Houston’s Top 10 Ice Cream Shops

Happy Ice Cream Month! Where are your favorite Houston ice cream shops to get delectable frozen treats?

 I don’t know about you but in my house, it seems like summer is flying by. How in the world are we almost through July?! Between camp drop offs, summer school and swim team, I am ready for the sweetest and creamiest month. I was thrilled to partake in this research again this year in honor of  National Ice Cream Month. This time, I invited a girlfriend because moms need kid-free time. We tried several new spots and two spots made the list again. Be sure to check out these shops as you attempt to stay cool in our blazing hot city. 

>>> TOP HOUSTON ICE CREAM SHOPS <<<

1. Sweet Bribery {250 West 19th St. Houston, TX 77008}

Sweet Bribery is located in the Heights which means it’s easy to access by foot and that parking is limited. The shop is bright and colorful. The pink benches outside are a perfect shade of pink that offers a glimpse of what the interior will look like. The insides is as fun as the flavors and options they offer. They are local to Houston and everything is made in house. With flavors like Pho, Lemon Thyme and Miso Caramel, it’s a great spot for anyone with adventurous taste buds. They also offer classics like cookies and cream. They offer some options for people with allergies but the options are limited. This is a great option for girl’s night in with “Adult sips and floats”. 

2. Amy’s Ice Cream {3816 Farnham St. Houston, TX 77098}

Amy’s Ice Cream originated in Austin and currently has two locations in Houston. I visited the Shepherd location and boy was it packed. We were welcomed with smiling faces and customers waiting patiently to be served. They had a lot of options for different taste buds. I appreciated that they had vegan, nut free and gluten free options. This location had plenty of parking. There’s plenty of space indoor for families or groups of friends. Both locations open late. I especially liked the sweet cream and vegan vanilla options. 

3. Cosmic Ice Cream Co. {8207A Long Point Rd, Houston, TX 77080}

It’s not deja vu. This made the list last year as well. This is our tried and true favorite. I’m a sucker for a love story. These college sweet hearts got married and decided to follow their dreams by opening an ice cream shop. With two locations in Clearlake and Spring Branch and one opening this summer in Pearland, their ice creams are truly “out of this world”. In the Spring Branch location, you can enjoy your ice cream inside or outside or while window shopping. With family friendly restaurants on either side of the ice cream shop, it’s a great spot to get dessert after dinner. Toasted Coconuts and Honey Lavender are still my favorites. 

4. Howdy’s Homemade Ice cream {20920 Katy Fwy St. #S, Katy, TX 77449}

Howdy’s is special and it’s obvious the moment you walk into the beautifully decorated shop. It’s family friendly with board games and plenty of seating for families. We were greeted by a young woman who gave us the scoop on the shop. They hire individuals with developmental disabilities and their treats are homemade. Howdy’s Homemade Ice cream offers some dairy free options. My favorites were salted caramel and cold brew and cookies. I am most excited to take my kids and their friends to Howdy’s. 

5. Handel’s Ice Cream {8715 Spring Cypress Rd. Spring, TX 77379}

I was the first patron in this counter service shop. The menu is diverse and the selections are numerous. Their ice creams are made in house. The first thing on the menu that caught my attention was the Buckeye – it was delicious and reminded me the Buckeyes I enjoyed in college. If you love peanut butter and chocolate, then this will satisfy your tastebuds. There are three locations in Houston, one in Katy and two in the Spring/Cypress area. While I tasted several flavors, my favorite was the strawberry cheesecake. Rich, creamy with bold flavors of fresh strawberries. 

6. Awesome Bites {2313 Edwards St. #185, in Sawyer Yards}

Awesome Bites makes the list again because they offer so many options for people with allergies. My son has outgrown his allergies but we love having this options because several of his friends have severe allergies. Their products are dairy, egg, soy and nut free. With limited flavors, they make it up by offering an opportunity for people with allergies to eat safely without fear. This is the place to be if you or anyone in your family has one or more allergies. They offer deliveries and will cater private events. 

7. Tulip Gelato {7417 W. Grand Pkwy, Ste # 130, Richmond, TX }

This Richmond favorite is a great option for a double date. They offer the most delicious gelato and other cool treats. It was just me in the store, so I got to ask a lot of questions as I tasted the yummy goodness they offered. The gelatos are imported from Italy. The gelatos can be formed into beautiful flower petals – making them almost too pretty to eat. I managed though. The salted caramel and pistachios were a favorite. 

8. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream {801 Town & Country Blvd. Bld A,  Ste 130, Houston, TX 77024}

Jeni’s is a crowd pleaser for me, no matter who is in the crowd. This is my safe spot when taking out of town guests or any group of people to get ice cream. This location especially is great because of the location. There are many restaurants nearby and more importantly there is a play area for kids of all ages to utilize. They offer dairy and gluten free options. They cater and have great flavors like wildberry lavendar and caramel pecan sticky buns. 

9. Kwality {13425 University Blvd. St. #450, Sugar Land, TX 77479}

This unsuspecting shop made me feel like a kid in a candy store. With so many unique flavors, names and texture I was in a for a wild ride and I loved every bit of it. There are three locations in the Houston area. I was greeted by a kind and warm employee who patiently answered all of my questions. If you like Indian flavors or have an adventurous tastebud, I encourage you explore the flavors they have. My favorites were the mango and coconut ones but I had several that tied for third and fourth favorites. While the ice cream is made in New Jersey, they make their ice cream cakes in house daily. 

10. Jeremiah’s Italian Ice {4030 FM 1463 Suite 101, Katy, TX 77494}

This Italian sweet spot has several locations in Houston, so pick the closest one to you and you won’t regret it. They offer Celati, their perfect combination of soft serve ice cream and ice as well as either one on their own. Jeremiah’s cool delicious treats are the perfect escape for our hot summer. 

Please Note: While we make every effort to crosscheck current links and various business details on our guides, we always encourage you to do the same before making final plans. If details are missing or incorrect, please let us know so that we can make every attempt to correct them.