These 18 ice cream and custard shops will help you sweat out summer in the Triangle
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Chill out
From ice cream and custard to icy frozen goodness on a stick, here’s your guide to the best summertime treats in the Triangle.
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Summer is hardly summer without ice cream. A few after-dinner scoops savored under twinkle lights amid carefree chatter and buzzing cicadas, an impromptu run in the middle of a hot sunny day, a refreshing snack after berry and flower-picking — ice cream is simply the treat of the summer.
That’s not just because it’s indulgent and cool and delicious, though. It’s a reminder to slow down and enjoy the lazy, long, hot days of summer while they last.
July is National Ice Cream Month, and July 17 is National Ice Cream Day. So we set out to find some of the finest ice cream and frozen custard shops in the Triangle, places to help you escape the heat and make memories in the process. Some are nostalgic and others are modern and gourmet. Some of the best offerings are made on-site, using local fresh dairy and featuring rotating flavors with seasonal ingredients. All are delectable.
This list isn’t meant to be comprehensive, but a snapshot of some of our favorite spots in the Triangle. Go get a scoop or two. Sprinkles and cherry on top are optional.
FRESH. Local Ice Cream
6033 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh, plus locations in Cary and Apex
FRESH. Local Ice Cream offers handmade scoops made, well, fresh at each store using free-range dairy milk sourced from local farms. The shop’s “master ice cream maker” has been churning ice cream for 30 years, and he and his family have lived in the Triangle for the past 25 years. FRESH’s everyday flavors — from Madagascar vanilla to Kona coffee — deliver far beyond your everyday scoops. They also have unique monthly flavors: July’s specials are Firecracker, Milk & Cookies, Peanut Butter Banana and Chocolate Brownie Cake. Whether you take a pint to go or enjoy a cup or cone on their bustling twinkle-lit patio, you’re guaranteed a satisfying, stretchy, summer-time scoop.
The scoop: You can get free sprinkles with a kids-size cup of ice cream. FRESH also offers non-dairy options and ice cream cakes.
Two Roosters
215 East Franklin St., Suite 120, Raleigh, plus other locations in Raleigh and Durham
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Two Roosters has four locations in Raleigh and Durham, plus a stand at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park – but it tastes like it’s fresh from the churner at a dairy farm. In 2019, it was named one of the best ice creams in the country by the USA Today 10 Best List.
Whimsical flavors rotate in and out of the warmly lit teal storefronts, though Two Roosters was once based out of a trailer, driven by founder Jared Plummer to festivals and breweries around the Triangle. The brand partners with local vendors to swirl hometown treats into their ice creams, which was a huge factor in their 2019 win. Right now, look out for collaborations with Slingshot Coffee and Tin Roof Teas, as well as a series inspired by visual artists, because Two Roosters is a treat for ALL the senses. The ice cream base is thick and rich and not too sweet, reminiscent of buttermilk, and the mix-ins come in delightfully hefty chunks. We loved the Berries & Croissant, bursting with flaky pastry and tart rivers of jam.
The scoop: Good news travels fast, so expect long post-dinner lines, which just gives you more time to think, since Two Roosters doesn’t offer samples right now.
Goodberry’s
2042 Clark Ave., Raleigh (plus eight other locations throughout the Triangle)
A quintessential North Carolina classic, Goodberry’s is known for its concretes: delectable, pillowy clouds of vanilla, chocolate and an ever-changing daily frozen custard, all made fresh hourly. Pick a topping or two from their list of fruits, candies and sauces, and they’ll mix your concrete for you fresh, resulting in the airiest, softest customized creation you could ever hope for.
The scoop: Goodberry’s was founded in Raleigh in 1987 due to a dearth of high-quality fresh frozen desserts. The first location opened at the corner of Spring Forest Road and Atlantic Avenue. The schtick: Flip a concrete upside down right when you get it. Theoretically, according to science, your concrete should stay put.
Howling Cow Dairy Education Center and Creamery
100 Dairy Lane, Raleigh
Howling Cow’s decadent, fluffy ice cream is made right on NC State’s campus (at the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Science’s Feldmeier Dairy Processing Lab) using fresh milk and cream from the university’s farm in Raleigh. Bring your kids or just yourself, order a few scoops and settle into a red rocking chair on Howling Cow’s breezy porch to watch the cows graze just steps away. Or, stay inside for the air conditioning and watch videos of the plant in operation and other exhibits on the state’s dairy industry. Revenues from the ice cream store go toward the plant’s operating costs.
