieces.