Traditional flavors get a Texan upgrade at this popular creamery, known for its flavors like milk chocolate ice cream made with Convict Hill oatmeal stout, and coffee made with beans from Houston’s own Amaya roasters. Dairy-free? Swing by for a scoop of the vegan chai tea coconut flavor.

This tiny stand in the Heights creates some of the most refreshing raspas and frozen mango drinks in town. Score a fruity raspa topped with ice cream or chamoy, then snack on Fritos chili pie and elotes for a bit of savory balance.

Perfectly creamy and richly flavored, the ice creams at Cloud 10 run the gamut from classic to wacky. Cool off with a scoop of cafe sua da, or Vietnamese iced coffee ice cream, or consider the wildly refreshing lemon and mint sorbet.

It’ll be tempting to eat dessert before dinner at this fast-food burger joint. The Kansas implant boasts delicious creamy frozen vanilla custard, with toppings to make for decadent shakes and sundaes. The turtle sundae, topped with gooey hot fudge, warm caramel, and toasted pecans, is Freddy’s signature, while the “Dirt ‘n Worms,” piled with Oreo cookies, gummy worms, and whipped cream, is a favorite among kids or those young at heart.

Who says you can’t have ice cream for breakfast? At Jeni’s, it’s encouraged. Go for a pint of the “Everything Bagel” flavor, which consists of a cream cheese ice cream, mixed with buttery streusel sesame and poppy seeds, and a hint of onion and garlic. Or start off with a scoop of the classic gooey butter cake or refreshing frosé as you wander around a bustling City Centre.

Scoops of gelato and sorbet are transformed into stunning floral creations at this European export in the River Oaks District. In even better news, the gelato at Amorino tastes as good as it looks.

Known for its crazy confections piled high with candy and infused with wacky flavors, Magnolia’s Ice Cream & More is definitely doing the most. Choose a few scoops of ice cream (vanilla is an excellent blank canvas) and add fresh fruit for a healthy vibe, or plenty of gummi worms, sour candy, and a thick drizzle of chamoy, if sugar is what you crave.

This Montrose sweet shop offers frozen treats in a variety of inventive flavors that are constantly changing, including coconut rum gelato and coconut curry cashew sorbet.

Booza’s first U.S. location here in Houston will make you rethink your definition of ice cream with its handmade, super stretchy Mediterranean version, which comes in compelling flavors like the traditional ashta, Turkish coffee, rosewater, and rainbow.

This sweet shop founded on Houston’s favorite cookie also serves excellent ice cream. The milk & cookies is an obvious choice, and dairy-free coconut milk chocolate ice cream is a quality option for folks who eschew dairy.

A secret family cookie recipe combined with freshly made, richly flavored ice creams makes for the deliciousness that is a Smoosh ice cream sandwich. And really, is there anything better than a massive scoop of ice cream tucked in between two soft cookies? Nope.

Hank’s produces ice cream the old-fashioned way by hand and using fresh ingredients. The Houston staple showcases eighteen flavors daily, with choices rotating from a list of nearly 100 flavors. And via their website, apparently Queen Bey, "always gets banana pudding," when she's in town.

On a hot day in Houston, this Pasadena’s artful snow-cones, brightly-decorated shakes and ice cream creations will do the trick. Try the “Tropical Piñalada,” which is poured in pineapple and topped with colorful, fruit-shaped candies, or the “MangoSwim Time,” a mango sorbet topped with chamoy, fresh mangos and candy — all in a taijin-rimmed mason jar.