Ben & Jerry’s Is Iconic But These 8 Ice Cream Shops Are Better

When you’re in the mood for a tasty frozen treat, ice cream is the way to go. Ben & Jerry’s is an iconic ice cream shop that’s beloved by many. They do have some tasty ice cream flavors, but many other ice cream shops offer a different experience if you’re looking to mix it up.

This Sunday, July 20, 2025, is National Ice Cream Day – so if you're looking for an excuse to try something new, this is your chance. National Ice Cream Day is always the third Sunday in July and was initially established by President Ronald Regan in 1984. If you're looking for a way to celebrate, try a new ice cream shop or a new ice cream flavor with your friends and family this weekend.

There’s never a bad time to stop for an ice cream, no matter what type of flavor you prefer. If you’re looking for a new ice cream shop to visit, check out these ice cream shops that we prefer to Ben & Jerry's.

When you’re looking for a local ice cream shop to visit, Baskin-Robbins is a classic choice. There are over 7,000 Baskin-Robbins locations nationwide, with some of the locations located within Dunkin’ Donuts cafes. Baskin-Robbins offers delicious ice cream, drinks, sundaes, and other frozen treats.

Baskin-Robbins has plenty of tasty flavors to choose from when you go in for a scoop. Some of the most popular flavors are Cinnamon Roll, Non-Dairy Cookies ‘n Crème, Chocolate Almond, and TWIX® Caramel Crunch.

Carvel is often known for their ice cream cakes, but it also has ice cream shops all over. They offer both an assortment of soft serve and scooped ice cream flavors you can enjoy in a cup or cone. Carvel also has many take-home treats, like their delicious ice cream sandwiches.

If you stop by a Carvel location, it’s worth trying one of their unique soft-serve flavors in a cone. With seasonal flavors like Peppermint Hot Chocolate and dairy-free flavors like their Oatly Soft Serve, you can’t go wrong no matter what you choose.

Dippin’ Dots is the perfect choice for ice cream when you’re looking for something a little different. Unlike most ice cream shops, Dippin’ Dots offers a unique product with its flash-frozen treats.

When choosing your treat at Dippin’ Dots, there are plenty of flavors to choose from. Some of the classic Dippin’ Dots flavors include Banana Split, Cookies ‘N Cream, and Rainbow Ice. They also offer different seasonal flavors throughout the year, such as Spookies ‘N Cream and Candy Cane.

Salt & Straw is a relatively new ice cream shop, but it has made a big impact already. The first Salt & Straw ice cream shop opened in 2011, and now there are nearly 50 scoop shops across the country. Unlike many other ice cream shops, Salt & Straw offers delicious ice cream for those with alternative diets, such as their dairy-free series.

Salt & Straw focuses on making delicious ice cream with simple and interesting ingredients. Some of their best-selling flavors include Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Chocolate Gooey Brownie, Salted, Malted, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Freckled Mint Chocolate Chip.

Häagen-Dazs is one of the best ice cream shops out there with the creamiest ice cream. Even though Häagen-Dazs is typically more expensive than other shops, it’s worth the splurge. You can purchase Häagen-Dazs in nearly any grocery store, but there are also many brick-and-mortar shops nationwide.

It can be difficult to choose which ice cream flavor to order from Häagen-Dazs because they’re all so delicious. Some of the best Häagen-Dazs flavors include Strawberry, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and Caramel Cone. They also offer some of the best milkshakes out of any ice cream shop.

Stopping for ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery is an experience in itself. One of the best parts of visiting this creamery is how they make your order in front of you, chopping and folding in all the mix-ins to create a signature ice cream treat.

While Cold Stone does have sundaes and shakes like many other ice cream shops, they’re famous for their Signature Creations. You don’t want to miss creations such as Falling in Chocolate or Apple Pie A La Cold Stone. If you have a specific flavor in mind, you can also create your own with your choice of ice cream and mix-ins.

If you love the experience of visiting a Cold Stone Creamery, you’ll love Marble Slab Creamery as well. Marble Slab was actually the first chain to use a marble slab to mix ice cream creations, even though Cold Stone is more well-known.

Marble Slab Creamery serves homemade ice cream made in small batches. You can order one of their ice cream cups or create your own treat. Some of their tasty creations include the Chocolate Caramel Butter Pecan and the Cookie Dough Surprise.

Jeni’s is an ice cream brand unlike any other. They offer a wide variety of unique ice cream flavors that are made with Fair Trade ingredients and milk from small dairy farms. Although you can purchase Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in many grocery stores and even have it shipped to you, there are also over 80 scoop shops in the US.

Jeni’s offers a variety of fun flavors such as Gooey Butter Cake, High Five Candy Bar, and Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flecks. If you’re a fan of unique and fruity flavors, you can’t try Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream without testing out their iconic Brambleberry Crisp flavor.