Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Sure you can — but only if that day involves ice cream. As the summer days draw longer, our nights are filled with dreams of the nostalgic sounds of the ice cream truck, only to be fulfilled by the San Diego shops that dutifully serve delicious scoops, ice cold pops, and gorgeously topped sundaes. We’re rounding up 11 of the city’s best ice cream shops around, churning the creamy classics and new, exciting flavors day-in and day-out. Whether you take it in a cup, a cone or would truly accept it straight from the machine, these ice cream shops exceed every expectation.
Bing Haus
We love our frozen desserts, and we love ‘em more when they get a little funky. Convoy area’s Bing Haus puts creativity in everything they serve, from Thai rolled ice cream and ring-style mochi donuts to cookie croffles (a cross between a croissant and a waffle) and bingsoo! Their most popular treat is the watermelon Bingsoo, a milk-based Korean shaved ice dessert filled with fruity pebbles, mochi and condensed milk, topped with fresh watermelon. It’s seasonal, so come snag it before summer’s up—or stop by for a delicious green tea rolled ice cream or thai tea soft serve!
Convoy
www.binghaus.com
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
They’ve got it in their name, so it’s gotta be for real. Savor the most splendid ice cream in town with a stop at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, scooping inventive slices of heaven into your choice of a cup or cone. Because San Diego is lucky enough to be home to two locations, (North Park and Carlsbad) locals get to try their limited-time favorites that aren’t always available by the pint in their online store! Most recent to make a comeback is the fan-favorite licorice-infused sweet cream flavor, with a sea salt pop and dark chocolate crunch. Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it!
North Park, Carlsbad
www.jenis.com/blogs/scoop-shops/san-diego-ca
Stella Jean's
Sister company to beloved Pop Pie Co., Stella Jean’s aims to serve the community through great food, to be celebrated between friends and neighbors! They’re a small batch ice cream shop, crafting every flavor with real ingredients making for the highest quality possible. Stop in for a cone of one of their always available flavors like s’mores, madagascar vanilla or mango sticky rice — or stay on the lookout for their rotating, more inventive flavors. Right now, for the adventurous palette, they’ve got Thai Tea Cookie Monster and Guava Cream Cheese! Vegan and gluten free options are also available.
University Heights, Point Loma
www.stellajeans.com/pages/menu
Holy Paleta
Much like your beloved childhood popsicles, paletas are a frozen treat on a stick made from fresh fruit and creamy ingredients, a traditional dessert of Mexico. Holy Paleta takes it to another level entirely by introducing bold new flavors you never thought you’d love. They house everything from savory to sweet: go for key lime pie or peanut butter cup for a sweet treat, or make it a little spicy with the pepino con chile’s tajin kick or chamango on a stick’s chamoy-filled center. All pops are made with all-natural, premium ingredients, with non-dairy and gluten free options also available!
Little Italy, Bonita, Petco Park
www.holypaleta.com
An’s Dry Cleaning
Sunday chores got you down? Make them think you’re running your errands with a stop at An’s Dry Cleaning, where there’s no actual cleaning to be done at all — there’s strictly gelato to be eaten. When opening the shop, the owners opted not to change the look of the historic building, most recently a dry cleaners, giving it the charming feel that has piqued many curiosities. Named the second best ice cream shop in all of America, their ever-changing flavors are listed weekly with names as unique as the ingredients. Currently, the Whisper Satin and the Leather are beckoning us — see for yourself.
North Park, Del Mar
Fika Fika Creamery
“Fika'' is the Swedish concept of slowing down, which is obviously served best with a side of ice cream. Sit down and stay a while at Fika Fika Creamery, a classic scoop-style ice cream shop with homemade creations. What started as a coffee shop blossomed into summer paradise when their idea of boba flavored ice cream expanded into more and more floral tea flavors, bringing them to their now signature pastel-colored, Asian-inspired flavors. Build your own beautiful stack of fan-favorite flavors like the fiji apple, strawberry matcha and brown sugar flan, or snag a pint of the young coconut ube to savor at home all week long.
Sorrento Valley
www.instagram.com/fikafika.creamery
Mariposa Ice Cream
Much like a butterfly, there’s no need to complicate what’s already so beautiful. Mariposa Ice Cream satisfies every sweet tooth with the classic, uncomplicated ice cream mix-ins that have stood the test of time, every time. Get your fix with peanut butter fudge, rocky road, Mexican chocolate or coffee, or experiment a bit with their rotating flavors like peanut butter and jelly or eggnog. If you’re after a taste of summer, their watermelon, mango and strawberry sorbets hit the spot every time on a hot summer’s day. There’s a reason they’ve been winning awards in San Diego for 22 years now, and highlighted as a must-try in the city.
Normal Heights
Mutual Friend
Say hello to your newest friend: extremely sweet, but a little bit cold. Mutual Friend Ice Cream aims to mix nostalgia with the new-age through their small-batch, handcrafted creamy delicacies to be enjoyed by friends near and far. Try a scoop of their self-explanatory peanut butter with triple chocolate cookie, or get a little buzz on with their shared-space coffee shop’s Dark Horse Coffee flavored ice cream or sorbet! Stick around for seasonal surprises like the latest 4th of July cherry pie or the fall favorite Oh My Gourd: pumpkin pie ice cream with chunks of pumpkin pie. There’s something for every sweet tooth!
South Park
www.mutualfriendicecream.com/
Coco Bomb
Get a taste of Thai style treats at Coco Bomb, scooping up bowls of paradise one order at a time. Their specialty is the coconut sundae: three scoops of homemade coconut ice cream, fresh young coconut slices and your choice of toppings (mango, jackfruit, palm seed, sticky rice and more), all served inside a coconut! Get it with a glass of fresh young coconut water or their coconut milk frappuccino for the ultimate cool down. Sensing a theme yet? Pop in or catch them at your local farmer’s markets all around the city and experience the coconut explosion for yourself!
Linda Vista
Farmers Markets in Little Italy, OB & Hillcrest
www.instagram.com/cocobomb_sd
Sweet Shoppe
Whether you’re a local or just visiting, there’s no excuse not to hit the Sweet Shoppe at some point while you’re in town. It’s located in Belmont Park, which means you’ll definitely be around – just steps from the beach and the iconic Mission Beach roller coaster, there’s no excuse not to cool off with a sweet treat. They’ll hook you up with a huge one, too: they stack their freshly made daily monster cones as high as the eye can see, in timeless flavors like cookies ‘n cream, birthday cake and mocha almond fudge!
Mission Beach
www.belmontpark.com/food/the-sweet-shoppe
MooTime Creamery
When the clock strikes moo time, you need every option possible. Coronado’s 1950's diner-style MooTime Creamery specializes in everything: sky-high sundaes, ice cream sandwiches, (AKA moopies) ice cream tacos (AKA mootacos), root beer floats, and of course: classic scoops! Their handcrafted, ultra-creamy ice cream is made with over 16% butterfat added and churned at a low speed, giving all flavors a rich, gelato-like consistency. Get flavors like brownie batter, Irish cream and Belgian chocolate any way you like ‘em, and give yourself an excuse to return for their new flavor of the month—July’s was orange creamsicle!
Coronado
www.mootimecreamerysd.com
