Highest-rated ice cream shops in Buffalo 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 Buffalo 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.
#22. The Dish
- Rating: 2.7/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 44 Prime St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, hot dogs, burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Sweet Emilia's Ice Cream
- Rating: 3.1/5 (16 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 545 West Klein Road Buffalo, New York
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Watson's Chocolates
- Rating: 3.4/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2916 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: chocolatiers & shops, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Yogen Fruz
- Rating: 3.6/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1 Walden Galleria Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, juice bars & smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Watson's Chocolates
- Rating: 3.8/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 738 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: chocolatiers & shops, ice cream & frozen yogurt, candy stores
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Cookies & Cream
- Rating: 3.8/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 929 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Pam's Custard Corner
- Rating: 3.9/5 (11 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2190 South Park Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Anderson's Frozen Custard
- Rating: 3.9/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2634 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt, burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Custard Corner
- Rating: 4.0/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 211 Porter Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, burgers, hot dogs
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Nick Charlap's Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.1/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 2800 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#12. D A Taste
- Rating: 4.1/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 864 Seneca St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: tacos, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Parkside Candy
- Rating: 4.1/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3208 Main St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: candy stores, chocolatiers & shops, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Hanna's Frosty Treats
- Rating: 4.2/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 140 Taunton Place Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Churn Soft Serve
- Rating: 4.3/5 (217 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1501 Hertel Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Cookies & Cream
- Rating: 4.3/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 2114 Seneca St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Kone King
- Rating: 4.3/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 865 Center Road Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Fran-Ceil Custard
- Rating: 4.3/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3411 South Park Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Route 16 Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.4/5 (10 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2820 Seneca St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#4. The Cereal Spot
- Rating: 4.4/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 547 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: desserts, breakfast & brunch, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Lake Effect Artisan Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.6/5 (329 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1900 Hertel Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Halleez
- Rating: 4.7/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 954 Ridge Road Buffalo, New York
- Categories: desserts, juice bars & smoothies, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Golden Hour Treats & Things
- Rating: 4.7/5 (17 reviews)
- Address: 735 Sycamore St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, restaurants, 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.
