Cool off with our essential guide to St. Louis metro area ice cream shops & makers
If you're looking to beat the heat or need a sweet treat, St. Louis has plenty of ice cream shops and makers. Check out our essential guide to the frozen desserts currently available in the metro area.
Ari's Ice Cream Parlor
In addition to breakfast and lunch, Ari’s also has ice cream available. Flavors include moose tracks, rainbow sherbet, strawberry cheesecake and cookie dough. Order scoops, pints or a specialty sundae. Guests can also add ice cream to a slice of the spot’s signature pound cake.
Ari’s Ice Cream Parlor & Café, 5572 Natural Bridge Ave., St. Louis, Missouri, 314.328.2992, arisicecreamparlorandcafe.com
Baileys' Range
In addition to burgers and fries, Baileys' Range offers another quintessential American favorite – ice cream. The spot makes its ice cream in-house and features flavors such as espresso, Irish cream and sesame-caramel. Enjoy it in a waffle cone, milkshake or on top of a brownie. Of-age adults should be sure to check out the boozy shake section of the menu. Try the Horchata, with dark rum, coconut sorbet, cinnamon and almond milk.
Baileys' Range, multiple locations, baileysrange.com
Bella’s Sweet Treats and Boozy Shake Shop
Located in Downtown St. Louis, Bella's Sweet Treats opened in 2018. Top off frozen yogurt flavors such as acai, cookie monster, mango and cherry-limeade with your favorite candies, fruits and sauces. If you're 21 or over, order a shot to go with your froyo or enjoy a boozy shake inspired by a classic cocktail.
Bella's Sweet Treats and Boozy Shake Shop, 1021 Washington Ave., Downtown, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.553.9261, facebook.com/bellasfroyo
Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream
Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream makes Belgian-style waffles to order and fills them to the brim with housemade ice cream. Customers love the spot's nontraditional flavors, such as key lime pie and CBD-infused black walnut. In addition to three locations, Boardwalk also has a food truck you can book for weddings and events.
Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream, multiple locations, 314.449.1209, boardwalkwaffles.com
Bobby's Frozen Custard
On any given night in the summer, Bobby’s in Maryville is bound to be bumping. Locals love this classic, retro-style ice cream stand. Enjoy sundaes, concretes, shakes or custard floats. Try the Brownie Buster (brownies, hot fudge, mixed nuts and a cherry) or the signature item, Bobby’s Turtle (hot fudge, caramel, salted pecans and a cherry). The spot also regularly hosts events and live music; keep an eye on its Facebook page to see what’s coming up next.
Bobby’s Frozen Custard, 2525 North Center St., IL-259, Maryville, Illinois, 618.345.3002, bobbysfrozencustard.com
Bold Spoon Creamery
Bold Spoon Creamery is a locally owned and operated producer. It prides itself on its unusual flavors, such as Brie with spiced honey or goat cheese with fig jam. Other varieties include roasted peach and salted chocolate. Pick up pints at the Tower Grove Farmers Market, Straub's, Winslow's Table, United Provisions, Schnucks stores in Ladue and Richmond Heights and City Greens Market.
Bold Spoon Creamery, boldspooncreamery.com
City Scoops
If you’re on the Illinois side of the river and need a frozen pick-me-up, head to City Scoops in Edwardsville or Troy. In addition to classic flavors, enjoy fun twists like Elsa Frozen (blue cotton candy ice cream with marshmallow swirls) or Lemon Bite (sweet lemon ice cream with pieces of iced lemon cake). In addition to scoops, this spot offers brownie and cookie ice cream sandwiches. You can also custom order ice cream cakes for birthdays and other celebrations.
City Scoops, multiple locations, cityscoopscreamery.com
Clementine's Naughty & Nice Creamery
In less than a decade since its founding in 2014, Clementine's has taken the St. Louis ice cream world by storm. The business has now grown to have six locations. If you're over 21, indulge in its boozy flavors, such as chocolate cabernet or Cadillac Margarita sorbet. Vegans will also have plenty to choose from, with plant-based flavors such as coconut chai, goji strawberry and lemon poppyseed. And, of course, don't miss its bestseller and signature flavor: gooey butter cake.
Clementine's Naughty & Nice Creamery, multiple locations, clementinescreamery.com
Cones and Cups
Cones and Cups has called Benton Park home since 2018. Enjoy scoops, shakes, malts, sundaes, pints and baked goods like chocolate chip cookies and brownies. Flavors include praline-pecan, coffee, mango, mocha-almond and pineapple-coconut. There are plenty of vegan and dairy-free options at this spot, too.