The scoop: Howling Cow only takes payment via card — no cash — so come prepared.
Wake Forest Dairy Depot
3433 Rogers Road, Wake Forest
Wake Forest Dairy Depot is all about soft serve — the smoothest, lightest, least icy soft serve in the business. Their chocolate flavors excel, but you really can’t go wrong here, especially if you try one of their signature “Train Wrecks” — ice cream mixed fresh with your selected side tracks (toppings). Dairy Depot, which is locally owned, also offers nondairy options like Dole Whip and fruit smoothies in addition to a broader selection of slushies, shakes and sundaes. There’s plenty of outdoor picnic table seating, and each ice cream comes with a cute set of candy eyes.
The scoop: The drive-in situation can be confusing. Located off the fast-moving Rogers Road, Dairy Depot has a drive-thru in addition to a few tight parking spaces. Just be cognizant of one-ways and parking designated for nearby establishments.
Lumpy’s Ice Cream
306 E. Wait Ave., Wake Forest
Lumpy’s moved to its secluded Wake Forest storefront in 2012 and has been serving up nostalgia ever since. Their ice cream, with no artificial flavors or corn syrup, travels to the storefront from a family farm 30 miles away, and the vanilla-based flavors stand out as mild, light and refreshing. Stop at the drinks fridge for an artisanal root beer or sarsaparilla and check out the tongue-in-cheek decor before mulling over popular flavors like bilberry and butter pecan, each mild but packed with generous chunky swirls of sugary goodness.
The scoop: Two words: Free. Coffee. Plus, you can try flavors in half scoops, but make sure you bring cash.
Simons Says Dip This
117 W. Parrish St., Durham
Nestled in the heart of downtown Durham, Simons Says Dip This only serves one thing: vanilla ice cream, classic or nondairy. The genius lies in the details. Each cup or cone is coated in your selection of 40 flavors of luxurious dip, from silky peanut butter to bright key lime, then generously coated with sweet and salty toppings of choice. Founders Audrey and Nathan Simons opened the shop in 2021 after they realized their 2017 line of nut butters set and hardened when poured over cold ice cream.
The ice cream itself is pillowy to the point of marshmallowy and it’s impossible to eat the huge cones without smearing at least a little bit of the dips – which enrobe the ice cream without hardening into a shell – onto your smile. We tried the espresso dip, which had the kick of a rich mocha latte. There’s a row of swings by the door where kids can work off the sugar rush, and for an extra rich treat, trust us — to fill the center of your cone with thick chocolate fudge.
The scoop: Along with vintage pop culture posters advertising iconic movies and games like Monty Python and Space Invaders, recommended flavor combinations hang on the shop wall. Plus, don’t miss their massive stuffed cookies, which go fast.
The Parlour
117 Market St., Durham
The Parlour is a Durham institution, and for good reason. Flavors are inspired by “the seasons, our favorite well-worn cookbooks and our childhood ice cream memories.” And in addition to handmade ice cream that comes in a variety of permanent and rotating flavors, The Parlour has vegan options, shakes, floats, ice cream sandwiches, coffee, affogato, ice cream cakes and more. Their seasonal fruit flavors, which include peach and lemon blueberry, are absolute standouts, but all their ice cream is thick, creamy and tasty. There’s indoor seating, and the whole place is bustling with energy, music, art and a constant stream of scoop-seekers coming in and out.
The scoop: The Parlour is popular at all times of the day, so don’t expect a short line when you come in. It’s worth it.
Maple View Farm Ice Cream
6900 Rocky Ridge Road, Hillsborough
Perhaps one of the greatest appeals of Maple View in the summer, aside from the super thick and rich ice cream, of course, is the fact that there’s a sunflower field right across the street. Grab a couple scoops of the permanent or seasonal flavors, all made with farm-fresh and hormone and antibiotic-free milk, and enjoy farmland views and sunflowers as far as the eye can see. The store first opened on New Year’s Day in 2001 after founder Robert Nutter and his daughter Muffin Nutter Brosig went to ice cream school at Penn State, believing their community would appreciate fresh local ice cream.
