Deborah McCabeFinding the ultimate frozen treat in the City of Brotherly Love can feel like a real adventure. If you’re looking for a weekend snack, hunting down the best ice cream store in Philadelphia should be at the top of your list.
Philly is known for its legendary food scene, and there’s so much more here than just traditional sweets from a dessert shop. The best part is that it’s packed with amazing ice cream parlors!
Without further ado, here’s our list of the spots serving up rich flavors that’ll satisfy any serious sweet-tooth craving!
How much does ice cream cost in Philadelphia?
A single scoop of ice cream in Philadelphia generally costs around $5.35.
| Type of Ice Cream Expense | Estimated Cost |
| Single Small Cup Scoop | $5 to $8 |
| Ice Cream Sundae | $10 to $20 |
| Family of Four Outing | $43 average |
1. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
Website: vanleeuwenicecream.com/scoop-shops/
Address: 115 S 18th St.
Contact: +1 718-550-5665
Hours: Daily 11:00 AM-12:00 AM
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is known for their authentic French ice cream, made with double the egg yolks compared to standard recipes. That’s what gives it such a dense, custard-like texture.
Instead of using artificial stabilizers or strange gums, they stick to pure ingredients like real Tahitian vanilla beans, which really makes a difference in the flavor.
On our visit, we could tell how much effort goes into their vegan options, too. They make these from scratch using cashew milk and coconut milk, so nobody misses out on a rich dessert.
The menu also has creative treats like their famous crunchy Honeycomb, which takes you right back to childhood.
The only downside is that online ordering has a steep $60 minimum. Also, people with serious tree nut allergies should be careful because there’s a risk of cross-contamination.
Enjoyable and unique ice cream flavors
This ice cream is pricy but I really enjoyed it after walking around Philly all evening. My legs were dead and it was just what I needed to power back to the hotel. The hazelnut cookies n cream was a fun take on a classic and extra delicious. I’d highly recommend it. The staff let me sample a couple other flavors as well – very nice.
- Marisa Taroli | Google Reviews
Creamy ice cream with unique flavors
Great spot for ice cream lovers! They have an amazing selection of unique and classic flavors. I tried the pistachio, and it was delicious — rich, slightly nutty, and definitely different from the usual pistachio you find elsewhere.
The texture was super creamy, and the flavor felt thoughtfully made. If you’re looking for high-quality ice cream with a twist, Van Leeuwen is definitely worth a visit. I’ll be back to try more flavors!
- Vijay B Sambasivam | Google Reviews
2. C & C Creamery
Website: candccreamery.com
Address: 5461 Ridge Ave.
Contact: 215-487-1920
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 12:00 PM–9:00 PM | Friday & Saturday 12:00 PM–10:00 PM
C & C Creamery makes all their ice cream right on site, so you can always count on getting that fresh, homemade taste in every scoop.
Their menu is huge, featuring twenty-eight different hard ice cream flavors. They also have refreshing soft serve, making it a perfect spot for families to enjoy together.
They care about different diets here, offering vegan-friendly fruit flavors and even a special treat for your dog.
But here’s the catch: they’ve only got one store on Ridge Avenue, so you’ll have to make the trip if you don’t live nearby or reside outside their delivery area.
People watching their sugar intake might be a bit disappointed, too, since the only low-sugar option is plain vanilla.
Best hard ice cream around
CASH ONLY UNDER $10
Best hard ice cream around. They have seasonal flavors, and only close “for the season” for like 3 months. Their prices are super super cheap, got a 6 flavor sample platter for like $8.
I’ve also had their ice cream cake which is super good as well.
Line can get quite long, even on weeknights in the winter and fall. But that means they’re doing something right.
- Lynnie | Google Reviews
Large servings at reasonable prices
Great ice cream served at a reasonable price. Just know that if you order a large you are really getting a large serving. I ordered a large soft serve in a cup and by the end it felt like I went through an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s in one sitting, so they don’t underserve what you ask for!
- Joseph T | Google Reviews
3. 1-900-Ice-Cream
Website: 1900icecream.com
Address: 221S 20th St.
Contact: +1 234-423-2732
Hours: Daily 12:00 PM-11:00 PM
1-900-Ice-Cream uses high-end Italian gelato machines to spin their eggless recipe. This gives their scoops a dense, chewy texture you won’t find anywhere else.
What really keeps people coming back is their rotating weekly menu. It’s packed with creative flavors, each one loaded with a guaranteed crunch and swirl.
Their flavors switch up all the time, so there’s always something new to try.
