10 Fantastic Places to Get Ice Cream in Indiana

We are now at the time in the year where hot temperatures reign supreme. One of several glorious solutions to cool off is to get some ice cream. There are plenty of places to get ice cream, such as the grocery store, a gas station, or different fast food restaurants, but today we will be looking at ten different places in Indiana that really stand out. Places like Handel’s, Graeter’s, and Debrand’s, while all good, will not be listed because they are still chain stores.

 

1. Antiqology (Huntington)

This store has morphed quite a bit over the 5 years that they’ve been in existence. Currently, their store houses some cool antiques, which makes a very fun ambiance. There is also a wall of glass bottled sodas for you to try. Owners Adam and Rebecca Hanson sell over 700 different glass bottled sodas, many of which are from small businesses you’ve never heard of before. They even do their own line of sodas and have 1919 Root Beer on tap. For the sake of this entry, however, we must discuss the delicious ice cream that they have. If you’re more of a traditionalist, they do have your usual chocolate and vanilla, but they also have some more uncommon flavors. Some of my favorites include cinnamon churro, peanut butter brownie, and cookie jar. Others that are very popular are raspberry rendezvous, fudge mint cookie, and mocha almond fudge. Antiqology also changes things up by having a weekly flavor and having different flavors for different seasons, such as a peppermint one in winter and a strawberry cheesecake one in summer. What’s even better is that one can mix these ice creams with any of their sodas to create a float!

2.  Payne’s (Gas City)

Payne’s may be more well know for their excellent British themed menu, but their custard is certainly worth including on this list. You can get servings of it on its own (chocolate or vanilla), which are good, but their selections with mix-ins are really where it’s at. My personal favorite is the Cookie Monster, which is vanilla custard with Oreos, cookie dough (real, large pieces…not the fake stuff fast food restaurants have), and hot fudge. Other great options are: Jenny’s Reese (vanilla custard, peanut butter, hot fudge, Reese’s cups), Turtle (vanilla custard, hot fudge, pecans, caramel), Jimmy Dean’s Payne (vanilla custard, espresso, raspberries), and Worms and Dirt (vanilla custard, Oreos, gummy worms).

3. Ivanhoe’s (Upland)

Ivanhoe’s is probably best known for the sheer number of options that they have as far as ice cream is concerned. Sure, they have ice cream that you can simply get in a cone or bowl, but that’s not as fun as trying different mix-in options from their list of 100 different shakes and 100 different sundaes. They have something called the 100 Club, which is for people who have tried all 100 options on the shake or sundae menu. Ivanhoe’s is usually very generous with the portion sizes as well, which is another big plus. My favorite to get here is the Trojan Two, which consists of vanilla ice cream with hot fudge, peanut butter, and chocolate covered graham crackers. They are also known for their seasonal strawberry shortcakes, which are piled high with strawberries and whipped cream. Ivanhoe’s does have quite a bit of notoriety, and as a result, is often very busy. Plan on waiting for your food/ice cream while here.

4. Zaharakos (Columbus)

One of the oldest ice cream parlors in the state (since 1900), Zarharakos has a lot going for it. It boasts a retro ambiance and even has a small museum in it that shows some old soda fountains and music machines. You are able to get meals here, but the focus is the homemade ice cream. Because everything about the parlor is old fashioned, the ice cream flavors are pretty traditional: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, mint chip, cookies n’ cream, etc. They also do floats, shakes, brownie sundaes, and banana splits. The one time I’ve been there, I got some cookies n’ cream and was very satisfied with it. The one downside to this place according to online reviews would be spotty service.

5.  Just Cream Ice Cream Boutique (Fort Wayne)

This is a fairly new ice cream parlor, but they bring 50 different flavors of ice cream to the table, complete with dairy-free, sugar-free, and vegan options. The location is not the easiest to find, but once you get in, you are greeted by a quaint atmosphere. The employees are usually pretty patient with people as they try and figure out what to get. They trend more towards the fun and interesting flavors, but the traditional ones are available as well. Prices are a little higher than your typical walk-up ice cream vendor, but portion sizes are decent for what you’re paying. They also serve the popular Intelligentsia coffee. They have a lot of competition in Fort Wayne, with Coldstone, Zesto, and Debrand’s, but they hold their own quite well.

6.  Fair Oaks Farm (Fair Oaks)

Fair Oaks deserves a place on this list not only for the ice cream they have, but for the whole experience they offer as well. Going to Fair Oaks gives you a chance to see how all of the dairy products we enjoy are made, starting with the cows. Visitors can go on different “adventures”, where they get to see how the whole process takes place, from milking the cows to turning the cream into cheese/yogurt/ice cream/etc. They have a café and a restaurant onsite and a lot of interactive things to keep kids interested. Reviewers rave about not only the ice cream, which is said to be quite creamy and smooth, but all of the dairy products they offer. A place like this that offers a lot will likely find a way to drain your wallet, so be wary of costs going in.

7.  Rocket Science (Nappanee)

Rocket Science often makes the lists of top ice cream places to visit in Indiana, and it’s because it was one of the first places to offer ice cream made with liquid nitrogen. Everything in an order is mixed together, then flash frozen, then served to you to enjoy. There are over 25 different options for you to pick from, all using quality grade ice cream and ingredients (something they pride themselves on). You are also able to create your own order. Many reviewers comment how this ice cream stands out and tastes much better than traditional ice cream, while other point out how portion sizes are great for the price they paid.

8. The Chief (Goshen)

This is a wildly popular walk-up ice cream parlor that almost always has a long line. Many reviewers say the line does go quickly, however. They boast flavors like mango pineapple, mint chip, raspberry, black cherry, peanut butter, blue moon, and more! They have weekly flavors that they cycle through as well as seasonal flavors. Their ice cream is homemade and hand scooped, and it seems like decently generous portions. They have been operating out of the same small building for quite some time now and seem to really know what they’re doing. They also offer shakes, sundaes, and some grill food. One accolade they boast is that Thrillist named them the best ice cream in Indiana in 2016. Like many walk-ups, they do have an off-season where they are closed and offer picnic tables for seating.

9. Trader’s Point Creamery (Zionsville)

Trader’s Point is similar in a lot of ways to Fair Oaks Farm (#5 on this list). They are a farm that gives tours to show how the whole dairy process works, plus there is a farm-to-table restaurant set inside a beautiful building. The ice cream is found at the dairy bar, which offers their chocolate and vanilla ice cream along with rotating seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice, peppermint, and wildberry. Places like this that allow customers to get ice cream right from the source are almost always guaranteed to be delightful experiences. The farm store allows you to purchase ice cream too, along with all of their other products, which they proudly claim as 100% organic.

10.  Hartzell’s Ice Cream (Bloomington)

Rounding off the list is a place that works hard at pleasing traditionalists as well as those who like to try new things with their ice cream. Hartzell’s is a small parlor that has an amazing rotation of specialty flavors that are really worth trying. Here are a few examples: cherry wasabi, curried coconut, blueberry muffin, green tea, chocolate basil, black raspberry, and dirty vanilla. Be warned, though: as they are specialty flavors, they cost more than your traditional flavors. If you aren’t willing to spend more, then you still have dozens of flavors to pick from. Another interesting addition to Hartzell’s is their Carbolite ice cream, which only has 8 calories per ounce.

Honorable mentions: Valpo Velvet Shoppe (Valparaiso), Sycamore Drive-in (Logansport), The Chocolate Moose (Bloomington), BRICS (Indianapolis), Sundae’s Homemade Ice Cream (Indianapolis), Bub’s Burgers and Ice Cream (Carmel), Frosty Boy (New Palestine)