If you need to beat the legendary heat in Austin, there’s only one thing to do: Hit up one of the city’s many ice cream shops! In a place that’s well known for its toasty temperatures, is it any wonder there are tons of local spots here that serve up flavorful gelato, delectable ice cream sundaes, fresh fruit sorbet, and more? When it comes to summertime in Austin, ice cream is more than just a casual treat … it’s a flat-out necessity.
There’s truly something for every icy dessert–loving person in Austin. Whether you’re looking for a place with a playground, a shop that has vegan and gluten-free options, or the best gelato outside of Italy, you have a variety of great options to choose from.
Best of all, in keeping with Austin’s strong family-friendly vibes, most of the city’s best ice cream shops are also great places to bring kiddos. So, if you’re a parent, a babysitter, or a nanny looking to take your kids out for a sweet treat, these 10 ice cream shops should be at the top of your list.
Get ready to indulge your sweet tooth at the best family-friendly ice cream shops in Austin.
Dolce Neve Gelato
Address: 1731 S. 1st St., Austin, TX 78704
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, noon – 10 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, noon – midnight
Phone: 512-804-5568
Dolce Neve Gelato is quite simply a gelato lover’s dream come true. Owned and operated by a trio of family members from Italy, this authentic, artisanal gelato shop in the heart of Austin’s Bouldin Creek neighborhood is the perfect place to chill (and we mean this in the most literal way possible!) with the whole family. The menu changes often, though there are always 18 inventive flavors available daily. Whether you and the little ones are sampling homemade gelato or yummy fruit sorbets, everyone is sure to adore Dolce Neve’s charming, friendly ambiance.
Amy’s Ice Creams
Address: See here for a full list of Austin locations.
Hours: Hours vary, depending on the location.
Phone: Phone numbers vary, depending on the location
Amy’s Ice Creams is an Austin institution and a serious hot spot for local families. With 12 locations across the Austin area, Amy’s also has a huge variety (over 350 specialities!) of flavors and toppings. Keep in mind that the Burnet, South Lamar, and Austinville locations are all adjacent to playgrounds; in addition, the Burnet location offers free, family-oriented tours of their production facility.
Cow Tipping Creamery
Address: 4715 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78745
Hours: Monday, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Tuesday – Thursday & Sunday, noon – 9 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, noon – 10 p.m.
Phone: 512-904-0033
Cow Tipping Creamery, a family-owned food truck on South Lamar, is one of the city’s staples for those craving a sweet treat. Regardless of whether you and the kiddos are in the mood for a sundae, float, or shake, the flavors at Cow Tipping Creamery are always creatively delicious.
Case in point: This month, on Star Wars Day (May 4, for you non-“Star Wars” fans), they offered themed dessert specials that included a Darth Vader–shaped cookie and a “Death Star by Chocolate” concoction. Yum!
Lick Honest Ice Creams
Locations:
-
East Austin: 1905 Aldrich St., #150, Austin, TX 78723 | P: 512-502-5949
-
North Austin: 6555 Burnet Rd., #200, Austin, TX 78757 | P: 512-609-8029
-
South Austin: 1100 S. Lamar Blvd., #1135, Austin, TX 78704 | P: 512-363-5622
Hours:
-
East Austin: Sunday – Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
-
North and South Austin: Sunday – Thursday, 12:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, 12:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Lick Honest Ice Creams is a must-visit. Both parents and kids alike will love Lick’s mouth-watering flavors and seasonal specialities. And, best of all, you won’t even need to feel guilty about your dessert intake — that’s because Lick uses only pure, local ingredients, which means no preservatives or high-fructose corn syrup. Plus, many of their flavors are inspired by seasonal Texas offerings. Don’t miss the Dewberry Corn Cobbler and Sweet Persimmon and Sage flavors!
Sweet Ritual Vegan Ice Cream
Address: 4631 Airport Blvd., #125, Austin, TX 78751
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, noon – 10 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, noon – 11:30 p.m.
