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
Besito Ice Cream Shop
610 Terry Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
Besito Ice Cream is a Mexican-inspired ice cream shop specializing in homemade ice cream made in small batches with high-quality ingredients. They feature traditional Mexican flavors like horchata, churro, cajeta, chocolate abuelita, plus traditional flavors. What makes Besito unique is that their ice creams are decorated with toppings to create cute little faces.
Bottega Italiana
1425 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
This Pike Place Market business offers more than 16 options (plus rotating flavors) of freshly made gelato and sorbet. Gelato is denser than conventional American ice cream and has lower fat. Bottega Gelato also specializes in rich and bold coffee offerings with a full espresso bar.
Shugs Soda Fountain & Ice Cream
1530 Pike Place, Seattle, WA 98101
Shug’s family business brings you all of the nostalgia, delicious sundaes, sodas, floats and more, in a beautiful, light, and modern space. This woman- owned and operated business features house-made syrups, sauces, and toppings, Lopez Island Creamery’s small-batch and independent Ice Cream.
Hellenika Cultured Creamery
120a Pike Place, Seattle, WA 98101
This family business has Greek roots and an Aussie upbringing. Their ice cream and gelato are hand-stirred in small batches. The menu changes frequently, and they offer gluten-free options.
Matcha Man Ice Cream and Taiyaki
6014 12th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108
Café serving ice cream cones and taiyaki (fish-shaped ice cream cones) in flavors like matcha, strawberry, and fruity pebbles. In addition to Taiaki, they also offer cake cones and boxes instead of cups. The ice cream is scratch-made in small batches and is soft serve. They also offer drinks.
Gelatiamo
1400 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Gelato is lower in fat content than conventional ice cream – and 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. They carry cakes and pastries as well.
Shy Giant Frozen Yogurt
1500 Pike Pl #16, Seattle, WA 98101
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.
Fremont
Many Bennies
3535 Interlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Many Bennies offers soft ice cream mixed with fresh berries. Choose your base (dairy or vegan), choose your fresh fruit, and then they swirl them together and serve in a homemade waffle cone or cup.
Capitol Hill and Central District
Frankie and Jo’s
1010 E Union St. Seattle, WA 98122
None of the flavors have any dairy whatsoever. Everything is gluten-free, too, including the waffle cones.
Molly Moon’s
917 E Pine St. Seattle,WA 98122
*Also in Wallingford, Madrona, U Village, Waterfront, Queen Anne, Redmond, Columbia City, Bellevue, Edmonds, West Seattle and Kirkland.
This local favorite has an ethos of community involvement. They give 1 percent of their sales away to charities, support local food banks through their “Anna Banana Fund,” and 90% of their ingredients come from the PNW. The menu includes both standard and unorthodox flavors (Earl Grey, anyone?), and they offer non-dairy options.
Salt & Straw
714 E. Pike St. Suite A, Seattle, WA 98122
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
4029 E. Madison St., Seattle, WA 98112
This Madison Park neighborhood landmark has a range of ice cream and several flavors of sorbet.
Tip Top Ice Cream Shop
7789 Highland Park Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106
Located inside the Highland Park Corner Store, Tip Top offers New Zealand ice cream with a PNW twist. Real fruit blended into an ice cream base, made right in front of you. With locally sourced ingredients that reflect the best of the Northwest, it’s a unique treat custom made for the unique you. Vegan ice cream is available.
Lil Tiger Homemade Ice Cream
12348 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98125
At Lil’ Tiger Ice-cream, everything is made from scratch using only the freshest ingredients. From classic flavors like vanilla and chocolate to more unique ones. every scoop is carefully crafted to satisfy your taste buds.
Indigo Cow Hokkaido Soft Serve Ice Cream
1911 North 45th Street Seattle, WA 98103
At Indigo Cow, we are proud to introduce the tasty and time honored tradition of Hokkaido dairy to Seattle with the first ice cream shop in America to make soft serve with milk from Hokkaido. Hokkaido’s nutrient-rich grass, cool climate and crisp air provide the ideal environment for the region’s treasured dairy cows. Hokkaido cows produce about half of Japan’s milk and the prefecture is celebrated for using this milk to make world-renowned soft serve ice cream (also known in Japan as “soft cream”). Also in Bellevue.
