If I had to choose one food to eat for the rest of my life, it’d have to be ice cream. In fact, I can never trust myself to bring a pint of ice cream home, because who knows how long it’ll actually last in my freezer? Going to school in the City of Brotherly Love, I knew I had to find all the best ice cream places around. So, without further ado, here’s where to find the best ice creams in Philadelphia.
Capogiro Gelato Artisans
Capogiro was named the #1 ice cream spot in the world by National Geographic—and with good reason. What makes Capogiro gelato so outstandingly delicious is that they use locally-sourced and organic ingredients. All flavors are also made in-house, meaning you’ll always have a wide variety of freshly-made gelato and sorbetto to choose from. It breaks my heart to say that we recently lost our beloved Capo spot on campus, but luckily for us, Capo has sister locations open in Rittenhouse, Midtown Village, and Passyunk. As an added bonus, the owners of Capogiro Gelato also own a pizza shop in Old City!
Personal favorites: Tiramisu, Pistacchio Siciliano, Bacio (chocolate and hazelnut gelato mixed with pieces of caramelized hazelnuts)
Franklin Fountain
If you love a classic ice cream parlor and soda fountain, look no further than Franklin Fountain. Located in the heart of Old City, Franklin Fountain practices the same principles as Capogiro of using local ingredients for all their ice cream flavors. Even if you’re not into the historical feel of Old City, you’ll definitely love sitting inside the retro atmosphere of Franklin Fountain while eating ice cream out of a Chinese takeout-style carton.
Personal favorites: Franklin Mint Chip, Hydrox Cookie (basically Franklin Fountain’s version of cookies ’n’ cream, which uses the Hydrox Cookie that was invented before Oreo.)
Little Baby’s Ice Cream
You might recognize Little Baby’s from their, um, interesting ice cream commercial back in 2012. But don’t let the creepy ice cream man scare you from trying some of their insanely decadent flavors. One thing that makes Little Baby’s stand out from the rest of the bunch is that they specialize in Philly-style ice cream, which means that all their ice cream bases are purely cream- or milk-based and don’t contain eggs. But a more important reason why Little Baby’s should be on your ice cream bucket list is that they offer extremely unique flavors such as Everything Bagel, Pizza, and Chocolate Teriyaki. (Disclaimer: these flavors aren’t available year-round, so don’t be surprised if you don’t find them on the menu.)
Personal favorites: Birch Beer Vanilla Bean, Butterscotch Scotch
Weckerly’s Ice Cream
Weckerly’s is a bit out of the way if you’re a Penn student like I am, but the trip to their brick-and-mortar store is definitely worth it. What’s cool about Weckerly’s Ice Cream is that the founder first experimented with making ice cream inside a coffee shop kitchen before deciding to expand into a micro-creamery. Each batch is made one at a time, which means that while you might not find as wide of a range of flavors compared to other ice cream shops, you’ll be blown away by the quality of their ice creams. Weckerly’s is also famous for their handmade ice cream sandwiches. Flavors are seasonal, so be sure to check out their current menu on their social media pages before coming to visit.
Personal favorites: Blueberry Breakfast (cinnamon toast oat ice cream with blueberry swirl) (seasonal)
Zsa’s Ice Cream
Like Weckerly’s, Zsa’s is also a small-batch ice cream company. However, rather than running an actual ice cream shop, they bring their mobile ice cream stand to different farmers’ markets and events in the Philadelphia/Montgomery County area. While you could buy these pints in a few stores like Whole Foods Market, it’s always a magical experience sampling ice cream flavors from their own food truck. If you’re a Penn student, you can usually find Zsa’s ice cream truck at the Rittenhouse Square Farmers’ Markets.
Personal favorites: Black Magic (coffee ice cream with chocolate cake pieces), Summer Berry Crisp (seasonal), Pumpkin Gingersnap (seasonal)
Bassetts Ice Cream
It still surprises me that Bassetts has been in the Philadelphia ice cream business for over 150 years. In fact, it’s arguably one of the oldest ice cream shops in the country. Located conveniently in Reading Terminal Market, where you can find a host of other foods to eat in Philly before you die, Bassetts is known for its super-creamy, super-rich ice creams. While it’s still the holidays, make sure you try a taste of their seasonal flavors: Eggnog and Pumpkin.
Personal favorites: Eggnog, Mango
Gran Caffe L’Aquila
Another must-visit place for gelato in Philadelphia, Gran Caffe L’Aquila, will make your jaw drop with their fancy gelato case. It’s located right in the center of Rittenhouse Square, which makes it convenient to walk straight down from campus. Along with some of their more traditional, sweet gelato and sorbetto flavors, their larger dining menu also offers unique and savory gelato pairings. For instance, they offer carbonara with Italian bacon gelato. It might sound off-putting, but trust me when I say that the combination actually works.
Personal favorites: Cannolo (cannoli), Tiramisu
Big Gay Ice Cream
Even though Big Gay Ice Cream was originally established in New York, it offers some of the best ice cream in Philadelphia as well. You’ll be amazed by what you can order off their menu, which includes shakes, floats, and soft serve. Let’s not forget all the toppings you can add, like homemade sprinkles, Nutella, and even key lime curd. If you’re lucky enough to be in the area of a Big Gay Ice Cream store, you might also be able to find their ice cream pints in a few grocery markets.
Personal favorites: vanilla soft serve, because I can be a Plain Jane when it comes to ice cream toppings
Hopefully, you’ll remember this list the next time you’re looking for the best ice creams in Philadelphia. Don’t forget to buy an ice cream pint for the ride home!