Name a more classic duo than ice cream and summer. We’ll wait.
Actually, we won’t! While you rack your brain to solve this impossible riddle, you’ll find us chasing down the best ice cream in Calgary to indulge in our favourite flavours at any of the below shops. The city has plenty of options to choose from, but these are simply the best for nourishing your sweet tooth.
With locally sourced dairy and a commitment to only naturally grown ingredients, Made by Marcus creates truly unique small-batch ice cream. Marcus puts great pride in creating tantalizing flavour combinations such as malted chocolate honeycomb, lemon curd blueberry, and sea salt and goat milk caramel. With such quality ingredients, this treat is pretty much good for you and should be eaten every day.
delloR Ice Cream serves intriguing rolled ice cream. Get your fill of this Thai-inspired treat in creative flavours such as mango sticky rice, s’mores delloR, mango monsoon, and many more! And there are always seasonal flavours to choose from when purchasing this preservative-free ice cream.
Taking cues from ice cream parlors of the past, XO Ice Cream & Waffles is the modern-day interpretation of the mom-and-pop soda shop. Not only do they offer delicious hard ice cream, but their made-to-order waffles are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Interesting ice cream flavours include sour cherry, earl grey, vegan mango sorbet, and many more.
Leavitt’s Ice Cream shop, which is also affectionately called “Lics”, has been a popular Calgary ice cream destination since 1982. They offer a variety of creamy hard ice cream with an added selection of sugar-free and lactose-free ice cream as well as a milk-free sorbet for those with allergies.
Specializing in rolled ice cream, Sweet Tooth Ice Cream is carefully hand-crafted in-store with flavours designed to deliver the optimal tastebud experience. Delicious offerings with pun-y names include Nutella & Chill, Why So Salty, Birthday Cake, and Gotcha Matcha. They also offer dairy-free substitutes for the majority of their menu!
Village Ice Cream has long been regarded as one of the best ice cream places in Calgary with three locations throughout the city. The original space at Victoria Park is a popular spot for photoshoots thanks to the Instagrammable hand-painted sign for the ice cream shop. Their ice cream is touted as the smoothest and creamiest in the city and the shop offers ambiance like none other.
Feeling adventurous? Uzu Taiyaki serves soft-serve Asian-inspired ice cream flavors with a fish twist! Japanese taiyaki are waffle cakes in the shape of a fish with red bean or Nutella coating the inside. Fill the inside with soft-serve flavours such as pandan, matcha or vanilla, for a unique ice cream experience.
Righteous Gelato is a Certified B Corporation which is a for-profit company that meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance. Beyond their eco-conscious ethos, they also just make really amazing gelato. Buy it at 2,500 stores across Canada, but for the original experience, visit their storefront in SE Calgary to guarantee a taste of some small-batch flavours that are not available in stores like Cinnamon Bun, Breakfast Club, or Pumpkin Pie.
With over 72 flavours of hard ice cream to choose from, this Calgary staple with two locations has been a go-to spot since 1981. A large piano serves as a focal point in the flagship shop just off of Old Banff Coach Road, and you can expect a free ice cream cone if you play for 10 minutes!
La Diperie has a recognizable aesthetic that includes not only their signature cones but also a turquoise feature wall in each store. Dip their soft serve in a choice of 40 dips and then artfully sprinkle it with various creative toppings (hello oreo crumbles, pretzel chunks, and nerds!). Additional options include vegan cookie dough, hot lava cake, 30 different hot chocolate flavours, and much more!
To add to the indulgence, why not tour ice cream shops with an AM PM Limo? (And so that any drips don’t hit your own car upholstery.) Turn a simple trip into an unforgettable experience.
The convenience makes the cost (only $115/hr for up to 10 people – Calgary limo prices are lower than you might think) completely worth it and will add a definitive flair to your outing. With a courteous drive, spacious ride, and the ability to be really present with your loved ones, this will be an ice cream trip to remember.