Highest-rated ice cream shops in Modesto by diners
Ice cream is a treat that can be enjoyed all year round, although the volume produced during the hotter months signals otherwise. The majority of ice cream and other frozen desserts in the U.S. are made between March and August, with July being the busiest month of all, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Many Americans have memories of their pastel green mint chocolate chip scoop dripping down their waffle cone at the height of summer or cooling down with their sprinkle-covered chocolate and vanilla soft-serve twist. Ice cream tends to scream nostalgia, but the range of available flavors has evolved since the days when the dessert was mainly limited to vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.
Of course, that doesn't mean those aren't still top-tier choices. According to a May 2024 survey of 2,200 American adults by the International Dairy Foods Association and Morning Consult, the top 10 ice cream flavors today are still the three classics (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, in that order) followed by butter pecan, cookie dough, cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip, rocky road, and peanut butter or peanut butter cup.
Nowadays, many ice cream shops offer fresh combinations and ingredients you may never have imagined could be made into ice cream, concoctions like black sesame cookies and cream or honey lavender. Some ice cream shops boast flavors with even more unheard-of ingredients and combinations, like the savory tarragon olive oil or pineapple with pink peppercorns.
Ice cream creators have also expanded into rethinking frozen yogurt, soft serve, and vegan options. Dairy-free folks no longer have to order the only sorbet on the menu. There are nondairy milk ice creams made from plant-based milks like oat or almond and other plant-based products like avocado or sunflower butter.
And then there are the toppings, one of the best parts about getting a scoop at your local shop. Pour on the condensed milk or dulce de leche. Sprinkle bits of honeycomb or your favorite childhood cereal.
Ice cream shops everywhere have made it their job to serve up the smoothest, creamiest, and most crave-able options. To find out who's doing the best job of it, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated ice cream shops in Modesto using data from Yelp. Data is as of June 14, 2024.
Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 10 reviews were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Read on to determine where you'll get your next cup or cone from!
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific ice cream shops listed or the items they serve.
#18. La Reina Michoacana
- Rating: 2.6/5 (10 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1331 Crows Landing Road Modesto, California
- Categories: mexican, ice cream & frozen yogurt, juice bars & smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#17. La Reina Michoacana
- Rating: 3.1/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 1940 Crows Landing Road Ste 2 Modesto, California
- Categories: mexican, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Raspados El Amigo
- Rating: 3.2/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: 101 Maze Blvd. Modesto, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, juice bars & smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Sno-White Drive In
- Rating: 3.4/5 (200 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1841 Yosemite Blvd. Modesto, California
- Categories: burgers, fast food, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Ice Cream Co
- Rating: 3.5/5 (225 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2401 East Orangeburg Ave. Ste 650 Modesto, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Yogurt Mill
- Rating: 3.7/5 (284 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2509 Oakdale Road Modesto, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Velvet Grill & Creamery - Modesto
- Rating: 3.8/5 (382 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2204 McHenry Ave. Modesto, California
- Categories: american, desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Yogurt Mill
- Rating: 3.8/5 (224 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 801 West Roseburg Ave. Modesto, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Frosty King
- Rating: 3.8/5 (19 reviews)
- Address: 911 Paradise Road Modesto, California
- Categories: burgers, ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Bobalicious
- Rating: 3.9/5 (268 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2907 East Hatch Road Modesto, California
- Categories: desserts, bubble tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Oodles Frozen Yogurt
- Rating: 3.9/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3430 Tully Road Ste 42 Modesto, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea, vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Pura Vida
- Rating: 3.9/5 (270 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1407 Standiford Ave. Ste A1 Modesto, California
- Categories: coffee & tea, shaved ice, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Yogurt Mill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3900 Pelandale Ave. Modesto, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Tony's Donut & Grill
- Rating: 4.1/5 (16 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4811 Yosemite Blvd. Modesto, California
- Categories: donuts, coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Smallcakes Decadent Coffee
- Rating: 4.2/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 4800 Dale Road Ste 100 Modesto, California
- Categories: cupcakes, coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Tea Shack
- Rating: 4.4/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3020 Floyd Ave. Ste- 113 Modesto, California
- Categories: bubble tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt, juice bars & smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#2. United Paleteria Y Nieveria
- Rating: 4.4/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2039 Tully Road Modesto, California
- Categories: juice bars & smoothies, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Sandy's Sweet Shop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1421 Coffee Road Modesto, California
- Categories: donuts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Chia-Yi Hou, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 237 metros.
