Aside from these free splash pads, there’s no better way to cool off this summer than with the delicious taste of ice cream. Or, make that a popsicle. No, wait, a banana split! Whatever you’re craving at the moment, you and the kids can find it at one of these favorite ice cream spots in and around Fort Worth—each of them known for their wild and crazy flavors, amazing add-ons, or outside-the-pint thinking.
RELATED: Our Favorite Ice Cream Shops in Dallas
Ice Cream Shops in Fort Worth
Melt Ice Creams
For melt-in-your-mouth scoops, Melt serves up everyday favorites like the dark chocolate and peanut butter explosion (both dairy-free and vegan!) and many more flavors on a rotating menu. Spice up your Taco Tuesdays with Melt’s two scoops nestled inside a taco-shaped waffle cone. (Note that the cones have dairy, though.)
Magnolia: 1201 W. Magnolia Avenue, Suite 115, Fort Worth; 817/886-8365
Sundance Square: 308 Houston Street, Fort Worth; 817/900-9355
Mule Alley at the Stockyards: 122 East Exchange Avenue, Suite 624, Fort Worth; 817/886-6004
Bishop Arts: 405 North Bishop Avenue, Dallas; 214/432-0183
melticecreams.com
Morgan’s Ice Cream
Morgan girl, you’ve got great taste. Stop into one of her two scoop shops for mouth-watering offerings like Wookies Cookies (cinnamon sweet cream with chocolate shavings and crumbled oatmeal cookies). Both their regular and rotating flavors include vegan and gluten-free options (we see you, Creamsicle Dreams). They drop four new flavors on the first day of each month. Get those scoops in a cone or in an ice cream sandwich with made-from-scratch cookies. They’ve also got an ice cream truck and push cart you can book for parties.
Fort Worth: 321 S. Main Street, Fort Worth; 817/615-9999
Burleson: 102 NW Renfro Street, Burleson; 817/615-9668
morgansicecreamco.com
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
Founded by brothers Ben and Pete Van Leeuwen (the American pronunciation is “Lou-Inn”) and their business partner Laura O’Neill, their namesake ice cream company specializes in French ice cream, which they say is made with twice as many egg yolks. You can try it yourself at one of three scoop shops now open in North Texas.
They’re a great spot too for those who need a dairy-free option. All of its vegan flavors, like vegan churros and fudge, are made with oat milk but without additives diglycerides and guar gum. Curious what else is or isn’t in their flavors? Their recipes are no secret. You can find the exact ingredients and how they make them in their cookbook.
Fort Worth, WestBend: 1653 River Run, Suite 141, Fort Worth; 817/334-0556
Dallas, West Village: 3699 McKinney Avenue, Suite 101, Dallas; 972/982-0232
Dallas, Inwood Village: 5450 W Lovers Lane, Suite 130, Dallas; 214/242-9502
vanleeuwenicecream.com
Creamistry
The pros at Creamistry use liquid nitrogen to rapidly freeze liquid into ice cream right in front of you. To get this science experiment going, choose your base (dairy, nut or fruit for sorbets), your flavor (there’s no skipping the matcha green tea) and toppings, and watch as the fog cloud billows from the mixing bowl to reveal your dessert. Ice cream cakes, sandwiches, pints and NitroShakes are also available.
Fort Worth: 628 Harrold Street, Suite 128, Fort Worth; 817/782-9670
Las Colinas: 5250 N O’Connor Blvd., Suite D1-140, Irving; 972/629-9474
Addison: 5100 Belt Line Road, Suite 610, Dallas; 214/643-6473
creamistry.com
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Joy Macarons
The only way to improve upon Joy Macarons’ soft and chewy French cookie (as if perfect needs improvement) is by adding ice cream. Cue their ice cream sandwiches and waffle cones scoops. Stop by one of three locations to experience the ever-changing flavors. The Cereal Milk sandwich, made with Fruity Pebbles and a white chocolate shell, is always a hit with the kids.
