Highest-rated ice cream shops in Albuquerque 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 Albuquerque 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.
#19. DQ / Orange Julius Store
- Rating: 3.6/5 (13 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6600 Holly Ave. Northeast The Shops At Holly Ste B-1 Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, fast food, burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#18. ICICLES
- Rating: 3.8/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5809 Juan Tabo Blvd. Northeast Ste H Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Rude Boy Cookies
- Rating: 4.0/5 (208 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2500 12th St. Northwest Unit E, Ste 3 Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: bakeries, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#16. El Tropico Paleteria
- Rating: 4.1/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9601 Sage Road Southwest Ste B Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: mexican, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Steve's Ice Cream & Java
- Rating: 4.1/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 323 Romero St. Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Rude Boy Cookies
- Rating: 4.2/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 2500 12th St. Northwest Unit East Suite 3 Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#13. ICICLES
- Rating: 4.3/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2300 Central Ave. Southeast Ste C-1 Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Neko Neko
- Rating: 4.4/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1909 Bellamah Ave. Northwest Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Frost Gelato
- Rating: 4.4/5 (220 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2201 Q St. Northeast Ste 9A Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: desserts, gelato, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Olo Dessert Studio
- Rating: 4.5/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3339 Central Ave. Northeast Ste C Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, bakeries, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Paleteria La Reina de Michoacan
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4501 4th St. Northwest Ste G1 Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: desserts, mexican, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Mrs. Sprinkles Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.5/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 3107 Eubank Blvd. Northeast Ste 18 Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, food trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#7. ChocGlitz & Cream
- Rating: 4.6/5 (99 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10660 Unser Blvd. Northwest Ste D Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, chocolatiers & shops, candy stores
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Pop Fizz
- Rating: 4.7/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1701 4th St. Southwest Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, mexican, food trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Crepe Brulee
- Rating: 4.7/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 6001 San Mateo Blvd. Northeast Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Heidi's Ice Cream Shop
- Rating: 4.7/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3427 Vassar Drive Ne Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#3. I Scream Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.8/5 (298 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2000 Carlisle Blvd. Northeast Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Pink Pony Soft Serve
- Rating: 4.8/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 2536 Alvarado Drive Northeast Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Yummy's Mini Donuts and Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.9/5 (69 reviews)
- Address: 1 Central Ave. Northwest Ste D Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Categories: donuts, ice cream & frozen yogurt, juice bars & smoothies
- 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.
