Last summer we casually mentioned 10 of our favorite local ice cream shops in a post on our social media channels. To say people responded passionately would be an understatement. We used the hundreds of comments received to create this ultimate list of local ice cream shops. Happy eating!
Western Iowa
Some ice cream shops are area icons and have been for a long time. When traveling in western Iowa during the warm summer months, be sure to check out shops like Christy Creme, a popular spot since 1954 that is known for sweet ice cream treats and a daily sherbet selection. For a year round treat, visit Wells Ice Cream Parlor and discover a tasty, interactive experience with their interactive kiosks, movie theater and rooftop patio.
Christy Creme
2853 N Broadway, Council Bluffs
Wells Ice Cream Parlor
115 Central Ave. NW, Le Mars
Kathy's Corner
300 3rd St., Lake View
Dairy Dandy
1116 2nd Ave., Sheldon
The Sweet Spot
1407 White Pole Rd., Anita
Udderly Delicious Ice Cream
700 Walnut St., Atlantic
Casey Creamery
103 E Logan St., Casey
Doozies
321 Comanches St., Council Bluffs
Zaltes Ice Cream
229 Bennett Ave., Council Bluffs
Dairy Mart
325 E 9th St., Glidden
JC's Dairy Den
420 W Erie St., Missouri Valley
Frosty Trete
304 Pearl St., Bedford
C&M's Cafe
306 Main St., Malvern
Northern Iowa
Sky Kone
407 Main St., Ackley
Dariette
1242 2nd Ave. S, Fort Dodge
Stan's Drive In
1614 Main St., Osage
The Viking
3 S Main St., Ventura
Central
A must-stop in central Iowa is this family-owned shop that lets patrons top off an ice cream cone or shake with animal crackers. Snookies Malt Shop is a great place for all family members, even those that are four-legged! Bring your dog for a free pup-cone while you enjoy a full range of malts, shakes, sundaes and specialty items plus both hard pack and soft serve ice cream served out of this tiny renovated 1920s-era filling station.
Discover another hidden ice cream gem at the Filling Station. Their malts, shakes, flurries, sundaes, cones and banana splits helped earn their place as one of the Top 30 Independently Owned Ice Cream Shops in Iowa from the Des Moines Register. Bonus: it's located just two blocks from the High Trestle Trail.
Snookies Malt Shop
1810 Beaver Ave., Des Moines
The Filling Station
129 S Water St., Madrid
Billy's
308 Nile Kinnick Dr. S, Adel
Big Kahuna
1105 W Mamie Eisenhower Ave., Boone
Cratty Shack
21 E State St., Colfax
Korner Kone
502 14th St., Dallas Center
Classic Frozen Custard
4000 SE 14th St., Des Moines
Dairy Zone
2219 E University Ave., Des Moines
Granny's Sweet Freeze
3417 Hubbell Ave., Des Moines
Heavenly Delights
105 E 1st St., Grimes
Dari Barn
1810 6th Ave., Grinnell
Van Dee's Ice Cream Shoppe
5915 Merle Hay Rd., Johnston
Ev's
2205 S Center St., Marshalltown
Tastee Freez
1803 S Center St., Marshalltown
Jersey Freeze
103 Ralph St., Monroe
Dairy King
400 N Front St., Montezuma
Starbuck's Drive-In
1620 Lincoln Hwy., Nevada
Wendy's Ice Cream Shop
1043 Sunset Dr. #5, Norwalk
Over the Top
955 NE 56th St., Pleasant Hill
Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
304 W 2nd St., Prairie City
Dairy Shoppe
617 1st St., Redfield
South Central
Stop by Frostee's to discover a huge variety of shakes, malts, cyclones, cones and sundaes made with your choice of ice cream or frozen yogurt. A visit to this historic shop gives visitors the chance to experience a piece of ice cream history as the building exterior is the same as it was 50 years ago.
