The weather is warming up which means we all deserve a cold, sweet treat. There’s something magical about grabbing an ice cream cone and strolling through the city on a hot summer day. Luckily, there’s no shortage of scoop shops in the Mile High City.
Whether you’re searching for some vegan vanilla, a loaded ice cream sandwich, or a banana split with endless toppings, we’ve got you covered. From classic parlors to innovative creameries, we’ve compiled a list of 15 of the best ice cream shops around Denver to enjoy this sunny season.
Gelato Boy
This Colorado-based gelato shop was co-founded by Bryce Licht, a native Coloradan, and Giulia De Meo, who hails from Venice, Italy. The gelateria’s luxurious, velvety offerings use all-natural ingredients and local dairy to produce a wide array of flavors like Sicilian Pistachio, Coffee Chip, Scracciatella, Blueberry Crumble Pie, and Gooey Buttercake + Caramel. They also offer dairy-free and vegan options, so there’s something for everyone.
Gelato Boy has expanded its presence with multiple scoop shops across Colorado, and also sells its pints in grocery stores nationwide. Various locations, gelatoboy.com
Sweet Action Ice Cream
Over the years Sweet Action Ice Cream has gone through some changes since opening in 2009, but with the purchase of the company by Gerry Kim and Josh Gertzen, who ran a niche ice cream shop called Frozen Matter. Frozen Matter is now the Sweet Action in Uptown, but all four locations focus on self-pasteurization of their cream and a specialized ice cream base. Bonus, wind power makes it all happen.
Each ice cream is fresh and rotating and seasonal flavors include options such as Blood Orange Sorbet, Colorado White Russian, Salted Butterscotch, and Thai Iced Tea, to name a few. There’s also a line of vegan ice creams including Caramel Carrot Cake, Coffee + Donuts, and Raspberry Brownie. Look out for Sweet Action at restaurants and grocery stores too. Multiple locations, sweetaction.com
Liks Ice Cream
Liks is the perfect stop on the way to Cheeseman Park, which is just a block away from this neighborhood creamery. Serving the Capitol Hill community since 1976, this family-owned spot features small batches of handmade ice cream with over 30 flavors to choose from. Classics like Chocolate Chip, Cookie Dough, and Rocky Road are served alongside creative concoctions like Green Nerds, Wild Raspberry Cheesecake, and Texas Turtle.
On a sunny day, its sprawling patio makes for a great place to enjoy a frosty treat with friends or family. Customers can also pick up pints of the handmade ice cream from the freezer to take home. 2039 E. 13th Ave., Denver and 10903 US Hwy. 285 E-101, Conifer, liksicecream.com
Little Man Ice Cream
If you’re willing to wait in line, which often wraps around the block, Little Man serves up some of the best ice cream in town. Since debuting in 2008, it has been a staple in the Highland neighborhood thanks to its iconic design housed inside a giant 28-foot milk can. Founder Paul Tamburello and his team have created thousands of flavors over the years, with fan favorites like Salted Oreo Cookie and Space Junkie (black raspberry ice cream, with brownies and a marshmallow swirl). The scoop shop also features a variety of sorbets and proudly touts its vegan options like the Lemon Lavender Poppy Seed sorbet.
Now, Little Man has 10 open locations throughout the Front Range, and an 11th coming soon to Cherry Creek. While similar, each outpost has its own exclusive flavors. For example, the Boilermaker, made with whiskey caramel ice cream and local Fat Tire ale out of the Old Town Churn in Fort Collins. Various locations, littlemanicecream.com
Inside Scoop Creamery
Located a few blocks away from Little Man’s milk can location, this quaint parlor off Platte Street serves 20 homemade flavors daily, including gluten-free and dairy-free options. It’s typically fairly empty compared to Little Man, even though the ice cream is just as good, which is great news if you’re trying to skip the line.
