The approach of summer brings the siren call of sweet-cool confections, towering scoop over scoop and threatening to capsize on the toes of the lazy licker. For days when your patience can't wait for rock-salt-hand-cranked homemade goodness, seek out one of these establishments that will answer your prayers for frozen salvation. Here are the places readers chose for the best frozen treats in town.
No list of Houston ice cream eateries would be complete without mention of The Chocolate Bar, known for its made-in-house ice creams and decadent desserts. With three sizes to choose from and six times that many creations in the cooler, you can sample your way to your favorite combination may it be Lemon Velvet with Creamy Dreamy Truffle or Root Beer Float with Cape Cod Crunch. Small, medium, and large fit two, three, and four scoops respectively. If your sweet tooth is still crying for more checkout the cake case and gourmet chocolates.
This frozen self-serve yogurt franchise offers three Houston-area locations at which to “get real.” With product recipes based on fresh, high quality ingredients such as real California milk, natural fruits, and nuts, diners can fill their cups with flavors like carrot cake, chocolate mousse pie, coconut mango tart, fresh strawberry, oatmeal cookies, and salted caramel pecan. And, they can do so with limited guilt as the yogurts here feature vitamins and probiotics on top of bone-boosting calcium all for 35 calories an ounce.
When plain vanilla is the last thing you want, follow your taste buds to Whipped & Licked, serving creatively blended and ever-evolving flavors like their recent Girl Drink Drunk which channels piña coladas and Mint Dip which tastes like a frozen peppermint patty. This parlor has no walls of its own but you can find their creations at Antidote, Black Hole Coffee, Boomtown Coffee, and Goro & Gun. Bonus: they also offer gluten-free cones! [Multiple Locations.]
Featuring 10 original flavors and 10 new seasonal concoctions at all times, chef Chris Leung presents ice cream and sorbet enthusiasts with an array of options that are light, airy, delicious, and original. From classic vanilla bean to red currant mascarpone, lime & Ceylon cinnamon to Nutella & marshmallow, everything begins with a collaboration of fresh ingredients sans artificial flavorings, extracts, or additives.
As the relentless humidity of Texas drips down your flushed forehead, stuff your face with a snoball and relish in the effect of instant surrender. New Orleans style snoballs in every flavor you can imagine await you at Mam’s new storefront in the Heights. Dill pickle, Bahama Mama, watermelon, and NOLA bomb pop are just a few of their tempting and interesting offerings.
A Houston favorite for over 20 years, Hank’s honors the tradition of handmade premium ice cream serving 18 flavors daily at their family owned and operated parlor. Come in often as the flavors rotate from a list of almost 100 recipes and discover your favorite can’t-live-without-it frozen treat. Word has it the butter pecan is slap yo’ mama good and Beyonce can’t come in without ordering her favorite, banana pudding. While Hank passed away a few years ago, his wife now runs the shop.
Venture outside the Beltway for a traditional treat that will knock your socks off. Frozen custard, originally developed by the French and perfected by creative force John Ritter, is thick, creamy, and oh so satisfying. The Katy franchise features the recipes John and his wife Bonny refined in the 1980s and includes offerings of classic chocolate and vanilla plus an impressive menu of fruity, nutty, and specialty combinations. They also serve “no sugar added” varieties and fro-yo.
There will be no fighting for your right to eat ice cream at this Montrose haven for yummy fare. Just bring a smile and come hungry! Frozen Awesome flavors rotate regularly and currently include Shipley’s Glazed & Confused Donut, Brass Monkey Caramelized Banana, Root Down Rocky Road, and In A World Gone Mad Whiskey + Cereal, among others. Sorbets such as It Takes 2 to Mango and Professor Pomegranate offer a refreshing diversion from dairy based goodies.
Located on Bellaire Blvd, this locally owned and operated ice cream and dessert parlor features quality Italian gelato as well as a variety of authentic Asian desserts including red bean soup, sesame balls, and mochi. Although a menu was hard to come by, online reviewers suggest you’ll be hard pressed to find something your mind and stomach can’t agree on.
It seems you can’t go anywhere in town these days without seeing that cute little wide-eyed face peering at you from under a swirl of frozen yogurt hair. Franchises are popping up all over town and it’s easy to taste why: grab a bowl, choose from an assortment of ever-changing yogurts (serve yourself), and then load up on various toppings to create the sundae of your dreams. Cherries and caramel? You got it. Butterfingers and whipped cream? Why not! Be forewarned that your eyes can easily be bigger than your wallet. Servings are priced by the ounce and weighed before payment. Speaking from experience, it adds up quickly.
