Central

Howling Cow
1070 Partners Way, Raleigh
(919) 515-7012 • howlingcow.ncsu.edu
North Carolina State University’s Hunt Library holds within it a creamery that uses fresh milk from cows at the school’s Dairy Research and Teaching Farm.
Must-try flavor: Wolf Tracks

Maple View Farm
6900 Rocky Ridge Road, Hillsborough
(919) 960-5535 • mapleviewfarm.com
A scoop of Maple View’s freshly made ice cream is best enjoyed in a rocking chair on the shop’s porch, which features breathtaking pastoral views.
Must-try flavor: Carolina Crunch

The Parlour
117 Market Street, Durham
(919) 564-7999 • theparlour.co
After the success of their mobile scoop shop, owners Yoni and Vanessa Mazuz opened a brick-and-mortar location in downtown Durham where the toppings are just as decadent as the frozen treats.
Must-try treat: The Drunken Sailor

Cabarrus Creamery
21 Union Street South, Concord
(704) 784-1923 • cabarruscreamery.com
Get old-time flavor in downtown Concord, and pick from one of the many fun flavors listed on the blackboard.
Must-try flavor: MoonPie

Sunni Sky’s Homemade Ice Cream
8617 NC Highway 55 South, Angier
(919) 427-7118 • sunniskys.com
Take a drive out to Angier, and you’ll happen upon some surprising ice cream flavors at Sunni Sky’s, including the infamous Cold Sweat, which features a variety of hot sauces and peppers, requiring a signed waiver.
Must-try flavor: Oatmeal Cookie

Lumpy’s
306 East Wait Avenue, Wake Forest
(919) 878-7700 • lumpysicecream.com
At Lumpy’s, where the ice cream is made with all-natural ingredients, customers are just “a scoop away from a smile.”
Must-try flavor: Awesome (A combination of Chocolate and Salted Caramel)

Goodberry’s Frozen Custard
Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Durham, Garner
goodberrys.com
After opening its first shop in Raleigh in 1988, Goodberry’s has expanded to include nine locations in the Triangle — and two in Australia — while still maintaining its focus on simplicity.
Must-try flavor: The flavor of the day is always a good bet.

Peaches n’ Cream
2735 Highway 74 West, Wadesboro
(704) 694-2522 • peachesandcreamnc.com
You’d be hard pressed to find an ice cream shop with fresher ingredients. The fruit used in Peaches n’ Cream ice cream is picked right from the produce stand’s farm.
Must-try flavor: Peach

Yum Yum Better Ice Cream and Hot Dogs
1219 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro
(336) 272-8284
A family institution popular among UNCG students and locals alike, Yum Yum has been around since 1906.
Must-try flavor: Mint Chocolate Chip

FRESH. Local Ice Cream
6033 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh
(919) 785-5030 or (919) 749-5440
On warm summer evenings, enjoy a bit of respite at this shop where customers can play cornhole and four-legged friends can enjoy a Dog Bone Sundae.
Must-try flavor: Peanut Butter Cup

Waxhaw Creamery
201 West South Main Street, Waxhaw
(704) 843-7927
Expect little twists on traditional flavors at Waxhaw Creamery, where even the whipped cream is homemade.
Must-try flavor: Double Dark Chocolate

Homeland Creamery
6506 Bowman Dairy Road, Julian
(336) 685-6455 • homelandcreamery.com
This creamery is owned by sixth- and seventh-generation dairy farmers, and their experience shows in the array of delightfully fresh batches of ice cream. Grab a cone and head outside to pet some friendly calves that live on the property.
Must-try flavor: Butter Pecan

Café Gelato
845 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem
(336) 725-9110 • cafegelatowinstonsalem.com
Skip the expensive plane ticket to Italy and spring for the freshly made gelato at Café Gelato, which brings an authentic European flare to Winston-Salem’s dessert scene.
Must-try flavor: Hazelnut

The Ice Queen
Food Truck, Greensboro
icequeenicecream.com
This food truck is known for its Instagram-famous ice cream sammiches that boast soft-baked cookies and decadent toppings like Nutella or Sriracha fudge.
Must-try flavor: The Kermint

Tony’s Ice Cream Company
604 East Franklin Boulevard, Gastonia
(704) 867-7085 • tonysicecream.com
This family-owned spot has been in business since 1915, and that’s with good reason: Tony’s serves up some of the tastiest scoops around.
Must-try flavor: Grape

