- 2 days ago
We're going to need a bigger cone for all these scoops! Join us as we count down our picks for the best ice cream chains you need to visit this summer! Our list features legendary favorites and bold artisanal newcomers that have changed the frozen treat game forever. Which chain reigns supreme in your heart — and your freezer? Let us know in the comments below!
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00:00I'm going to do a scoop of the Arbequina olive oil.
00:03Can I try the chocolate chip zucchini?
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're giving you the scoop on our picks for the best places to go
00:10get your ice cream fix this summer.
00:12Carville has become a family tradition that has stretched across the generation.
00:1810. Dairy Queen
00:20Dairy Queen, or DQ as it's known to millions, first opened its doors in Joliet, Illinois in 1940,
00:27where the soft serve formula that many of us still drool over was first introduced.
00:32One of the things that they found was that ice cream tasted best when it was right out of the
00:37freezer,
00:37before it was frozen, so they devised a way, a machine if you will, to dispense fresh ice cream.
00:44They essentially revolutionized the soft serve game with its signature smooth and velvety texture that's still widely enjoyed by many.
00:52Believe it or not, the company's coveted curl is even trademarked.
00:56No one else can produce that curl, and we own the rights to that.
01:00Their Blizzard Treats, where mix-ins are folded into the cold custard, have become legendary, creating a fun, swirling party
01:07in your mouth.
01:08Walking into Dairy Queen feels like a trip back in time, with friendly service and classic Americana helping make it
01:14a must-stop staple for summer treat seekers everywhere.
01:18All right, pipe down!
01:20Who's up for Dairy Queen?
01:22Dairy Queen!
01:249. Baskin Robbins
01:26Welcome to Baskin Robbins. Would you like to try our mango fruit blast?
01:29When it comes to variety, Baskin Robbins holds the crown with its famous 31 flavors promise, launched in 1945 in
01:37Glendale, California.
01:39This chain's brilliance lies in its ability to innovate endlessly, offering something new for every taste but an occasion.
01:46They were brothers-in-law. Burt Baskin married Irv Robbins' sister, and they were like, we both make ice cream.
01:54Anyway, they combined their parlors, and when they combined them, the amount of flavors they had combined was 31.
02:001. Their texture leans rich, but keeps a perfect balance, allowing each unique flavor from old-fashioned butter pecan to
02:08pralines and cream to shine.
02:10More than just an ice cream shop, Baskin Robbins' ever-changing flavors helped change how people thought about ice cream,
02:17turning it into something those of us with a sweet tooth, especially in the summer months, looked forward to discovering
02:23again and again.
02:24Blindfold me into Baskin Robbins, I don't name all 31 flavors!
02:27Number 8. Cold Stone Creamery
02:29Cold Stone Creamery flips the script on traditional ice cream with its theatrical preparation style, founded in 1988 in Tempe,
02:36Arizona.
02:37The reason why we're called Cold Stone is because we mix all of our ice cream over here on the
02:41cold stone.
02:42And some people will work here for six months and never realize that is why we're called Cold Stone.
02:46What sets them apart? Instead of just scooping and serving, they'd mix up your favorite flavors and toppings on a
02:52frozen granite stone right before your eyes,
02:55creating customized creamy concoctions packed with texture and flavor.
03:00This ice cream gets whipped up right in front of you on Cold Stone Creamery's signature ice-cold slab of
03:05granite.
03:06Watching the crew mash up your custom order is half the fun, and you always end up with a treat
03:10that's totally your own.
03:12This hands-on, made-to-order style is beloved by ice cream fans who want a little show and a
03:17lot of flavor in every bite.
03:19Cold Stone Creamery is the best!
03:21Number 7, Bluebell Creameries.
03:24Before it became famous for ice cream, Bluebell began in Texas in 1907 as a local butter-making business called
03:31the Brenham Creamery Company.
03:32We started by making butter from the excess cream from our local dairy farmers.
03:38And so it wasn't actually until 1911 that we started cranking out some ice cream.
03:43But that was only about two gallons, which was enough for just the employees to enjoy.
03:48It's become known for its rich, homemade taste and classic flavors.
03:52Favorites like homemade vanilla, Dutch chocolate, and of course their pioneering cookies and cream have earned a loyal following thanks
03:59to their luscious texture and comforting, old-fashioned feel.
