Ontario’s Best Ice Cream Scoops & Shops
Warning! A hot summer combined with limited events is going to call for a lot of ice cream this year. Good thing Ontario also has lots of fun physical activities that help you justify eating the creamy rich and delicious good stuff. Summer is saved by ice cream you might say.
One of the most memorable things to do in Ontario while out enjoying summer activities in Ontario, is go for ice cream. And there is lots of amazing ice cream out there to be had.
People of all ages who love sweet treats love ice cream. Ice cream is usually made with daily milk or cream that is flavoured with sweetener and an un-ending range of flavours. This combination, that sometimes contains eggs is pasteurized, homogenized and then churned and frozen. Churning the mixture ensures that ice crystals do not form, keeping it smooth and silky.
Ice cream is then kept in the freezer until serving. There are non-churn versions of ice cream production techniques along with homemade recipes and tasty at-home simple-to-make recipes. Lately there has been new dairy-free ice creams popping up to serve those with allergies or are vegan made with coconut milk and other delicious dairy alternatives.
However going out for ice cream has become a highlight of the summer for children, families and couples’ date nights, everyone really. It’s not just ice cream either, don’t forget about gelato, sorbet, soft serve and what is maybe harder to find, vegan and dairy-free ice cream. With everyone staying home, making close-to-home or short trips in Ontario this summer, personal favourites have been determined in all parts of the province and it’s getting serious.
Best Ice Cream Shops Near You
Ice cream is known and beloved for having a creamy texture and rich flavours. Flavours can be as deliciously simple like vanilla or chocolate to mind-blowing and bizarre like salty bacon or even melon with prosecco (if you need the 411 on that one, let me know). These flavours will really wake up your taste buds. Seasonal flavours from Ontario are even more of a treat when made Ontario strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or other summer berries. The real scoop is that all of them are amazing and there are no bad ice cream flavours out there. If you watch Top Chef, you know it can be done with foods like paté. Everyone’s palette is different.>
How ice cream is served is another variable in the equation. The ice cream cone alone means making decisions like regular, waffle, sugar, dipped, sprinkled and whatever else your imagination might desire. You can have it in a bowl or a cup, or easy one-handed cookie ice cream sandwiches. There is little debate that ice cream is probably one of the best frozen treats introduced into the culinary world. Amen.
Tell Us Your Favourite Ontario Ice Cream Parlour
It’s time to list the best ice cream places in Ontario by region and create (and protect) a solid go-to list. Finding dairy-free or vegan ice-cream can also be challenging and hopefully you can help make this list inclusive in making sure everyone has options when looking to find Ontario ice cream shops for them. For now, this list is made from a few of the author’s personal favourite ice cream shops and favourites found in other articles online. These will stand to start the list while more intelligence is gathered.
Cottage Country’s Favourite Ice Cream Brand
One of the stand-out favourites was started in cottage country and that is the well-loved is Kawartha Dairy. Over 80 years old this 100% Canadian business was started in Bobcaygeon and is still run by the same family. The company has grown to have ice cream shop throughout Ontario and has scaled the business to include buying the ice cream by the pint in grocery stores so it can be enjoyed at home.
Pro tip – it’s worth stopping at their ice cream shops for way more flavours with names like “Bear Claw” or “Maple Sugar Shack”. Flavours like these are made to satisfy any sweet tooth out there. Pro-pro tip, some of their locations even have drive-through service.
A few tips from excited ice cream lovers come including the locally known go-to for soft serve in the heart of Georgian Bay is Wyevale Jug City and that rare and sought after vegan soft-serve can be enjoyed at the Georgian Grill in Balm Beach.
Fancy City Ice Cream Shops, Cones and Sundaes
If you’ve been to Clifton Hill lately in Niagara Falls or the city of Toronto, your eye was likely caught by the bright and silly Sweet Jesus ice cream shop or one of the whacky ice cream sundaes available on the hill. These are always list toppers for favourites.
Toronto also has its famous ice cream, even just the names Bang Bang Ice Cream & Bakery or Dutch Dreams are fun and deliciously refreshing!
Are these really the best? We will put it to the test and know ToDoOntario fans will fulfill and answer anyone’s questions. Not only that, the result will be one really awesome list of places to go get ice cream this summer, or any and every summer.
Your job is easy, you get to brag about your favourite ice cream and see if it makes the list. Just tell us your favourite place to go get ice cream, near you, near your cottage, on-the-road – whatever! If you are dairy free or vegan, we want to know that too.
Here are a few of the nominations:
Kawartha Dairy – Huntsville
Cowan’s Dairy Bar – Brockville
Scoops – Mississauga
Ice Cream Dreams – Bala
Huckleberries Chocolatiers – Sudbury
Downtown Ice Cream Shoppe – Merrickville
Lorna Dunes Ice Cream – Wasaga Beach
Slickers Ice Cream – Picton / Prince Edward County
Stay tuned as we continue to build this list! Can you help? Yes you can! See below!
Help Us Create The Ultimate Ontario Ice Cream To-Do List
Use the survey or send us an email fun(at)todoontario.com. Thank you!
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