It’s the hottest time of the year, with afternoon temps regularly peaking well above 110 degrees. There’s no better way to beat the heat than with a tasty scoop of ice cream. From spicy flavors to ice cream-coffee shop hybrids, there’s a wide selection of unique ice cream shops in the Valley to satisfy your summertime sweet tooth. Here are six of our faves.
Melt
Located inside Jobot Coffee, Diner & Bar in Roosevelt Row Arts District, Melt Ice Cream features a wide selection of locally made artisanal ice cream and sorbet. Popular flavors include classics like fresas con crema and Cookie Monster as well as specialty flavors such as ghost pepper and habanero white chocolate swirl, and RumChata.
333 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, 602-586-5908, @meltphx
Novel
Novel Ice Cream offers 12 unique flavors of ice cream, including eight staples and four daily rotating flavors. Grab a scoop or get a Dough Flip – ice cream flavor of your choice between two warm glazed doughnuts, which Delish named one of the top 50 doughnuts in the country.
Two Valley locations, novelicecream.com
Fatty Daddy’s
Known for its handcrafted ice cream, gelato and sorbet made from all-natural ingredients, this sweet shop is both nutritious and delicious. Fatty Daddy’s also serves a wide range of other treats including boba tea, milkshakes, coffee drinks, fresh baked pastries, artisan marshmallows and more.
Two Valley locations, fattydaddys.com
Churn
This tiny ice cream parlor tucked inside Windsor restaurant in Uptown serves a selection of artisan ice cream by the scoop or in a sundae, float, shake, coffee drink or with fresh baked goods like brownies and cookies. Monthly rotating flavors include apple pie, goat cheese, pistachio and honey, s’mores and boozy mojito sorbet.
5223 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, 602-279-8024, churnaz.com
Peace Cream
Offering ice cream and coffee, this shop is ideal for both breakfast and late-night snacking. Peace Cream lets customers get creative with a wide range of toppings and sauces for build-your-own ice cream sundaes, lattes, waffles, crepes and more.
15414 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix, @peacecreamaz
Sweet Republic
This local chain with locations in Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale has a wide selection of delicious, gluten- and dairy-free flavors ranging from vanilla bean and chocolate to crème brûlée and strawberry buttermilk. Seasonal flavors include peaches and cream and sweet berry cobbler, as well as a new series of international flavors inspired by the 2024 Paris Olympics: All American Breakfast, Strawberry French 75, Tropical Chamoyada, Milk Tart and Boozy Lamington.
Three Valley locations, sweetrepublic.com