Eastern

Beaches -n- Cream
3316 Holden Beach Road Southwest, Supply
(910) 842-7326
Made with milk from local, free-range cows, the ice cream is prepared in small batches but delivers big flavor.
Must-try flavor: Banana Pudding

Calabash Creamery
9910 Beach Drive, Calabash
(910) 575-1180 • calabashcreamery.com
Often recognized as the standard bearer for ice cream on the NC coast, Calabash Creamery uses fresh, 16 percent butterfat cream to give its sweet treats a richer flavor.
Must-try flavor: Sunset Peach (July only)

Simply Natural Creamery
1265 Carson Edwards Road, Ayden
(252) 746-3334 • simplynaturalcreamery.com
At the family-owned Simply Natural Creamery, customers are treated like kin — and so are the cows, which roam in the pasture.
Must-try flavor: Butter Pecan

Scoop’s Ice Cream Parlor
3941 South Croatan Highway, Nags Head
(252) 441-4485
You’ll work up an appetite flying kites at Jockey’s Ridge, so stop on over at Scoop’s and get your fill of homemade sweetness.
Must-try flavor: Cantaloupe

Kill Devil’s Frozen Custard & Beach Fries
1002 South Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-5900
The custard is made hourly at this shop within walking distance of the shore.
Must-try treat: Sea Turtle Sundae

Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream
Corolla, Manteo, Kitty Hawk
bigbucksicecream.com
Splurge on the good stuff at Big Buck’s, where premium ingredients make all the difference in taste.
Must-try flavor: Espresso Chip

Western

Jack the Dipper
Sylva and Waynesville
(828) 586-9441 • jackthedipper.com
Just as good as the ice cream, the vanilla and cinnamon waffle cones are made to order and served warm.
Must-try flavor: Cappuccino Crunch

Dolly’s Dairy Bar
128 Pisgah Highway, Pisgah Forest
(828) 862-6610
A day visiting Sliding Rock is not complete without a stop at Dolly’s, so grab one of the plentiful outdoor seats and enjoy your scoop in the fresh mountain air.
Must-try flavor: Illahee Swirl (A combination of Moose Tracks and Cookie Dough)

The Hop Ice Cream Café
Asheville, multiple locations
(828) 254-2224 • thehopicecreamcafe.com
The ice cream you love gets a little health boost with the addition of ingredients like kale, but remains equally tasty. Hop Ice Cream Café also offers a variety of dairy-free alternatives.
Must-try flavor: Blueberry-Kale

Spring Ridge Creamery
11856 Georgia Road, Otto
(828) 369-2958
Those who take the time to stop by this unassuming shop off the highway are rewarded with pure freshness.
Must-try flavor: Pralines and Cream

Ultimate Ice Cream
195 Charlotte Street & 1070 Tunnel Road, Asheville
(828) 258-1515 or (828) 296-1234 • ultimateicecreamasheville.com
Asheville and its fun-loving spirit are best captured in the zany flavors offered at Ultimate Ice Cream, many of which are made with local ingredients.
Must-try flavor: Brown Sugar Maple and Bacon

Classic Soda Shops

Pike’s Old Fashioned Soda Shop
1930 Camden Road, Charlotte
(704) 372-0092 • pikessodashop.net
Pike’s Old Fashioned Soda Shop fits in perfectly with the retro atmosphere of Charlotte’s historic South End neighborhood. Even the milkshake maker dates to the 1930s.
Must-try treat: Chocolate Milkshake

Mike’s On Main
303 North Main Street, Hendersonville
(828) 698-1616 • mikesonmain.com
This classic soda shop comes complete with a jukebox and a row of fountain stools from which customers can admire trinkets on the walls from the old Justus Pharmacy.
Must-try treat: Ice Cream Soda

S & T’s Soda Shoppe
85 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro
(919) 545-0007
A popular spot where Pittsboro residents treat out-of-town guests, S & T’s Soda Shoppe gives everyone a sense of nostalgia.
Must-try treat: Banana Split

Central Drug
112 West Virginia Avenue, Bessemer City
(704) 629-2163
This 1920s-era soda fountain has been Bessemer City’s first-date central for more than 80 years.
Must-try treat: Chocolate Milkshake