Summer 2022 is only 75 days away and as the weather across the country warms up, it’s important to tap into ways to stay cool all summer long. And there’s no better way to beat the summer heat than with a cold, delicious cup of Black-owned ice cream.
More Black entrepreneurs have been entering the frozen dessert industry over the last decade, opening ice cream parlors across America and stocking the shelves of your favorite retail stores with creamy delicacies.
This summer, stay cool no matter what city you’re in by visiting one of these black-owned ice cream shops or by grabbing a pint of your favorite flavor from these brands at select stores near you.
1. Hood Cream
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A New Orleans hood classic, Hood Cream is a dairy-free, ice creamery in the heart of the Big Easy. They have iconic flavors like The Chai, Big Shot Black Cherry Soda Ice Cream, and Double Dutch Chocolate that keeps everyone around the city coming back for more.
They even pull up to nightlife and community events for ice cream served on the go.
2. York Castle Ice Cream Company
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Based in Rockville, MD, the York Castle Ice Cream Company specializes in the Caribbean flavored ice cream delicacies. Created by Calver ‘Cal’ Headley, York Castle was inspired by his time working for a family-owned ice cream shop in Maryland.
Cal used that knowledge and his love for Island flavors to create the signature flavors for the ice cream shop, which include guava, passion fruit, and rum raisin.
3. Ruby Scoops Ice Cream & Sweets
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After noticing a lack of high-quality desserts in grocery stores, Ruby Scoops owner Rabia Kamara launched her own brand of premium, small-batch ice creams, sorbets, and sherbets.
Ruby Scoops uses ingredients from local farmers to ensure they deliver fresh products every time, and all their ice cream is handmade from scratch.
4. Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats
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If you want to be taken away to a more classic time in history, be sure to visit Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats next time you’re in Washington, D.C. The vintage mobile ice cream shop is a blast from the past with nostalgic vibes and Rock n’ Roll energy.
5. Whipped Urban Dessert Lab
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A Black woman-owned ice cream shop that started in Brooklyn, Whipped Urban Dessert Lab is the first oat milk, soft-serve ice cream shop in the world. The flavors like Strawberry Shortcake, Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie, and Cinnamon Apple Crisp are customer favorites and the brand has expanded beyond Brooklyn, with a location in Manhattan and a new spot opening this year in West Hollywood.
6. Dream Cream
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The creators of a pudding-like sweet treat that’s a close cousin to ice cream, Dream Cream is a Kansas City staple that dessert lovers. The creamy spreads pair perfectly with granola and fruit to make the perfect, vegan sweet treat.
7. Ari’s Ice Cream Parlor & Cafe
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Located in St. Louis, MO, Ari’s Ice Cream Parlor & Cafe was created by a father-daughter duo who would make ice cream at home and sell it door to door. In August 2018, the pair opened the ice cream parlor, hoping to serve the community with their delicious flavors.
The brand also offers a variety of lunch and breakfast food options in addition to their ice cream.
8. ZBerry
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Owned by Zenzile Powell, ZBerry is a Chicago frozen yogurt shop. They also serve sorbet and an assortment of fruit smoothies and desserts. A seasonal sensation, ZBerry pops every summer on Chicago’s lakeshore.
9. Taharka Brothers Ice Cream
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A Baltimore-based business with a strong social mission, Taharka Brothers Ice Cream serves small-batch ice cream and helps to empower their community. The award-winning flavors include Key Lime Pie, Caramel Crunch, Mintflix & Chillz, and customers enjoy a blend of local classic flavors as well as seasonal specialty flavors.
10. Miyako Ice Cream
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With over 100 flavors of locally-made ice cream, Miyako Ice Cream is a true gem in Japantown in San Francisco. Owned by old Mr. Tom, Miyako Ice Cream is a nostalgic, dessert-loving experience that gives you a little dash of the past to accompany their savory ice creams, candy, and dessert sandwiches.
11. Creamalicious Ice Cream
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Inspired by a family recipe, Creamalicious Ice Cream blends your favorite desserts into incredible ice cream flavors. The pairing makes for an incredible sweet tooth experience that’ll make you switch up your favorite ice cream brand.
12. Mikey Likes It Ice Cream
With locations in New York’s Lower East Side and Harlem, Mikey Likes It Ice Cream prides itself on merging quality ingredients with standout textures to create memorable flavors customers love.
Owner Michael “Mikey” Cole has created custom flavors for celebrities like Hilary Clinton and Jay-Z and admits the only thing he loves more than cooking is the people in his community. A local fave, Mikey Likes It is a sweet treat worth checking out next time you’re in NYC.
13. Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream
Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream has a secret recipe rooted in love that encourages togetherness and unity. They specialize in old-fashioned homemade desserts that cater to both children and adults, and believe ice cream can build a foundation for new memories and family moments.
Fan-favorite flavors include butter pecan, black walnut, and the original vanilla.
14. Lil’ Ice Cream Dude’s Cool World Ice Cream Shop
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What started as a 13-year-old’s love for ice cream culminated into a 9-year business operation run by 17-year-old Victor “Beau” Tracy Shell aka Lil Ice Cream Dude.
