With National Ice Cream Day just around the corner on Sunday, July 21, it’s the perfect time to explore our city’s coolest (pun intended) ice cream spots. From creamy classics to inventive flavors, St. Petersburg is a sweet tooth’s paradise. Whether you’re a fan of the nostalgic French vanilla or looking to pair your icy treat with deep-fried desserts, we’ve got the inside scoop on where to indulge your cravings.
There’s a big Ice Cream Festival set for the St. Pete Pier on July 21 from 11am-8pm.
ADVERTISEMENT
Small Batch Creamery
5530 4th St N
Ice cream, shakes, floats, and more. Small Batch Creamy delivers it all, one scoop at a time. Having just celebrated their two year anniversary, they pride themselves on unique artisanal flavors which are all made from scratch. Here, you can find all the classics, like Cookie Dough, Oreo Cookies, Vanilla Bean, and more, with some new twists, like Butter Cookie Crunch, Cafe Con Leche, Mango Tango, and Grannies Banana Pudding. Dairy-free options, pop-up flavors, and seasonal splurges all rotate in and out, making every trip to Small Batch Creamy a surprise.
Churned Ice Cream
Food truck popping up across St. Pete
Churned Ice Cream is offering gourmet pops and pints out of a quirky ruby red VW Bus. The owners are delightful, passionate small business owners who are the bright spot of any market they attend. The top items (IMO) at Churned are their Mango Popsicles, mint chip ice cream, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. You can find their pints at local markets such as Tides Seafood Market in Safety Harbor. Find a full list of retail partners here.
Paciugo Gelato
300 Beach Dr NE
Awarded the best gelato in Tampa Bay for 10 years in a row, there’s clearly no better place for trying a taste of this Italian specialty. Paciugo uses a secret family gelato recipe to ensure all flavors are irresistible and silky smooth. From Brown Sugar Boba Tea and Cannoli to Texas Pecan Sea Salt Caramel and Violet, there’s bound to be a flavor for everyone, even puppy companions. Sundaes, shakes, smoothies, pies, cakes, and macaroons are all available for purchase in addition to their lineup of delicious gelato flavors.
Larry’s Ice Cream & Gelato
6596 Gulf Blvd
What’s a day at the beach without an ice cream cone to top it off? This St. Pete Beach gem has been in business for over three decades and three generations. Aside from ice cream, they also offer fresh mini donuts, milkshakes, homemade waffle cones, Italian gelato, frozen custard, and frozen yogurt–all under one roof. With over 100 original ice cream flavors, take your pick. Chocolate lovers will fall for Midnight Chocolate, while options like Black Raspberry, Cherries N Cream, and Key Lime Pie are the perfect lighter choice for a hot summer’s day. Beer and wine floats are also on the menu for those late nights you want a sweet nightcap.
Let It Be Ice Cream & More
3127 Beach Blvd S
Local and family-owned, this Gulfport ice cream parlor is known for its fresh ingredients and exceptional flavors. Only a block from Gulfport Beach, this is the neighborhood spot, whether you’re out with the family, on a date, or out walking your furry friend (yes, they serve decadent pup cups!). Their menu includes traditional favorites in addition to rotating custom designed flavors and non-dairy/vegan options. In the mood for something more than just a cup of a cone? Try one of their floats, malts, ice cream “nachos”, or, a fan-favorite, the banana split.
Mammamia Gelato Italiano
1691 Central Ave
Find a bit of Italy in St. Pete with handcrafted Italian gelato. Mammamaia’s artisanal gelatos and sorbets are creamy, smooth, and, best of all, natural. Non-GMO base ingredients and fresh toppings ensure that every bite is pure-flavored. Their innovative and Italian-inspired menu ranges from Tiramisu and Stracciatella to tropical flavors that will remind you of our Sunshine City, like Mango, Watermelon, and Mojito. Add to your ice cream order by pairing it with their crepes and bubble waffles, all made in-house and from scratch.
Bright Ice
3701 5th Ave N
This rising Tampa Bay favorite boasts locations in St. Pete, Pinellas Park, and Tampa. Natural, locally sourced ingredients add sunshine into every spoonful. Their latest flavor, Orange-Kissed Coconut Cake, is Florida summer in a cup. Other unique combos include Espresso with Kahlua, Caramelized Bananas with Peanut Butter and Honey, and Blueberries with Cinnamon. With these tempting flavors, it’s hard to just order one. That’s why Bright Ice also sells party packs of 25 pre-scooped flavors so you can share the fun.
Funky Sweets
11024 4th St N
Take a step back in time with this ’70s themed dessert shop in Gandy. Groovy music and hundreds of board games make this a fun destination for cooked-to-order, handcrafted sweets. Funnel cake, deep-fried desserts, mini-melts, and Italian ice round out their menu, though you definitely want to try their appropriately-named Jimi Hendrix-inspired Purple Daze ice cream (think black raspberry meets dark chocolate) before you explore other sweet offerings.
Mayday Ice Cream
627 Central Ave
A Sunshine State go-to for ice cream, Mayday has finally landed in St. Pete. Sharing a spot with The Hyppo, a downtown haven for popsicle aficionados, this scoop shop serves imaginative flavors made from the highest quality ingredients. During the summer months, their Passionfruit Golden Milk and Matcha Berry Marble are refreshing top choices, but you also can’t go wrong with their original Coffee + Donuts, Queen Salted Caramel, or Parent Trap flavors, which combines peanut butter swirled ice cream with chunks of Oreos.
Plant Love Ice Cream
953 Central Ave
Who says ice cream has to be made with milk? Plant Love Ice Cream in downtown’s Edge District is changing the ice cream game with their homemade flavors, all made from scratch daily using Organic Non-Dairy Milk (and, of course, a little bit of love). This local family-owned and operated shop is constantly experimenting with new flavors, so you’re never quite sure what’ll be behind the case. But for now, some of our summer must-haves are Choco P.B. Banana, Moon Pie, and Orange Dream.
Paradise Sweets
709 Gulf Way St
Tucked away in Pass-a-Grille, Paradise Sweets has been bringing fresh ice cream and Hawaiian shave ice to beachgoers since 2006. Locally, veteran-owned and operated, this St. Pete treasure doesn’t just stop with ice cream. They also proudly roast their own coffee, making it difficult to pass up on their Pass-a-ccino frozen specialty, which blends espresso with your choice of ice cream. With over 25 ice cream flavors to choose from, take your sweet treat on the go for a walk on the beach at sunset–the perfect ending to a perfect beach day.
ADVERTISEMENT