Frostee's
101 E Green St., Winterset
Elena's Ice Cream Shop
201 N Washington St., Bloomfield
Fiss'
120 IA-5, Carlisle
Raymond's Dairy Creme
315 W Maple St., Centerville
The Outside Scoop
602 N Jefferson Way, Indianola
Captain's Landing
21264 Hwy. J5T, Moravia
Junction Creamery
212 E McLane St., Osceola
Frosty Udder
215 Hwy. 432, Oskaloosa
Graham's Dairy Freez
627 W 2nd St., Ottumwa
Rock N Roll Dairy Bar
1110 S Madison Ave., Ottumwa
Northeast Iowa
Visitors flock to the Cedar Valley area to try Hansen's Dairy ice cream, which features more than 20 homemade ice cream flavors, sundaes, shakes and malts, plus ice cream in bulk. All products are made with milk from Hansen's Farm Fresh Dairy. This small town, walk-up ice cream stand also lets you customize your vanilla or chocolate ice cream with a plethora of mix-ins.
Another great walk-up ice cream spot is The Whippy Dip, whose soft serve ice cream treats and shakes provide the best way to cool down in the summer. If you need more than a treat, they also serve lunch items such as BBQs, tacos and hotdogs.
Hansen's Dairy
127 E 18th St., Cedar Falls
8461 Lincoln Rd., Hudson
3015 Kimball Ave., Waterloo
The Whippy Dip
121 College Dr., Decorah
4 Queens Dairy Cream
1310 W 1st St., Cedar Falls
3640 Lafayette Rd., Evansdale
207 E. Tower Park Dr., Waterloo
Cedar City Creamery
110 Lincoln St., Cedar Falls
Sugar Bowl
410 W Water St., Decorah
The Sweet Spot
100 S State St., Denver
Tootsies
401 Commercial St., La Porte City
210 North K Ave., Vinton
Lamont Dairy Sweet
320 Washburn Ave., Lamont
Dairy Treat
510 Sample St., Nashua
Flavor Stop
2301 Lafayette St., Waterloo
WW Homestead Dairy
850 Rossville Rd., Waukon
Eastern Iowa
This renowned confectionary and soda fountain has "The Best Hot Fudge in the Solar System." The third generation of Lagomarcinos continues to create soda fountain drinks, homemade chocolates and candy and maintains its reputation as a longstanding Quad City attraction.
Another historic ice cream shop is Whitey's, which was established in 1933 and has since received accolades such as being named "Best in the Midwest" by Midwest Living Magazine, and was voted as one of the "Best Ice Cream Shops in the World" by Conde Nast Traveler readers.
Lagomarcino's
2132 E 11th St., Davenport
Whitey's
3515 Middle Rd., Bettendorf
2419 E 53rd St., Davenport
1230 West Locust St., Davenport
114 N 1st St., Eldridge
Grandpa's Parlour
306 S Riverview St., Bellevue
Here's the Scoop
1104 Mound St., Davenport
Smilee's
911-11th St., De Witt
Beecher's
1691 Asbury Rd., Dubuque
The Cone Shoppe
140 S Main St., Monticello
Korner Stop Ice Cream Shoppe
205 Sycamore St., Sabula
Dairy Mart
2521 Vine Ave., Ainsworth
Parlor City Ice Cream
1936-42nd St. NE, Cedar Rapids
955-29th Ave. A, Marion
The Popcorn and Ice Cream Connection
626 Lombard St., Clarence
Dan and Debbie's
1600 Main St., Ely
Dane's Dairy
1430 Willow Creek Ct., Iowa City
Yotty's
501 B Ave., Kalona
Heyn's
811 S 1st Ave., Iowa City
25 E Cherry St., North Liberty
The Freeze
915 S 11th St., Marion
Pearl City Popcorn
119 Chestnut St., Muscatine
Jon's Ice Cream Store and Restaurant
231 W Marengo Rd., Tiffin
Wilton Candy Kitchen
310 Cedar St., Wilton
Grandpa's Homemade Ice Cream
600 S Roosevelt Ave., Burlington
Hall's Ice Cream
2002 Avenue L, Fort Madison
Misty's Malt Shop
106 Main St., Keosauqua
Sprat's
102 W Main St., Mediapolis
