With this summer setting new records for the hottest the Earth has been since people have been around and with there not being a damn thing we can do about it on an individual level, it seems as though we should find a way to enjoy our season.
As we all know, seeking enjoyment in Black-owned businesses and Black-led neighborhoods is a great place to start. So here are seven of the best Black-owned ice cream shops you should try out as you work to keep cool during the dog days of summer.
This spot serves rich, Wisconsin-style frozen custard treats. Ice cream is fine, but custard is that something extra-special, making their desserts even more decadent than the typical cup or cone. The standout on this menu is the peach cobbler donut-wich, with the flavor of fresh peaches and the airy, dreamy donut holding it all together.
Urban Dessert Lab, Brooklyn, New York
With gorgeous packaging and elevated dairy-free treats, this is the shop you take your friend to when she’s the one who can’t eat anything and is picky to boot. Urban Dessert Lab serves oatmilk ice cream that will satisfy even the most exacting palate. Rich and creamy dairy-free offerings are served up Insta-ready, and the flavors can take you home again (strawberry shortcake) or somewhere you’ve never been before (coffee waffle crunch). Bonus: they’re expanding soon to L.A.!
Ari’s Ice Cream Parlor & Cafe, St. Louis, Missouri
Speaking of taking you home: Ari’s is the ultimate neighborhood spot. With a menu listing options like biscuits and gravy as well as indulgent treats, there are a lot of reasons you might end up there. The best cool-down they have to offer is a tough call: both their black walnut and butter pecan ice creams are among the best to be had in the whole Midwest.
Miyako Old Fashion Ice Cream Shop, San Francisco, California
Tom, the owner of Miyako, often works the counter himself in this Japantown landmark. With over 100 flavors of ice cream to choose from, Miyako also hosts a huge selection of vintage and hard-to-find candies. This shop has one of the best hot fudge sundaes in San Francisco, but the go-to favorite is the ube flavor: pale purple, buttery, and out of this world. Don’t miss this one in the fog.
Sweet Stack Creamery, Atlanta, Georgia
Sweet Stack is one of those joints where everybody can find what they like. Boasting both traditional and cashew-based vegan ice cream, this shop has got it all. Rolling their ice cream sandwiches in toppings like Fruity Pebbles and crushed Oreo puts this place over the top, but one of the best things they offer is their red velvet ice cream flavor. A true Southern delicacy, it tastes like a June wedding between best friends.
York Castle Ice Cream Company, Rockville, Maryland
Tropical and jerk flavors are in evidence at this spot that has moved a few times around the DC metro. Now in Rockville, this purveyor of Caribbean-style ice cream in distinct and mouth-watering flavors like banana and coconut does it like nobody else. Get something you won’t see anywhere else, like soursop (a flavor derived from a fruit not commonly seen outside of the tropics) or something you know you like in ice cream form, like mango, guava, or their beautifully intense ginger.
What’s the Scoop, Metuchen, New Jersey
Serving up the scoops in both their main location and from a cute blue truck, What’s the Scoop is a must-see in New Jersey. Classic flavors to please everybody abound — Milky Way, Rum Raisin, and Funfetti — but their Irish Whiskey flavor gives a little kick to an already fabulous treat on a hot afternoon. This shop also offers a very convenient online ordering system where you can pick out a sundae kit to-go, or even an ice cream cake.