Cones and Cups, 2800 McNair Ave., Benton Park, St. Louis Missouri, 314.899.0052, conesandcups-bentonpark.com
Cottleville Cookies & Cream
Established in 2016, Cottleville Cookies & Cream focuses on providing high-quality ice cream. Enjoy flavors such as birthday cake, rainbow sherbet, cookie dough and mint chip. The spot also makes cookies in-house that you can order separately or use to craft the ice cream sandwich of your dreams.
Cottleville Cookies & Cream, 5525 Oak St., Cottleville, Missouri, 636.336.2488, cottleville-cookies-and-cream.square.site
Crown Candy Kitchen
Crown Candy Kitchen has won Feast's readers' choice award for best confectionary multiple times. Although candy might be its claim to fame, don't sleep on its ice cream. At 14-percent butterfat, it's guaranteed to be rich and creamy. Choose from classic flavors such as banana, chocolate chip or strawberry to make a malt, shake or sundae.
Crown Candy Kitchen, 1401 St. Louis Ave., St. Louis, Missouri, 314.621.9650, crowncandykitchen.net
The Fountain on Locust
If you find yourself in Midtown and craving a sweet treat, head to The Fountain on Locust. Enjoy decadent sundaes such as the Bearcat: vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge and butter pecan topped with caramel sauce, all on a bed of fresh bananas. Or, try the Sweet Annina Twist, with orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream topped with fresh raspberry sauce and hot fudge.
The Fountain on Locust, 3037 Locust St., Midtown, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.535.7800, fountainonlocust.com
The Gelateria Coffee Company
In addition to coffee, tea and pastries, the Gelateria Coffee Co., of course, serves gelato. You never know which of its fifty flavors will be available, so stop by often to try them all. Customer favorites include cherry, tiramisu, hazelnut and cold brew. Dairy-free sorbettos are also available.
The Gelateria Coffee Company, 3197 S. Grand Blvd., Tower Grove South, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.776.3500, thegelateria.com
Ice Cream for Bears
Ice cream was always Washington University in St. Louis grad Timothy Berg’s favorite dessert, and he put his business know-how and love of raw honey to use when he founded Ice Cream for Bears. The new brand sweetens its ice cream using only raw, unfiltered honey. Pick up pints at local grocery stores or scoops at Honeymoon Chocolates in Clayton. Choose from flavors such as butter pecan, chocolate, mint chip and wild blueberry.
Ice Cream for Bears, 16 N Central Ave. (inside Honeymoon Chocolates), Clayton, Missouri, icecreamforbears.com
Ices Plain & Fancy
Ices stands out from the crowd by using liquid nitrogen to flash-churn its ice cream. Boozy flavors, such as Sazerac and Cherry NotSo Cordial, pack a punch – each serving contains as much alcohol as one cocktail. If you'd prefer to forgo the alcohol, try a classic flavor like peanut butter chocolate, rocky road or blackberry cheesecake.
Ices Plain & Fancy, 2256 S. 39th St., Shaw, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.601.3604, icesplainandfancy.com
The Island Frozen Yogurt & Frozen Liqueurs
The Island is a spot that is just as fun for adults as it is for kids. Youngsters can choose from frozen yogurt flavors such as chocolate cheesecake, black raspberry and birthday cake, and top them with fruit, boba, candy and nuts. Adults, meanwhile, can relax with a spiked shake. Try the Dirty Monkey with vodka, Kahlúa, crushed ice, real bananas and frozen yogurt blended smooth with Ghirardelli Chocolate Co. sauce.
The Island Frozen Yogurt & Frozen Liqueurs, 1009A Russel Blvd., Soulard, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.664.6678, theislandstl.com
Nonna Sweets + Treats
One of St. Louis’ newer ice cream pop-ups, Nonna Sweets + Treats has quickly become a must-try. Owner Natalie Johnson offers gelato in flavors like hazelnut and pistachio and seasonal ice creams and sorbets like limoncello, citrus ginger beet and summer zinger. Follow its Instagram to find out about its next pop-up and place an order.
Nonna Sweets + Treats, instagram.com/nonnasweetsstl
Poptimism
Poptimism has taken the simple concept of the ice pop and elevated it to an art form. What began as a tiny truck has grown into a brick-and-mortar at the City Foundry STL food hall. The menu rotates seasonally, but you can expect creative flavors like cherry Kool-Aid, cantaloupe sea salt and banana malt. You can also find these pops at Whisk Bakeshop and the Tower Grove Farmers Market.