The scoop: Maple View makes ice cream cakes for special occasions. Just make sure to order at least three days in advance.
Sunni Sky’s
8617 N.C. 55 South, Angier
After a shady drive down winding country roads, Sunni Sky’s vast backyard and double porches — usually packed with happy customers in rocking chairs — rises out of the horizon like something from a storybook. Named for owner Scott Wilson’s children, Sunni and Skylar, the shop was originally set to open in Durham before breaking ground on its sprawling home in the Fuquay-Varina area, Our State magazine reported.
Come prepared with cash or check and ask their friendly staff, referred to as Quality Control Inspectors, for recommendations from over 125 flavors, many inspired by pastries or cakes. Free samples are unlimited, and we loved the Salty Sweet, which toed the line between sweet and savory with a satisfying pretzel crunch.
The scoop: If you’re feeling masochistic, grab a big spoonful of Cold Sweat, a devilish concoction studded with chili peppers so spicy you need to sign a waiver to try it. It features ghost pepper sauce and Blair’s Mega Death Hot Sauce. A scoop of Sunni Sky’s vanilla is a great consolation prize once your tongue finally stops burning.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
908 W. Main St., Durham
The moment you walk into Jeni’s vibrant, open space in Durham’s Brightleaf District, you’ll be hit with the unmistakable scent of freshly made crisp waffle cones and warm sugar. The ice cream flavors at Jeni’s are gourmet and the concoctions can sound hipster — for example, Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Brambleberry Crisp and Frosé — but they are unbelievably delicious. Even the dairy-free options are fluffy and ooey-gooey the way the best ice creams are. And make no mistake: the high quality of Jeni’s ice cream is no accident. The rich ice cream is the result of 20 years of fine-tuning and recipe development by James Beard Award-winning ice cream maker and founder Jeni Britton, who first started Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in Ohio in 2002.
The scoop: If you’re with a few people and can’t decide on one to three flavors, you can get a flight of 10 scoops to share.
Broken Spoke Farm
5601 St. Marys Road, Hillsborough
Tucked behind glossy berries and fragrant flowers at the Broken Spoke Farm farmstand near Eno River State Park, a takeout window serves up the most delightful seasonal fruit soft serve imaginable. The lone machine is a relatively new addition, arriving at the farmstand in May 2019, and dishes out a new flavor every weekend. We caught a taste of their light purple blackberry flavor, which tasted just like a bowl of fresh berries and cream and could also be ordered as a chocolate-blackberry twist. When you’ve finished gulping down the gentle, tart confection of the week, stretch out on the long wooden porch in front of the farmstand, or walk around back to watch sheep and goats graze in a nearby pasture.
The scoop: Soft serve is a weekend-only affair, served Friday to Sunday. Cash is preferred, but the farmstand also accepts Venmo.
Eno River Farm
2127 St. Marys Road, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Located a stone’s throw from Eno River State Park, the family-owned Eno River Farm farmstand wears several hats, including a pick-your-own-berry operation. Their ice cream is densely packed, rich but not overwhelming, made fresh daily and features berries straight from the bush. The most popular flavors are blueberry cheesecake and caramel crunch, the latter featuring thin flakes of dark chocolate and strong notes of brown sugar. Grab a scoop and plop down in a rocking chair overlooking a slowly growing field, play with the wind chimes on the patio, and don’t forget to take a spin through both the sprinklers and the greenhouse on your way out.
The scoop: Eno Farm’s ice cream window also sells homemade cold drinks from coffee to blueberry lemonade. Their unsweet iced tea is a perfect palate cleanser between bites.
Culver’s
2819 Rogers Road, Wake Forest, plus locations in Clayton, Fuquay-Varina and Apex
Culver’s, now a nationwide chain boasting hundreds of locations, brings small-town Wisconsin roots to its food and frozen custard, which is made in small batches daily with family farm-fresh dairy. At the core of the chain are three values: “delighting in every moment,” “practicing kindness,” and “doing the right thing.” Their custard is milky and creamy, and the list of possible mix-ins is endless. It’s classic and familiar. Try one of their signature ButterBurgers to make it a meal.
The scoop: Get the fries and dip them into the custard for a fun savory-sweet treat.