Try the Minnesota Salted Toffee, a nod to owners Andrew Myhre and Steve Longman’s home state. Or, go for the honey lavender ice cream for a perfect summer treat. Better yet, try both at the same time. Take your scoop outside and post up on the patio for some prime Platte Street people watching. There is also a second outpost in Littleton, which also makes all its products fresh. 1535 Platte St., Denver and 5654 S. Prince St., Littleton, insidescoopdenver.com and insidescooplittleton.com
Sadboy Creamery
Sadboy Creamery’s Instagram is filled to the brim with mouthwatering pints of small batch creations that change weekly. Owner Michael Kimball uses a combination of techniques from gelato to custard to ice cream-making, all slow-churned in a gelato machine from Italy, making for a delectably rich end product. New flavors drop every Monday, and customers can preorder a pint, which can be picked up from Sadboy HQ on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Fridays from noon to 1:30 p.m., or Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
With an emphasis on nostalgia, recent drops have included Moody Pebbles (fruity pebbles cereal milk with strawberries and marshmallow cereal treats), Black Bottom Banana Bread (banana ice cream base topped with banana bread blondies and bittersweet fudgy brownies), and Cookie Circus (vanilla ice cream infused with circus animal cookies and pink frosting). 1280 Sherman St., Unit #200, Denver, sadboycreamery.com
MyKing’s Ice Cream
MyKing’s Ice Cream, named after owner Le’Day Grant’s son, is a black-owned scoop shop with a sugar-loaded menu that goes well beyond the average ice cream store. There are 12 rotating ice cream flavors at any given time like Golden Oreo, Superman, and Blue Moon. But customers can also indulge in the shop’s creative shakes like the Park Hill Banana Pudding Shake and the Castle Rock Circus Cookie Shake, as well as its signature Cereal Shakes that blend classic cereals with ice cream.
Make sure to try the Denver Dessert Nachos, made with your choice of waffle pieces, Nilla wafers, or Fruity Pebble chips; ice cream, and toppings. Or, go for the innovative Mile High Floats, sno cones, and City Sammie Slaps, which are ice cream sandwiches made with everything from Pop-Tarts to doughnuts. 2851 Colorado Blvd., Denver, mykingsicecream.com
Golden Sweets
As the name suggests, this kid-friendly confectionary is located in historic downtown Golden. The old school soda fountain is a throwback to days of yore with more than 40 ice cream flavors, ranging from 7-Layer Coconut to Jack Daniels Chocolate Chip, served alongside a large selection of gourmet chocolates and desserts.
Nostalgic candies like Swedish Fish, Razzles, AirHeads, and bubblegum line the shelves, as well as souvenirs and gifts. Customers can also grab shakes, floats, malts, sundaes, banana splits, cakes, brownies, cookies, and pies, which can be made a la mode, of course. 1299 Washington Ave, #100, Golden, golden-sweets.com
Bonnie Brae Ice Cream
Can you even make a Denver ice cream list without including Bonnie Brae? This beloved institution nestled in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood has been serving the Mile High City since 1986. The family-run joint boasts a nostalgic ambiance with bright whites, cherry-red accents, red vinyl seats, and handwritten menus. Guests can enjoy treats inside, or on the charming patio.
All of the award-winning ice cream is crafted in-house, with over 120 flavors developed over the years, including signature offerings like Triple Death Chocolate, Amaretto Peach, Snickers Delight, and Cappuccino Crunch. The shop also offers custom cakes, pies, and ice cream sandwiches, all made on-site. 799 S. University Blvd., Denver, bonniebraeicecream.com
High Point Creamery
High Point Creamery was first founded in 2013 by Erika Thomas and Chad Stutz. The couple’s journey into the ice cream business began with Erika’s passion for creating unique ice cream flavors and Chad’s enthusiasm for tasting them. Today, that passion has grown into four brick-and-mortar storefronts that feature a rotating menu of classic and unexpected flavors, like Earl Grey & Shortbread, Tin Cup Whiskey with Pistachio Brittle, and Basil with Blackberry Swirl.
Can’t decide which flavor you want? Try an ice cream flight, which allows customers to sample multiple flavors in one visit. For those looking to enjoy High Point’s ice creams at home, consider joining its Pint Club subscription service. Various locations, highpointcreamery.com
Nuggs Ice Cream
Nuggs Ice Cream has been delighting the Park Hill community since 2014, when brothers Chris and Nick O’Sullivan, also known for Brothers BBQ, decided to start selling handcrafted ice cream. The family-friendly confectionery offers a diverse array of flavors, from classics like Olde English Vanilla and Mint Chocolate Chip to inventive creations such as Pablo’s Danger Monkey Coffee, made from a local coffee shop, and the red velvet ice cream Love Potion that gets released every February.
