The 7 Best Classic Philly Ice Cream Shops to Kick Off Summer

The 7 Best Classic Philly Ice Cream Shops to Close Out Summer With

 

Weckerly’s

9 West Girard Ave.

You know how they always say less is more?  Well, Weckerly’s is a shining example of the mantra.  One of the newbies in Philly’s deep rooted ice cream culture, this spot serves up artisan hand made ice cream.  It’s essentially like the Di Bruno Bros. of ice cream.  So if you want top notch quality without all the crazy toppings, this is the spot.

 

Little Baby’s Ice Cream

2311 Frankford Ave.

4903 Catharine St.

If you are adventurous and love to try new things, then well you gotta’ try Little Baby’s.  Their ice cream menu changes consistently so there is always something new to try.  To give you an idea of just how unique their flavors are, last time we stopped in they were scooping servings of Everything Bagel, Earl Grey Sriracha, Thai Iced Tea, & Grape-Grape Nuts among others.  For those dealing with lactose issues or may be vegans no sweat, this place offers non dairy selections using coconut and almonds as base.  Conveniently located in two locations, in Union Trust during shows, as well as mobile tricycle service throughout the city, there really is no reason not to try this place out.

 

Scoop DeVille

1315 Walnut St.

Keeping with the unique flavors next up we have Scoop DeVille located in the heart of Center City.  Here you can let your imagination run wild as they can custom make any blend you wish.  First they let you choose from an array of base ice cream then you choose what you’d like blended in it.  Choose anything from fruit to cereal to classic candy & nuts.  For those a little more adventurous additional toppings such as bacon bits, protein powder, and chocolate covered waffles are also on hand. The hardest part is actually deciding.  If you want to put your ice cream indulgence in the hand of a professional they do have specialty blends that save you the trouble of deciding.

 

Big Gay Ice Cream

1351 South Street

Wildly popular in NYC, Big Gay Ice cream has expanded their flavorful treats to Philadelphia.  However, it doesn’t matter where you come from because when it comes to the classic toppings it’s going to be “Jimmies” and not sprinkles.  So, the ordering is a bit different down here but the quality is the same.  Big Gay Ice Cream serves up the classic ice cream treats but with better quality than Mister Softee.  So now you can save on gas and tolls, with this New York based spot in the heart of Philly.

 

Franklin Fountain

116 Market St. 

Probably Philly’s most celebrated and revered ice cream shop.  This place captures the minds of tourists and locals alike.  Stepping into this joint is like getting into a DeLorean pushing it to 88 and stepping out into the early 1900’s.  Everything from the decor to the uniforms is vintage and creates a fun atmosphere to go along with their awesome ice cream.  This place screams quality and the servings are hardy.  This spot offers up many of the classic flavors we all came to know and love as well as variety of  unique sundaes jam packed with flavors such as peanut butter sauce, chocolate covered espresso beans, & candied cayenne pecans.  This is a cool spot for any occasions. Although you may experience long lines from time to time be patient, trust us it’s worth the wait.

 

Custard & Cakes Creamery

5461 Ridge Ave.

If you’re all about the retro vibe and want to recreate some childhood memories head over to Roxborough and check out Custard & Cakes Creamery.  It’s a stand alone joint with a cool drive-thru to give that classic Americana feel of yesteryear.  The nostalgic feel sets the tone for their ice cream menu which features a slew of classic flavors.  Custard & Cakes also offers seasonal flavors such as pumpkin, pumpkin spice cookie, & egg nog but they stay true to form with their no frills menu.  Serving up treats likes hot dogs, soft pretzels, and meatball sandwiches, it’s the perfect place for a casual date or a spot you can just park-up and enjoy.

 

Philly Flavors

2004 Fairmount Ave 

44 South 19th St. | 343 South 13th St. 

Okay this place is not just an ice cream shop it’s a dairy explosion.  Of course you got your classics as well as unique blends like egg nog, Resse’s Swirl, & birthday cake among many others.  But also you got some great ice cream treats here such as waffle sandwiches, cookie sandwiches, as well as over the top cartwheel sandwiches, all of which have plenty of ice cream flavors to choose from.  Still not enticing enough?  For those looking to go really off the deep end Philly Flavors has treats such as fried Reese’s cups, fried Oreos, fried bananas, & deep fried hot dogs. For sweet addicts this is every day heaven and for fitness freaks you may consider this cheat meal heaven.

 

Bonus Shop Coming Soon!

Kuriimii

1023 Cherry

That’s right just in time for the close out of the summer, Kurriimii will look to be a player in Philly’s soft serve industry.  Nestled in the heart of Chinatown, Kuriimii promises to deliver an array of exotic flavors and toppings for the ultimate ice cream experience.  We’ll be giving you guys a sneak peek real soon, so stay tuned!