I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream!
By Stephanie Ross
Temperatures are heating up already, and when the sun is shining there’s nothing better than a cool, sweet treat to ease your suffering. Luckily for us, Durham and the surrounding area is chock full of creameries to try! Not only are there several national chains to enjoy, but as a certified “food scene,” Durham boasts many local and delicious ice cream options. If your sweet tooth is in need of a fix, try one of these local haunts and let us know your favorite flavor!
Coming in at number 10 we have Local Yogurt.
When Matthew and I lived over on James street, Local Yogurt was in the shopping center down the street. As a busy teacher, I found myself heading that way more than once a week! My favorite combo was and still is Original Tart with chocolate shavings and strawberries. Since it’s frozen yogurt AND I added strawberries, I considered this a balanced dinner on nights when I was too tired to cook. I love Local Yogurt and crave that tangy original tart flavor often.
1114 W Chapel Hill St A, Durham, NC 27701
Open 7 days a week 2pm-8pm
Next up at Number 9 we have Locopops.
Locopops is a Durham must-have. Hand-crafted popsicles and ice cream treats with over 15 flavors to choose from, they are the perfect spring afternoon treat! My issue with Locopops is that they’re so good and so compact that I can’t choose just one. I want to have three in one sitting, and now that I think about it, is that even a problem?! They offer baby-sized pops for little hands and puppy pops that I can testify are a huge hit with the canine crowd. You can’t go wrong with a handmade popsicle. Offering both dairy and non dairy (vegan!) varieties, my favorites are Mojito or Orange Mango and Strawberries & Cream or Chocolate Brownie.
2618 Hillsborough Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Open Tuesday-Sunday 1pm-9pm
For the number 8 slot we have Maple View Farms.
I can’t rank it higher because to be honest with you, I’ve never been! Can you believe that?! There are some Durham spots I haven’t been to that are almost shameful after living here for a decade. Maple View is one of them. People love Maple View Farms, and I believe the hype! Specialty ice creams, waffle cones & shakes draw crowds to this country store with farmland views. With over 1500 five-star reviews online, Maple View Farms offers classic flavors as well as unique offerings such as Carolina Crunch and Devil’s Delight. I’m marking a date on my calendar now to try Maple View Farms and add it to my list of favorite spots.
6900 Rocky Ridge Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Open 7 days a week 12pm-8pm
In number 7 we have Pincho Loco.
Locally owned and boasting some impressive Latino flavors, Pincho Loco is a great place to grab a cone or cup and meander down 9th street for some window shopping. Tigertail, Guava, Tamarind and Tequila are just some of the delectable flavors you’ll find at Pincho Loco. With friendly and attentive customer service, Pincho Loco scores major points as one of the ice cream shops in the area that’s open late! Do yourself a favor and plan a date night that starts at Cosmic Cantina and ends with PIncho Loco–it’s the perfect way to spend an evening with your family.
1918 Perry St, Durham, NC 27705
Open Tuesday-Sunday 12pm-9pm
Coming in at number 6 is Simon Says Dip This.
If you’ve ever dreamed of eating a teal-colored ice cream cone covered in potato chips and marshmallow cereal bits, this is your spot. With 24 Belgian chocolate dipping flavors and a multitude of creative toppings, the permutations of flavor combinations are literally too large to calculate (for me, I mean a mathematician could probably figure it out). Dip flavors like matcha latte, carrot cake, or passion fruit can be teamed up with toppings such as pretzel bits, cinnamon toast crunch, or cake crunchies to create a massive cone that’s almost too big to finish. They even offer vegan vanilla soft serve, so everyone can enjoy! Head over to Simon Says Dip This and enjoy your cone under the cafe lights of downtown Durham.
117 W Parrish St, Durham, NC 27701
Open Monday-Saturday 12pm-10pm and until 11pm on Friday and Saturday
In the number 5 spot we have Two Roosters ice cream, with locations in the Golden Belt and two in Raleigh.
Two Roosters ice cream is made with the motto: Love people. Love Ice Cream, and you will fall in love with their unique flavors and delicious waffle cones. With flavors like Callum’s Lamington Cake (vanilla base with chunks of cake, shredded coconut, and raspberry jam) or Kamila's Honey Butter Crumble ( honey-vanilla base with pieces of housemade butter cookies), Two Roosters has plenty of options for adventurous eaters and also classics for the traditionalists. My personal favorite is Girl Scout Mint with official Thin Mints mixed in. The location can’t be beat as well: an expansive grassy knoll and several concrete steps on which to sit while you enjoy. Get over there for a fun time!
