Highest-rated ice cream shops in Baltimore 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 Baltimore 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. Shake Shack Inner Harbor
- Rating: 3.5/5 (569 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 400 East Pratt St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: burgers, ice cream & frozen yogurt, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Lucky's Coffee, Ice Cream and Candy
- Rating: 3.6/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 601 East Pratt St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: candy stores, ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Quinn's Ice
- Rating: 3.8/5 (15 reviews)
- Address: Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, food trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Fells Point Creamery
- Rating: 3.9/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 821 South Broadway Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Cup Love
- Rating: 4.0/5 (193 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2928 O'Donnell St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt, cupcakes
- Read more on Yelp
#22. The Charmery Towson
- Rating: 4.1/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6807 York Road Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Afters Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1001 South Charles St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Jupiter's Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.3/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1405 Forge Ave. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Yog Crepes Waffles and Frozen Yogurt
- Rating: 4.3/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6053 Falls Road Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: creperies, ice cream & frozen yogurt, bubble tea
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Tropicool Italian Ice
- Rating: 4.3/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6083 Falls Road Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#17. The Charmery Ice Cream Factory
- Rating: 4.4/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 1700 West 41st St. Ste 400 Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Taharka Brothers - Cross Street Market
- Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1065 South Charles St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Miss Twist Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 122 Back River Neck Road Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#14. The Charmery Hampden
- Rating: 4.5/5 (590 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 801 West 36th St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Bmore Licks
- Rating: 4.5/5 (597 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2437 Eastern Ave. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Codetta Bake Shop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 809 Light St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: bakeries, cupcakes, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#11. One Sweet Moment
- Rating: 4.5/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2914 Hamilton Ave. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, shaved ice
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Pitango Gelato
- Rating: 4.5/5 (764 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 802 South Broadway Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea, gelato
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Bmore Licks
- Rating: 4.6/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 901 Light St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Prigel Family Creamery - Baltimore
- Rating: 4.6/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: 529 East Belvedere Ave. Belvedere Square Market Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: desserts, cheese shops, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Taharka Brothers
- Rating: 4.6/5 (119 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 301 West 29th St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Buns & Roses Chimney Cakes
- Rating: 4.6/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 803 Light St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Waffle-Licious
- Rating: 4.7/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 245 Albemarle St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: desserts, coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Taharka Brothers- Broadway Market
- Rating: 4.8/5 (76 reviews)
- Address: 1640 Aliceanna St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Moo Moo Cows
- Rating: 4.9/5 (170 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 926 Light St. Ste 1 Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts, hot dogs
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Cajou Creamery
- Rating: 4.9/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 411 North Howard St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: vegan, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Tia's Italian Ice
- Rating: 4.9/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 851 West 36th St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, pretzels, desserts
- 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.
