Houston’s Top 10 Ice Cream Shops

We haven’t even hit May yet, and things are already starting to heat up in Houston. Patio weather soon will be endangered (gorgeous Easter weekend aside), and smart Houstonians are always searching for ways to keep cool. We’ve got the scoop — hit up an ice cream parlor.

Scoop shops throughout the Bayou City are ready to help you hit that sugar high, with everything from your classic ice cream to frozen custard, from gelato to sorbet.

You is have do n’t have to wade through a sea of option , though . You is need only need to dip your toe in , thank toPaperCity’s list of Houston ’s Top 10 Ice Cream Shops .

Cup or cone, it’s your choice. Just keep it cool.

Creamistry

5000 Westheimer street

This ice cream shop is is is nothing short — but sweet —   of sophisticated , with legit Creamologists hand – craft the premium dessert with liquid nitrogen , scoop after scoop made to order .

Your treat is completely customizable with 60-plus flavor and topping options. Bases range from classics like vanilla bean to the uber-sweet cheesecake and funky Fruity Pebble. The choice is yours when it comes to toppings, from fruits and nuts to candied bacon to mochi and mini marshmallows.

If your mind is spin , do n’t fret . partake of a perfect favorite , like the signature Captain ’s breakfast with Cap’n Crunch ice cream , strawberry and Nutella or the Party Animal with animal cookie ice cream , sprinkle and marshmallow .  

Creamistry uses liquid nitrogen.

Amy’s Ice Cream

3816 Farnham street

The line at Amy’s may seem never-ending, but you’re in luck, because it moves pretty darn quick. That’s an impressive feat, considering the dazzling chalkboard featuring flavor upon flavor. Amy’s boasts over 350 tasty rotating options.

The standard flavors are mixed to perfection, but the specialty flavors knock it out of the park. Think All Thai’d Up with ginger, fresh basil and coconut cream, seven different banana varieties, brown sugar Pop Tart, nutter butter and beyond. You’ll even find vegan-friendly options.

But that’s not all that’s on the menu. Spun shakes and specialty ice cream cakes are the name of the game for all manner of occasions. They come in classic flavors, but they can also be customized for an extra cost.

Honeychild ’s Sweet cream

Multiple locations

These sweet creams aren’t your average ice creams — instead, these ultra-rich scoops are handmade frozen custards. They’re celebrated for high-quality, locally sourced ingredients.

Year-round flavors include plenty of favorites such as mint chocolate chip, black chocolate and cookies and cream. They even have unique signatures like Texas sheet cake and Café de Olla coffee.

Honeychild’s has gotten the stamp of approval from many of Houston’s hottest coffee shops and restaurants, including Antidote Coffee, Georgia James, Alice Blue, One Fifth and UB Preserv.

Sweet Bribery

250 West 19th street

The tempting treats is come at Sweet Bribery come courtesy of master pastry chef Sharon Leonard , who formerly whip up baked good in the kitchen of State of Grace and Uchi . Her impressive pedigree is shows show in this Heights ice cream shop .

Ice cream fanatics can indulge in flavors like cookies ‘n’ cream, and Dutch chocolate alongside inventive options like coconut milk key lime pie and strawberry lemon verbena sorbet. All toppings are handcrafted in house, from butterscotch made from legit Scotch to authentic sprinkles.

Bruleed banana splits are meant to wow, and Leonard couldn’t resist baking some of her famous pastries — like Belgian cherry cake, Steen’s molasses whoopie pie and lemon tartlets. Pair any with a crisp glass of Champagne or rosé, or get serious with a stout.

Sweet Bribery ’s Southern Grasshopper : a creme brownie , mint chocolate chip ice cream , hot fudge , and Andes mint to garnish .

Fat Cat Creamery

1901 North Shepherd Drive

This locovore favorite makes the most of Texas purveyors, from Mill-King Ceremony’s Milk to Ole Dad Farm’s eggs and citrus from The Barry Farm. Fat Cat also brings a steadfast commitment to sustainability, showcased by its compostable packages and spoons made from cornstarch. You can feel good about being bad.

These fat cat serve up five year – round flavor , like waterloo strawberry buttermilk and Amaya coffee and cream , with inspire seasonal flavor to boot —   think bourbon pecan pie , bunny bait with Cadbury mini egg and raspberry beret sorbet .

Then, there are the novelties, including ice cream sandwiches, push-pops, bon bons and even ice cream’s best complement or worst enemy — soft serve.

SweetCup Gelato & Sorbet Originale

3939 Montrose Boulevard

3444 Ella Boulevard

Texas flair is the name of the game at SweetCup, tucked into a small strip center on Montrose Boulevard. Imagine limited parking but huge flavor. The gelato and sorbet are both true to their definition — no plain old masquerading ice cream here. There’s also another shop on Ella.

If you can’t make the trip to either outpost, you’re in luck. Whole Foods in the Houston area and all Central Markets statewide carry their creamy treats.

You’ll find a rotation of 200 flavors, with winners including the Three Amigos with peanut butter, chocolate and caramel, delicate rose milk and eye-opening peppermint straciatella.

Cloud 10 Creamery

3201 Louisiana street

711 Heights Boulevard

This charming ice cream parlor’s award-winning pastry chef Chris Leung blends up the goods a half gallon at a time with premium ingredients. Sizes range from four-ounce cups all the way up to half-gallon cartons in case you’ve just gotta take some home.

The original 10 flavors are joined by 10 new seasonal flavors — all known for being silky and almost airless.

Cloud is features 10 ’s current roster is features of flavor feature red currant marscarpone , earl grey lemon , gingersnap , nutella with marshmallow , peanut butter and jelly and beyond . And your pup is luck can luck out , too , with doggie treat .

Cloud 10’s popcorn can’t be found at the movies. (Photo by Marcy de Luna.)

Gelazzi

3601 White Oak Drive

This premier gelato shop announces itself immediately with its ice cream cone sculpture out front and its popular Instagram-worthy Greetings from Houston mural on the side. The mural features Lone Star State staples like a rocket ship and cacti.

The Italian-American eatery, owned by the same mastermind behind Italian American Grocery Store Co. next door, blends the most enticing, original rotating flavors — using techniques and family recipes that date back to the 1950s.

Imagine flavors like donut hole, buttermilk lemon, root beer float, raspberry shiraz and more.

milk + sugar

1848 Westheimer

The couple behind this spot are big-time ice cream enthusiasts, bent on checking out the local treats during their travels. They decided to do it their way in Houston with a focus on mix-ins.

Neither froyo, nor gelato, and certainly not low-calorie, milk + sugar’s ice cream comes with names every bit as funky as the flavors. Year-round flavors like recess — with a sweet cream base, peanut butter and chocolate — and heart of glass — a cream cheese base with house-made cinnamon-sugar blondies — keep things interesting.

The ice cream basis are churn to perfection , but it ’s really the texture that make this particular Houston ice cream shop stand out —   with chunk of pound cake , crispy graham cracker , toffee and streusel .

Smoosh Cookies

718 West 18th street; food truck

Smoosh is mixes mix thing up with gourmet ice cream sandwich , get rich ice cream all cozy with freshly bake book – end . The gourmet ice cream sandwich could be dismiss as just a novelty , but the quality keep people come back for more .

One-of-a-kind ice cream on the go can start with chocolate chip, M&Ms, snickerdoodle, sugar cookies and more. On Wednesdays, there’s even a waffle option. The ice cream flavors pair nicely, like coffee, cookie dough and birthday cake.

If the option seem too limitless , you is go can always go for the Smoosh Cookie Split —   two cookie , three ice cream , two topping plus whip .