8 Of The Best Ice Cream Shops In Richmond, VA
Ah, summer. A time filled not just with BBQs, vacations, swimming, and festivals, but also with sunshine, heat, and humidity. It’s also the time of year in which ice cream in copious amounts is widely accepted (to be honest, we think ice cream should be acceptable any time of year, but we can talk about that in the winter). So, where to find that cool, tasty treat? At one of our favorite Richmond scoop shops, of course!
Bev’s Homemade
Through the efforts of Bev Mazursky, this Carytown staple has been serving up some of the best homemade ice cream since 1998. Choose from everyday flavors (Espresso Oreo is a favorite) or the rotating selection of special flavors, which always includes at least one sorbet, one sherbet, and one sugar-free option. Whichever you choose, be sure to top it with Bev’s homemade hot fudge!
All of our Carytown Food Tours include a stop Bev’s Homemade! Check them out every Saturday at 2:30 PM.
Charm School Study Hall
Charm School Study Hall, a soft serve walk-up window in Forest Hill, is notable for its pastel color scheme, unique flavors, and vegan-friendly options. All of Charm School’s dairy is from a local Virginia dairy farm, and the majority of toppings and ice cream inclusions are also made in house.
DeLuca Gelato
DeLuca Gelato specializes in true, Italian gelato, and they make it like nowhere else in Richmond. From start to finish (including pasteurizing their own gelato mix), everything is made in-house. When you visit, you’ll find up to 36 flavors on offer from among their 55+ rotating flavors, including sugar-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free options. Banana Nutella is our favorite!
Gelati Celesti
Gelati Celesti began as a family business in 1984, and has grown to include eight RVA-based scoop shops and a scoop truck for festivals and events. Serving up thick, creamy ice cream scooped into baked-in-house waffle cones, the Edmonds family has been synonymous with the Richmond ice cream scene for three decades. Stop by any of their locations to try one of the 24 house favorites and 85 rotating flavors!
Gelati Celesti is a fan favorite on our Scott’s Addition Booze & Bites Tour, offered every Friday at 2 PM.
King of Pops
Ok, King of Pops doesn’t serve ice cream. But they do serve cold, tasty, refreshing treats, so their inclusion in this list is well-deserved. King of Pops RVA sells fresh-fruit ice pops in the iconic cart around town and at festivals. We counted more than 100 different flavors on the list to keep you coming back, from Watermelon Mojito to Fresh Peach to Strawberry Lemonade, though our favorite is Chocolate Sea Salt.
Ruby Scoops Ice Cream & Sweets
While Ruby Scoops is relatively new to the RVA ice cream scene, there is nothing amateur about these flavor profiles! Rabia Kamara opened the doors to North Side’s Ruby Scoops in late November 2020. The scoop shop sells ice cream, sorbet, and sherbet with flavor combinations like Roasted Pineapple Rosemary, Guava Daiquiri, Strawberry Sweet Red Bean, and of course all the classics perfect for a hot summer day (or any day, for that matter)!
SCOOP
SCOOP, appropriately located on Strawberry St. in the Fan, comes from the owner of the popular WHISK bakery in Shockoe Bottom. This shop has some unique flavors on its signature menu, such as Brown Sugar Cookie Dough and the can’t-miss Croissants & Jam. We highly recommend ordering your ice cream sandwiched between a chocolate chip cookie or one of WHISK’s signature macarons!
Spotty Dog Ice Cream Co.
This delicious pop-up is constantly on the move, but don’t worry, Spotty Dog keeps us well informed on its Instagram so we can enjoy that New England-style ice cream on the regular! Based in Church Hill, Spotty Dog bills themselves as an Ice Cream Test Kitchen, making all the classics and of course testing out some uniquely awesome combinations, like Banana Puddin’, July Berry Pie, and our personal favorite, Key Lime Pie!
We’re so excited to have Spotty Dog Ice Cream Co. as a stop on our Church Hill Food Tour, offered Fridays at 3 PM, and both Saturdays and Sundays at 11 AM and 2 PM.
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