This article shares the best ice cream shops in Asheville, from gelato and coconut-based ice cream to a cup of dirt with Oreos and gummy worms.
As a popular summer destination, Asheville has no shortage of ice cream shops offering sweet treats to keep you cool. Whether you’re looking for a decadent sprinkle cone, authentic gelato, or an ice cream cookie sandwich, you’ll find it in our guide to the best ice cream in Asheville.
For other sweet treats, check out the When In Asheville guides to bakeries, donuts and vegan desserts.
Map Of Ice Cream SHops In Asheville
Asheville’s Best Ice Cream Shops
Below you’ll find our top picks for where to get ice cream in Asheville. Make sure to check out our web story on the best ice cream shops for a quick glance at a few of our favorites.
The Hop
West Asheville (2), Downtown AVL, North AVL, Black Mountain
Classic ice cream shop with dairy and vegan ice cream.
A local favorite since 1978, The Hop has become synonymous with handcrafted ice cream in Asheville. They have 5 locations in the area, including one in the S&W Market food hall.
The Hop offers a range of unique and seasonal ice cream flavors that can be ordered in cups, cones, milkshakes or sundaes. You can also purchase pints and quarts to take home.
They have several dairy-free ice cream flavors. Be sure to try their Cookie Party flavor filled with cookie dough and chocolate chip and funfetti cookie bits.
Ice cream cookie sandwiches in downtown Asheville
From its humble beginning as an ice cream sandwich push cart, Sunshine Sammies is one of Asheville’s best ice cream destinations.
Their ice cream sandwiches are served on your choice of freshly baked cookie. They also have ice cream by the scoop with toppings, milkshakes and floats.
Sunshine Sammies has a vegan ice cream sandwich option with vegan vanilla coconut milk ice cream + vegan chocolate chip cookies.
Keep an eye out to see where their food truck is located for the summer season!
Delicious frozen custard with all the toppings you can imagine!
If you are looking for a creamy frozen custard head to Whit’s. They serve classic flavors like vanilla and chocolate, alongside a rotating daily flavor. They also offer vegan-friendly ice cream.
Whit’s has an excellent selection of toppings, ranging from sauces and fruit to candies and nuts. They’ll even blend your toppings into your frozen custard in their specialty Whitster.
You can order your ice cream by the scoop in a cup or cone or have one of their specialty desserts like a banana split, brownie blitz or strawberry shortcake.
Kids especially love ordering Whit’s classic cup of dirt with vanilla custard, Oreo crumbles and gummy worms!
A local chocolatier with a great selection of ice cream
While French Broad Chocolates is known for its world-class chocolates, they also take their ice cream seriously.
French Broad Chocolate’s ice cream is made in-house with fresh milk and eggs from local farms. You’ll find flavors from salted caramel to golden milk, classic chocolate and milk & cookies. They also offer vegan ice cream options.
The atmosphere at French Broad Chocolate Lounge is comfortable and relaxed. You can snag a spot on a couch or sit at a table. It’s also in a great location to explore downtown Asheville with an ice cream cone or milkshake in hand.
Dairy brain West Asheville with a takeout window
The Freeze of Asheville AKA Tastee Freez is a classic take-out dairy bar located on Patton Road in West Asheville.
The Freeze offers soft serve as well as traditional ice cream with an amazing range of options. You can order specialty ice cream desserts, dipped cones, milkshakes, freezies, ice cream floats and more.
Sit outside and enjoy your frozen treats or grab your ice cream from the drive-through window.
Handmade ice cream from local ingredients
Indulge in fresh, locally made ice cream in Asheville at Ultimate Ice Cream! They have two convenient locations: Charlotte Street in North Asheville and Tunnel Road on the east side of town.
Beyond the classic favorites, Ultimate whips up unique creations like goat cheese bing cherry and blue cheese caramel swirl. They even offer occasional boozy flavors
Italian-style gelato inside outdoor outfitter
Located inside Second Gear Outfitters, Sugar and Snow Gelato prides itself on clean ingredients (no food dyes!) and delicious products.
Apart from standard gelato, Sugar and Snow also offers some non-dairy + vegan sorbet flavors.
They also have a cafe menu, so it’s a great spot to grab lunch before indulging in delicious gelato.
Sugar and Snow is located just across Riverside Drive from the French Broad River Greenway.