800 Taylor St Suite 9-100, Durham, NC 27701
Open Tuesday-Sunday 2pm-9pm
Just past the halfway point in number 4 we have Broken Spoke Farm.
Just outside the limits of Durham, Broken Spoke Farm is an idyllic farm with pick-your-own-blueberries and a countertop market store with an honor system payment set-up. They have sheep and goats and an expansive deck with bench seating to enjoy the outdoors and take in the view. On the weekend, though, Broken Spoke really turns it up and offers two rotating flavors of homemade soft serve so good you’ll want to get two cones. With flavors such as strawberry and cereal milk or dreamsicle orange and banana swirled with vanilla, you really can’t go wrong. This is a great place to bring your kids and slow down for a moment to enjoy the sweetness of life with a sweet and swirled soft serve cone.
5601 St Marys Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Open 7 days a week 12pm-8pm with ice cream on weekends
In number 3 we have Milklab.
Known for their outstanding selection of teas and boba, Milklab delivers a rolled ice cream experience, and yes I said experience, that will blow you away. The employees at Milklab are friendly and attentive, and they create works of art with their rolled ice cream confections. Choose from a preset menu of flavor combinations or create your own–you will never pick the wrong thing. The ice cream is thick and creamy with fresh and inventive toppings. Our favorites are Mango Madness and Kimochi. Perfectly instagrammable, these delicacies are one of our favorites in town.
105 W North Carolina 54 Suite 265, Durham, NC 27713
Open 7 days a week 11:30am-10:00 pm and until 10:30 Friday and Saturday.
In second place, we have Rose’s Noodles, Dumplings & Sweets.
I could write a whole blog post about the belt noodles at Rose’s, but I will stick with the ice cream (although ALL of the sweets there are top notch). If you’re not swayed by the delicate pastries or luscious cakes at Rose’s, do yourself a favor and bring home a bag full of their ice cream sandwiches. I’m not ashamed to tell you that in the summer, you can always find at least a few in our freezer at home. Rose’s has accomplished the seemingly impossible, crafting an ice cream sandwich that is both creamy and crunchy and DOESN’T squish out when you bite down!! They have a rotating list of ice cream flavors, often two flavors in one sandwich, and each mouthwatering brick of ice cream is sandwiched between two delicate and crispy cookies in flavors that complement the pairing. I don’t know how they do it, but the cookies are never soft from contact with the ice cream; they are firm and crisp and when you bite down, they break off perfectly so you’re not left with a blob of ice cream in your lap. I’m not joking when I tell you we buy these five or more at a time and store them. Here are two of the current offerings, but they change frequently: White Miso Gingersnap on Gingersnaps or Candied Grapefruit Vanilla on Vanilla Shortbread. You can’t go wrong. They’re all amazing.
121 N Gregson St, Durham, NC 27701
Open Thursday and Friday 12pm-8pm, Saturday 11am-8pm and Sunday 11am - 5pm
And in our number one spot we have the undeniably best ice cream in the Triangle…The Parlour.
The Parlour is your classic ice cream shop, but they do some sort of magic with their recipes that pack so much flavor into their ice cream that it’s almost unbelievable. Located downtown, and usually found with a line down the block, The Parlour has perfected the art of ice cream. Their flavors, both dairy and vegan, are out-of-this-world-delicious. Add brownie bites or hot fudge and prepare your obituary because you’ll be dead–cause of death? Pure and utter ice cream bliss. I was blessed with an ice cream cake from The Parlour for my birthday this year, and I almost couldn’t talk to my guests at the table! All I could do was make that annoying groan and repeat over and over again, “This is so good!” I have to be honest with you and tell you that 9 times out of 10, I’m ordering the exact same thing: Salted Butter Caramel and Vietnamese Coffee. Every now and then I branch out, like when they had a version of Rocky Road, but those two flavors are STARS. I truly only have good things to say about The Parlour and anyone who says a different shop is better can find me outside. I will go down fighting about this.
117 Market St, Durham, NC 27701
Open Tuesday-Sunday 12pm-10pm
Long story short, if you ever want to go out for ice cream, call me! I’d be happy to join.