Magnolia
Nutty Squirrel Gelato
2425 33rd Ave. W. STE B, Seattle, WA 98199
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
Molly Moon’s
2615 NE 46th St., Seattle, WA 98105
*Also in Wallingford, Madrona, U Village, Waterfront, Queen Anne, Redmond, Columbia City, Bellevue, Edmonds, West Seattle and Kirkland.
This local favorite has an ethos of community involvement. They give 1 percent of their sales away to charities, support local food banks through their “Anna Banana Fund,” and 90% of their ingredients come from the PNW. The menu includes both standard and unorthodox flavors (Earl Grey, anyone?), and they offer non-dairy options.
Frankie and Jo’s
University Village, Seattle, WA 98105
None of the flavors have any dairy whatsoever. Everything is gluten-free, too, including the waffle cones.
Sweet Alchemy Ice Creamery
4301 University Wy NE, Seattle, WA 98105
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
7900 East Green Lake Dr. N. Suite 104, Seattle, WA 98103
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
7415 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103
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
5339 Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98107
This Ballard store serves dense, flavorful ice cream made the Italian way, with milk rather than cream and less air. They offer a selection of sorbets, made using fruit that is in season.
- 3415 Fremont Ave N A, Seattle, WA 98103 (Fremont)
- 2210 N 45th St, Seattle, WA 98103 (Wallingford)
- 2804 E. Madison St. Seattle, WA 98122 (Madison Valley)
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.
Frankie and Jo’s
1411 NW 70th St., Seattle, WA 98117
Frankie & Jo’s Sundae Shop is their newest concept shop, located at their longtime Ballard location. This location offers an outdoor garden and a small 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
1622.5 N 45th St., Seattle, WA 98103
*Also in Wallingford, Madrona, U Village, Waterfront, Queen Anne, Redmond, Columbia City, Bellevue, Edmonds, West Seattle and Kirkland.
This local favorite has an ethos of community involvement. They give 1 percent of their sales away to charities, support local food banks through their “Anna Banana Fund,” and 90% of their ingredients come from the PNW. The menu includes both standard and unorthodox flavors (Earl Grey, anyone?), and they offer non-dairy options.
Nutty Squirrel Gelato
7212 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103
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
5420 Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98107
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
1401 N. 45th St., Seattle, WA 98103
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.
Southeast Seattle
Laina’s Handcrafted Ice Cream
9701 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98118
This family-owned ice cream shop located inside the Stone House Cafe offers ice cream that is made in-house and in small batches. They offer a variety of flavors, with dairy and non-dairy options.
Full Tilt Ice Cream
5041 Rainier Avenue South, #105 Seattle, Washington 98118
For fresh ice cream that you can eat while enjoying an old-school arcade, head over to Full Tilt in Columbia City.
Molly Moon’s
4822 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98118
*Also in Wallingford, Madrona, U Village, Waterfront, Queen Anne, Redmond, Columbia City, Bellevue, Edmonds, West Seattle and Kirkland.
This local favorite has an ethos of community involvement. They give 1 percent of their sales away to charities, support local food banks through their “Anna Banana Fund,” and 90% of their ingredients come from the PNW. The menu includes both standard and unorthodox flavors (Earl Grey, anyone?), and they offer non-dairy options.
West Seattle
Shugs Soda Fountain & Ice Cream
3800 California Ave SW Seattle, WA 98116
Shug’s family business brings you all of the nostalgia, delicious sundaes, sodas, floats and more, in a beautiful, light, and modern space. This woman- owned and operated business features house-made syrups, sauces, and toppings, Lopez Island Creamery small-batch and independent Ice Cream.
Husky Deli
4721 California Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116
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
2620 Calfornia Ave. SW UNIT 400, Seattle, WA 98116
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.
Queen Anne
Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt
2101 Queen Anne Ave. N. Ste. 104, Seattle, WA 98109
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.
Molly Moon’s
321 W. Galer St., Seattle, WA 98119
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.
