Ice cream can take many forms, but it all comes down to a feeling: satisfying and sweet, eaten in the Chicago summer.
For this guide of various ice cream options around the city, we looked for more than just scoop shops. We wanted to try dessert styles from around the world. In the end, we expanded our recommendations from more than just scoops of ice cream to include Italian ice, ice cream bars, paletas and more.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the best ice cream and cold desserts in Chicago. But it is what we’d recommend a friend order when out with us on a hot summer day.
— Ahmed Ali Akbar
North Side & Northwest Side
Saffron Persian ice cream and faloodeh at Kabobi Persian and Mediterranean Grill
Some historians say ice cream was discovered in Persia; Kabobi in the Albany Park neighborhood does actually offer house-made ice cream on their massive menu. The saffron Persian ice cream has an unusual texture that emphasizes the nuts and the aroma of the most expensive spice in the world. Another must-try if you’ve never had it is faloodeh. Its icey vermicelli-ish noodles are served with cherry syrup and lime or lemon, making it a sweet-and-sour refresher for hot summer nights. — AAA
$5.95 for the Persian ice cream, $6.95 for the faloodeh. 3224 W. Lawrence Ave., 773-583-1400, kabobigrill.com
Halo-halo at Kubo Chicago
Halo-halo is one of my go-to Filipino desserts to make at home, but Kubo’s version has all the extra ingredients I normally don’t have on hand, including candied sweet potato and purple yam. The dessert is brought out displayed beautifully in a glass but is then transferred into a large bowl so all the ingredients can be mixed for the perfect balanced bite of sweet beans, jellies, shaved ice, milk and ube ice cream. A large ladle and smaller individual bowls make sharing easy. Kubo also has a lovely shaded patio, perfect for soaking up the summer vibes.
If you’re not into beans for dessert, check out Boonie’s ube halo-halo. It goes all in on the purple yam, with ube milk, ube jam and ube ice cream. — Kayla Samoy
$15. 1232 W. Belmont Ave., 773-857-1408, kubochicago.com
World’s Smallest Cone at Sideshow Gelato
You may have heard a strange tale of Penn & Teller magician Penn Jillette owning an ice cream shop in Chicago, but it’s the mysterious Mr. J who’s truly the man behind the house-made gelato. The World’s Smallest Cone is just one of the curiosities you’ll find at Sideshow Gelato, his theatrical shop in the Lincoln Square neighborhood where Jillette is indeed an investor. Choose from an ever-changing menu, which might include The Great Jitterini & Debbie (cappuccino ice cream with chocolate-covered espresso beans), Pickled Punk (vegan cucumber dill sorbetto), or What Is It?!!! It’s also vegan, but don’t call it a mystery flavor. And if you guess the flavor after a taste, keep it a secret, because if you say it out loud, they will ask you to leave. And you really don’t want to miss out on all the fun. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu
$1. 4819 N. Western Ave., 773-415-4686, sideshowgelato.com
Strawberry shortcake pop at Pretty Cool Ice Cream
One of the hardest choices you’ll make in the heat of the summer may be at the colorful ice cream shop founded by twice James Beard-nominated pastry chef Dana Cree and business partner Michael Ciapciak of Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits. The strawberry shortcake pop at Pretty Cool Ice Cream, the woman-co-owned flagship in the Logan Square neighborhood with a sibling in Lincoln Park, wasn’t so much a choice recently, but a beckoning. The hot pink strawberry shell sparkled with hotter pink glittery sprinkles, over bits of embedded crushed vanilla wafers, all hiding a sweet cream ice cream within. You might also be tempted by the tart and sweet OG orange Dreamsicle bar, or Cree’s favorite ice cream sandwich ever with strawberry ice cream and lemon sugar cookies, plus there are plenty of plant-based pops too. — LKLC
$6. 2353 N. California Ave., 773-697-4140, prettycoolicecream.com
Coco con coco paleta at Isla Tropical
The first sign of summer in Chicago comes when you hear the bells preceding paleta vendors pushing their carts filled with Mexican ice pops. The coco con coco at Isla Tropical, where they not only make paletas in the Hermosa neighborhood, but supply vendors with carts, takes their bestselling coconut pops a few steps further. A coconut milk ice pop gets dipped in chocolate then covered in a blizzard of finely shredded coconut for a gourmet street treat. You can buy paletas at the shop that’s now open to the public, and even eat inside, but nothing says summer out in the city like a pop from your favorite paleta cart vendor. — LKLC
$3. 2335 N. Cicero Ave., 773-560-5132, islatropical2335.com
Superman Ice Cream at Pizza Matta
Superman ice cream was my favorite flavor growing up in Michigan, but apparently, it’s not as central to Chicago’s identity. So I was tickled to learn Pizza Matta in the Logan Square neighborhood has a teeny fridge with only one flavor: house-made Superman.