Mama Bird’s
304 N. Main St., Holly Springs
Mama Bird’s is a family-founded ice cream shop named after the founders’ daughters, their first taste-testers. Their ice cream is handmade, their flavors are imaginative and rotating, and the store in Holly Springs, open seasonally, is nostalgic and bright. Grab a cookiewich, made with freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies, for an indulgent, rich treat, or opt for a homemade cinna-butter waffle cone for some sweet crunch. Bring your pooch to treat them to a pup cup.
The scoop: The store is closed Dec. 24 through Feb. 1 and is open with more limited hours from October to March, so take advantage of the summer to eat more Mama Bird’s.
Videri Chocolate Factory
327 W. Davie St., Suite 100, Raleigh
Videri Chocolate Factory, located in the heart of downtown, was founded to create artisan, hand-crafted chocolate, “from bean to bar.” To go to Videri is to experience chocolate from start to finish. While you’re there, you can learn about the process, sourcing and quality of the factory’s chocolate while taste-testing samples and enjoying their café. Beyond chocolate, Videri specializes in vanilla and chocolate soft serve, which they serve with a long list of toppings to choose from. The store closes at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. depending on the day, but you can still snag chocolate and ice cream from their pick-up window until 9 p.m.
The scoop: Stop by Videri on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. for BOGO Free cone or large soft serve and on Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. for $1 off any cone or small or large soft serve. Both deals include one free topping.
Whit’s
240 S. Nash St., Hillsborough
Family-founded in Ohio during one of the state’s coldest winters in 2003, Whit’s embodies nostalgia and embraces the local, even though you can find stores across 10 states today. Each location is family owned, and the menu at the Hillsborough location takes inspiration from local schools, with one flavor dubbed the Tar Heel Treat. You can get your fluffy frozen custard mixed to make it a “Whitser,” or topped for a sundae. The Buckeye Madness, whose namesake comes from the Ohio State Buckeyes near Whit’s first location, is particularly delicious with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chocolate syrup and peanut butter mixed in.
The scoop: Check out the store’s website for its ever-changing flavor of the week, and stop in to find out what the flavor of the day is. All flavors are made fresh each day on site.
Raleigh Rolls
411 W. Morgan St., Raleigh, inside Morgan Street Food Hall
Nestled in the middle of bustling Morgan Street Food Hall downtown, Raleigh Rolls specializes in rolled ice cream, inspired by the owners’ trips to Thailand and Vietnam. A standard ice cream base is poured onto a cold surface, chopped together with mix-ins and toppings and rolled into neat spirals as you watch. Hosted at a beachy teal-and-pink stand with a wooden bar, Raleigh Rolls boasts six signature combinations with Insta-worthy toppings, or you can make your own with three flavors and three toppings of choice. We were intrigued by the banana pudding and Biscoff cookie combos.
The scoop: Plop your fresh-made rolls into a waffle taco for $1.75, and take advantage of the food hall’s dining patio as you savor your chosen flavor.
Other local can’t-miss creameries
▪ Andia’s Ice Cream (1008 Ryan Road, Cary and 10120 Green Level Church Road, #208, Cary)
▪ Bold Batch Creamery (various pick-up locations)
▪ Flavors Ice Cream (2831 Jones Franklin Road, Raleigh)
▪ La Vita Dolce (610 Market St., Chapel Hill)
▪ Milk Lab (locations in Cary and Durham. Raleigh location to open in Smoky Hollow.)
▪ Pints Ice Cream and Beer (512 Broad St., Fuquay-Varina)
Can’t-miss chains with delicious frozen treats
▪ Amorino Gelato (137 E. Davie St., Raleigh)
▪ Baskin-Robbins (locations in Raleigh, Morrisville, Knightdale, Apex, Clayton, Cary and Fuquay-Varina)
▪ Ben & Jerry’s (locations in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill)
▪ Bruster’s (locations in Raleigh, Apex and Durham)
▪ Cold Stone Creamery (locations in Raleigh, Wake Forest, Cary, Apex and Garner)
▪ Honeysuckle Gelato (7 Fenton Main St., Cary)
▪ Kilwin’s (locations in Raleigh, Apex, Cary and Morrisville)
This story was originally published July 13, 2022 at 6:00 AM with the headline "These 18 ice cream and custard shops will help you sweat out summer in the Triangle."