Highest-rated ice cream shops in Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee 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. MooSa's
- Rating: 3.1/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 2272 North Lincoln Memorial Drive Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: chicken wings, burgers, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Shake Shack Third Ward
- Rating: 3.4/5 (255 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 220 East Buffalo St. Suite 110 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: burgers, fast food, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Gyro Stand
- Rating: 3.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1110 East Oklahoma Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, american, greek
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Gift of Wings Kite Store
- Rating: 3.6/5 (11 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1010 North Lincoln Memorial Drive Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: toy stores, ice cream & frozen yogurt, drones
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Kitt's Frozen Custard Drive-In
- Rating: 3.7/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7000 West Capitol Drive Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, american, burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#17. MyYoMy! Frozen Yogurt
- Rating: 3.7/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 100 South Water St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Gilles Frozen Custard Drive-In
- Rating: 3.7/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7515 West Bluemound Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, burgers, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Oscar's Frozen Custard
- Rating: 3.8/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2362 South 108th St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, burgers, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Dairyland
- Rating: 3.8/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 275 West Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: burgers, ice cream & frozen yogurt, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#13. On The Bus
- Rating: 3.8/5 (214 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 400 North Water St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: vegan, juice bars & smoothies, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Nite Owl Ice Cream Parlour & Sandwich Shoppe
- Rating: 4.1/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 830 East Layton Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Babe's Ice Cream & Desserts
- Rating: 4.1/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2264 South Kinnickinnic Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, custom cakes
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Cold Spoons Gelato
- Rating: 4.2/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5924 West Vliet St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, gelato
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Yo Factory
- Rating: 4.3/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2203 North Farwell Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, desserts, juice bars & smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Purple Door Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.4/5 (504 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 205 South 2nd St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Leon's Frozen Custard
- Rating: 4.5/5 (614 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3131 South 27th St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Tastee Twist
- Rating: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2378 North Teutonia Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Scratch Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.6/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 2238 North Farwell Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Pete's Pop Shed
- Rating: 4.6/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: 916 East Russell Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: desserts, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Scratch Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.6/5 (13 reviews)
- Address: 636 South 6th St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: food trucks, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Gordo's Bubble Waffles
- Rating: 4.6/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2301 South Howell Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: desserts, waffles, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Pete's Pops
- Rating: 4.9/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 3809 West Vliet St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- 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.