Originally opened in 1984 in Austin, Texas, Amy’s Ice Creams gained a cult following of devotees in Houston as well. Serving 7 standard flavors at all locations plus a rotating menu of special flavors, which takes 20 - yes, 20 - pages to view on their web site (including some containing alcohol), they have clearly perfected the art of pleasing ice cream lovers of all ages. If you aren’t in the mood for a traditional scoop, order an ice cream cake, frozen yogurt, or fruit ice to chill you down.
You could hop a plane for a long flight to Hawaii to get your shave ice fix, or you could just head over to Rice Village and sample the delectable treats prepared by the skilled shave artists at Snow Block Shavery. Authentic and fulfilling, the menu features several styles of icy iterations – shaved, crushed, and a unique version called “ribbon ice” with origins in Taiwan. Fresh fruits, syrups, and ice cream embellish the various menu items to ensure you get a memorable experience every time.
Going out for ice cream is often a split-second decision but by the time you place your order at Nu Café your frozen dessert will have already undergone a 10-hour process critical to creating an incredible end result. Best described by the masters themselves, it has the “consistency of ice cream, the deep rich taste of gelato, and melts in your mouth like snow.” And yet somehow it gets better: it’s made with natural flavors and is 100% preservative-free.
For the past two years, SweetCup has endeared Houstonians to authentic, handcrafted gelato based on a philosophy of preparing top quality food in small batches without the use of artificial preservatives, colors, high fructose corn syrup, fillers, or milk with rBST growth hormones. For a restaurant concept conceived during a honeymoon to Italy, SweetCup delivers with love and good taste.
It’s no secret that felines love to indulge in rich cream and it just so happens that humans can’t get enough of the stuff either – especially when it involves the frozen variety produced by the eco-conscious, local-supporting, friendly talented team at Fat Cat Creamery in the Heights. Made in small batches and served in compostable containers with bio-plastic and cornstarch based utensils, you can feel socially and environmentally sound while noshing on one of their three standard flavors or a special seasonal variety. With so much feel-good going on, eating ice cream here is almost, almost, akin to visiting the farm and whipping up a batch of frozen delight on the front porch and licking it straight off the paddle.
No list of Houston ice cream eateries would be complete without mention of The Chocolate Bar, known for its made-in-house ice creams and decadent desserts. With three sizes to choose from and six times that many creations in the cooler, you can sample your way to your favorite combination may it be Lemon Velvet with Creamy Dreamy Truffle or Root Beer Float with Cape Cod Crunch. Small, medium, and large fit two, three, and four scoops respectively. If your sweet tooth is still crying for more checkout the cake case and gourmet chocolates.
This frozen self-serve yogurt franchise offers three Houston-area locations at which to “get real.” With product recipes based on fresh, high quality ingredients such as real California milk, natural fruits, and nuts, diners can fill their cups with flavors like carrot cake, chocolate mousse pie, coconut mango tart, fresh strawberry, oatmeal cookies, and salted caramel pecan. And, they can do so with limited guilt as the yogurts here feature vitamins and probiotics on top of bone-boosting calcium all for 35 calories an ounce.
When plain vanilla is the last thing you want, follow your taste buds to Whipped & Licked, serving creatively blended and ever-evolving flavors like their recent Girl Drink Drunk which channels piña coladas and Mint Dip which tastes like a frozen peppermint patty. This parlor has no walls of its own but you can find their creations at Antidote, Black Hole Coffee, Boomtown Coffee, and Goro & Gun. Bonus: they also offer gluten-free cones! [Multiple Locations.]
Featuring 10 original flavors and 10 new seasonal concoctions at all times, chef Chris Leung presents ice cream and sorbet enthusiasts with an array of options that are light, airy, delicious, and original. From classic vanilla bean to red currant mascarpone, lime & Ceylon cinnamon to Nutella & marshmallow, everything begins with a collaboration of fresh ingredients sans artificial flavorings, extracts, or additives.
As the relentless humidity of Texas drips down your flushed forehead, stuff your face with a snoball and relish in the effect of instant surrender. New Orleans style snoballs in every flavor you can imagine await you at Mam’s new storefront in the Heights. Dill pickle, Bahama Mama, watermelon, and NOLA bomb pop are just a few of their tempting and interesting offerings.
