Everybody loves ice cream, and Nashville has tons of ice cream shops to choose from. But which ones are the best? We chatted with Summer Ottinger of @NashFoodFan fame about her favorite Nashville ice cream shops, and I’ve added some of my favorites, too. What ice cream shops are your favorite?
Best Old-School Ice Cream Shop: Elliston Place Soda Shop
Founded in 1939, the Elliston Place Soda Shop serves ice cream from classic soda fountains, reminiscent of old corner pharmacy stores. It’s also a Southern meat-and-three, if you’re hungry enough for a full meal.
Best Dipped Ice Cream Cone: Bobbie’s Dairy Dip
Bobbie’s Dairy Dip is another old-school Nashville staple that’s been around since 1951. This burger and ice cream stand has the best chocolate-dipped soft serve, though its wide array of milkshake flavors is also pretty great.
Best Classic Bowl of Ice Cream: Hattie Jane’s Creamery
Based out of Columbia, TN, Hattie Jane’s Creamery now has four locations: Columbia, Murfreesboro, Donelson, and the Assembly Food Hall in Downtown Nashville. It’s got tons of unique scoop flavors, and I particularly love the Southern options, like nana puddin’ and brown butter pecan.
Best Soft Serve: Soft Serve Station
This cute walk-up is connected to Tabla Rasa Toys, so it’s a great place to stop by with kids. They serve classic soft serve flavors, including a dairy-free option.
Best Ice Cream Food Truck: Black Box Ice Cream
This ice cream truck has tons of unique flavors, from cinnamon honey rolls to cereal milk. You gotta follow their Instagram to see where to find them next!
Best Non-Traditional Ice Cream: Sarabha’s Creamery
Sarabha’s Creamery is Nashville’s first Indian ice cream shop. Try one of their unique flavors in a bowl or cone, or grab a kulfi, which is like an Indian popsicle!
Best Vegan Ice Cream: KOKOS
Located right beside AVO, KOKOS is a cute plant-based ice cream shop with lots of options for dairy-free ice cream lovers. After you finish, you can play some sand volleyball!
Best Ice Cream Sandwich: The Baked Bear
Make your own ice cream sandwich at The Baked Bear, with mix-and-match cookie sandwich options — like Cookie Monster and Funfetti — lots of ice cream flavors, and your choice of toppings.
Best Rolled Ice Cream: Rolled 4 Ever Ice Cream
If you haven’t had rolled ice cream before, you’ve gotta check out Rolled 4 Ever Ice Cream. They have $5 deals on Wednesday, and offer rolled ice cream classes!
Best Paletas: Sweet Sofia’s
My after-school favorite is this Mexican ice cream shop with an extensive selection of delicious paletas. My personal favorite is the mango paleta. You can also order churros and fresas con crema!
Best Ice Cream Sundae: Mike’s Ice Cream
Mike’s Ice Cream serves classic ice cream desserts, from milkshakes to soft serve, but we love their ice cream sundaes best. You can find them both Downtown and at Sip Café.