04:02At any given time, we can have up to 30 flavors in the market.
04:06But the process of making a flavor really begins with our own employees and then trends in the market.
04:11If there's something that's going on that's popular, we'll try to make that a dessert.
04:16Even as the brand has grown, it has held on to its reputation for simple, high-quality ice cream that
04:22reminds many of their childhood.
04:23While Bluebell's roots are firmly Southern, its impact is heart-warmingly nationwide, stamping a lasting legacy on ice cream history.
04:32We can go and be in 22 different states and still carry along that small-town feeling, that hometown, homemade,
04:39cranking the ice cream, that Southern hospitality type of feeling.
04:42Number 6.
04:43Haagen-Dazs
04:44It's hard to believe this brand started in a small Bronx kitchen in 1960.
04:49Ruben and Rose Mattis had a simple idea, make ice cream that felt more luxurious than anything else on the
04:55market.
04:56Ruben wanted to do something that was a little more high-quality than the product that his mother was manufacturing,
05:01so he came up with the formula for Haagen-Dazs.
05:04They did that by churning less air into the mix, creating a richer, denser, and creamier texture than the lighter
05:11ice creams people were used to.
05:13They also chose a European-sounding name that felt sophisticated and premium.
05:18He came up with the name Haagen-Dazs, which was his playing around with the words Duncan Hines, which he
05:24actually thought was a very high-quality product at the time, and he came up with Haagen-Dazs.
05:28The name means absolutely nothing. In fact, the umlauts do not even exist in that language.
05:34That combination of quality and branding helped create what we now know as the super-premium ice cream category, turning
05:40ice cream from a simple kids' dessert into something adults could see as a gourmet treat.
05:46We brought Haagen-Dazs.
05:47That's fancy ice cream.
05:49Number 5. Van Leeuwen
05:50It's hard to believe Van Leeuwen started as a humble yellow ice cream truck driving around New York City in
05:562008.
05:57The only thing I know about is running an ice cream truck, and at that time there weren't ice cream
06:01trucks serving super high-quality ice cream, so I said, let's do this.
06:05Since then, it's grown into a brand with a huge following thanks to its focus on simple, high-quality, ethically
06:12-sourced ingredients and ice cream made from scratch.
06:15The menu strikes a balance between classic flavors and creative new ideas, offering everything from rich French-style ice cream
06:22to surprisingly melt-in-your-mouth vegan options.
06:25They're also known for their surprising brand collaborations and unique flavors, like honeycomb, black cherry chip, and lemon poppy seed
06:33muffet.
06:34Combined with its clean, modern aesthetic, Van Leeuwen has turned a simple frozen treat into a cultural phenomenon, giving ice
06:41cream lovers plenty to melt over one scoop at a time.
06:44Real ice cream is amazing and delicious.
06:47We know that if someone gets one scoop, that they're coming back for our ice cream again, because we put
06:52that much time and effort into every scoop.
06:54Number 4. Salt and Straw
06:56When Portland's quirky spirit meets artisanal ice cream, you get Salt and Straw, a 2011 startup that's been churning out
07:04bold, boundary-pushing scoops ever since.
07:07Bone marrow and smoked cherries.
07:10Yeah, delicious, by the way. One of my favorites.
07:13Black olive brittle with goat cheese.
07:15Ooh, that was a fun one.
07:17Their texture is decadently silky, but it's their fearless mix of ingredients, strawberry, honey, balsamic with black pepper, anyone? That
07:25really sets them apart.
07:27Their shop feels warm and community-driven, with plenty of chances to try flavors before choosing.
07:32When you walk in the door, we want you to feel like you've entered into, you've been transported to just
07:38a whole new world, and you've left your worries behind, and you're about to experience unbelievable ice cream that you
07:46didn't even know could exist.
07:47By working closely with local farmers and constantly experimenting with new ideas, they've become one of the most inventive and
07:54recognizable names in craft ice cream.
07:57Frankly, when it comes to pushing the boundaries of frozen desserts, they really take the cake and the scoop.
08:02Pretzel salad ice cream.
08:04It's very different.
08:05It's one of our new flavors.
