The cool and rainy shadow of spring has now cleared and the classic hot and humid summer weather (that us Central Ohioans always seem surprised by) has arrived.
When the thermostat starts reading anything above the mid 80s, there are only a few foolproof ways to cool down: air conditioning, driving with the windows down, and homemade ice cream. While the first two are great, my favorite method is definitely number 3… ice cream!
While there are tons of tasty homemade ice cream shoppes in Central Ohio, these ones are our personal favorites.
If you think there’s another shoppe that deserves to be on this list, be sure to let us know here! The only rules are that the shoppe needs to be founded in Ohio and the ice cream needs to be incredible.
1. Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream
Handel’s is home to far-and-away my favorite milkshake on the entire planet. I don’t need anything fancy, just a chocolate milkshake in the largest container they have. Something about the chocolatey and creamy flavor of their shake is unlike any other shake on this Earth. Plus, their other flavors are equally as tasty. I was especially partial to their chocolate chip cookie dough, but everything there is good. Plus, they’ve been around since 1945 and are further proof that Ohio has the best ice cream!
2. Mardi Gras Homemade Ice Cream
📍 1947 Hard Rd, Columbus, OH 43235
Featuring both traditional and international ice cream flavors, this family-owned shop is truly a gem of a spot. This spot is so cool because, if you wanted to, you could stop in and try at least TEN new ice cream flavors that you’ve never had (or never even heard of) before. And did we mention how good each flavor is? There’s a reason they’ve been around for nearly 3 decades… it’s just that good!
3. Whit’s Frozen Custard
Just like Handel’s, Whit’s is another success story that points to Ohio ice cream superiority. Founded in Granville in 2003, they have since exploded onto the scene, offering creamy goodness that most ice cream shoppes envy. Custard is more rich in flavor and dense due to the use of egg yolks and a high butterfat content, as well as the slower methods used to create it, which are purposefully implemented to prevent too much air into the mixture. The finished result is one of the creamiest and tastiest ways to cool off in the winter.
4. Dulce Vida
Similar to Mardi Gras Homemade Ice Cream, Dulce Vida implements unique international flavors into their menu, drawing from their Mexican roots. With 40 unique flavors, ranging from tropical to spicy to creamy deliciousness, Dulce Vida delivers on the expectations set from being the highest rated Central Ohio ice cream shoppe on Yelp. Plus there are other classic Mexican dessert options like churros, paletas, and dozens more!
5. Johnson’s Real Ice Cream
Opened in Bexley in 1950, Johnson’s Real Ice Cream has expanded into one of the fastest growing ice cream shoppes in Central Ohio in recent memory. In just the past few years, they’ve opened shops in Dublin, Grandview, Italian Village, and Canal Winchester, and more are still to come. Why? Because their ice cream is so good, they’ve gotta keep up with increasing demand somehow!
6. Toft’s Grand Scoop
📍 1288 W 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43212
Ohio’s oldest dairy farm just opened their first scoop shop in Central Ohio, making this the first chance Central Ohioans can get their hands on Toft’s famous ice cream outside of the grocery stores. Offering 24 flavors of ice cream, including seasonally rotating flavors, this scoop shop is not one to be missed, especially in the dog days of summer. You can taste the over 120 years of dairy farming in each lick!
7. Weldons’ Ice Cream
📍 2887 Canal Dr, Millersport, OH 43046
In operation since 1930 (!!!), Weldons’ Ice Cream is the perfect place to cool off on a hot summer day. Located right on Buckeye Lake in Millersport, there might not be a more picture perfect ice cream spot in the entire state. They’re only open seasonally from March til October, so you’d better get there before the chill of winter takes this ice cream shoppe from us (temporarily, at least)!
8. Clown Cones & Confections
📍 3431 Cleveland Ave F, Columbus, OH 43224
40 ice cream flavors to choose from? Uhhh, yes please! I consider this one of the city’s biggest hidden gems when it comes to ice cream. I can’t get enough of their Oreolicious scoop, but they also have flavors you probably wouldn’t find anywhere else that are plays on popular flavors, like the cappuccino crunch or the Elephant Ear, a perfect ice cream to bring you back to those nights at the local fair.
9. The Dairy Hut Pataskala
📍 42 S Main St, Pataskala, OH 43062
A true case study that backs up the saying “size does not matter.” This small little shed/hut is pumping out truly incredible soft serve ice cream that will leave you coming back (and waiting in line) for more. I’m partial to the hawaiian delight, which is coconut soft serve with fresh pineapple, sliced bananas, and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. They also have a coffee toffee sundae that is to die for, with coffee soft serve that’s hand-mixed with sea salt and topped with caramel, roasted pecans, and whipped cream. This would’ve been a STAPLE for me after baseball games as a kid if I knew about it back then!
10. Mona’s Eats + Treats
📍 4362 Broadway, Grove City, OH 43123
Mona’s is a favorite for Grove City Residents and rightfully so. With tons of different flavors of Soft serve available like Peanut Butter, Marshmallow, and even raspberry, their soft serve is truly worth traveling for. They also have regular scoops available that are just as to-die-for as their soft serve, like Blueberry pie, cotton candy, salted caramel chocolate pretzel, and even Chubby Elvis! If you want the most Ohio dessert of all time, try their Buckeye Blitz Sundae.