We talked to a regular who couldn’t stop raving about their unique formula, made from milk that comes straight from grass-fed cows at a single local farm. This gives the ice cream an amazingly pure taste.
However, their strict zero-spam email policy means you’ll need to watch their social media pretty closely to catch the latest flavors as soon as they’re announced.
The best ice cream in city
This is more than a neighbourhood ice cream shop ! The flavours are seasonal , creative and exceptionally delicious ! Hands down one of the or simply the best ice cream shop in the city ! You will often find them creating small batch ice creams with flavours like strawberry velvet , Italian cream , vanilla olive oil and 100 more through the year ! The lines in summer could be long specially after dinner time so plan accordingly but every minute of wait is worth it !
- Puneeit | Google Reviews
A delicious find in Philly
I came here while visiting Philly and it is such a good find! They have such fun ice cream flavors and it’s constantly changing. I had lemon crème ice cream which had lemon bar pieces in it and it was so unique and delicious. Will be coming back when I’m in town again.
- Hannah Bernstein | Google Reviews
4. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream
Website: jenis.com/scoop-shops/rittenhouse-square/
Address: 1901 Chestnut St.
Contact: 215-359-1050 | [email protected]
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 11:30 AM–11:30 PM | Friday & Saturday 11:00 AM–12:00 AM
Walking into Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream and tasting their incredibly smooth buttercream texture will totally reset your dessert expectations. Jeni Britton, the founder, has spent over twenty years perfecting her recipe.
She uses direct-trade ingredients that come from family-run dairies and independent makers. You’ll also find fantastic gluten-free and dairy-free options on the menu.
If you’re into decadent local treats, like the rich cheesecakes they serve, you’ll definitely appreciate how seriously they take their flavor creation. It really feels like they’re making fine art!
Plus, the scoop shop stays open late, so you can get your ice cream fix even when those midnight cravings hit.
Just know that if you order pints for nationwide shipping, you’ll have to handle dry ice, which can be a bit of a hassle.
And because they focus on using top-quality, direct-trade ingredients, a scoop here is going to cost more than your typical neighborhood spot.
Unreal patience and amazing service
This is the best place on planet earth to get ice cream. I am on a calorie deficiency to lose weight but I treat myself to this place every once and awhile. The patience of the staff is unreal. Ive worked in customer service for years and the patience and kindness that the staff shows even when people are taking forever to pick a flavor is unbelievably good customer service. Its stuff you cant really teach someone. They either have it or they dont. I will be coming back here when the craving strikes. Its worth every single goddam calorie.
- Sean O’Toole | Google Reviews
Perfect dessert after dinner
Amazing ice cream place! I went here and got the Lemon Bar and Almond Brittle half scoops in a waffle cone, both delicious. Here they usually do half scoops, so I got two flavors. Lemon bar was sour and creamy. The almond brittle was crunchy and had a sweet caramel flavor. A two-half-scoop treat is the perfect dessert after dinner
- Oliver Yang | Google Reviews
5. Bassetts Ice Cream
Website: bassettsicecream.com
Address: 45 N. 12th St., Reading Terminal Market
Contact: (215) 864-2771 | (215) 925-4315 | [email protected]
Hours: Daily 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
When you visit Bassetts Ice Cream, the oldest ice cream company in America, you get to taste a recipe that’s been around since 1861. Lewis Dubois Bassett started this family business.
They still use a rich 16.5% butterfat recipe that gives their ice cream a dense, silky texture you notice right away.
Their secret is sticking to the traditional Philadelphia style, which means they skip egg yolks so the fresh local dairy flavor really stands out.
The experience feels even more special because they’re still scooping from the same marble counter at Reading Terminal Market, just like they have since the 1890s.
However, that high butterfat content makes the ice cream pretty rich, so it’s not the best pick if you’re trying to cut calories.
Also, because they use shared equipment, there’s always a risk of cross-contamination if you have severe allergies.
Amazing ice cream near the marriott
Was in town for a conference at the Marriott across the street and was completely amazed by the market and saw what looked like really good authentic ice cream so gave it a try… and found it to be just as amazing as the market. I went with the crowd favorite, salted caramel pretzel and it was full of chunks and flavor. So good. Definitely recommend!
- Karl Peterman | Google Reviews
Creamy consistency and great flavors
Best ice cream I have had in a while! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I went there without much expectation and took the coffee fudge truffle in a chocolate dipped cone. It was very creamy and thick in consistency (in a good way). The cone was super crisp and they gave 2 scoops of ice cream. It was a lot but I enjoyed every bite of it. The flavor was great! Would love to come back and try more flavors! And the server was very nice!
- Satabdi Adhikary | Google Reviews
