Which ice cream shop is the best in the Triangle? Vote now in the final round
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The News & Observer launched a poll to find the Triangle’s best local ice cream.
- A total of 36 local ice cream shops across five Triangle counties are featured.
- The seven-round poll runs from July 7 to July 21, narrowing finalists each phase.
After a sweet showdown, the contest has closed. Check back soon for an official winner announcement.
An ice cream cone is one of the purest pleasures of summer. A scoop in a waffle cone, a soft serve swirl, a sundae quickly melted by hot fudge.
These are the sweetest moments at the hottest time of the year, but surely they’re better with great ice cream.
But who serves the best ice cream in the Triangle? The News & Observer wants your help to find out.
Readers shared some of their favorite scoop shops and ice cream stands, and we added a few of our own, rounding out the list at 36.
For this poll, we’re zeroing in on our favorite local shops. We love Ben & Jerry’s, and we (and our readers) love Jeni’s. But these gourmet giants will have to find their flowers elsewhere.
We included favorite shops in the five counties of the Triangle, from Pittsboro to Angier and all the beloved spots in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. We kept it to places serving ice cream only, despite how fire the ice cream sandwiches are at Rose’s in Durham.
Here’s how it works:
- The first round will determine the Top 25. It will be live from 2 p.m. Monday, July 7 until 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 9.
The second round will determine the Top 12. It will be live from about 2 p.m. July 9 until 2 p.m. Friday, July 11.
The third round will determine the Top 8. It is live from 2 p.m. Monday, July 14 until 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 16.
The fourth round will determine the Top 4. It will be live from about 2 p.m. July 16 until 2 p.m. Friday, July 18.
The fifth round will determine the Top 2. It will be live from about 2 p.m. July 18 until 2 p.m. Monday, July 21.
The final round will determine the winner. It will be live from about 2 p.m. July 21 until 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 23.
July 14 update: This schedule has been adjusted.
Remember, this is not a scientific poll or survey — it’s just for fun! If you have more than one favorite (or want to vote for your all-time favorite spot more than once), you are welcome to refresh this webpage and submit another vote.
Top 2
- Sugar Koi
- Bold Batch Creamery
Top 4
Sugar Koi
JT’s Creamery
Creamed
Bold Batch Creamery
Top 8
Sugar Koi
Bold Batch Creamery
La Muñeca Ice Cream
Honeysuckle Gelato
Creamed
JT’s Creamery
The Scoop @ Willow Oak Farms
Sunni Sky’s Homemade Ice Cream
Top 12
Sugar Koi
La Muñeca Ice Cream
JT’s Creamery
Creamed
Honeysuckle Gelato
Bold Batch Creamery
Goodberry’s Frozen Custard
Sunni Sky’s Homemade Ice Cream
Geluna Gelato
The Scoop @ Willow Oak Farms
Wake Forest Dairy Depot
Pistachio Ice Cream
Top 24 (multiple ties)
Note: In a sweet showdown that’s already heating up, there were multiple ties that allowed all nominees to advance to Round 2.
- La Muñeca Ice Cream
- Sugar Koi
- Creamed
- Honeysuckle Gelato
- JT’s Creamery
- Geluna Gelato
- Bold Batch Creamery
- MILKLAB
- Chapel Chill
- The Scoop @ Willow Oak Farms
- Two Roosters
- Andia’s Ice Cream, Howling Cow Creamery (tie)
- Pincho Loco
- Pistachio Ice Cream
- FRESH. Local Ice Cream
- Goodberry’s Frozen Custard
- Sunni Sky’s Homemade Ice Cream
- Maple View Farm Ice Cream
- The Parlour
- Broken Spoke Farm, La Vita Dolce, A Little Gelato, Mama Bird’s (tie)
- LocoPops, Pints Ice Cream (tie)
- Wake Forest Dairy Depot
- Lumpy’s Ice Cream, Paleteria La Mexicana (tie)
- Dulce, Localicious Caribbean Ice Cream, Napoli Pizzeria & Gelateria, Raleigh Rolls, S&T’s Soda Shoppe, Salt n Cocoa, Simons Says Dip This (tie)
Top 36
Andia’s Ice Cream
Location: Multiple
Bold Batch Creamery
Location: Pop-up locations vary
Broken Spoke Farm
Location 5601 St Marys Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Chapel Chill
Location: 630 Weaver Dairy Rd #105, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Creamed
Location: 4325 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27612
Dulce
Location: 5826 Fayetteville Rd #106, Durham, NC 27713
FRESH. Local Ice Cream
Location: Multiple
Geluna Gelato
Location: 111 E Chatham St, Cary, NC 27511
Goodberry’s Frozen Custard
Location: Multiple
Honeysuckle Gelato
Location: Multiple
Howling Cow Creamery
Location: 100 Dairy Ln, Raleigh, NC 27603
JT’s Creamery
Location: 300 S Main St Suite 112, Holly Springs, NC 27540
Location: 2128 Gathering Sq Ct, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
La Muñeca Ice Cream
Location: 131 Mayo St, Hillsborough, NC 27278
La Vita Dolce
Location: 610 Market St., Ste. 101-C Chapel Hill, NC 27516
A Little Gelato
Location: 4823 Meadow Dr Suite 114, Durham, NC 27713
Localicious Caribbean Ice Cream
Location: 3600 N Duke St #16, Durham, NC 27704
LocoPops
Location: 2618 Hillsborough Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Lumpy’s Ice Cream
Location: 306 Wait Ave, Wake Forest, NC 27587
Mama Bird’s
Location: 304 N Main St, Holly Springs, NC 27540
Location: 2700 Stokesdale Ln suite 118, Apex, NC 27523
Maple View Farm Ice Cream
Location: 6900 Rocky Ridge Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278
MILKLAB
Location: Multiple
Napoli Pizzeria & Gelateria
Location: 105 E Main St, Carrboro, NC 27510
Paleteria La Mexicana
Location: 204 Forest Hills Dr, Garner, NC 27529
The Parlour
Location: 117 Market St, Durham, NC 27701
Location: 1821 Green St, Durham, NC 27705
Pincho Loco
Location: 1918 Perry St #5111, Durham, NC 27705
Pints Ice Cream
Location: 512 Broad St, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
Pistachio Ice Cream
Location: 2708 Chapel Hill Rd, Durham, NC 27707
Raleigh Rolls
Location: Morgan Street Food Hall, 411 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603
S&T’s Soda Shoppe
Location: 85 Hillsboro St, Pittsboro, NC 27312
Salt n Cocoa
Location: 1125 NC-54 Suite 204, Durham, NC 27707
The Scoop @ Willow Oak Farms
Location: 1530 Lafayette Road, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina 27526
Simons Says Dip This
Location: 117 W Parrish St, Durham, NC 27701
Sugar Koi
Location: 116 Kilmayne Dr, Cary, NC 27511
Sunni Sky’s Homemade Ice Cream
Location: 8617 NC-55, Angier, NC 27501
Wake Forest Dairy Depot
Location: 3433 Rogers Rd, Wake Forest, NC 27587
Two Roosters
Location: Multiple
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This story was originally published July 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM with the headline "Which ice cream shop is the best in the Triangle? Vote now in the final round."