As temperatures soar across the Magic City, one can't help but crave a scoop of ice cream. At this time of year more than ever, your neighborhood ice cream parlor becomes a sanctuary.
Lucky for us, Miami is one of the best cities for ice cream lovers in the country, boasting four scoop shops per square mile, according to Lawn Starter. And for those who prefer a denser version of the dessert, the Magic City also offers the most gelaterias, with one almost every square mile.
From crazy flavors and adults-only scoops to design-your-own ice cream cookie sandwiches and sundaes sprinkled with everything but the kitchen sink, here's an alphabetical list of the top ten shops where you can procure summer's most essential treat.
Aubi & Ramsa
172 NE 41st St., Miami305-946-9072
aubiramsa.comA wall of bottles glows behind a wooden bar at Aubi & Ramsa, but this is no ordinary watering hole. In the heart of Miami's Design District, you'll find your spirit choice as an icy scoop rather than a liquid pour. The shop, open to patrons age 21 and older, offers frozen treats fused with various spirits, from tequila and rosé to vodka, gin, and red wine. Try the mojito-inspired sorbet spiked with Zacapa 23, a key lime pie martini scoop with St. George Botanivore gin and flecks of graham cracker, or a serving of Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut in a mimosa-like take on tangerine sorbet.
Azucar Ice Cream Company
1503 SW Eighth St., Miami305-381-0369
azucaricecream.comWhen you're strolling along Calle Ocho in the afternoon, nothing satisfies like a scoop of something cold. So pop into Azucar Ice Cream Company, where you'll find flavors that could be dreamed up only in Miami. Located in the heart of Little Havana, this shop has long served frozen sweets with Cuban flair. Instead of downing scoops of French vanilla and bubblegum, you'll savor flavors such as café con leche, plátano maduro (sweet plantain), guarapiña (sugarcane and pineapple), and the "Abuela María" (vanilla ice cream with ripe guava, chunks of cream cheese, and crushed Maria cookies).
Bianco Gelato
9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour305-397-8243
instagram.com/biancogelatoOwned by husband-and-wife team Federico and Carla DiFranco, Bianco Gelato has grown into a successful chain of shops peddling gelato, the Italian take on ice cream that offers a maximum ten-percent fat content compared with the 30 percent or more in its more common dairy cousin. DiFranco, who hails from Milan, knows a thing or two about gelato: His family has been making the Italian version of America's favorite treat for years. At Bianco, the duo offers dozens of flavors that use all-natural and organic ingredients — from local fruits and pistachios from Sicily to hazelnuts from Alba and almonds from the Mediterranean. Try the pink salt caramel peanut butter, the Belgian chocolate, and the "Coconut Grove" (a triple-coconut experience made with fresh coconut).
Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream
multiple area locations, including:8271 SW 124th St., Miami
786-732-6988
chillnicecream.comThere's no better way to beat the Miami heat than with a scoop or two at Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream. With a plethora of outposts across South Florida — Aventura, Coconut Grove, Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Plantation, Pompano Beach, and South Miami — you're guaranteed to find Chill-N's trademark flash-frozen treat that's fresh, creamy, and entertaining. Best of all: It's totally customizable. Start with a base (cream, yogurt, tart yogurt, and dairy-free milk alternatives are available) before adding flavor (from classics like vanilla and chocolate to more offbeat ones like biscotti and matcha). From there, feel free to toss in the "Mix-N's" (fun bits like cookie dough and fresh berries for taste and texture). From there, the entire concoction is flash-frozen into solid scoops in a puff of vapor before your eyes. Our pick for "Best Ice Cream" in the 2023 edition of Best of Miami.
Cry Baby Creamery
17389 S. Dixie Hwy., Palmetto Bay305-741-2722
maxwellbros.beerIf croqueta-shaped ice cream rolls, popsicle beer floats, and ice cream sandwiches sound good enough to cry over, then you'll want to head to Cry Baby Creamery, located inside Maxwell Brothers Clothing Store in Palmetto Bay. Here, Lincoln's Beard Brewery owner John Falco is pursuing his latest venture, which takes the form of a menu that's heavy on small-batch artisan ice creams like the "Viva Pastelito" (mascarpone and cream cheese ice cream with swirls of guava marmalade and caramelized puff pastry) and "Bean to Cone" (a rich milk-chocolate ice cream accented with Miami-made Exquisito chocolate). Don't miss the novelty items and specials that rotate weekly or monthly. These have included Cry Baby's take on ice cream-stuffed tacos, pies, and sandwiches made with everything from a dense, house-baked pound cake to Fruity Pebbles blondies.