A Houston favorite for over 20 years, Hank’s honors the tradition of handmade premium ice cream serving 18 flavors daily at their family owned and operated parlor. Come in often as the flavors rotate from a list of almost 100 recipes and discover your favorite can’t-live-without-it frozen treat. Word has it the butter pecan is slap yo’ mama good and Beyonce can’t come in without ordering her favorite, banana pudding. While Hank passed away a few years ago, his wife now runs the shop.
Venture outside the Beltway for a traditional treat that will knock your socks off. Frozen custard, originally developed by the French and perfected by creative force John Ritter, is thick, creamy, and oh so satisfying. The Katy franchise features the recipes John and his wife Bonny refined in the 1980s and includes offerings of classic chocolate and vanilla plus an impressive menu of fruity, nutty, and specialty combinations. They also serve “no sugar added” varieties and fro-yo.
There will be no fighting for your right to eat ice cream at this Montrose haven for yummy fare. Just bring a smile and come hungry! Frozen Awesome flavors rotate regularly and currently include Shipley’s Glazed & Confused Donut, Brass Monkey Caramelized Banana, Root Down Rocky Road, and In A World Gone Mad Whiskey + Cereal, among others. Sorbets such as It Takes 2 to Mango and Professor Pomegranate offer a refreshing diversion from dairy based goodies.
Located on Bellaire Blvd, this locally owned and operated ice cream and dessert parlor features quality Italian gelato as well as a variety of authentic Asian desserts including red bean soup, sesame balls, and mochi. Although a menu was hard to come by, online reviewers suggest you’ll be hard pressed to find something your mind and stomach can’t agree on.
It seems you can’t go anywhere in town these days without seeing that cute little wide-eyed face peering at you from under a swirl of frozen yogurt hair. Franchises are popping up all over town and it’s easy to taste why: grab a bowl, choose from an assortment of ever-changing yogurts (serve yourself), and then load up on various toppings to create the sundae of your dreams. Cherries and caramel? You got it. Butterfingers and whipped cream? Why not! Be forewarned that your eyes can easily be bigger than your wallet. Servings are priced by the ounce and weighed before payment. Speaking from experience, it adds up quickly.
Originally opened in 1984 in Austin, Texas, Amy’s Ice Creams gained a cult following of devotees in Houston as well. Serving 7 standard flavors at all locations plus a rotating menu of special flavors, which takes 20 - yes, 20 - pages to view on their web site (including some containing alcohol), they have clearly perfected the art of pleasing ice cream lovers of all ages. If you aren’t in the mood for a traditional scoop, order an ice cream cake, frozen yogurt, or fruit ice to chill you down.
You could hop a plane for a long flight to Hawaii to get your shave ice fix, or you could just head over to Rice Village and sample the delectable treats prepared by the skilled shave artists at Snow Block Shavery. Authentic and fulfilling, the menu features several styles of icy iterations – shaved, crushed, and a unique version called “ribbon ice” with origins in Taiwan. Fresh fruits, syrups, and ice cream embellish the various menu items to ensure you get a memorable experience every time.
Going out for ice cream is often a split-second decision but by the time you place your order at Nu Café your frozen dessert will have already undergone a 10-hour process critical to creating an incredible end result. Best described by the masters themselves, it has the “consistency of ice cream, the deep rich taste of gelato, and melts in your mouth like snow.” And yet somehow it gets better: it’s made with natural flavors and is 100% preservative-free.
For the past two years, SweetCup has endeared Houstonians to authentic, handcrafted gelato based on a philosophy of preparing top quality food in small batches without the use of artificial preservatives, colors, high fructose corn syrup, fillers, or milk with rBST growth hormones. For a restaurant concept conceived during a honeymoon to Italy, SweetCup delivers with love and good taste.
It’s no secret that felines love to indulge in rich cream and it just so happens that humans can’t get enough of the stuff either – especially when it involves the frozen variety produced by the eco-conscious, local-supporting, friendly talented team at Fat Cat Creamery in the Heights. Made in small batches and served in compostable containers with bio-plastic and cornstarch based utensils, you can feel socially and environmentally sound while noshing on one of their three standard flavors or a special seasonal variety. With so much feel-good going on, eating ice cream here is almost, almost, akin to visiting the farm and whipping up a batch of frozen delight on the front porch and licking it straight off the paddle.
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