When the temps soaring, it’s the perfect time to cool off with a sweet treat. We checked out the Valley for the scoop on where to find the best ice cream. From unique flavors to fun concoctions to vegan options, there's something for everyone.
The Screamery
The Screamery is known not only for its handcrafted, all-natural ice cream (no chemicals, corn syrup, synthetic hormones, or pesticides will be found in these ice cream tubs), but its unique treats and flavors. In addition to serving classic banana splits, ice cream floats, and amazing milkshakes, they also created the first-of-its-kind Ice Cream Nachos, which feature waffle chips drizzled with hot fudge and topped with a single scoop of your flavor choice. There’s also the six-flavor "flight" of ice cream, and the meant-to-be-shared massive Farmhouse sundae, which comes with eight scoops of ice cream loaded with cookies, brownies, butter cake, and your choice of toppings.
“The most popular flavor on our menu is our award-winning Sweet Cream Honeycomb that’s made with our sweet cream base and mixed with scrumptious honeycomb pieces made from local raw honey out of Marana,” says Linda Sarnoski, co-owner.
There are 24 flavors on the menu at all times, including two vegan options.
10625 N. Tatum Blvd., Ste. 136, Phoenix; 140 N. Arizona Ave., Ste. 106, Chandler. TheScreamery.com
Sweet Provisions
At Sweet Provisions, an ice cream, bakery, and candy shop, the ice cream is made fresh daily in small batches, using only local Arizona dairy and fresh ingredients, and with no artificial flavors or colorings. Grab a scoop, a float, a shake, a blizzard, pie a la mode, or a banana split.
Flavors run the gamut.
“My personal favorite is the Coconut Cream Pie ice cream,” says Christopher Collins, restaurateur and owner of Common Ground Culinary, which owns the locale. “We take freshly baked pies from our bakery and churn them with our vanilla base ice cream. In addition, we offer the Kitchen Sink, where we take broken pies, cookies, and baked goods from our bakery, and mix them into our ice cream. Each batch is just a little bit different, which keeps guests coming back."
8120 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. SweetProvisionsAZ.com
The Baked Bear
Sure you could just eat the ice cream here, but at The Baked Bear, why not sandwich it between two fresh, tasty cookies or brownies?
Launched by two friends in San Diego, this cult favorite destination now serves up its treats in three locations around the Valley. There are more than a dozen original-recipe cookies and ice cream flavors, and the ice cream is made using all-natural bases and rBGH-free dairy.
One of the locale’s newest flavors, shares Co-founder Shane Stanger, is its Butter Brittle Cake, which is vanilla bean ice cream layered with butter brittle and vanilla cake, and finished with a sea salt caramel ripple.
7366 E. Shea Blvd., Ste. 106, Scottsdale; 420 S. Mill Ave., Ste. 106, Tempe; 2206 E. Williams Field Road, Gilbert. TheBakedBear.com
Churn
Adjoined to popular restaurant Windsor, which is located in its namesake historic neighborhood, Churn is a nostalgic shop stacked ceiling-high with retro toys and candy from the past.
The ice cream, too, is a throwback to pure, simple days. Made on-site, the all-natural dessert is made without any chemical additives, preservatives, or stabilizers.
“Even our most simple of flavors, like our Madagascar Vanilla and Vietnamese Coffee, are elevated with super high-quality, pure ingredients,” says Eric Ramirez, culinary director at Upward Projects. “You can taste the difference. Beyond those, we have a super unique lineup of flavor combinations like sparkling elderberry sorbet, goat cheese honey & pistachio, whiskey toffee almond, and an ever-rotating lineup of seasonal changes.”
Choose from cones, sundaes, floats, milkshakes, and Lil’ Freezies.
5223 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. ChurnAZ.com
Scoop and Joy
“Would you like a surprise?”
Customers at Scoop and Joy not only receive Lapperts Hawaiian Ice Cream, but if they say “yes” to this always-asked question, their ice cream is decorated with a cute animal face.
In addition to traditional ice cream flavors, there are also unique choices such as lychee, green tea, honeysuckle rose, nuka hive, and UBE. Some flavors have macadamia nuts throughout them, and others have real fruit.
Scoop and Joy also serves Dole Whip (in every flavor), boba tea, locally roasted organic coffee, and homemade bakery items.
9397 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale; Instagram.com/scoopandjoylounge
Sweet Republic
This favorite Valley destination has been named one of The USA’s Best Ice Cream Parlors by USA TODAY Travel, Best Ice Cream Spots in the U.S. by Food & Wine, and Top 10/Best Ice Cream Shops by Bon Appétit—amongst just a few of its accolades.
Here you’ll find artisan ice cream, created from all-natural ingredients and handcrafted in small batches in the store. Twenty flavors of ice cream and sorbet are featured daily, with both tried-and-true options, as well as unique choices such as Sichuan chocolate, sweet corn, honey lavender, and blue cheese.
Indulge with a scoop, sundae, ice cream sandwich, shake, or float.
6054 N. 16th St., Phoenix; 9160 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale; 410 N. Scottsdale Road, Tempe. SweetRepublic.com
Sugar Bowl
Serving up food and ice cream since 1958, this bubble gum pink old-time restaurant still exudes its ’50s charm. Still family-owned, at this historic locale you can grab food as well as a scoop, sundae, shake, malt, float, or parfait.
An arcade for kids was a later addition, and the gift shop features artwork from Paradise Valley resident Bil Keane, who often featured Sugar Bowl in his daily comic strip, Family Circus.
4005 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. SugarBowlScottsdale.com
The City Creamery
Ever have jalapeño ice cream? How about candy corn? Those are just two of the one-of-a-kind flavors you might find at The City Creamery, which makes its handcrafted ice cream in-house daily in small batches using rock salt and ice.
The menu always features 16 flavors—choose yours by the scoop, as part of a hot fudge sundae in a homemade waffle bowl, or indulge with an old-fashioned milkshake.
Stop by for a scoop at this Cave Creek location, or indulge when you see one of its ice cream trucks at an event around town.
6268 E. Cave Creek Road, Ste. 8, Cave Creek. CityCreameryIceCream.com