Ice cream flight in South Asheville
Annie B’s is not just a great ice cream shop, but it’s also a great family-run business with a focus on hiring people with special needs.
Howdy’s ice cream is made in-house with 16 flavors, 2 of which are rotating specials. If you have trouble deciding what to get, try their ice cream flight. It comes with four 2-ounce servings of your choice.
You can order your ice cream in a cup, cone, sundae, ice cream sandwich or milkshake. They also have plenty of fun toppings.
Italian style gelato in downtown Asheville
You’ll find authentic Italian gelato and handcrafted truffles at Asheville Chocolate. The gelatos and sorbettos are all made in-house in the traditional Italian style.
They have a rotating gelato menu featuring classic Italian flavors and unique creations of their own. They also have a few vegan gelato options available.
Asheville Chocolate is the perfect spot to stop in for a rest while wandering around downtown. One thing to note is that they do not have ice cream cones– just cups!
Fun ice cream flavors and bubble waffles
The Dolly Llama is a fun and funky ice cream shop located in Biltmore Park Town Square. They pair excellent ice cream with waffles.
With 14 ice cream flavors on the menu ranging from horchata to ultimate cookie monster, there’s something for everyone. You can order by the scoop, in a milkshake or even combine your ice cream with a fresh Belgian or bubble waffle.
Dolly LLama has vegan ice cream and vegan waffles available.
Kilwins
Handmade waffle cones & 30+ flavors of ice cream
Kilwins offers over 30 flavors of ice cream and sorbetto along with fudge and chocolate.
You’ll find ice cream by the scoop in handmade waffle cones or cups, sundaes, shakes, malts and floats.
Try the chocolate peanut butter ice cream or cappuccino chocolate chip ice cream. Kids love the cake batter and Superman (rainbow swirl) flavors!
The Soda Fountain
Old-fashioned soda fountain in downtown Asheville
If you’re looking for an old-timey ice cream experience, look no further than The Soda Fountain at Woolworth Walk.
This 50s-style old-fashioned soda fountain was reconstructed in 2001 to resemble the historic Woolworth Luncheonette.
Along with sandwiches, sides, soups and salads, The Soda Fountain has a full range of ice cream flavors that can be ordered by the scoop, in a banana split, sundae, shake, malt, float and of course an old old-fashioned ice cream soda.
Self-serve frozen yogurt in Biltmore Park Town Square
The Sweet Escape is a local frozen yogurt shop in Biltmore Park. Choose from 15 rotating flavors and then add your toppings. There are over 60 toppings!
You pay by weight at the Sweet Escape. They offer house-made flavors as well as flavors from Honey Hill Farms.
And if you’re looking for some nostalgia, they offer Dippin’ Dots.
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice
Soft-serve ice cream and Italian ice with some epic flavor combos
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice in North Asheville has 24 flavors of Italian ice, as well as chocolate and vanilla soft-serve ice cream.
Order a Gelati with layers of Italian ice and soft ice cream. Or get one of their specialty gelatis, like peanut butter cup or strawberry shortcake.
Walk-up and drive-through services are available and they have some outdoor seating.
Hilltop Ice Cream Shop
Fairview’s neighborhood ice cream shop
If you’re looking for ice cream in the Fairview, NC area, look no further than Hilltop Ice Cream Shop. They’re next door to Whistle Hop Brewery, one of Asheville’s most kid-friendly breweries.
Hilltop offers homemade ice cream in 30 flavors, including some vegan and sugar-free options.
You can order your ice cream by the scoop in a cup or hand-rolled waffle cone, or if you prefer, order a milkshake, malt or sundae.
Appalachcream
‘American Gelato’ inspired by Italian and Mexican roots
Appalachcream is an ice cream shop inside Asheville’s Grove Arcade. They make their gelato with recipes inspired by Italian and Mexican heritage.
Gelato flavors range from dark chocolate habanero and bourbon vanilla to lime and cream cheese berries.
Appalachcream offers traditional dairy as well as dairy-free options. All recipes are egg-free.
Rita’s
Italian Ice and frozen custard in West Asheville
Rita’s Italian ice is the perfect spot for Italian ice in West Asheville. It’s made daily with fresh fruit and includes flavors ranging from blueberry lemonade to chocolate peanut butter.
Flavors change daily but you can always expect something delicious.
Not only is their Italian ice great, but we also love their custard. Get both Italian ice and custard layered in a delicious gelati.
