Highest-rated ice cream shops in Charlotte 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 Charlotte 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.
#23. Golden Cow Creamery
- Rating: 4.3/5 (368 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 170 West Summit Ave. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Cafe 49 Ice Cream and Halal Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.3/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 10221 University City Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: pizza, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Ninety's Dessert Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (362 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9009 J M Keynes Drive Ste 4 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, sandwiches, juice bars & smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Handel's Homemade Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.3/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 4923 Trojan Drive Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Smallcakes
- Rating: 4.4/5 (80 reviews)
- Address: 6925 University City Blvd. Ste 415 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: cupcakes, bakeries, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Velvet Boba Tea & Rolled Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.4/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 11324 North Community House Road Ste 102 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, bubble tea
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Two Scoops Creamery Southend
- Rating: 4.4/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1616 Camden Road 100 Ste 100 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Cold Hearted Gelato
- Rating: 4.4/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 1308-A The Plaza Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: gelato, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Popbar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 270 Camp Road Ste 105 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: gelato, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Swirl
- Rating: 4.5/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1640 Oakhurst Commons Drive Ste 103 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: cupcakes, desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Popbar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (262 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3123 North Davidson St. Ste 102B Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: gelato, ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Smallcakes Steele Creek
- Rating: 4.6/5 (135 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4847 Shopton Road Ste East Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: desserts, cupcakes, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Two Scoops Creamery Plaza Midwood
- Rating: 4.6/5 (372 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 913 Central Ave. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Halfpenny's
- Rating: 4.6/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 301 South Tryon St. CSL/2WC Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, bagels
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Morelia Gourmet Paletas - South End
- Rating: 4.6/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1425 Winnifred St. Ste 104 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: gelato, ice cream & frozen yogurt, kosher
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Seemingly Overzealous
- Rating: 4.6/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 701 Keswick Ave. Ste 102 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#7. The Local Scoop
- Rating: 4.6/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 1600 East Woodlawn Road Ste 110 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#6. X-tra Ball Ice Cream & Pinball
- Rating: 4.6/5 (11 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8420 Bellhaven Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: arcades, ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Smallcakes Ballantyne
- Rating: 4.6/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 13855 Conlan Cir Ste G Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: cupcakes, ice cream & frozen yogurt, bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Nor'east Treats & Eats
- Rating: 4.7/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 5401 East Independence Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: burgers, ice cream & frozen yogurt, bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Urban Sweets
- Rating: 4.7/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 222 West Blvd. Ste S114 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, macarons, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#2. The Local Scoop
- Rating: 4.7/5 (166 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5355 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy Ste 100 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Tutti Gelato
- Rating: 4.8/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 1700 Camden Road Ste 101 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: gelato, coffee & tea, 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.
