Best ice cream in SC? Look east and west, Google Maps says. Here are the top 10

Sunday is National Ice Cream Day and just in time, Google Maps has come out with the best-rated ice cream shops in South Carolina.

And none are in the Midlands!

Fans of IceCream Taco in Lexington might have a thing or two to say about that, since the newly opened shop was named winner of The State’s 2022 Ice Cream Poll from a cast of 21 competitors.

But Google said its data shows two shops on opposite side of the state share the title — Stella’s Homemade Ice Cream in Murrells Inlet and Mama Rae’s Ice Cream Shoppe in Pendleton.

Stella’s was drawn into a legal battle involving another Myrtle Beach ice cream shop owned by the same person but that truly has nothing to do with how much people love Stella’s homemade ice cream.

On Saturday, Stella’s is having a special for pets. The announcement on Facebook says, “Don’t fur-get about the Paw-some Stella-bration THIS Saturday from 3-6! Games, music, TREATS and more!” And earlier this month, they announced a new flavor, which they say is “sponsored by Horry County’s finest!:” Horry County Police Department, Ahem, its coffee and donuts ice cream.

Mama Rae’s, meanwhile, about 26 miles southwest of Greenville, is run by Mama Rae, supported by Baby Rae and Mini Rae, according to its website, plus 10 or so others not named Rae. Its tagline is “Tiny Building...Big Scoop!” and its Facebook page shows huge lines of people waiting outside for that big scoop.

They also have a feature where they pick a name and if it’s yours you get a free scoop. Friday was Samuel.

The announcement said, “if you see this name is a repeat, it’s all good! These names are not generated by a machine, just a middle aged woman who can rap Ice Ice Baby word for word yet can’t remember why she walked into a room.”

Stella’s garnered 148 reviews, Mama Rae 238, and both had an average rating of 4.92.

This ice cream business is tough competition — the 10th place shop N the Midst Ice Cream in Seneca had an average rating of 4.8.

Two attracted a huge number of reviews — No. 6 Meyer’s Ice Cream Parlor in Surfside Beach with 1,894 reviews and a 4.83 rating and No. 8 Ice Cream Station in Simpsonville, 1,265 reviews, 4.82 rating.

Others in the top 10 were 3 Houni’s Ice Cream in Greenville, 4 Good Karma Ice Cream in Easley, 5 Clare’s Creamery in Greenville, tied with Meyer’s at 6th Ella’s in North Myrtle Beach and tied with Ice Cream Station at 8 ’55 Exchange in Clemson.

Google Maps found the most searched local ice cream parlor were Off Track Ice Cream in Charleston followed by Hilton Head Ice Cream and Nonna Marie’s Gelato & Coffee Bar, both in Hilton Head.