Cleveland Ice Cream Shops That Will Have You Screaming for More
Last Updated: February 27, 2017
Mmmm ice cream, one of our favorite food groups! There are so many ice cream shops to choose from in Cle. We recommend Mitchell’s (a Cle classic) for some classic hard serve or Menchies for some froyo. Don’t forget to ask for samples before you pick your flavor - so many good choices everywhere you have to try them all!
Mitchell’s Ice Cream founders are native Clevelanders. Best friends since they were young, they looked for an opportunity that would allow them work together. They believe in delicious ice cream and offering dessert that is wholesome and accessible. With multiple locations around the Cleveland area, Mitchell’s offers a wide range of flavors (including seasonal!). Our go to flavor is rocky road-we’re drooling just thinking of it! Also be sure to be on the lookout for the famous train traveling around their stores. Looking for a dessert for later? Pick up their ice cream by the pint. Perfect for a late night snack or some dessert after a night out on the town.
In the mood for some froyo? Menchie's is a great option! Choose a cup (some have waffle cones or brownies in them) and head towards the self serve levers. With multiple flavors offered and ever changing options, there’s always something at Menchie's that will satisfy your froyo craving. Feeling overwhelmed? Ask for some sample cups and test them out! When you’ve picked your fave flavor, head over to their topping bar. Candy, fresh fruit, and hot toppings are available. Try the cake batter-we can’t get enough!
Once you’ve shopped until you’ve dropped at Strongsville Mall, check out Lemonberry for a little pick me up. Another froyo option, Lemonberry also offers multiple flavors and is always changing them out. The employees are happy to help you with sampling and will let you sample as many flavors as your heart desires! Once you have a cup of your chosen flavor (their vanilla is so creamy and delicious), move on down to their topping bar. Candy, fresh fruit, and hot toppings are available-we suggest adding fresh fruit to your vanilla cup, the flavors won’t disappoint. Take your froyo out front to their patio area. It’s the perfect place during the summer to enjoy your dessert and hang out with friends!
Once you finish your hot dawg or giant pickle at Scooter’s Dawg House, don’t forget to look over their dessert menu. They offer multiple desserts including ice cream. Strawberry shortcake, banana split, shakes, floats, and flurries-there’s something for everyone at Scooter’s. We recommend their pumpkin roll and ultimate peanut butter brownie ice creams. So much goodness packed into their ice cream-we can’t wait to go back!
Mason’s Creamery makes small batches of handmade ice cream and uses only the best ingredients to do so. They offer classic, seasonal, and vegan flavors. Try their current seasonal flavor. Sweet potato pie, Cleveland whiskey, lavender salted, and concord jelly are just a few of the unique seasonal flavors they offer! After a brisk walk through Ohio City and a stop for lunch at West Side Market, head to Mason’s Creamery to enjoy a much deserved dessert.
Jeni's offers multiple locations in and around the Cleveland area. They use higher quality fair trade ingredients and have formed close relationships with the suppliers they receive them from. Jeni's offers very unique flavors-our favorites are the Milkiest Chocolate and Brown Butter Almond Brittle. Each scoop of ice cream comes with a piece of waffle cone. Feeling something different? Try their sorbets or ice cream sandwiches. Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet and Whole Lemon Sorbet are just a few of their sorbet offerings. Be sure to hit up their locations every now and then-they’re always getting in new flavors!
Looking for creamy and flavorful custard? Strickland's is the place to go! The founders developed their own custard recipe as well as a specialized ice cream machine to ensure their custard comes out just right. The custard is quickly frozen which limits the amount of air that gets into the finished product. The result is their award winning custard. Each location offers different flavors but we recommend heading to their original location Akron. You can keep track of their latest offerings by heading to their website and checking out their calendar of flavors. Be on the lookout for cookie dough-it is AMAZING!
East Coast Custard was named in honor of Coney Island, the birthplace of frozen custard. Featuring multiple types of desserts including sundaes, shakes, cakes, cookies, and pies, the true MVP of East Coast Custard is what else? Their custard! Each location offers different daily signature custard flavors-lookout for birthday cake! Looking for a fall time dessert? Check out their pumpkin custard pie. It’s the perfect dessert to celebrate the first day of fall!
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt
With their success having been documented in USA Today, People Magazine, and US News and World Report, Handel's has a reputation for offering some of the best ice cream. The 10 Best of Everything and Everyone Loves Ice Cream both recognize Handle’s as offering some of the best ice creams in the world. Their ice cream is made daily and they don’t skimp on ingredients (caramel pretzel crunch here we come!). Take your time reading the menu and sampling their flavors-there are over 100 different kinds!
Selected “Cleveland’s Favorite Ice Cream,” Honey Hut has five locations in the Cleveland area. Opened in 1973, they offered only chocolate and vanilla followed by their signature Honey Pecan. Currently, they offer more than 13 flavors. Additionally, they offer sundaes, shakes, malts, and floats. Feeling like taking something home for later? Pick up one of their Big Bee Bars or a hand-packed pint. They also offer seasonal flavors-check out their website to learn more!