If you’re craving a cold treat, here are the best ice cream shops in San Diego.
PHOTO COURTESY OF HOTEL DEL CORONADO
Stop by Hotel del Coronado for a taste of delicious gelato on a cone or upgrade to a gourmet sundae. Build your own paletas are also a must-try, where guests can choose any ice cream bar to be dipped or drizzled with chocolate and covered in toppings.
From classic flavors like stracciatella and pistachio to unconventional options such as Mediterraneo, a scoop from Bobboi in La Jolla is always worth the trip. Rather than showcasing their gelato like most shops, they store it away to maintain freshness and temperature, ensuring a flawless consistency every single time.
Using the same techniques for over 77 years, Handel’s continues to handcraft rich, velvety ice cream in an abundance of flavors. The menu ranges from fresh banana cream pie to Graham Central Station, filled with graham cracker pieces and chocolate-covered crunchies. During these next summer months, stop in to try the limited-edition flavors in collaboration with Visit Oceanside, featuring flavors such as the “Think O'riginal,” made with taro root and ube, or the “All Out O'side,” a nod to campfire s’mores.
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Handel's Homemade Ice Cream x Visit Oceanside; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
Award-winning ice cream shop Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams brought something new to Carlsbad and North Park. Founded in 2002 by Jeni Britton Bauer, the company now operates more than 50 shops in the U.S. Bestsellers include their gooey butter cake, brambleberry crisp and salty caramel pints, and are perfect as is or can pair well with your favorite desserts, taking them to the next level.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JENI'S
Enjoy artisanal, homemade ice cream at this family-owned Encinitas creamery, where every order comes with a small chocolate chip cookie—creating the perfect combination. All ice creams are organic, and they never use any ingredients you can’t pronounce. Choose from their generous menu, which includes mostly gluten-free flavors and some vegan options, or pre-order a custom ice cream pie.
From peanut butter cup to pumpkin to pistachio nut, Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream has it all. Their impressive menu boasts over 300 diverse flavors of super premium Hawaiian ice cream and sorbet. Order their famous ice cream flights to try out multiple flavors in one sitting.
This old-fashioned shop has been serving San Diego quality ice cream since 2000. The majority of their ice cream contains no eggs, and their sorbet is dairy-free. In addition to their expansive menu, which also features items like sherbet, sundaes, ice cream pies and two-and-a-half gallon tubs are available.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MOOTIME CREAMERY
Established in 1998, this Coronado store is popular among both locals and tourists. Their goal is to provide the best handcrafted ice cream, yogurt and sorbet in a nostalgic environment where flavors are rotated daily for freshness. You can order by the scoop or try their specialty sundaes, cakes and pies.
This Little Italy ice cream spot celebrates the origins of the beloved dessert and evokes a sense of community. Here, they hand-make their ice cream in small batches, resulting in what can only be described as creamy, luxurious perfection. Classic flavors like honey lavender and chocolate gooey brownie are always available, and new ones make their debut often.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SALT & STRAW
If you’re on the hunt for Insta-worthy ice cream sandwiches, look no further. At The Baked Bear, visitors can choose between over a dozen cookie and ice cream flavors until they find their favorite combination. Ask for your sandwich to be rolled through toppings like brownie bits, Fruity Pebbles or sprinkles.
This small-batch shop in San Diego prioritizes using quality ingredients to create the best ice cream possible. Permanent flavors range from s’mores to ube and pandesal toffee to mango sticky rice. Plus, they currently have limited edition flavors like Calamansi creamsicle and strawberry basque cheesecake.
PHOTO COURTESY OF STELLA JEAN'S ICE CREAM
While An’s might seem like a typical dry cleaner from the outside, this historic space was converted into a dreamy gelato shop in 2018, offering decadent scoops daily. To pay homage to the store’s original laundering service, each handmade flavor is named for a different fabric. Indulge in velour, which blends salted caramel and dark chocolate cones, or try canvas with olive oil and rosemary.
PHOTO COURTESY OF AN'S GELATO
Savor a truly unique ice cream experience at The Craft Creamery, where the concept of “scoops on tap” brings together the nation’s top independent creameries and mom-and-pop artisans. With a rotating lineup of flavors sourced from nationwide creameries, including renowned spots like Molly Moon and Graeter’s, this neighborhood ice cream shop offers a delightful range of options you won’t find at your local grocery store.
Photography by: Courtesy of Salt & Straw