Beyond scoops, Nuggs offers indulgent sundaes, banana splits with unlimited toppings, ice cream waffle tacos and sandwiches, milkshakes, malts, root beer floats, and custom ice cream cakes layered with fudge and crushed Oreos. 5135 Colfax Ave., Denver, nuggsicecream.com
Heaven Creamery
This artisan ice cream parlor was founded in 2020 by Martha Trillo, who is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico and trained in pastry and gelato in Italy. The creamery has locations across the Front Range and prides itself on using only natural ingredients, avoiding refined white sugar, artificial flavors, colors, and additives. With over 500 flavors of ice cream, gelato, vegan gelato, and sorbet in rotation, Heaven’s diverse selection includes unique offerings like activated charcoal, avocado-kale-banana-spirulina, rose petal with pistachio sauce, and its signature Heaven ice cream featuring vanilla with butterfly pea flower.
In addition to the cold confections, the cafe also has a full coffee menu and features a daily BOGO coffee happy hour deal, excluding affogatos. Various locations, heavencreamery.com
Right Cream
Right Cream initially started as a home-based venture during the pandemic, when co-owner David Right began crafting small batches of ice cream and taking orders via Instagram. His inventive flavors quickly garnered a loyal following, leading to the opening of Right Cream’s brick-and-mortar location in the Rosedale neighborhood.
The shop’s constantly evolving menu introduces creative new flavors and offerings weekly like Double Berry French Toast, Fruit Loops, and Ube ice cream. It also has ice cream sandwiches, in innovative combos such as the Super Ripe Banana Ice Cream topped with a caramel layer, smooshed between two nilla wafer crusts. Or, try the mint chocolate chip ice cream with a thick layer of fudge between two dark chocolate brownies.
The shop also features smash burgers Wednesday through Friday, and breakfast sandwiches on weekends. 2423 S. Downing St., Denver, rightcream.com
Sweet Cow
Sweet Cow has expanded to multiple locations across the Front Range since Drew Honness started the company in 2010. Each outpost has a nostalgic charm with a modern twist, reminiscent of a 1950s soda fountain. The creamery prides itself on using locally-sourced, all-natural ingredients to make its rotating selection of 24 flavors.
There are signature favorites like the Super Delicious Vanilla and Ozo Coffee, made with espresso from Boulder’s Ozo Coffee Company. As well as creative offerings like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Bananapango Sorbet, and Vegan Maple Walnut. Plus, don’t forget the sundaes, shakes, floats, and ice cream sammies made with freshly baked cookies and your choice of ice cream. Various locations; sweetcow.com
Colfax and Cream
The graffiti-clad Colfax and Cream was founded by Tullie and Senait Bailey in May 2024, all with the intention of creating a welcoming, alcohol-free gathering spot infused with skate culture and artistic flair. The menu offers an array of treats, including ice cream sourced from High Point Creamery. For those seeking a caffeine boost, the cafe serves espresso drinks like lattes alongside the signature Colfax Refreshers, which are handmade energy drinks in varieties like Strawberry Mango Splash and The Reaper, a tangy blue raspberry and zesty citrus.
Beyond desserts and drinks, Colfax and Cream features Venezuelan pastries and Ethiopian-style breakfast burritos, plus a curated selection of merch. 1100 N. Broadway, Denver and 712 1/2 S. Pearl St., Denver, colfaxandcream.com
Magill’s World of Ice Cream
Magill’s World of Ice Cream has been a beloved fixture in Lakewood since its founding in 1981 by Bob and Margaret Magill. The couple operated the family-friendly joint for 17 years before passing it on to new ownership. Today, the nostalgic creamery is owned by Tom Kinney, who originally started as an employee at the scoop shop.
Magill’s features a rotating selection of 48 homemade flavors, crafted in small batches daily, show up in ice cream cakes, sandwiches, and sundaes. Options include whimsically-named treats such as Sleepless in Seattle Coffee, Mango Cream, Root Beer Swirl, Elk Tracks, and more. The shop’s welcoming atmosphere, complete with several booths and outdoor benches, makes it the perfect place to bring the whole family. 8016 W. Jewell Ave., Lakewood, magillsicecream.com
