‘Tis the season for frozen treats and waffle cones! When it comes to chilly dessert, it’s not a matter of “IF,” it’s a matter of where! You could just go to your local convenience or grocery store and just buy a litre of vanilla… OR you could go to one of the city’s top-notch shops.
This summer, do the right thing and really crush that craving by melting into the spirit of the warmer months with a visit to one of the 12 best ice cream shops in Calgary.
LICS
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Lics is a cute little, old-school ice cream shop in the North East of Calgary. Unlike the majority of places we’ve added on this list, these guys are less about the show and more about the flavour. Don’t get us wrong, occasionally we crave the Insta-cream experience, but most of the time, we just want a simple scoop of something tasty and good service. For this reason, this is one of our favourites.
Where:Â 3410 3 Ave NW, Calgary
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MILK ICE CREAM
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Selling grab-and-go pints and generous cones of the good stuff, Milk Ice Cream is open every day of the week – except Monday. Made with love and care this little spot has some incredible flavours with new ones being added all the time!
Where: 1000 Centre St N #110, Calgary
MADE BY MARCUS
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You already know! Made By Marcus is a beloved Calgary dessert shop with a cult-like following. It’s not uncommon that you’ll see an insanely long line down the block, full of people waiting to get a scoop of their good stuff at their 17th Avenue location. MBM uses only natural ingredients and has some of the tastiest flavours.
Where:Â See locations here
VILLAGE ICE CREAM
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Village is another Calgary favourite. With several locations across the city, this ice cream spot has come up with some incredibly tasty flavours. Their ever-changing menu keeps things interesting, but their friendly service and community spirit remain pretty constant.
Where:Â Â See locations here
HOLY COW
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Go big and go home with one-of-a-kind eats from Sunnyside’s Holy Cow, an original dessert spot that does summer differently. From pints of gelato to floats and even warm pastries, these guys are kind of experts in everyday craving satisfaction! They also have some of the craziest cakes we’ve ever seen in our lives.
Where: 938 – 2nd Avenue NW, Calgary
V BURGER
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Shoutout to our fellow lactose-sensitive dessert lovers. At V-Burger you can get a dairy-free ice cream sandwich, a milkshake, a sundae, or VMix, which we would compare to a dairy queen blizzard. Trust us, your stomach will thank you.
Where: 819 – 17 Ave SW, Calgary
ABBEY’S CREATIONS
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Serving a variety of flavours and premium scoops, Abbey’s is not one to be missed! You will not regret checking this one out this summer – and we can almost guarantee that!
Where:Â See locations here
LA DIPERIE
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Love yourself some toppings? How about 30? This Montreal-based dessert shop is absolutely insane. Try hundreds of combinations, from sweet and salty to fruity in a cup or a cone. Once you’ve tried them all, they also have cakes, donuts, and a DIY chocolate bar station.
Where:Â See locations here
MY FAVOURITE ICE CREAM SHOP
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These guys opened back in 1981, which means they’ve had a ton of time to perfect the art of scoopin’ and customer service. If their 72 flavours don’t win you over immediately, their retro decor and lovely staff definitely will. We won’t lie, our loyalty lies with the blueberry cheesecake so we haven’t really explored the menu, but those who have, typically give it all glowing reviews.
Where:Â See locations here
XO ICECREAM
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XO is a super cute spot with ice cream, waffles, milkshakes, AND cakes. They’re really in the business of cravings, and it shows. Not only is their menu magically delicious, but their decor is bright, bubbly, and fun. Trust us, you won’t regret checking them out.
Where:Â 808, 100 Auburn Meadows Drive SE, Calgary
LUKE’S DRUG MART
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Alright, so it’s not technically an ice cream shop, but it’s hard not to include this delectable and very Instagrammable soft-serve on our list. They have rotating flavours of both soft-serve ice cream and frozen yogurt, so keep an eye on their Instagram page to know what you can get and which location you can get it at!
Where: Bridgeland – 112 4th St NE | Killarney – 3407 26th Ave SW
There you have it, YYC. Our pics for the best ice cream shops in Calgary. Let us know if we missed your fave! Don’t be shy, in the world of frozen desserts, there are no wrong answers.