The teenager’s ice cream shop has continued to grow in Athens, GA, and the community has supported the business throughout the pandemic. Lil’ Ice Cream Dude’s Cool World Ice Cream Shop sells ice cream and a variety of other frozen treats including milkshakes, floats, and Italian ice.
15. Cajou Creamery
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With seven globally-inspired flavors that represent their love for travel and culture, Cajou Creamery is on a mission to make eating ice cream a healthier experience. It is the only plant-based creamery in the DMV and pride themselves on using high-quality ingredients and superfoods without added chemicals and fillers in all of their products.
This ice cream is great for anyone who is lactose intolerant but still wants to enjoy the deliciousness of creamy ice cream.
16. Brooklyn Swirl
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The first independently owned frozen yogurt shop in the borough, Brooklyn Swirl is a local staple community members love to visit. The shop is open daily and offers a bunch of different healthy froyo flavors, toppings, and syrups. You can also grab fresh fruit smoothies, coffee, and crêpes at this Black-owned establishment.
17. Hanks Ice Cream Parlor
Opened by a husband and wife duo in 1985, Hanks Ice Cream Parlor remains a family-owned parlor in the heart of Houston, TX. The parlor still hand-churns all of its ice creams and is known for serving only super-premium quality products.
18. Paparazzi Ice Cream Shop
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With two locations in Milwaukee, Paparazzi Ice Cream Shop has a reputation for delicious flavors that wow your taste buds.
19. Cathy’s Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches
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A downtown Cleveland favorite, Cathy’s Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches provides the best ice cream sandwiches in a fun, upbeat atmosphere. It is a 100 percent woman-minority-owned business, and every dollar spent in the shop goes toward helping girls and young women achieve their dreams. They also serve cookies and provide dessert catering services.
20. Goon With The Spoon
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Created by born hustler and Hip-Hop legend E-40, Goon With The Spoon is a new ice cream brand that was made using solar power.
The ice cream brand includes dairy that doesn’t contain artificially grown hormones and is 100 percent Black-owned. Goon With The Spoon ice cream was announced via e-40’s Instagram account on April 1 and its first seven flavors will be sold in select stores across the country.
21. Kubé
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Designed with the lactose intolerant in mind, Kubé is a black-owned ice cream brand that believes fresh, healthy food with no chemicals can change people’s lives one consumer at a time.
The formula, which includes a coconut base, creates the creamiest, non-dairy ice cream that all people can enjoy without worrying about an upset stomach later. Some of their stand-out flavors include lemon-ginger, vanilla bean, and orange zest.
22. Doc’s Gelato
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Doc’s Gelato in Mesa, AR was created by Doc Brown after attending the best ice cream programs in the country to learn the art of creating the dessert delicacy. Doc’s provides the finest in artisan ice cream, and they use ingredients that include no refined sugars, GMOs, artificial flavors, coloring, or gluten.
Doc’s Gelato has run a small retail space in Mesa since 2014.
23. MyKings Ice Cream
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Named after her son, Le’Day Grant opened MyKings Ice Cream in Denver in March 2020 just a few weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic began. The shop uses high-quality ingredients and Colorado dairy to create unique ice cream flavors, handcrafted milkshakes, and snow cones.
The ice cream shop also doubles as an event space for community members to utilize for lick n’ paint events, exercise classes, and financial literacy sessions.
24. Double Dipper Ice Cream
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Located in Claymont, DE, Double Dipper Ice Cream prides itself on fostering long-lasting relationships with its customers over a cup of their favorite ice cream. They also offer dairy-free and sugar-free options as well.
25. Ice Cream Heaven
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Ice Cream Haven is a Black-owned ice cream parlor located in Miami Garden, FL that specializes in delicious, gourmet ice cream flavors and handcrafted sweet treats.
The shop opened in March 2022 and celebrated with a huge grand opening that introduced the parlor to the community with free ice cream, giveaways, and raffle tickets.
26. Sage Creamery
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Currently, there are no Black-owned ice cream shops in Hawaii however, Sage Creamery is a native Hawaiian ice cream brand made right on the islands. If you’re visiting the Aloha State, you can find this locally made ice cream at multiple farmer’s markets across the islands.
But the classic flavors are known to sell out fast. Sage Creamery has plans to bring an ice cream shop and truck to Hawaii soon.
27. Philly’s Best Frozen Desserts
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Owned by husband and wife duo Ron and Tonya in Louisville, KY, Philly’s Best Frozen Desserts serves a plethora of frozen treats including ice cream and Italian water ice.
Originally from Philadelphia, Ron wanted to bring the comfort of cold water ice on a hot day to the Midwest. The couple has multiple retail locations and mobile ice cream trucks across the Louisville area.
28. Ice Cream 504
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Inspired by the homemade ice cream his Aunt Ruby made during his childhood, Michael Southall opened Ice Cream 504 in New Orleans in 2011. All the ice cream at Ice Cream 504 is made in small batches with an old-fashioned churn and fresh ingredients to ensure customers get the best quality, icy treats.
29. Tipping Cow
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Owned by Gerly Adrien and David Lindsey, the Tipping Cow has locations in Boston and Somerville, MA. The pair acquired the business in 2018 after they were brought together by their love for food and creativity.
The ice cream parlor creates decadent flavors that are both flavorful and memorable like fig & goat cheese, cannoli, and pomegranate sorbet.