Phone: 512-666-8346
Got kids who are lactose intolerant or vegan? If so, it’s time to check out Sweet Ritual Vegan Ice Cream, Texas’s only vegan ice cream shop! Sweet Ritual’s ice cream is made fresh daily. Instead of dairy products, their delicious ice “cream” is made from various nut bases (think almond and coconut). The little ones will love adding Sweet Ritual’s special edible glitter to their treats.
Fresa’s Chicken al Carbon on South First
Locations:
-
9th & Lamar: 915 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78703 | P: 512-428-5077
-
South First: 1703 S. 1st St., Austin, TX 78704 | P: 512-992-2946
Hours:
-
Dine In (South First Location Only): Open daily, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
-
To Go: Both open daily, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Fresa’s Chicken al Carbon has one of the best patios in Austin — and in a city brimming with outdoor spaces and patios, that’s really saying something! Plus, there’s even a playground on the property. Soak up the sunshine and enjoy one of Fresa’s homemade ice cream specialities. (We’re partial to their Devil’s Food Cake and the Rice Krispie Treat.)
Dolce Vita Gelato & Espresso Bar
Address: 4222 Duval St., Austin, TX 78751
Hours: Open daily, 8 a.m. – midnight
Phone: 512-323-2686
The frosty treats at Dolce Vita are high quality and one of a kind. This European-style neighborhood haunt in Hyde Park offers refreshing, tasty sorbet and gelato that’s bound to hit the spot on a hot summer day.
Adults, take note: Dolce Vita is also well known for their affogato (gelato and sorbet soaked in espresso).
Paleteria La Selva
Address: 1200 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Ste. 1218, Round Rock, TX 78664
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Sunday, 12:30 p.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Contact: 512-244-6431
We have two words for you: homemade popsicles. Kids of all ages will love these tasty frozen treats. Paleteria also serves up some yummy Mexican-style ice cream options that are available in a dazzling variety of colors and flavors, such as Camote (which comes with shreds of real sweet potato) and Arroz, which contains cinnamon and rice. Our all-time fave, though, is Coconut — it’s muy delicioso!
Snow Monster
Address: 11220 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78753
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, noon – 10 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, noon – 11 p.m.
Phone: 512-551-3238
We’re betting that the name alone will entice kiddos, but Snow Monster is a fabulous ice cream spot in its own right. Snow Monster offers an array of Taiwanese-style snow ice (sort of a mix between shaved ice and ice cream) that is, as their website states, “Fluffy like snow, creamy like ice cream. Yummy like no other.”
We couldn’t agree more!
Moojo
Locations:
-
2322 Guadalupe St., Austin, TX 78705 | P: 512-473-8759
-
Moojo Food Truck at Midway Food Park: 1905 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Austin, TX 78746
Hours:
-
2322 Guadalupe St. Hours: Sunday – Thursday, noon – 11 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, noon – midnight
-
Food Truck Hours: Click here to see food truck hours.
This University of Texas–area shop has the best ice cream sandwiches in the city, bar none. In fact, the whole family is bound to fall in love with Moojo’s infamous take on the ice cream sandwich. Choose from a menu of freshly baked cookies, ice cream flavors, and homemade toppings to create the perfect cookies and cream combo! The only downside? You may have trouble getting the kids to leave here.
Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below!
Care.com City Guides:
Atlanta, GA | Austin, TX | Baltimore, MD | Boston, MA | Burlington, VT | Chicago, IL | Cleveland, OH | Dallas, TX | Denver, CO | Detroit, MI | Houston, TX | Las Vegas, NV | Los Angeles, CA | Miami, FL | Minneapolis, MN | New Haven, CT | New York, NY | Orlando, FL | Philadelphia, PA | Phoenix, AZ | Pittsburgh, PA | San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | San Jose, CA | Seattle, WA | Tampa, FL | Toledo, OH | Washington, DC