The flavor typically has red, blue and yellow ice creams in equal proportions; no one can really describe the central flavor of “blue moon” — is it marshmallow? Bubble gum? The very taste of blue itself? But it’s grounded alongside the vanilla and red cherry flavors. Pizza Matta, which is next door to its award-winning sister restaurant Giant, makes a delicious grown-up version, using ricotta to increase its chewiness. The menu and employees use different words to describe the resulting ice cream, comparing it to gelato and “Midwestern spumoni.” It more than earns its spot as the sole ice cream in a pizza spot; Michiganders welcome. — AAA
$10. 3211 W. Armitage Ave., (773) 661-6521, pizzamattachicago.com
West Side & Near West Side
Stracciatella at Paulo Gelato
For something simple yet classic, try the stracciatella, creamy vanilla mixed with delicious bits of chocolate. This gelato shop right off the Chicago Blue Line stop may be small, but Polish chef Pawel Petrykowski brings some fun flavors, such as the Trio, which mixes peanut butter, hazelnut and chocolate, and dulce de leche. — KS
$6 for a small. 1058 W. Chicago Ave., 773-858-1268, paulogelateria.com
Pecan and mango con chamoy paletas at La Michoacana Premium
There have to be nearly 100 options at La Michoacana Premium in the Pilsen neighborhood. But don’t be overwhelmed; get paletas at the paleteria. In particular, the dairy-based ice cream pops like the pecan/nuez have a consistently superior texture and a wide range of flavors, compared with the scooped ice cream. Each flavor has its own quirk, including whole strawberries, strips of caramel on the stick or crushed nuts. The mango con chamoy pop is completely different from the sweet dairy ones, offering a sour and mildly spicy option for mango and chamoy.
Once you’ve tried a few paletas, consider moving on to other things on their deep menu, including mangonadas and strawberries with cream — AAA
Note: There are various La Michoacana and La Michoacana Premium locations around Chicagoland; not all are related and many offer different menus.
$3.39 for a water or milk popsicle. 1855 S. Blue Island Ave., 312-226-9600, lamichoacanapremiumpilsen.com
Tamari sweet cream and pineapple mango soft-serve swirl at Duck Duck Goat
In the summer months, you can enjoy Stephanie Izard’s creations at Baobing, but since the hours and timings are so limited, another option is to go inside Duck Duck Goat and get a soft serve swirl in flavors with obvious chef inspo.
The two flavors the day I went were a pretty unexpected match: a tamari sweet cream and a pineapple mango sorbet. Despite that, it was all about the texture — the dairy side has a pleasant give and the tart sorbet is airy. It’s simple, but brings joy to have fun flavors in such a comforting combination. — AAA
$6. 857 W. Fulton Market, 312-902-3825, duckduckgoatchicago.com
Lemon and watermelon mix at Mario’s Italian Lemonade
Keep it simple at Mario’s Italian Lemonade in the Little Italy neighborhood: You can make all sorts of monstrous combos, but start with a double of sour lemon with mildly sweet watermelon in a 12-ounce cup. When you think of Italian ice, you think of the frozen chunks and the lemonade, but with that order, you also get plenty of real fruit, seeds and lemon rinds that add depths of flavor and freshness. Other flavors worth trying include pineapple, lychee, lime and cherry. Mario’s is an outdoor stand with a history dating back to the ’50s. It’s typically only open for summer months and can have a long line, but it moves fast. — AAA
$6 for a medium with two flavors. 1068 W. Taylor St., marioslemonade.com
South Side & Near South Side
Boozy chocolate shake at Fabulous Freddie’s Italian Eatery
So you want your cold treat with a splash of something extra too? Freddie’s has you covered with adults-only infused milkshakes, and Italian ices with your choice of rum, vodka and tequila — or the option to add pumps of CBD (isolate or full spectrum). Perhaps made with a generous pour, my Bailey’s chocolate shake was so strong I split it over two days. — Lauryn Azu
$12. 701 W. 31st St., 312-808-0147, freddieson31st.com
Shaved ice at Ohana Ice & Treats
There’s a classic Disney movie that taught me ohana is the Hawaiian word for family. I would take my family to this Black-owned, kid-friendly ice cream shop in the Beverly neighborhood — equipped with wet wipes and napkins for the onslaught, of course. Here you’ll get a heaping scoop of shaved ice doused with your choice of syrup, where each drop hugs the fluffy ice and is perfectly refreshing on a steamy Chicago day. At a store employee’s recommendation, I got a mix of Tiger’s Blood and Bahama Mama flavors. You can also add a snow cap, which is shaved ice topped with condensed milk, if you’d like a creamier option. — LA
$7 for a small. 1800 W. 103rd St., 773-253-8533
Dragonfruit sundae at Legend Tasty House
A pantheon of flavors and topping combinations are presented at this Thai-style rolled ice cream shop with creations that look almost too good to eat. But I had to narrow it down to one, and anything bright pink is tough for me to pass up. Luckily the dragonfruit rolled ice cream sundae, topped with fresh dragonfruit pieces, whipped cream, sprinkles and a cute hamburger gummy, was a satisfying treat, with the mild-flavored dragonfruit pieces complementing the tangy and textured ice cream. For a bonus delight, watch as the workers artfully prepare your order on chilled slabs behind the partition. — LA
