In San Diego, we take our ice cream very seriously. Maybe it's our warm weather or laid-back lifestyle, but nobody does frozen treats quite like we do! From Chula Vista to Oceanside, you'll discover delicious homemade ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, shave ice, decadent milkshakes and even Hula Pie! Plan a trip to one of our favorite San Diego ice cream shops or frozen treat spots. Better yet, visit several!
An's Dry Cleaning
3017 Adams Avenue, North Park
Voted #1 ice cream shop in America by USA Today two years in a row! Don't be fooled by the funky name or odd props in the window, this former dry-cleaning store turned gelato shop serves up some of the best ice cream in the country. Paying homage to its former life as the neighborhood dry cleaning store, this scoop shop names its unique flavors after freshly-washed fabrics. Other celebrated locations include An's Hatmakers (Del Mar), An's Athletic Fields Services (Petco Park.) and An's Electronics Repair (Ocean Beach).
An’s Gate D5
250 N Pacific St., Oceanside
An's Gelato opens its fifth location inside the iconic “Top Gun House” this summer (2026)! Other celebrated locations include An’s Dry Cleaning (North Park) and those listed above.
The Baked Bear
Pacific Beach, Encinitas, Carmel Mountain
Is there anything better than custom-made ice cream sandwiches? At The Baked Bear, choose from freshly baked brownies or cookies (with rotating flavors) for your sandwich (or mix and match). Ask for it "hot-pressed" if you like your sandwich extra gooey. Don't forget to add toppings like sprinkles or chopped nuts for that extra touch.
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Bing Haus
4425 Convoy St. #216
Bing Haus specializes in Thai-style "rolled ice cream" creations and fun, soft-serve flavors like Charcoal Vanilla and Thai Tea. Stop by during holidays like Halloween and Christmas for special limited-time flavors. Now serving mochi donuts made fresh in-house daily.
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Boba Bar and Desserts
4619 Convoy St. F., Kearny Mesa
1132 E Plaza Blvd., National City
Your one-stop shop for sweet treats! Boba Bar offers ice cream, shaved snow, boba drinks and more. Make sure to try the ice cream puffle, an egg-shaped waffle filled with your choice of soft-serve ice cream.
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Bobboi Natural Gelato
8008 Girard Ave., La Jolla
Kettner Blvd., Little Italy
736 Ventura Pl, Mission Beach
Bobboi Natural Gelato was voted #8 in Yelp's 100 Best-Reviewed Places to eat in the country for a reason! Hundreds of online reviews don’t lie; Bobboi has top-notch gelato made daily with fresh, organic and local ingredients.
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Bruster’s Real Ice Cream
8497 Fletcher Pkwy., La Mesa
A drive-thru ice cream shop? Yes! Enjoy a variety of handcrafted frozen treats featuring premium ice cream and sherbet that’s freshly made on site. Check menu for rotating flavors. Walk-up window and outdoor patio seating also available.
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Cali Cream
90 N Coast Hwy 101 #101, Encinitas
425 Market St., Downtown San Diego
Crispy Cones
2967 Carlsbad Blvd., Carlsbad
Revolutionizing the soft-serve cone, this European-inspired treat features hand-rolled dough cones grilled rotisserie-style for a warm, crispy finish. Coated in cinnamon sugar or specialty powder, each cone is filled with gourmet soft-serve, sauces and toppings for an indulgent dessert experience.
Duke's La Jolla
1216 Prospect St., La Jolla
Hidden within Duke's delicious menu is a prize in San Diego's dessert world: the Hula Pie, featuring macadamia nut ice cream, cookie crust and hot fudge. Stop by for a slice of this incredible Hawaiian dessert and enjoy a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean and La Jolla Cove.
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EscoGelato
122 S Kalmia St, Escondido
If you're craving something a little lighter and creamier, head to Escondido's beloved gelato shop for unique flavors like Strawberry Balsamic and Spicy Mango or indulge in more traditional flavors like Rocky Road and Chocolate Peanut Butter. Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong!
