City Cast Philly logo

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats in Philly

Posted on June 3, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Natalia Aldana

Natalia Aldana

Mister Softee is as delicious as it is colorful! (Trenae Nuri/City Cast Philly)

Mister Softee is as delicious as it is colorful! (Trenae Nuri/City Cast Philly)

It’s getting hot in here, Philly! And the absolute best way to cool down is with an ice-cold treat. Whether you prefer gelato over ice cream, or water ice over just about everything, we’ve identified the best places to get your frozen fix with the help of City Cast Philly food contributor and creator of Feeding Time TV, Dave Wez.

Here are a few spots Dave and our host Trenae Nuri just can’t get enough of 😋

📍 throughout Philadelphia

Let’s start with a classic. Most of us grew up on that catchy Mister Softee jingle and remember running to a grown-up to get that much-needed soft-serve cash. Trenae is a big fan of Mister Softee’s (if she can catch that truck, of course), and she really loves topping a cone with colorful sprinkles (or is it jimmies?!).

📍 Rittenhouse and Fishtown

This is Dave’s go-to for soft serve. He recommends getting the choco taco, which he says tastes as phenomenal as it looks.

📍 Passyunk Square

This spot is scooping out small-batch, premium ice cream in South Philly, and they have cool flavors you may not see anywhere else. Plus, they have great vegan options, such as the tahini fudge swirl.

More sprinkles, please! (Trenae Nuri/City Cast Philly)

More sprinkles, please! (Trenae Nuri/City Cast Philly)

📍 Center City, Rittenhouse, and Fishtown

This NYC outpost is great if you love experimenting with flavors. Try the lemon poppyseed muffin, or maybe even the glass onion ice cream (if you’re really about that life.) Plus, a new location is coming soon to UPenn!

📍 Logan Square

More of a milkshake person? Go to this restaurant for gigantic glass mugs of slurpable shakes. You can also get a slice of cheesecake on top of your milkshake! Trenae loves the smores shake, where the gooey chocolate takes her back to a summer campfire.

📍 Bella Vista

This would not be a true Philly frozen treats roundup if we didn’t include water ice. While there are so many places to choose from, John’s is Dave’s favorite spot to get Cambodian noodles, pizza, and cheesesteaks before cooling off with their ice-cold water ice.

📍Various Locations

Shout out to this regional staple! Trenae loves their delicious flavors, especially the mango strawberry. Plus, if you can’t make up your mind, you can order a frozen ice sampler. Did we mention their flavors are iconic? Dave says he knows people who are addicted to the Swedish fish flavor (is that you!?).

South Philly spots, gelato, and more!

Share article

Hey Philly

Stay connected to City Cast Philly and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

The latest in Philly

Philly, ExplainedMay 15

Play Our Philly Crossword Puzzle

This mini-crossword is filled with clues on Philly history and headlines.

City Cast Philly Crossword
Local CivicsMay 13

What To Know Before You Head to the Polls on May 19

On this month’s ballot are a competitive congressional race and a stacked committee race you may not have known was happening.

Paper cutouts of Democrat and Republic party symbols
Food & DrinkMay 12

Celebrate World Cocktail Day at These Philly Bars

Take a sip of classic and creative cocktails from Philly’s best mixologists.

A selection of cocktails on a bar
Philly, ExplainedMay 8

Prove Your Weekly Philly Knowledge

Pop quiz, Philly! It’s that time again to test your knowledge on local trivia.

Heart-shaped balloons that say "Happy Mother's Day"
Philly HistoryMay 7

How Philly’s Fairmount Park Came To Be

Starting with just a large hill that left William Penn in awe, Fairmount Park is now the largest landscaped urban park in the world.

Archival photo of Boathouse Row and Fairmount Water Works along the Schuylkill River
Local CivicsMay 6

Council Member on School Closures: ‘Probably the Worst Decision I’ve Seen as an Elected Official’

Councilmember Thomas said the logic behind the closures in the facilities master plan doesn’t match the accomplishments of the schools se...

Portrait photo of Councilmember Isaiah Thomas
Philly, ExplainedMay 5

Which Philly Neighborhoods Suffer From a Sidewalk Gap?

A tool from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission can help you track gaps in the Philly area’s sidewalk network.

Map of the Philadelphia region highlighting sidewalk gaps in yellow, red, and green
Philly, ExplainedMay 4

Philadelphia School Board President on Closures: ‘This Decision Wasn’t Taken Lightly’

Reginald Streater described the situation as ‘disheartening’ and said the board tried everything in its power before it reached such a po...

Headshot of Reginald Streater smiling to the camera