A guide to the 25 best local, handmade ice cream shops in the Triangle
We’ve come a long way since Baskin-Robbins (not that there’s anything wrong with that) was the top ice cream game in town.
The Triangle is now well stocked with delicious local ice cream shops serving small-batch scoops ranging from classics like vanilla and chocolate to more exotic flavors like Sola Cinnamon Donut (you can find that at Two Roosters, by the way).
When we made our list of top ice cream spots this past summer, Andia’s Homemade Ice Cream won the hearts of readers in online voting.
Andia’s is especially known for its Instagrammable monster shakes (think mason jars filled with creamy, blended scoops of ice cream and overflowing with toppings, sauces and sometimes, whole doughnuts or slices of cake) and for serving ice cream flights, ice cream brûlée and other decadent seasonal specialties.
The family-owned shop, founded by husband-and-wife team Andia and George Xouris, is grounded in family history and the guiding values of “parea,” which is Greek for good company and friendship.
George’s grandfather immigrated from Greece to New York in 1920 and found work at an ice cream parlor in Astoria. The first flavor on the menu is baklava, a tribute to the family’s Greek heritage. Rose pistachio, Andia’s favorite flavor, pays homage to the ice cream of her childhood.
Where to find Andia’s Homemade Ice Cream: 10120 Green Level Church Rd, #208 or 1008 Ryan Rd, both in Cary. (A Raleigh location is planned for the Raleigh Iron Works development on Atlantic Avenue.)
The best ice cream shops in the Triangle
Here are some other great, local ice cream shops in the Triangle:
ANDIA’S 10120 Green Level Church Rd, #208, Cary; 1008 Ryan Rd, Cary. (New location coming to Raleigh Iron Works on Atlantic Avenue) andiasicecream.com
BOLD BATCH CREAMERY Online orders picked up at pop-up spots across the Triangle. boldbatchcreamery.com
BROKEN SPOKE FARM 5601 St. Marys Road, Hillsborough, Brokenspokefarm.com
ENO RIVER FARM 2127 St. Marys Road, Hillsborough, enoriverfarms.com
FLAVORS ICE CREAM 2831 Jones Franklin Road, Raleigh, flavorsicecream.ne
FRESH LOCAL ICE CREAM 6033 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh; 109 North Salem St., Apex; 138 East Chatham St., Cary. freshlocalicecream.com
The handmade ice cream is made fresh at each scoop shop location. The local milk comes from free-range cows, free of artificial hormones, antibiotics and pesticides.
GOODBERRY’S FROZEN CUSTARD See locations in Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Garner and Wake Forest. goodberrys.com
With locations across the Triangle and even some in Australia, Goodberry’s got started right here in Raleigh. Visit for the flavor of the day, freshly made every hour, or some good ol’ vanilla or chocolate.
HOWLING COW 100 Dairy Ln., Raleigh. howlingcow.ncsu.edu
For decades, NC State’s dairy processing plant, the Feldmeier Dairy Processing Lab, has been primarily known for their delicious ice cream, a State Fair favorite. The new Howling Cow Dairy Education Center and Creamery, located on NC State’s campus, recently opened, allowing ice cream-eaters to overlook the dairy farm.
LA VITA DOLCE 610 Market St., Chapel Hill, lavitadolcecafe.com
LOCOPOPS 2618 Hillsborough Road, Durham, ilovelocopops.com
LUMPY’S ICE CREAM 306 E. Wait Ave., Wake Forest. lumpysicecream.com
MAMA BIRD’S 304 N. Main St., Holly Springs. mamabirdsicecream.com
MAPLE VIEW ICE CREAM 6900 Rocky Ridge Rd., Hillsborough or mapleviewfarm.com
Maple View Ice Cream’s milk and ice cream base comes from Jersey cows, free from added hormones or antibiotics. Visit for seasonal flavors of the month before they run out.
MILK LAB Locations in Cary and Durham with one in Raleigh on the way. milklabcafe.com
PACO’S SHAVE ICE 102 S. Merritt Mill Road, Chapel Hill facebook.com/pacoshaveice
THE PARLOUR 117 Market St., Durham theparlour.co
PINCHO LOCO ICE CREAM 1918 Perry St., Durham. pincho-loco.business.site
PINTS ICE CREAM & BEER 512 Broad St., Fuquay-Varina. facebook.com/PintsIceCream
RALEIGH ROLLS Morgan Street Food Hall, 411 W. Morgan St., Raleigh. raleighrolls.com
SIMON SAYS DIP THIS 117 W. Parrish St., Durham. simonssaysdipthis.com
SUNNI SKY’S 8617 N.C. 55 South, Angier. sunniskys.com
TWO ROOSTERS 215 E Franklin St., Raleigh; 4025 Lake Boone Trail, Raleigh, 7713 Lead Mine Rd., Raleigh; 800 Taylor St., Durham. tworoosters.com
This well-loved local shop started as an ice cream truck in 2015. There are now three Raleigh locations and one in Durham, plus a scoop shop inside Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Visit for seasonal flavors each month.
WAKE FOREST DAIRY DEPOT 3433 Rogers Road, Wake Forest. wfdairydepot.com
VIDA DULCE Locations in Cary and Knightdale. vidadulcenc.com
VIDERI CHOCOLATE FACTORY 327 W. Davie St., Raleigh. viderichocolatefactory.com
