Ice cream is an all-weather food in Seattle. Whether you're cooling off on a scorching summer day or treating yourself during a rainy afternoon, the city is packed with incredible spots serving everything from classic scoops and creamy soft serve to small-batch gelato, dairy-free treats, and New Zealand-style fruit-blended creations. We rounded up some of the best ice cream destinations across Seattle to help satisfy your sweet tooth year-round.
FREMONT, WALLINGFORD, MADISON VALLEY
Fainting Goat Gelato is a family-owned Seattle business serving handcrafted gelato made fresh daily with organic milk, seasonal ingredients, and high-quality nuts. Founded by a family from Izmir, Turkey, the shop is known for its rich flavors, dense texture, and commitment to quality ingredients.
Photo by Matt McDonald
CAPITOL HILL, BALLARD, UNIVERSITY VILLAGE, & MARIN
The Frankie & Jo's mission is to radically shift the way you think about ice cream, and they've done it. Everything they make is vegan and gluten-free, opting for ice cream bases like delicious oat and creamy coconut. Their classics include California Cabin (tastes like a pine tree, in a good way) and Salty Caramel Ash (with activated charcoal). You can find their pints sold locally at PCC Markets, Metropolitan Markets, Whole Foods, Leschi Market, Cone & Steiner, and Kitchen & Market in Pike Place.
PIKE PLACE
Hellenika brings a taste of Greece to Pike Place Market with small-batch gelato made from its own cultured milk and churned by hand right in the shop. Founded by three siblings with Greek roots and an Australian upbringing, the creamery blends family tradition, quality ingredients, and global influences into every scoop.
WALLINGFORD
Indigo Cow is a soft-serve counter hidden within Yoroshiku in Wallingford. They make their treats with milk from Hokkaido, and you can top them with things like mochi and toasted soybean powder.
RAINIER VALLEY
Laina’s Ice Cream is a family-owned neighborhood shop in Rainier Valley serving small-batch ice cream made in-house. With a rotating selection of dairy and non-dairy flavors, it’s a community favorite tucked away on the beautiful Stone House Café property.
photo from facebook / lil' tigers ice cream
LAKE CITY
Lil’ Tiger Ice Cream in Lake City makes every batch from scratch using fresh, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Alongside classic and creative flavors, they also offer dairy-free options, making it a great stop for anyone looking for a handcrafted scoop on a hot day.
WALLINGFORD
Many Bennies brings a taste of New Zealand to Seattle with ice cream made by blending fresh fruit and vanilla ice cream to order. The result is a creamy, fruity treat that's as fun to look at as it is to eat, especially when topped with their signature candy eyeballs. Vegan options are also available.
Photo by Shannon Lubetich
GEORGETOWN
Matcha Man Ice Cream & Taiyaki serves Seattle’s first taiyaki ice cream, pairing soft serve with a warm, fish-shaped Japanese waffle cone. Matcha is always on the menu, alongside rotating flavors like ube and cherry blossom, vegan options, scratch-made treats, matcha drinks, and freshly made onigiri.
Photo by Shannon Lubetich
BEACON HILL
Milk Drunk may be famous for its crave-worthy fried chicken sandwiches, but don't sleep on the soft serve. Alongside classic vanilla, malted chocolate, and swirl, you'll find creative seasonal flavors like vegan Chocolate Espresso & Raspberry and Matcha. Enjoy it in a cone, dipped in a hard shell coating, or blended into a milkshake.
Photo by Shannon Lubetich
WALLINGFORD, CAPITOL HILL, MADRONA, QUEEN ANNE, U VILLAGE, REDMOND, COLUMBIA CITY, BELLEVUE, EDMONDS, WATERFRONT, WEST SEATTLE, & KIRKLAND
Started in Wallingford in 2009, Molly Moon's has captured the hearts, minds, and sweet tooths of the Seattle area, expanding to nine locations from Madrona to Bellevue. We've heard Seattleites declare Molly Moon's Cookie Dough their favorite ice cream in Seattle, and they always have a few vegan flavors and rotating seasonals. The daily menu offers fifteen flavors: eleven “always” flavors that we churn year-round and four seasonal options that rotate with what’s fresh in the northwest.
MAGNOLIA, BALLARD, & PHINNEY RIDGE
Nutty Squirrel Gelato serves up handcrafted gelato and sorbetto in both classic and seasonal flavors from its family-owned shops in Magnolia, Ballard, and Phinney Ridge. Favorites like Stracciatella share the menu with creative rotating scoops such as Rose Petal Panna Cotta, making every visit worth a taste test.
Photo by Shannon Lubetich
PIKE PLACE, SOUTH LAKE UNION, & UNIVERSITY VILLAGE
Rachel’s Ginger Beer isn’t just for ginger beer lovers. Their locally made vanilla soft serve is worth a stop on its own, especially when swirled with vegan Dole Whip. Take things up a notch by turning it into a float with one of their house-made craft ginger beers, or add a shot for a grown-up treat.
Photo by Shannon Lubetich
PIKE PLACE, CAPITOL HILL, QUEEN ANNE, & BALLARD
Salt & Straw has built a cult following thanks to its inventive flavors and willingness to get a little weird in the best way possible. Alongside favorites like Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, the shop debuts a new monthly menu packed with creative collaborations and seasonal flavors.
CAPITOL HILL, BALLARD, COLUMBIA CITY
Spice Waala may be known for its Indian street food, but locals know to save room for soft serve. The flavor rotates monthly and has featured creative options like Rose Cardamom, Lychee, and Haldi Doodh (Turmeric Milk), alongside nostalgic specials like Hot Chocolate Fudge inspired by the iconic Nirula’s sundae.
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT, CAPITOL HILL, & BELLEVUE
Started by UW Art Grad Lois Ko in 2016, Sweet Alchemy crafts its ice cream daily from organic ingredients, most of which are sourced within 100 miles of its storefront. This is a truly local, community-based creation, and we love it. You can find their pints for purchase at Cone & Steiner, La Pasta, and Salmonberry.
Photo by Matt McDonald
WEST SEATTLE
Tip Top Ice Cream Shop features New Zealand-style ice cream with a Northwest twist and is located in the Highland Park Corner Store in West Seattle. They use real fruit blended into an ice cream base, made right in front of you for a fresh, cold sweet treat!