$9. 2242 S. Wentworth Ave., 312-225-8869, legendtastyhouse.com
Biscoff cookie Snowstorm at Runaway Cow
As an ex-Dairy Queen employee, I could eat the vegan version of a Blizzard until the cows come home. Runaways Cow’s Biscoff cookie flavor of the blended oat milk ice cream comes with crunches of the cookie and is thick enough to be flipped upside down a la DQ. Cones (with dip!), shakes and sundaes round out the menu at this new mom-and-pop vegan ice cream shop for plant-based South Siders who need relief from the heat. — LA
$8 for a small. 608 W. 31st St., 312-846-1626, runawaycowvegan.com
Pie La Mode at Justice of the Pies
You might not expect to find ice cream at a bakery, but Maya-Camille Broussard is a James Beard-nominated chef who makes our soft-serve wishes come firmly true. The Pie La Mode at Justice of the Pies, her destination Black-owned business in the Avalon Park neighborhood, turns traditional Pie à la Mode upside down, literally. Instead of a scoop of ice cream on a piece of pie, Broussard spikes ice cream with a slice of pie, and so much more. It starts with warm peach pie filling in a cup, then a spiral of vanilla soft serve, and a whole slice of her signature salted caramel peach pie, before finishing with a generous drizzle of salted caramel sauce. The seasonal creation will transform into something to sip and spoon, faster than summer slips by. — Louisa Chu
$14. 8655 S. Blackstone Ave., justiceofthepies.com
Suburban and multiple locations
Melanin Magic (chocolate), Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Vanilla and Banana Pudding at Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream
The classics are the way to go at this Black-owned Bronzeville scoop shop with a bright, retro vibe and luscious custard. But even though the taste is traditional, the names are modern and quippy: Melanin Magic is chocolate! Flavors like Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Vanilla or Banana Pudding are rich, perfectly sweet and undeniable. — AAA
$13 for a pint with three flavors. 46 E. 47th St., 773-675-4032, and 3252 Vollmer Road, Olympia Fields, 773-675-4032, shawnmichelles.com
Black Cardamon gelato affogato with Big Shoulders espresso, almondette cookie and nutter butter square at Avec
Affogato is pretty much always a delight — sweet ice cream and bitter coffee coming together can never be wrong — but Avec West Loop’s additional touches make it an especially indulgent lunchtime pick-me-up. Compared with some other affogatos, it’s more gelato-forward. Here’s it works: The black cardamom flavor of the gelato seeps chai-like flavors into the last bits of espresso. The gelato at Avec rotates and includes sorbet styles like a prickly pear and mango option, but the affogato has been a regular fixture in some form for many years. Also available in decaf. — AAA
$10 for affogato and almondette, $2.50 per nutter butter square. 615 W. Randolph St., 312-377-2002 and 141 W. Erie St., 312-736-1778, avecrestaurant.com
Banana Pudding ice cream at B&B Ice Cream and Candy
All scoops here are from the Hershey’s brand of ice creams. An employee told me their fan-favorite flavor is Banana Pudding, where banana ice cream greets marshmallow swirls and vanilla wafer cookies for a creamy and tasty spoonful after spoonful until you’re scraping the styrofoam cup. This Black-owned ice cream chain with locations on the South Side pays homage to the owner’s grandparent’s ice cream shop that once existed on 84th Street and Racine Avenue — and the adorable buzzing bee mascots are named Grandma Bee and Grandpa Bee. — LA
$4 for a kid’s size. 8328 S. Racine Ave., 773-322-4060, and 1308 W. 95th St., 773-941-6817, bbicecreamcandy.com
Mangonada at Los Mangos
Los Mangos has all your expected michoacana fare — paletas, ice cream cones, cheetoes and esquites, and, of course, the all-important mangonada. Made with the fruit its name champions, I had high expectations for my mangonada and I was absolutely delighted. Here fresh mango chunks in chamoy sauce are stacked on top of chamoy-drizzled mango sorbet. Los Mangos tops it with a straw dipped in tamarind for spicy and satisfying slurping. Layers of tangy spice and sweetness abound, and I’d guess you’re getting a full serving of fruit too. — LA
$7. Multiple locations, los-mangos.com
Messy boba sundae at Kurimu
Better known for its neon-hued rotating soft serve flavors that look perfect on your Instagram story, ice cream topped with a pile of warm boba pearls is an overlooked staple at Kurimu. Your choice of seasonal soft serve (I picked a ramune/lychee swirl that reminded me of a mild blue raspberry) is blanketed in layers of warm, chewy caramelized boba that seep into the ice-cold soft serve creating a hypnotizing gradient effect in your cup, joining the best of two delicious dessert genres. — LA
$9. Multiple locations, kurimuchicago.com
Hot fudge sundae at Margie’s Candies
Having been around for more than 90 years, Margie’s is an iconic Chicago spot for ice cream and you can’t go wrong with a hot fudge sundae. Really, anything with hot fudge is a hit here, and you’ll be delivered that rich chocolatey goodness in a gravy boat.