Gelato Paradiso
918 Orange Ave.
Treat your tastebuds to handmade artisanal gelato made with old-world traditions and recipes that have been passed down through the generations. Don't forget to ask about the flavor of the month.
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Hanna’s Creamery & Café
Westfield UTC
4485 La Jolla Village Dr. F-13
Get your sweet fix at Hanna’s Creamery & Café, a treat-filled wonderland snuggled in the heart of University Town Center. Enjoy the yummy goodness of homemade ice cream, try their irresistible, freshly-baked cookies or have some delicious Lavazza Coffee that will definitely perk up your day.
Handel's Homemade Ice Cream
Multiple Locations
Handel's Homemade Ice Cream has been serving scoops to happy customers since 1945. With locations across the county, Handel's is the perfect spot for a post-beach-day treat. Choose from sundaes, shakes, smoothies or a "Handel's Hurricane," a sort of "twist" on the Dairy Queen Blizzard or McDonald's McFlurry.
Holy Paleta
4230 Bonita Rd., Ste. B, Bonita
2040 India St., Little Italy
Petco Park
Inspired by the traditional treats of Michoacan, Mexico, Holy Paleta's handcrafted paletas (ice cream bars) are made with all-natural, premium ingredients with tons of tasty toppings for guests to create one-of-a-kind treats. Vegan flavors also available.
Iceskimo
4609 Convoy Ste B, Kearny Mesa
Iceskimo specializes in Taiwanese shaved snow, a tasty hybrid between traditional American ice cream and Hawaiian shaved ice. Each snow is shaved fresh to order.
Lighthouse Ice Cream
5059 Newport Ave. #102, Ocean Beach
www.lighthouseicecreamob.com
Stop by this locally owned mom-and-pop scoop shop just steps away from the water in OB. After a devastating fire in Dec. 2023, OB's favorite ice cream spot since 1997 has reopened better than ever! We recommend the Hot Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich, but don't take our word for it. Lighthouse offers malts, cones, sundaes and sorbets in all your favorite flavors.
Little Fox Cups + Cones
1940 S. Freeman St. #100, Oceanside
Craft ice cream with delicious, whimsical flavors like Banana Pancake, S’more the Merrier, Golden Hour and You Otta Horchata. Vegan options. Also in Cardiff.
Mariposa Ice Cream
3450 Adams Ave., San Diego
With 20+ years under their belt, Mariposa knows how to make small-batch ice cream. The mom-and-pop shop in Normal Heights prides itself on inexpensive, old-fashioned ice cream served by the people who make it. Plus, if you're a Beatles fan you'll love the eclectic mix of paraphernalia and posters covering the walls from floor to ceiling!
MooTime Creamery
1025 Orange Ave., Coronado
MooTime has been serving up smiles and creamy, scratch-made ice cream to residents and tourists for nearly 30 years. Check their website for special flavors of the month.
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Mr. Frostie
1470 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach
858-274-9977
Mr. Frostie is San Diego's gem for incredible soft-serve bliss. Its variety of treat options and reasonable prices make the long summer lines worth the wait.
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Mutual Friend
3004 Juniper St., San Diego
Small-batch handcrafted ice cream with a unique variety of flavors. Can't decide on one flavor? Indulge in a flight of four generous scoops to share with family or friends.
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Pappalecco
1602 State St., Little Italy
4202 Adams Avenue, Kensington
Pappalecco is an Italian eatery that offers more than just delicious dining and great service. Rich with flavor, creamy and dense, Pappalecco's gelato definitely ranks as some of the best in San Diego.
Pepper Tree Frosty
270 S Santa Fe Ave., Vista
760-726-0732
With over 70 years in business, this soft-serve shop surely knows how to serve up smiles. Locals go for the hand-crafted, award-winning shakes and other frozen specialties like banana splits, dipped cones, frozen bananas and hot fudge sundaes. If you're still hungry, an extensive food menu will satisfy any savory craving.
