On a hot day, eating something sweet and frozen is a pure pleasure. Seattle doesn’t have that many hot days, but it does have a delightful array of frozen treat options to enjoy when the sun does start beating down. Whether you are reconnecting with your kids after picking them up from day camp, or taking a pit stop between weekend play activities, these times over ice cream are great moments to bond and chat with older kids. With little kids, it’s just fun to watch them get blissfully sticky. Here are some favorite spots in different neighborhoods.
Things to keep in mind: It might be helpful to pack wet wipes, particularly if the day is hot and/or the kids are young. If there is someone in your party who doesn’t eat dairy, you should call ahead to find out what the day’s dairy-free options are. My lactose-intolerant son is never going to forget the time he was 9 and he went with a friend’s family to a fancy ice cream place, only to find the only flavor he could have was cucumber. When kids walk into an ice cream place, their expectations are high, and disappointment really stings.
Downtown area
Bottega Italiana
Address: 1425 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: (206) 343-0200
This Pike Place Market business offers more than 20 flavors of freshly made gelato and sorbet. Gelato is denser than conventional American ice cream and has lower fat. If you’re looking for dairy-free options, they have a Raspberry gelato that is sweet and mildly tart.
Gelatiamo
Address: 1400 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: (206) 467-9563
Gelato is lower fat than conventional ice cream – it is made with a greater proportion of milk. It also has less air pumped into it. The result is a dense, intensely flavored and often vividly colored treat. Gelatiamo makes its own gelatos and sorbets from scratch in its downtown shop.
Shy Giant Frozen Yogurt
Address: 1500 Pike Pl #16, Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: (206) 743-6777
Also in Pike Place Market, Shy Giant serves both ice cream and frozen yogurt and boasts an eccentric range of flavors, including such concoctions as salted popcorn and black licorice. They offer multiple vegan options.
Capitol Hill and Central District
Cupcake Royale – Madrona
Address: 1101 34th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Phone: (206) 701-6240
Best known for its cupcakes, this local chain make flavors of ice cream, all with dairy. There is always at least one sorbet available. Other locations in West Seattle (4556 California Ave SW) and Burien (546 SW 152nd St).
Frankie and Jo’s – Capitol Hill
Address: 1010 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122
Phone: (206) 557-4603
None of the flavors have any dairy whatsoever. Everything is gluten-free, too, including the waffle cones.
Molly Moon’s – Capitol Hill
Address:
917 E Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122.
1408 34th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Phone: (206) 294-4389
This local favorite has an ethos of community involvement. Three examples: they give 1 percent of their sales away to charities, they host culinary classes for Seattle Public Schools, and they buy the cookies they use to make their Scout Mint ice cream directly from local girl scouts. The menu includes both standard and unorthodox flavors (Earl Grey, anyone?), and 90 percent of the ingredients come from the Pacific Northwest. There are non-dairy options.
Salt & Straw – Capitol Hill
Address: 714 E Pike St Suite A, Seattle, WA 98122
Phone: (206) 258-4574
The arrival of this Portland export in Seattle excited local foodies. The menu includes familiar flavors and a rotating repertoire of concoctions based on seasonal local products, and there are some tasty non-dairy options. More details here.
Scoop du Jour Ice Creamery
Address: 4029 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: (206) 325-9562
This Madison Park neighborhood landmark has a range of ice cream and several flavors of sorbet.
Magnolia
Nutty Squirrel Gelato – Magnolia
Address: 2425 33rd Ave W STE B, Seattle, WA 98199
Phone: (877) 738-7696 ext. 1
Nutty Squirrel makes ice cream the Italian way, using less air and cream and more milk. The list of flavorful confections they have for sale is available on their website. They offer vegan options.
Northeast Seattle
Baskin-Robbins – Northgate
Address: 826 NE Northgate Way, Seattle, WA 98125
Phone: (206) 364-4320
A global chain with many flavors on offer, including frozen yogurt and sorbet.
Molly Moon’s – U Village
Address: 2615 NE 46th St, Seattle, WA 98105
Phone: (206) 294-4389
This local favorite has an ethos of community involvement. Three examples: they give 1 percent of their sales away to charities, they host culinary classes for Seattle Public Schools, and they buy the cookies they use to make their Scout Mint ice cream directly from local girl scouts. The menu includes both standard and unorthodox flavors (Earl Grey, anyone?), and 90 percent of the ingredients come from the Pacific Northwest. There are non-dairy options.
Sweet Alchemy Ice Creamery – University District
Address: 4301 University Wy NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Phone: (206) 632-0243
This store makes its ice cream on site, aiming to use as many ingredients as possible from within 100 miles. It carries some rich non-dairy flavors, made with coconut cream.
Northwest Seattle
Ben and Jerry’s – Green Lake
Address: 7900 East Green Lake Dr N Suite 104, Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: (206) 400-7327
The one Seattle outpost of this famous ice cream chain is in Green Lake, across the street from the wading pool. Enjoy a freshly baked waffle cone, or try one of their dipped waffle cones, shakes or sundaes. They have some good non-dairy options.
Bluebird Ice Cream
Address: 7415 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: (206) 659-8154
This company makes ice cream from scratch and soda from scratch. If floats are your thing, this is the place for you. They reliably have at least two options without dairy. And even if you can eat milk products at will, you’ll likely be tempted by their Horchata vegan ice cream.
