Best Ice Cream in Austin: Where to Cool Down Right Now

Mid July in Austin means triple digits by lunch and pavement you could fry an egg on. The best ice cream in Austin is not a luxury right now, it is a survival strategy. Here are six spots worth leaving the AC for, including a brand new Hyde Park scoop shop that opened at the end of June.

Amy's Ice Creams: The Classic for a Reason

Amy's has been doing this for over 40 years, and the Mexican Vanilla is still the benchmark every other vanilla in town gets measured against. They rotate through more than 350 flavors, so check the board before you default to your usual. The South Congress walk-up window at 1301 S Congress Ave is the classic move, but there are locations all over town if you don't want to fight for SoCo parking. A single scoop runs around $5, and watching the crew smash toppings into your ice cream is part of the ticket price.

Lick Honest Ice Creams: For the Flavor Curious

Lick sources from Texas farms and it shows in flavors like roasted beets and fresh mint, goat cheese thyme and honey, and caramel salt lick. If those sound like a dare, they are not. They work. The Lamar Union location on South Lamar is the easiest to hit, with additional shops on Burnet and at Mueller. Expect a line on summer weekends after 8 pm. Go on a weeknight instead.

Dolce Neve: Austin's Best Gelato, Full Stop

This family-run shop on South First makes gelato the slow way, with seasonal fruit and pistachios that taste like actual pistachios. The stracciatella is the order if it's your first visit. Portions look small compared to a scoop shop, but gelato is denser, so a small goes further than you think. It sits at 1713 S 1st St, an easy walk from the Bouldin food truck lots.

Gati Scoops: The New Kid in Hyde Park

Gati has been making coconut milk ice cream on Holly Street for years, and on June 27 they opened a second shop, Gati Scoops, at 4500 Duval St in Hyde Park. Everything is vegan, and the Thai-leaning flavors are the draw: pandan, Thai coffee, golden milk, plus opening exclusives like tamarind candy and a local peach cobbler sundae. Sixteen flavors rotate through the case. If you think vegan ice cream means compromise, this is the shop that will change your mind.

Merry Monarch: Worth Tracking Down the Truck

Merry Monarch operates out of a truck on Burnet Road and generally does not open until after 5 pm, which makes it a solid after-dinner stop rather than an afternoon one. The Oreo miso, loaded with dark chocolate hazelnut truffles, is one of the most interesting scoops in the city. Small batch means flavors sell out, so go early in the evening if there's something specific you want.

Casey's New Orleans Snowballs: The Non-Ice Cream Ringer

Not ice cream, still essential. Casey's at 808 E 51st St has been shaving ice New Orleans style for decades, and a snowball with condensed milk on top does the job on a 105 degree day better than almost anything. It's seasonal, cash friendly, and the line moves fast. Wedding cake with cream is the local's order among Austin frozen treats.

💡 ATX Weekly Tip: Several of these spots run slow-hour specials that never get advertised. Check the Deals tab in the ATX Weekly app before you head out, and turn on alerts so you catch member offers like free scoop days when they drop.