Poptimism, multiple locations, poptimismstl.com
Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream
Originally located in Webster Groves, Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream moved to The Grove in 2022. Swing by, and enjoy flavors such as salted caramel swirl, mango sorbet or butter pecan. Order a shake, malt, sundae, or make your own custom ice cream sandwich. If you're a chocoholic, try the Chocolate Heaven – a fudgy brownie topped with vanilla or chocolate cream and covered with hot fudge and chocolate sprinkles.
Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream, 4400 Manchester Ave., The Grove, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.833.3800, serendipity-icecream.com
SugarBot Creamery
If you're looking for a spot with a nostalgic, retro vibe, head to SugarBot Creamery in St. Charles. Located in former space of Little O's Old Time Soda Fountain, this spot keeps the 1930s-aesthetic of an old-time soda shop while offering shakes, phosphates, gooey butter cake and scoops. Here, everything from the ice cream to the mix-ins to the waffle cones is made from scratch. Keep an eye out for the specialty milkshake of the month, which is sure to be outrageous and indulgent.
SugarBot Creamery, 302 N. Main St., St. Charles, Missouri, 363.724.0978, littleosoda.com
Sugarwitch
This ice cream sandwich pop-up began in Columbia, Missouri, and will soon debut a storefront in Carondelet. To no surprise (given its name), the frozen treats are all named after famous witches. One of the most popular is the Ursula (vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and salty brownie). For a more sophisticated flavor, try the Tara (a miso brown sugar ice cream with a milk chocolate chip blondie brownie). Check out the seasonal witches and novelties, which include cones, push-pops and pints. Find Sugarwitch on the weekends in its Airstream trailer on the Olio patio in Botanical Heights.
Sugarwitch, 7726 Virginia Ave., Patch, St. Louis, Missouri (coming soon), sugarwitchic.com
Sweet EM's Coffee and Ice Cream
Sweet EM's Coffee and Ice Cream is a great spot for an afternoon pick-me-up. In addition to espresso drinks, guests can order scoops, sundaes, root beer floats, ice cream sandwiches and shakes. Flavors include classics like vanilla and strawberry and creative options like blueberry waffle cone. It even offers pup cups for your canine companions.
Sweet EM's Coffee and Ice Cream, 6330 Clayton Ave., Dogtown, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.875.9174, sweetems-enterprise.square.site
The Taco & Ice Cream Joint
This spot makes it easy to get dinner and dessert in one location. Cool down after a spicy taco with a paleta or banana split. With a gigantic topping bar, you're sure to get your ice cream just how you like it.
The Taco & Ice Cream Joint, 2738 Cherokee St., Gravois Park, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.224.5799, facebook.com/tacoandicecreamjoint
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
A veritable St. Louis institution, Ted Drewes has been serving up frozen custard in the city since 1931. On any given night during the summer, this spot is bound to have a line around the block. Order a classic like the turtle (hot fudge, caramel and pecans), or go for something more creative, like the Brennan Blend (Abaco mocha and hazelnuts blended and topped with caramel).
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, 6726 Chippewa St., St. Louis Hills, St. Louis, Missouri, 314.481.2652, teddrewes.com
Tropical Moose Shaved Ice
For residents of Kirkwood, the beginning of summer is signaled by the reopening of shaved ice stand Tropical Moose. Create the ultimate sweet treat by choosing from more than 20 flavors, including watermelon-apple, black cherry, sour cherry and pink lemonade. Top it off with vanilla ice cream or Pop Rocks for just $1 more.
Tropical Moose Shaved Ice, multiple locations, tropicalmoose.com
Wandering Yeti & Co.
If your or your friends' allergies get in the way of your love for ice cream, the Wandering Yeti should be on your list. Free of the top allergens – dairy, soy, gluten and nuts – everyone can find something to enjoy from this pop-up, which makes its treats with oat milk. Popular flavors include cookies and cream, mango, coffee and chocolate. Check its Facebook page to see where it will be appearing next around town and to preorder.
Wandering Yeti & Co., facebook.com/WanderingYetiAndCo
Mary Andino
Managing Editor
Mary Andino is the managing editor at Feast. She loves making gnocchi, talking with farmers and makers, and promoting sustainability.