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Friday, July 17, 2020

Best Ice Cream Shops in Denver

National Ice Cream Day is this Sunday so I thought I'd share some of my favorite ice cream shops around the Denver area. Did I miss one of your favorites? Or did I list one? Let me know below — xoxo darling, Hayden.

Ba-Nom-a-Nom

This food truck roves around Denver's events and they make ice cream out of fruit...that's it. There's no dairy, which is insane because Ba-Nom-a-Nom is some of the creamiest ice cream I've ever had. Get the classic banana with chocolate and you will not regret it. The chocolate with sprinkles is also a whole new kind of awesome. 
Cornicello is a great post-meal treat in the Milk Market. I recommend the birthday cake flavor as it doesn't have that fake, sickly sweet flavoring that some cake batter ice creams have. To be honest, it reminded me of the Romeo and Juliet flavor of gelato Barnes & Noble used to have...anyone else remember a B&N Cafe before Starbucks took over?

Dang

This softserve place comes from the people behind Little Man Ice Cream and it's delightful. Located in Park Hill — my second favorite neighborhood in Denver — it serves up different flavors of softserve with tons of toppings. I had the vegan peppermint in a cone with oreos and pretzel sticks and was incredibly happy. 
In North Cap Hill, Frozen Matter is a delightful treat (there's even a speakeasy through the back freezer). The staff are incredibly nice, and they do some fun concoctions. I highly recommend the marshmallow cloud topping...because it is a cloud of marshmallow and that is wondrous.
One of my favorite spots in Aurora is Happy Tea. Their bubble waffle sundaes are a delight with fresh fruits and plenty of sprinkles. 

High Point Creamery

This is a very famous Denver spot as they do the ice cream flight; meaning five flavors of ice cream, one of their sauces and a few waffle cone chips. It's a great way to find out what your favorite HPC flavor is. I think salted caramel is my favorite.
Ice Cream Riot has crazy flavors, cereal milk anyone?, but my favorite thing is the Pop-Tart ice cream sandwich. Let me say, I don't even like Pop-Tarts...in fact, I kind of hate them. But there is something about the texture of soft ice cream and a crunchy Pop-Tart that just goes well together. I loved it. 

Inside Scoop Creamery

There are two locations of this old school ice cream shop, but I like the one in Littleton. Located just off the main drag, they have a bunch of flavors and it's near some mural art that makes for a great background if you want to snap a photo of your cone before diving in. 
Probably the most iconic ice cream spot in Denver, Little Man is in a literal milk can. Like a giant one. It's right in front of Linger in the Lower Highlands neighborhood (right across from downtown). Their salted oreo is something of dreams.
This is that classic small-town ice cream parlor you grew up going to. Brightly colored walls, what seems like miles of buckets of ice cream and plenty of cone options. Since we've been in quarantine I go get a few quarts of their Elk Tracks flavor at least once a month. 
While we might not consider shaved ice ice cream...I'm going to include it. I've never had something so soft, light and refreshing in my life. Under all of that delicious strawberry sauce is a mound of this shaved ice that is like nothing you've ever tried. I think this place is a must-try if you've never had it before.

Melted

A new pop-up in the Source foodhall, Melted does some strange flavors of softserve in pretty cones as well as thai buns. I still don't know how I feel about it but the pink tiles and the added bonus of it being in the Source make it an easy choice.
A fast-casual Denver chain, Mici, has good food but even better gelato.

Milkbox Creamery

Located inside Union Station, Milkbox dishes up Little Man Ice Cream in a subway tile setting. I had the creamsicle (it was summer) and sat out in the station with a book. So good.

Nella's Frozen Yogurt

Like all of the chains but with a local feel, Nella's is a classic froyo shop. They have tons of flavor options and of course, all the toppings. It brings that nostalgic feeling of getting froyo after a high school football game with my girlfriends. 
Home of Taco Tuesday — that's right the ice cream taco — Nugg's is a classic ice cream spot on East Colfax. I 10/10 recommend the taco because it isn't over the top. They only put one scoop, so it's a nice treat without being over-the-top. Also, Caroline's Birthday Cake is a great flavor!
Located in Belmar, Paciugo is a hidden gem. It has really good coffee and even better gelato. Plus, the staff is super nice. It's the perfect place to pop into for a shopping break.

Snowl

I think Snowl was designed with social media in mind because it seems like every corner has a staple of the perfect aesthetic restaurant. This was also the first place (and only) I have had Taiyaki — those adorable fish shaped cones. I had it filled with red bean paste, taro and covered in fruity pebbles. The cone was so good because it wasn't overly sweet.

Ahhh, the classic Instagram friendly ice cream spot the bestie and I love so much. Sweet Cooies kind of feels like you've stepped onto the set of Mad Men with mod furniture, turquoise walls and lots of gold accents. But holy moly, the Gooey Cooie. Basically, a warm brioche bun is stuffed with ice cream of your choosing, drizzled with royal icing and covered in toppings of your choosing. It is gooey and delicious and everything you could ever want. It is owned by Little Man Ice Cream so if you like that, you'll love this.
Every location of this local chain has done me well. Truly, every flavor I've tried and every form of ice cream to come out of their kitchen has made my day. The York Patty and Hammonds Peppermint Bark are my favorites but there are tons of other amazing options. If you like salty with your sweet, try the pretzel cone. 
Looking for Dole Whip in Denver? Look no further! Sweet Sweetz is just north of downtown in a historic neighborhood. The staff is incredibly nice and their softserve pulls are generous. 

Wonder Tea

I love Thai-rolled ice cream. This particular spot is in a grocery store. Wonder is another Instagram place, there is a cute green wall with twinkle lights and a golden sign. I had the mango ice cream, which was so light and airy that I wanted to go back for more. The people running the shop are so sweet and gave me suggestions on what to top it with — overall a fantastic experience.

Zero Degrees

Yes, this is a chain but it's so unique I wanted to include it. I have never had Ube in my life but when I saw a photo of that beautiful lavender milkshake I knew I had to get my hands on it. The place gets packed but you can always find a parking spot and the line moves quickly. Most people, myself included, were getting items to go. The milkshake was so unique and I love how they embrace the over-the-top-ness with the toppings. 

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