Dasher & Crank
2211 NW Second Ave., Miami305-213-1569
dasherandcrank.comDasher & Crank is a chef-driven craft ice cream shop that revolves around a rotating lineup of flavors, most of them unique concoctions you won't find anywhere else. Making everything in small batches means the menu is always changing — their first year of business saw more than 420 flavors — with new flavors debuting each week. These days, the most popular is a vegan offering called "Ube Macapuno," a coconut ice cream flavored with Filipino purple yams. You can pack whatever you choose into a pint, stacked on a cone, blended into a milkshake, or stuffed between cookies, brownies, or cupcakes for a create-your-own ice cream sandwich.
Frice Cream
8300 NE Second Ave., Miami305-901-0731
fricecream.miamiWhen chefs Jeremy and Alissa Frice moved to Miami, their dream was to open an ice cream shop that could pay homage to their combined experiences in the kitchen. Alissa spent her career focusing on the sweeter side of things while Jeremy cultivated his savory palate. Together they create amazing ice cream. At Frice Cream, each flavor begins with a rich French custard base the couple flavors with a bounty of fresh, local ingredients. The best part: Everything is made in small batches, from the cones, sauces, and toppings featuring local fruits to the baked goods and candies used to top and flavor the ice cream. You can taste the love that goes into each offering, from the satiny-smooth caramel and rich chocolate sauces to the fresh whipped cream, candied nuts and brittles, caramelized fruits, and candies. Find Frice on the menu at dozens of Miami restaurants or head to the Citadel in Little River, where flavors are forever changing.
The Frieze Ice Cream Factory
1626 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach305-538-0207
thefrieze.com
The Frieze has been a South Beach staple for 30 years, whipping up homemade and uniquely named flavors such as "Sassy Strawberry" and "Get Down Boogie-Oogie Cookie," not to mention rich-tasting sorbets. Speaking of which, the dozen or so sorbet flavors, made with tempting fruits like watermelon and passionfruit, are refreshing but not too watery, tart but not too tangy. If you’re feeling fancy, ask for the crowd favorite: champagne sorbet.
Sweet Melody Crafted Ice Cream
15224 SW 72nd St., Miamiand
3814 SW Eighth St., Coral Gables
305-280-2505
sweetmelodyicecream.comYears after its debut, "Let It Brie" remains one of Sweet Melody's singular treats: an ice cream made with baked Brie mixed with a touch of salt, loads of apricot jam, and toasted almonds. But it's just one of the many creamy creations concocted by chef/owner Mike Romeu, who began his ice cream venture in 2016, inspired by his daughter, Melody, for whom the shop is named. What began as a home-based operation using an ice-cream maker from BrandsMart to churn out the "Sunday Morning Hangover" — a bourbon ice cream containing candied bacon, peach, and bits of biscuits — has since grown into a successful ventanita in Kendall and a location in Coral Gables where Romeu peddles an ever-rotating selection of more than 100 recipes.
"V" is for vegan: V Gelato in Wynwood has your dairy-free cure for the summertime blues.
Photo by Nicole Danna
V Gelato
317 NW 25th St., Miami786-452-1080
vgelatomiami.com V Gelato chef-owner Eric Dorval makes the best vegan gelato in Miami. The chef started making gelato in 2014 in his home country of Canada after graduating from the Institut de Tourisme et d'Hôtellerie du Québec with a professional pastry degree, later furthering his skills at Carpigiani Gelato University, a school outside Bologna, Italy, dedicated to the art of frozen dessert making. Today, ice cream lovers won't know the difference between this vegan delicacy and the real deal after a stop at his Wynwood gelateria, where top-notch equipment and a coconut- and oat milk-based recipe delivers spreadable, dense, and silky desserts. The rotating selection of Dorval's flavors includes signatures like his dulce de coconut leche and a seemingly never-ending list of creative, experimental flavors.