The Shops at Clearfork: 5254 Marathon Ave, Fort Worth; 682/707-3604
Oak Cliff: 839 W. Davis St., Dallas ; 214/434-1922
Lower Greenville: 1927 Greenville Ave, Dallas; 469/372-0415
Watters Creek: 908 Watters Creek Blvd, Allen; 469/393-1115
joymacarons.com
Paciugo Gelato & Caffè
Paciugo (pronounced “pah-CHOO-go”), owned by Jeff and Courtney Sinelli, excels in its authentic Italian gelato and at its more imaginative creations like the sprinkles-covered “Paciunicorn” cones. Their summer menu includes the refreshing cantaloupe sorbet, and you’ll have to see their “gelato spaghetti and meatballs” to believe it.
About a dozen locations in DFW, including
The Parks at Arlington: 3811 S. Cooper Street, Arlington; 817/472-8000
paciugo.com
Andy’s Frozen Custard
Is old-fashioned custard making a comeback? It certainly feels like it at Andy’s, a business in operation for 35 years and now with 20 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth alone. The frozen custard is always made fresh every hour, and if you like, topped with seasonal fruits, freshly roasted pecans, and baked goodies like brownies (available year-round), pumpkin pie, shortcake and cookies that are baked fresh at the store.
Multiple locations including:
5328 McPherson Blvd., Fort Worth; 817/945-9220
5100 North Tarrant Parkway, Fort Worth; 682/267-1799
5299 W. Sublett Road, Arlington; 682/277-0544
3121 E. Broad Street, Mansfield; 682/877-5520
317 Westchase Drive, Grand Prairie; 469/460-6353
6429 Precinct Line Road, North Richland Hills; 817/398-3033
951 Keller Parkway, Keller; 817/898-8191
eatandys.com
Braum’s Ice Cream & Dairy Store
Braum’s started from humble beginnings in the 1930s Depression, and today you’ll find more than 300 stores across Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas (all within driving distance of its dairy processing plant near Oklahoma City). And these aren’t only ice cream shops but full-service restaurants serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. But back to the good stuff—ice cream sundaes, banana splits, milkshakes and old-fashioned cones are all available in-store after a meal or through the drive-thru.
Dozens of locations; braums.com
Soda Fountains
Beth Marie’s Old-Fashioned Ice Cream & Soda Fountain
At its original location on the Denton Square, Beth Marie’s churns ice cream from a machine designed in 1927. Climb onto a stool at the antique wooden bar and choose from well over 100 flavors of ice cream, plus sundaes, banana splits, shakes and malts, ice cream sodas—and really old-fashioned options like egg creams and phosphate sodas. Two additional locations offer much the same menu.
Downtown Grapevine, 419 S. Main Street, Grapevine; 682/477-2010
Denton Square, 117 W. Hickory Street, Denton; 940/384-1818
Unicorn Lake: 2900 Wind River Lane, Suite 148, Denton; 940/591-1010
Carrollton: 1020 W. Main Street, Carrollton; 469/892-6677
bethmaries.com
Farm Luck Soda Fountain & Dry Goods
Say howdy to Farm Luck (or “The Farmacy,” as the owners originally wanted to call it). This treasure is housed in the late 1800s-era Waxahachie Bank & Trust building, with the bank’s safe door on view. Order up a banana split or banana pudding, brownie fudge sundae, ice cream soda or, for small appetites, the World’s Smallest Sundae. Not craving sweets? The menu also features more hearty foods like sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads.
109 W. Franklin Street, Suite 119, Waxahachie; 214/903-8021
farmlucksodafountain.com
Snow Cones Stands
HipPop
Nod your head to ‘90s hip hop at HipPop (get it?) on Main Street in Historic Downtown Grapevine. Choose from slushies, popsicles (fruit and milk-based), or shave ice served in those brightly colored flower cups that you remember from your last Hawaiian vacay and with condensed cream or coconut cream poured over. Their must-try popsicles? Cap’n Crunch Cereal pops and toasted marshmallow. Wow.
520 S. Main Street, Grapevine; 817/527-4383
hippoptx.com
We’re adding to this list as a discover new yummy ice cream shops. Love one that’s not on our listed here? Let us know at editorial@dfwchild.com.
Top photo courtesy of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
