Highest-rated ice cream shops in San Diego 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 San Diego 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.
#29. Zonkey Paletas
- Rating: 4.6/5 (19 reviews)
- Address: 3016 University Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, juice bars & smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#28. C's Ice Cream & Deli
- Rating: 4.6/5 (254 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9969 Mira Mesa Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: delis, ice cream & frozen yogurt, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Bobboi Natural Gelato
- Rating: 4.7/5 (270 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 550 West Date St. San Diego, California
- Categories: gelato, ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#26. North Park Creamery
- Rating: 4.7/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3041 University Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Stella Jean's Ice Cream - San Diego
- Rating: 4.7/5 (853 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4404 Park Blvd. Ste B San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Pop Pops Paleta
- Rating: 4.7/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1740 India St. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Dang Good Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.7/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: 8680 Miralani Drive Ste 123 San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Stella Jean's Ice Cream - Pacific Beach
- Rating: 4.7/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 829 Garnet Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Neveria Los Mochis
- Rating: 4.7/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 2168 Logan Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, art galleries, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Stella Jean's Ice Cream - Point Loma
- Rating: 4.7/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4195 Voltaire St. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Stella Jean's Ice Cream & Coffee
- Rating: 4.7/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4073 Adams Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#18. An's Dry Cleaning
- Rating: 4.7/5 (1294 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3017 Adams Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: gelato, desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#17. East Village Market
- Rating: 4.7/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1155 Market St. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, convenience stores
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Cali Cream Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.7/5 (555 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 425 Market St. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts, juice bars & smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Yogurt Lounge
- Rating: 4.7/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3298 Greyling Drive San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, juice bars & smoothies, acai bowls
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Maya's Cookies
- Rating: 4.7/5 (278 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4760 Mission Gorge Place Ste G San Diego, California
- Categories: desserts, bakeries, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#13. The Craft Creamery
- Rating: 4.8/5 (343 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1302 Rosecrans St. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Kula Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.8/5 (79 reviews)
- Address: 9883 Pacific Heights Blvd. Ste F San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Classics Malt Shop
- Rating: 4.8/5 (1425 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3625 Midway Drive Ste B San Diego, California
- Categories: american, ice cream & frozen yogurt, hot dogs
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Sunday Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.8/5 (163 reviews)
- Address: 4647 Convoy St. Ste 103 San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Bobboi Natural Gelato
- Rating: 4.8/5 (159 reviews)
- Address: 2175 Kettner Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: gelato, desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#8. CABETOS Pops
- Rating: 4.8/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3331 Adams Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Sweet Petite Confections
- Rating: 4.9/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3582 Mount Acadia Blvd. Ste A San Diego, California
- Categories: chocolatiers & shops, desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Yummy Yummy Juice Bar
- Rating: 4.9/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 6784 El Cajon Blvd. Ste B San Diego, California
- Categories: juice bars & smoothies, ice cream & frozen yogurt, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Pacific Beach Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.9/5 (193 reviews)
- Address: 1010 Grand Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Milkissimo Gelato
- Rating: 4.9/5 (450 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1640 Camino Del Rio North San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, gelato, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Bobboi Natural Gelato
- Rating: 4.9/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 736 Ventura Place San Diego, California
- Categories: gelato, ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Woofpak Pet Kitchen
- Rating: 4.9/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 4545 La Jolla Village Drive Ste E4 San Diego, California
- Categories: pet stores, bakeries, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Yummi Tummi Ice Cream
- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: San Diego, California
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, food trucks
- 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.
