A Definitive (and Delicious) Guide to the Best Ice Cream Shops in Miami

What’ll it be—matcha soft serve or strawberry basil in a waffle cone? Here’s the scoop (sorry, we had to) on the 17 best ice cream shops in Miami. And trust us—they’re all equally worth a visit. Each spot offers something a little different, from unicorn-shaped cones to hip hop-inspired flavors to even alcohol-infused varieties. You’re welcome.

1. MadLab Creamery

• Location: Miami Design District

Our mom never would have let us have ice cream and cotton candy at the same time. Fortunately, we’re adults now. This fairy-tale-esque ice-cream palace serves matcha and tropical soft serve with cotton-candy swirls, gold-flake sprinkles and edible sparkles. 

140 NE 39th St., Miami; 305-639-8178 or instagram.com/madlab_creamery

2. Azucar Ice Cream Company

• Location: Little Havana

Dulce de leche ice cream is exactly what we need post-lunch, pre-conference call. Or maybe cafe con leche. Actually, both. We definitely need both. And this homegrown ice cream shop in Little Havana, which specializes in Miami-inspired, Cuban-fueled ice cream flavors, is the perfect place to go for all your frozen treat cravings.

1503 SW Eighth St., Miami; 305-381-0369 or azucaricecream.com

3. Lulu’s

• Location: Downtown

Luisa Santos, owner of Lulu’s, adopted her very own cow to help make these sweet scoops, which are flash-frozen with liquid nitrogen, in flavors like strawberry basil and Nutella. They’re as delicious and local as it gets. (P.S. Always get your ice cream in a waffle cone.) 

2001 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-717-7323 or lulus-icecream.com

4. Dasher & Crank

• Location: Wynwood

Deciding to have ice cream from this Wynwood ice cream shop is easy. The hard part is choosing from more than a dozen rotating flavors. Matcha? Chocolate with chocolate chunks? Coconut, sea salt and graham cracker crumble? We suggest doing it up with a combo. 

2211 NW Second Ave., Miami; 305-213-1569 or dasherandcrank.com

5. Serendipity Yogurt Café

• Location: Surfside

We can’t decide between floral flavors (lavender orange) and boozy mash-ups (White Russian with candied hazelnuts). So we’ll happily take both. P.S. The owner of this ice cream shop is also the mastermind behind Peekaboo Ice Cream, a creative frozen treat company that infuses flavors with veggies like cauliflower and broccoli.

9457 Harding Ave., Surfside; 305-865-1506 or serendipitycreamery.com

6. Salt & Straw

• Location: Wynwood and Coconut Grove

This Pacific Northwest favorite journeyed cross country to open two shops in Miami: in Wynwood and Coconut Grove, and the result has been massively successful. Look out for flavors like sea salt with caramel ribbons, honey lavender, salted malted chocolate chip cookie dough and cinnamon snickerdoodle—flavors all known to draw lines out the door.

Various locations; saltandstraw.com

7. Taiyaki at 1-800-Lucky

• Location: Wynwood

Three words: unicorn ice cream. This Asian-infused ice cream concept churns out specialty custards in fish-shaped cones. We live for the “Matcha Made in Heaven” with matcha and pineapple ice cream and rainbow mochi, and the “Cafecito” with coffee ice cream, condensed milk drizzle, crushed toffee bits and Maria cookies.

143 NW 23rd St., Miami; 305-768-9826 or 1800lucky.com

8. The Frieze

• Location: Miami Beach

One of Miami’s oldest homegrown ice cream shops, the Frieze makes high-quality ice cream and sorbets from scratch every day of the week. From hazelnut toffee crunch to fudge swirl to key lime pie to even alcohol-infused varieties, this spot is a frozen treat lover’s paradise.

Available at various locations; thefrieze.com

9. Frohzen

• Location: Miami Design District

Gourmet ice cream, anyone? This ice cream shop in the Miami Design District—led by executive pastry chef Salvatore Martone—offers a selection of almost-too-beautiful-to-eat ice cream cupcakes, macaron ice cream sandwiches and cakesicles. Don’t worry: You can design your own scoops here too, with a rotating line-up of signature flavors with all sorts of toppings, from sauces to crumbles to every sprinkle imaginable.

151 NE 41st St., Miami; 305-400-4660 or frohzen-miami.com

10. Aubi & Ramsa

• Multiple locations

Yep, this isn’t just any neighborhood bar—Aubi & Ramsa swaps pours of your favorite liquor with generous scoops of Champagne sorbet and bourbon ice cream. Um, say no more.

Multiple locations; aubiramsa.com

11. Morelia Gourmet Paletas

• Multiple locations

These Mexican popsicles are bigger than normal ice pops and made by hand with 100 percent natural ingredients. But what sets Morelia apart even more is every pop is completely customizable. First choose a flavor (chocolate fudge, Sicilian pistachio, strawberry cheesecake, alcohol-infused mojito), then submerge it in the dipping of your choice (dark or white chocolate, crunchy hazelnut, cookie butter) and finish it off by rolling it in toppings like sprinkles, coconut, peanuts or pistachio. Yum.

Multiple locations; paletasmorelia.com

12. Jackson’s Ice Cream Parlor

• Location: Dania Beach

Want to try everything but the kitchen sink? Order it at Jaxson’s in Dania Beach and you’ll get everything…including the kitchen sink. This monstrous heap of ice cream is meant to be shared by four very ambitious eaters. 

128 S. Federal Hwy., Dania Beach; 954-923-4445 or jaxsonsicecream.com

13. Mr. Kream

• Location: Wynwood

When flavors are named A$AP Rocky Road and Fat Joe Pistachio, you know it’ll basically be a party for your taste buds. This hip-hop-inspired spot is part ice cream shop, part lounge, making it a fun stop during a night out in Wynwood.

 2322 N. Miami Ave., Wynwood; 786-659-4541 or mrkreamwynwood.com

14. Cream Parlor

• Location: MiMo

Cream Parlor has been a favorite in the Miami community since its opening in 2016. Beyond the homemade ice cream and sweets, enjoy a selection of veggie-filled lunch and dinner creations like tartines, wraps, paninis and salads, plus coffee, tea, and a line-up of mocktails. We have to say, though, one bite of Cream’s Chocolate Rain flavor, and you’ll never be the same again. 

8224 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-534-4180 or creamparlor.com

15. Fireman Derek’s

• Multiple locations

Ice cream is a good idea. Ice cream in pie is a great idea. Owned by Derek Kaplan, a Miami firefighter turned pie maker, this bakeshop turns out flavors like the aforementioned sundae pie, coconut custard, key lime and the cult-favorite dark salted caramel.

Multiple locations; firemandereks.com

16. Sweet Melody

• Multiple locations

This Miami-based ice cream company knows a thing or two about crafting inventive, never-before-seen flavors. Think: cheesecake and blueberry swirl, peanut butter and fudge, vegan chocolate and coconut, key lime and almond-graham streusel. We’re also big fans of the tie-dye vanilla bean. Grab a scoop at their ice cream ventanita connected to their wholesale kitchen, or visit one of many local spots that carry their flavors, including Vicky’s House and Whisk Gourmet.

Multiple locations; sweetmelodyicecream.com