America's Best Ice-Cream Shops

Cape Cod has no shortage of ice cream spots, but none are quite like Four Seas. It's one of the oldest shops in New England, and you'll feel the nostalgia as soon as you walk in-- from the walls covered in retro articles to the classic sundaes on the menu.

If you're going to Sweet Republic, splurge on the signature Toffee Banofi sundae (vanilla ice cream, banana-almond-toffee brittle and salted-caramel sauce) or an ice-cream sandwich made with fresh-baked cookies.

Brooklyn is somewhat of a mecca for ice-cream fanatics, but this Prospect Heights gem leads the pack. These guys even pasteurize their own milk before turning it into cult favorites like salted-caramel crack and chocolate-pretzel nutter.

In true Austin fashion, Amy's keeps it weird with flavors like chocolate wasabi, maple bacon and its signature Mexican vanilla.

Part ice-cream parlor, part bakery, Bi-Rite is a must-visit in the Mission district. (A scoop of honey lavender and a fresh chocolate-chip cookie, anyone?)

Serving up some of the best ice cream in NOLA, Creole Creamery’s motto is “Eat ice cream. Be happy.” Order what you please, but don't leave without trying the Mexican hot chocolate ice cream--dark and creamy with a kick of cayenne pepper--from the ’50s-style shop.

Pumphouse Creamery’s tiny storefront would be easy to miss if it weren’t for the constant crowds. The 20 rotating flavors are hard to beat, especially those packed with just-picked local produce like the rhubarb strawberry.

You know the ice cream must be good when the ingredients come from a family-run dairy farm. Each day Moomers offers a rotation of 20 flavors (it has 160 in total), from Oreo cheesecake to raspberry truffle.

New Englanders know ice cream, and Cambridge’s standout parlor proves it. As The New York Times declared, Toscanini's creations, like B3 (brown butter, brown sugar and brownies), Earl Grey and burned caramel, “could make an M.I.T. engineer cry."

The inventive soft-serve dispensary, which is known for creations like “The Salty Pimp” (vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche, sea salt and chocolate dip), has two NYC shops, a food truck and is expanding across the country. And you can cover a basic cone in any number of toppings like wasabi-pea dust, curried coconut and crushed Nilla Wafers.

Stop by one of Salt & Straw's three Portland shops (or the one in L.A.) to try the exclusive “Stop, Guac and Roll,” made with fresh avocados. (Yes, please.)

This Asian-inspired creamery has three locations and a cult following in Los Angeles. The shops rotate 15 kinds of ice cream each day, all made from local ingredients. Scoops of matcha green tea and blueberry muffin, for the win.

This cash-only establishment may dish out just one size of its natural ice cream--but it's definitely a generous one. Keep an eye out for pumpkin pie and butter pecan depending on the season.