The line to get in can be long, but there are chairs outside the Logan Square location for those waiting for a sweet treat. The hot fudge sundae is huge and could easily be split between two people, so it’s a good value that’s worth the wait. — KS
$8.95. 1960 N. Western Ave., 773-384-1035, and 1813 W. Montrose Ave., 773-348-0400, margiescandies.com
Inner Child sundae at Vaca’s Creamery
Cofounders Mariana Marinho and Dylan Sutcliff have consistently added inventive flavors to their lineup since the city’s first all-vegan ice cream shop opened in 2021. Both locations serve a signature sundae meant to please the kid inside you, made with your choice of vegan soft serve, strawberry puree, confetti cookie dough and sprinkles to top it all off. It reminded me of a deconstructed ice cream cake. I ordered mine with vanilla soft serve on a recent visit, which was an elegant base for sumptuous toppings, but I’ll be back to try more flavors. Keep in mind the original West Town location is a walk-up only, but you can enjoy your ice cream in the shade at Pulaski Park across the street. — LA
$9 for a kid’s size. 2324 W. Giddings St. and 1436 W. Blackhawk St., vacascreamery.com
Pony Cone at The Plush Horse
Ice cream historians have long known the lore behind the ice cream parlor on a leafy corner in a south suburb, which has been open since 1937. The Pony Cones at The Plush Horse, available at the historic house in Palos Park and a modern shop in Tinley Park, offer a perfect tiny taste of that history. Your scooper will scoop a golf ball-size orb of your favorite flavor. One relatively new flavor, a bright blue Cookie Monster loaded with chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough will turn your mouth blue, to the delight of the many generations around you. — LKLC
$1.10. 12301 S. 86th Ave., Palos Park; 708-448-0550; theplushhorse.com
Falooda kulfi at Tandoor Char House
Like most American cities, it’s difficult to find a store in Chicago that specializes in kulfi or South Asian-style falooda (not to be confused with the dish it descends from, Persian faloodeh). Usually, restaurants or sweet shops offer a pre-packaged kulfi on a stick or mix it into overly sugared falooda milkshakes with far too many toppings. In my favorite faloodas, the ice cream sits atop the iconic cold noodles with nuts — I’m still looking for that. But at chef Faraz Sardharia’s Tandoor Char House, a simple house-made falooda kulfi is offered alongside mango and pistachio kulfi. It’s more aligned with American ice cream, but the texture, the pistachio sprinkles and rose flavor in the falooda kulfi is a classic Indian and Pakistani taste profile. If you wish to sit indoors and eat, the Lincoln Park location is the only full-service location of Tandoor Char House. — AAA
$9. Multiple locations, tandoorchicago.com
Rainbow Waffle Cone at The Original Rainbow Cone
The original Beverly location of The Original Rainbow Cone from the 1920s stands out like a giant pink church to sugar. Somehow, my first time eating a sliced Rainbow Cone this year evoked nostalgia for a childhood I never had. Like many other popular regional ice cream classics like Neopolitan or Superman, it’s a multicolor cacophony of flavors and textures. Rainbow Cone might be the apex, with refreshing orange sorbet at the top, the Palmer House flavor adding heterogeneity through cherries and walnuts in the middle, and a solid chocolate base. The other two flavors, strawberry and pistachio are also solid classics. There are plenty of custom combinations of flavors here, but Rainbow Cone is a classic for a reason.
The company uses a slicing scoop that allows the ice cream to lay at the signature tilted angle. It’ll melt, but enjoy the ride. — AAA
$8.29 with an additional $1.29 for a waffle cone. Multiple locations, rainbowcone.com
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