Where to Get Ice Cream in Northern Virginia

Food

Apr 5

It’s only April but it’s already hot! Cool off with some frozen treats - ice cream, popsicles, custard, and sundaes, oh my! Don’t worry if you’re lactose-intolerant - ice cream shops offer tons of non-milk options and they’re just as delicious as the original. There’s nothing quite like having a sweet treat when the weather is muggy and sunny.

Best Ice Cream in Alexandria

Nicecream, Old Town Alexandria

Nicecream is ice cream made to order with liquid nitrogen.

Pop’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, Old Town Alexandria

Enjoy 63 flavors at this old-fashioned ice cream parlor.

The Creamery, Old Town Alexandria

The Dairy Godmother Del Rey, Alexandria

A Del Rey mainstay for frozen custard.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Old Town Alexandria

Best Ice Cream in Arlington

Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream, Arlington

Try creamy ice cream with over 15% butterfat.

Nicecream, Clarendon/Arlington,

Rasa, Crystal City/Arlington

The mango lassi or masala chai soft serve is perfect when you don’t want anything too sweet.

Best Ice Cream in Fairfax

Woody’s Ice Cream Shop, Fairfax City

This staple of over 20 years.

Rita’s Italian Ice, Fairfax City

Sugar Mama’s, Fairfax City

The best part about this ice cream parlor is the variety that you can get. In addition to 1 scoop costing $3.75, you can get mini scoops (1.5 inches) for $0.75 each. You can also order fried ice cream or homemade old-fashioned candy.

Sweet Berry, Fairfax City

Great Falls Creamery, Great Falls

Burke Lake Park Ice Cream Parlor, Open in the summer in Burke

Munch Ice Cream Annandale

Ciao Gelato, Centreville

Milwaukee Frozen Custard, Chantilly

Every day has a new flavor.

Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot, Clifton

This Clifton landmark

Kiln & Custard, Vienna

For a twist on dinner and a movie, paint your own pottery and then get some ice cream. The milkshakes are incredibly huge and decadent.

Scoop of the Hill, Herndon

Gelato, macarons, and crepes, oh my!

Trendy Asian Ice Cream in Fairfax

Honestly, there are so many Asian ice cream options in Fairfax, I had to make a separate category

Smash’d Creamery, Fairfax City

SnoCream Company, Annandale

Try Taiwanese-inspired ice cream - like a mix of shaved ice and ice cream meaning it’s a very light ice cream that has the texture of snow. SnoCream used to be served in a SnoBus - a converted school bus serving the best ice cream behind a (now closed) K Mart. But now there’s a food hall.

Iron Ice, Centreville

Try that trendy bubble waffle with ice cream.

520 Ice Cream and Tea, Mosaic District/Fairfax and Springfield

520 is the OG for Thai-inspired rolled ice cream in Northern Virginia. Try the Rainbow Roll, which is fruity pebbles, not sushi. Or the Trip to Hawaii - pineapple, coconut, and mango.

Monster Roll, Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax

Handcrafted rolled ice cream and freshly made boba tea.

Best Ice Cream in Falls Church

Lil City Creamery, Falls Church

Kiln and Custard, Falls Church

Jake’s Ice Cream, Barcroft Plaza/Falls Church

Small batch 14% butterfat ice cream with rotating flavors. Past flavors include vanilla salted caramel ribbon, coconut patty and blackberry with real blackberry puree mixed in.

Mango Mango Dessert, Falls Church

Lazy Mike’s Deli, Falls Church

Not an ice cream-atorium - but known for its generous banana splits.

Best Ice Cream in Fauquier

Moo Thru, Remington

In this barn-inspired ice cream drive thru, the ice cream comes from local dairy farms.

Best Ice Cream in Fredericksburg

Carl’s Frozen Custard, Fredericksburg

This family-owned curbside ice cream shop has been serving delicious frozen custard since 1947.

Village Creamery, Fredericksburg

Ice cream made fresh daily on site with an Asian twist. Try flavors like ube, buko pandan, lychee, or jackfruit Indulge in new sensations like Halo Halo (shaved ice with condensed milk, flan, tapioca, ice cream, fruits, nuts, and beans) or a Taiwanese bubble waffle.

Jimmy T’s Soft Serve, Fredericksburg

If you can’t find your favorite ice cream combo here, it might not have been invented yet. Jimmy T’s boasts over 26 flavors of soft serve ice cream (including amaretto, creme de menthe and bubble gum), 14 flavors of sundaes, and 35 flavors of shaved ice. But my favorite thing ever is a Jimmy Mombo’s - soft serve with a mixed-in ingredient like cookie dough or Reese’s peanut butter cups. Yum!

The Battlefield Country Store, Fredericksburg

Coffee, ice cream, and groceries - perfect for busy families.

Best Ice Cream in Manassas

Nathan’s Dairy Bar, Manassas

Best Ice Cream in Loudoun

Gruto’s Soft Serve, Purcellville and Lessburg

Abbott’s Frozen Custard, Sterling

Abbott’s is a chain located in New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, the Carolinas, and Florida offering fresh frozen custard treats including ice cream sandwiches, cakes, flurries, sundaes, splits, milkshakes, and floats.

Honey Bee Creamery, Ashburn and Leesburg

An artisan chocolate shop turned into ice-cream and fruit bouquet mom-and-pop. Come for the inventive ice cream flavors (i.e. Birthday Cake or Bananas Foster) and inventive toppings (i.e. Ferrero Rocher, artisan chocolate, cotton candy).

Tipped Cow Creamery, Purcellville

Best Ice Cream in Prince William County

Cookies and Cream, Haymarket

Judging from the name, it’s clear that the cookie ice cream sandwich is a must try. Family owned and operated, try 28 flavors of ice cream, 15 toppings, or 10 types of cookies. Your sweet tooth will be satisfied!

Frostie Moose, Woodbridge

Campbell’s Frozen Custard, Woodbridge

Bring a friend because these ice cream servings are generous. Try frozen custard, Italian ice, and affogato. Family owned and independently operated.

Swirlie’s Soft Serve, Haymarket

Try Hawaiian shaved ice or flavor burst cones.

Jimmy T’s Soft Serve, Dumfries

Fredericksburg’s favorite ice cream shop also has a location in Dumfries.

Dunbri’s Dessert Cafe, Haymarket

Home of the “pure Barry.” which is ice cream surrounded by cotton candy with a choice of toppings.

A La Mode, Gainsville

Have your ice cream with a side of pie from this local shop.