08:07Then we have our huckleberry cornbread pudding right in the middle.
08:10Extremely good.
08:11My personal favorite is our banana bread with strawberry jam.
08:16It is one of our dairy-free ice creams.
08:18Really good.
08:19And then last but not least is our goat cheese marionberry habanero.
08:23Number three, Jenny's Splendid Ice Creams.
08:25Jenny Britton Bauer didn't exactly take the traditional route to becoming an ice cream mogul.
08:30I started making ice cream when I was studying art at Ohio State University, and I figured out that ice
08:37cream is like this perfect canvas for telling stories.
08:40And scent and flavor sort of blooms in ice cream.
08:44With a background in art and a real knack for fragrance, she basically rebuilt the chemistry of ice cream from
08:50the ground up.
08:51She started playing around with essential oils and top-tier dairy, which is why her scoops have that signature, super
08:58clean, smooth finish.
08:59I just think that our ice cream is what it needs to be.
09:02But if we want this kind of ice cream, we have to pay people who make, grow, produce the ingredients
09:07for it, and it's really the only way to get it.
09:09Since she started out in Columbus, Ohio, the brand has remained focused on its own unique standard, with some intriguing
09:16experimental flavors.
09:18As you scan the menu, you can tell there's a ton of thought behind every flavor.
09:22Honestly, they really know how to churn out a masterpiece.
09:25Our own Everything Bagel Gravel.
09:27It's a very oniony, garlicky, savory flavor.
09:31So it's not for everyone, but what I would say is I recommend every single person try it.
09:35Try it.
09:36It is an experience.
09:38It's kind of funny that Carvel started thanks to a random flat tire in 1934.
09:43A young Greek immigrant named Tom Carvel borrowed $15 from his future wife, Agnes, and began selling ice cream from
09:50the back of a broken-down vending truck in Hartsdale, New York.
09:53Thomas Carvel was stuck in Hartsdale, New York, and started selling his melting ice cream, now soft-serve, to passers
10:00-by.
10:00People absolutely loved that melty texture, and just like that, an empire was born.
10:06Tom was as much of an inventor as he was an entrepreneur.
10:10Beginning with the creation of his no-air pump ice cream machine and secret Carvela flavoring, Tom introduced hundreds of
10:17patents, trademarks, and copyright registrations.
10:19He basically invented the blueprint for the modern ice cream shop, but we all really remember the cakes.
10:25Who didn't have a fudgy the whale or cookies puss at their birthday?
10:28I hear there's a Carvel factory in Framingham.
10:31Oh, right! Fudgy the whale and cookie puss!
10:35Even though it's been around forever, the brand still has this cool, kitschy, old-school feel.
10:40And nothing feels more like summer has arrived than a good old spoonful of Carvels.
10:45Carvel ice cream is one of the best-loved and most-recognized names in the food industry.
10:50In fact, it seems like everyone is talking about Carvel ice cream.
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11:22Number 1.
11:23Ben & Jerry's.
11:24Topping our list is none other than Ben & Jerry's.
11:28A tour of Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory.
11:32Can that be a trip?
11:35Yes, it can.
11:36Yes, it can.
11:37Because the factory's in Vermont.
11:38See, the wildflowers are blooming.
11:40And we can stay at this cute little Ben & Breakfast.
11:43Why don't we just stay at Ben & Jerry's house?
11:45This Vermont original has been shaking up the ice cream world since 1978 with its legendary chunky mix-ins and
11:52unforgettable pun-filled names.
11:54Their texture is thick and creamy with a playful edge that keeps fans coming back.
11:59Beyond flavor, their brand ethos celebrates social causes and environmental awareness, making every scoop feel like you're making the world
12:07a better place.
12:08A portion of the proceeds from Justice Remix go to Advancement Project.
12:12They're directly impacting from the ground all the way up to the Supreme Court.
12:15Who knew ice cream could have such an enormous cultural impact?
12:18They remain the undisputed champions of innovation, consistently delivering the kind of wild, craveable combinations that have kept them cookie
12:28-dominating for decades.
12:30I want you to meet two friends who have always been there for me.
12:34Ben & Jerry.
12:35If you had a fight to keep one ice cream chain going forever, which one would it be and why?
12:40Let us know in the comments.
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