D’Ambrosio Gelato
Address: 5339 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Phone: (206) 327-9175
This Ballard store serves dense, flavorful ice cream made the Italian way, with milk rather than cream and less air. There are a selection of sorbets, made using fruit that is in season.
Fainting Goat Gelato
Address:
3415 Fremont Ave N A, Seattle, WA 98103 (Fremont)
2210 N 45th St, Seattle, WA 98103 (Wallingford)
Phone: (206) 257-5267
Fainting Goat serves gelato – ice cream made using Italian methods, with milk rather than cream – and sorbet, both made in its Wallingford store. True to the name, some of the gelato is made with goat milk. They just opened a new location, Fainting Goat Creamery Inc (Madison 2804 E Madison St).
Frankie and Jo’s – Ballard
Address: 1411 NW 70th St, Seattle, WA 98117
Phone: (206) 257-1676
Frankie & Jo’s Sundae Shop is their newest concept shop, located at their longtime Ballard location. The Sundae Shop has all of your favorite F&J ice cream flavors and menu offerings, in addition to soft serve and sundaes (currently, this is the only location to have soft serve). This location offers an outdoor garden and an interactive children’s play space.
None of the flavors have any dairy whatsoever. Everything is gluten-free, too, including the waffle cones.
Molly Moon’s – Wallingford
Address: 1622.5 N 45th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: (206) 294-4389
This local favorite has an ethos of community involvement. Three examples: they give 1 percent of their sales away to charities, they host culinary classes for Seattle Public Schools, and they buy the cookies they use to make their Scout Mint ice cream directly from local girl scouts. The menu includes both standard and unorthodox flavors (Earl Grey, anyone?), and 90 percent of the ingredients come from the Pacific Northwest. There are non-dairy options.
Nutty Squirrel Gelato – Greenwood
Address: 7212 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: (877) 738-7696 ext. 2
Nutty Squirrel makes ice cream the Italian way, using less air and cream and more milk. The list of flavorful confections they have for sale is available on their website. There are different vegan options.
Salt & Straw – Ballard
Address: 5420 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Phone: (206) 294-5581
Their Ballard shop sits in the heart of the waterfront district with a rich maritime history. The menu includes familiar flavors and a rotating repertoire of concoctions based on seasonal local products. They have vegan options as well.
Seattle Pops
Address: 1401 N 45th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Phone: (206) 548-6122
Well known at farmers markets around town, this company now makes and sells its popsicles at this Wallingford store, which offers popsicle fans a greater selection, plus the option of chocolate embellishments. The menu is about evenly split between dairy and non-dairy options. They will be open for pop-ups on the Patio Wednesday thru Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., while their indoor is temporarily closed for renovations.
Sweet Alchemy Ice Creamery – Ballard
Address: 1555 NW Market St #A, Seattle, WA 98107
Phone: (206) 858-0125
This store makes its own ice cream, aiming to use as many ingredients as possible from within 100 miles. It carries some rich non-dairy flavors, made with coconut cream.
Southeast Seattle
Baskin-Robbins – Renton
Address: 520 Rainier Ave S, Renton, WA 98057
Phone: (425) 226-3113
A global chain with many flavors on offer, including frozen yogurt and sorbet.
Molly Moon’s – Columbia City
Address: 4822 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
Phone: (206) 294-4389
This local favorite has an ethos of community involvement. Three examples: they give 1 percent of their sales away to charities, they host culinary classes for Seattle Public Schools, and they buy the cookies they use to make their Scout Mint ice cream directly from local girl scouts. The menu includes both standard and unorthodox flavors (Earl Grey, anyone?), and 90 percent of the ingredients come from the Pacific Northwest. There are non-dairy options.
West Seattle
Cupcake Royale – West Seattle
Address: 4556 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
Phone: (206) 701-6266
Best known for its cupcakes, this local chain makes its own ice cream. There is always at least one sorbet available.
Husky Deli
Address: 4721 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
Phone: (206) 937-2810
This landmark family business in West Seattle (since 1932) serves up 40 or so flavors of ice cream, including its own originals. There are no non-dairy flavors available for scooping.
Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt – West Seattle
Address: 2620 California Ave SW UNIT 400, Seattle, WA 98116
Phone: (206) 935-3816
Load your cup with any combination of soft-serve frozen yogurts or sorbets, say, boysenberry and dulce de leche, decorate with a whimsical array of toppings, say, raspberries and gummy worms, and pay for your cool treat by weight. On July 12, 2024, they will be giving the first 50 people their first 5 OZ FREE at 3 p.m.
Queen Anne
Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt
Address: 2101 Queen Anne Ave N Ste 104, Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 216-1650
Load your cup with any combination of soft-serve frozen yogurts or sorbets, say, boysenberry and dulce de leche, decorate with a whimsical array of toppings, say, raspberries and gummy worms, and pay for your cool treat by weight. On July 12, 2024, they will be giving the first 50 people their first 5 OZ FREE at 3 p.m.
Molly Moon’s – Queen Anne
Address: 321 W Galer St, Seattle, WA 98119
Phone: (206) 294-4389
This local favorite has an ethos of community involvement. Three examples: they give 1 percent of their sales away to charities, they host culinary classes for Seattle Public Schools, and they buy the cookies they use to make their Scout Mint ice cream directly from local girl scouts. The menu includes both standard and unorthodox flavors (Earl Grey, anyone?), and 90 percent of the ingredients come from the Pacific Northwest. There are non-dairy options.
Read more:
