Highest-rated ice cream shops in Chicago 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 Chicago 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.
#27. Fragola Yogurt And Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3207 North Cental Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, juice bars & smoothies, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Relish Chicago Hot Dogs
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 550 East Grand Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: shaved ice, ice cream & frozen yogurt, hot dogs
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Vaca's Creamery
- Rating: 4.6/5 (145 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1436 West Blackhawk St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts, vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Mike's Ice Chicago
- Rating: 4.6/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 5731 North Lincoln Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Neveria De Colores
- Rating: 4.6/5 (14 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3838 West 49th St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea, cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Sideshow Gelato
- Rating: 4.6/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 4819 North Western Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Linda Michoacana
- Rating: 4.7/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 6808 West North Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Lincoln Ice Cream Company
- Rating: 4.7/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 4919 North Lincoln Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Bella's Italian Ice & Helado de Coco
- Rating: 4.7/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 3523 West Fullerton Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, shaved ice
- Read more on Yelp
#18. La Plaza Paleteria
- Rating: 4.7/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3046 North Cicero Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, grocery
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Vaca's Creamery
- Rating: 4.7/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2324 West Giddings St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Betty's Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.7/5 (17 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5858 South Kedzie Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Brothers Creamery Frozen Custard
- Rating: 4.7/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 2928 North Broadway Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#14. The Original Rainbow Cone
- Rating: 4.7/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 162 East Superior St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, donuts
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Crepe House Cafe
- Rating: 4.8/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5033 North Elston Ave. Ste 107-A Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: cafes, ice cream & frozen yogurt, creperies
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Logan Vegan
- Rating: 4.8/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 2535 North Kedzie Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: vegan, ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Naranja Dulce
- Rating: 4.8/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 3124 West Montrose Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, bubble tea, mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Crepe Twist
- Rating: 4.8/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 545 West Diversey Pkwy Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: creperies, coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Bartleby's Ice Cream Cakes
- Rating: 4.8/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 1943 West Byron St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt, custom cakes
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Paulo Gelato & Chocolate
- Rating: 4.9/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1058 West Chicago Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: gelato, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Pretty Cool Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.9/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 709 West Belden Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Queen Sheba
- Rating: 4.9/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 4851 North Broadway Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: bubble tea, juice bars & smoothies, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Bistro 6050
- Rating: 4.9/5 (395 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6050 West Irving Park Road Next to Chicago Public Library Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: empanadas, creperies, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Paleteria La Monarca
- Rating: 4.9/5 (12 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6955 North Clark St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Runaway Cow
- Rating: 4.9/5 (13 reviews)
- Address: 608 West 31st St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, vegan, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Sabores De Michoacán
- Rating: 5.0/5 (14 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1806 West 18th St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Nubes Ice Cream & Coffee Shop
- Rating: 5.0/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 4442 North Broadway Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea
- 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.