Rockie’s Frozen Yogurt
3546 Ashford St.
Tucked away in a Kearny Mesa strip mall is a local treasure: Rockie’s Frozen Yogurt. With its reasonable prices and friendly atmosphere, it’s no wonder that Rockie’s has been a neighborhood favorite for many years.
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Salt & Straw
1670 India St., Little Italy
3705 Caminito Court, Ste. 0580, Carmel Valley
Westfield UTC Mall
This beloved Portland-based ice cream shop boasts inventive flavors such as Honey Lavender and Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie. An extensive vegan menu offers dairy-free customers a range of delicious flavors to choose from. Check back for new and rotating flavors.
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Snowpops San Diego
1005 E. Plaza Blvd. #101, National City
Locally owned Snowpops SD features frozen treats such as Louisiana Snowballs (the fluffiest shaved ice!), gourmet ice pops, premium ice cream and Dole soft serve. Yum!
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Photo By: Katie Sigeti
Somi Somi
4620 Convoy St., Kearny Mesa
9168 Mira Mesa Blvd.
4577 La Jolla Village Dr.
This one-of-a-kind soft-serve spot offers delectable ice cream creations in a fish-shaped waffle cone. The special dessert is popular in both Japan and Korea where it's known as "Taiyaki" and "Ah-Boong" respectively. Choose a unique flavor like ube, black sesame or matcha. Then pick from a variety of toppings like Fruity Pebbles, sprinkles, Oreo crumbs and more.
Stella Jean's
Multiple locations
With six San Diego locations, Stella Jeans is a must-try for local ice cream enthusiasts. Mainstay flavors include S'mores, Brown Butter Pecan and Madagascar Vanilla. For those who want to try something a little different, we highly recommend the ever-popular Mango Sticky Rice and Strawberry Oat Crumble.
Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice
736 Otay Lakes Rd., Chula Vista
Consistently voted the best shave ice in the world, Ululani's offers melt-in-your-mouth goodness like you've never tasted before. Straight from Hawaii, this shave ice haven offers unique frozen concoctions made with fresh, all naural syrups and Maui's own Roselani ice cream. We recommend topping off your creation with a "snowcap" (drizzle of sweetened condensed milk) for the ultimate Ululani's experience.
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Wahine Kai Shave Ice
10545 Scripps Poway Pkwy., Scripps Ranch
Locals from Hawaii rave that Wahine Kai is the best and closest thing to authentic Hawaiian shave ice with creations such as The Sandy Jewel and the Kona Luau. You can order one of their suggested combos or create your own.
Wanderlust Creamery
12925 El Camino Real, Del Mar
Coming soon to Del Mar Highlands Town Center! Crafted with a passion for adventure, unexpected flavor combinations are formulated to ensure a creamy texture. New flavors every month. Non-dairy flavors available.
Wynston's Ice Cream
250 N. City Dr. #7, San Marcos
8250 Merge Ave., San Diego (Torrey Highlands)
Award winning, small-batch ice cream with 9 rotating flavors every month. Dairy-free flavors available. New Torrey Highlands location opens May 24, 2025!
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The Yogurt Mill
935 Broadway, El Cajon
619-579-1566
The Yogurt Mill has been a local favorite for more than 40 years. Popular flavors include Coconut, Oreo & Cream and Red Velvet. Stop by between 10 a.m.–2 p.m. to avoid the crowd, or make new friends while waiting in the line that forms after 3 p.m. Flavors change daily.
Do you have a favorite place in San Diego to get a frozen treat? Tell us about it! Email the details (including what makes it special) to
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Adrienne Sigeti is the Editorial Assistant at San Diego Family. A self-proclaimed ice cream connoisseur, she loves discovering new frozen treat spots to share with families across San Diego County.
Updated: June 2025
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