Highest-rated ice cream shops in Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis 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.
#25. Gordon's Milkshake Bar
- Rating: 4.1/5 (278 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 865 Massachusetts Ave. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#24. California Burger
- Rating: 4.2/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6020 East 82nd St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: burgers, fast food, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Litterally Divine Chocolates
- Rating: 4.2/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1114 East Prospect St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: chocolatiers & shops, coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Ritter's Frozen Custard
- Rating: 4.3/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4840 West 57th St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, burgers, chocolatiers & shops
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Tsaocaa
- Rating: 4.4/5 (232 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6386 East 82nd St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, bubble tea, shaved ice
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Red Line Frozen Treats
- Rating: 4.4/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5920 East Stop 11 Road Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#19. CRAVE Ice Cream Social
- Rating: 4.4/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 11691 Fall Creek Road Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Aha Rolled Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.5/5 (13 reviews)
- Address: 6020 East 82nd St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Delicias Victoria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (14 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2201 South Sherman Drive Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: waffles, tacos, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Smallcakes Cupcakery & Creamery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 930 Broad Ripple Ave. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: cupcakes, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Brics
- Rating: 4.6/5 (487 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 901 East 64th St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Howdy Homemade Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.6/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 370 North New Jersey St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#13. LiftOff Creamery
- Rating: 4.6/5 (139 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 East 16th St. Ste 105 Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts, shaved ice
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Scoop Shack
- Rating: 4.7/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 7002 Lake Plaza Drive Ste B Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Square Scoop
- Rating: 4.7/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1028 Virginia Ave. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, candy stores
- Read more on Yelp
#10. La Palapa
- Rating: 4.7/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 601 East Hanna Ave. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#9. LICK
- Rating: 4.7/5 (91 reviews)
- Address: 906 Carrollton Ave. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Chris' Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.7/5 (314 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1484 86th St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, tacos
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Sundae's Ice Cream & Coffee
- Rating: 4.8/5 (300 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9922 East 79th St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts, coffee roasteries
- Read more on Yelp
#6. LICK SoBro
- Rating: 4.8/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 1049 East 54th St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts, vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#5. TeeJay's Sweet Tooth
- Rating: 4.8/5 (273 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8660 Purdue Road Ste 600 Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt, donuts
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Nicey Treat
- Rating: 4.8/5 (225 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 833 East Westfield Blvd. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Scoopz Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.8/5 (13 reviews)
- Address: 1220 Waterway Blvd. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Canal Creamery
- Rating: 4.9/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6349 Guilford Ave. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Circles Ice Cream
- Rating: 5.0/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 607 Fulton St. Indianapolis, Indiana
- Categories: 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.
