When it’s hot outside, sometimes an ice cream cone is the best form of relief.
Baltimore has its ice cream heavyweights: I will always say yes to a scoop of salted caramel Old Bay at The Charmery or some honey graham at Taharka Bros. The blueberry soft serve at Bmore Licks (one of dozens of flavors) always reminds me of family trips to Maine.
But the city has some lesser known scoop shops that are worth a visit, as well. In honor of National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, we highlighted five sweet spots.
Always Ice Cream Co.
Do you have trouble picking a flavor when confronted with a freezer case full of ice cream options? I do — especially when there are more than a dozen to choose from.
Luckily, Always Ice Cream Co. understands this particular dilemma. That’s why they posted a motto above their ice cream counter: “If the decision was easy it wouldn’t be fun.”
The scoop shop with origins in Anne Arundel County opened its first Baltimore store, in the Village of Cross Keys, over Memorial Day weekend. Customers can choose from 20 dairy-based flavors — or “flavas,” as the menu board calls them — as well as six vegan ones.
There are classics like pistachio, mint chocolate chip and Neapolitan (which here is simply called vanilla, chocolate, strawberry), as well as more original options like salted caramel brownie batter and lemon blueberry cheesecake. I tried the banana pudding Oreo, which was tasty and heavy on the Oreos.
8 Village Square (Baltimore) and 116 Annapolis St. (Annapolis).
Cajou Creamery
Cajou Creamery founders Nicole Foster and Dwight Campbell started out making vegan ice cream for their children, who are lactose intolerant. The business blossomed, expanding to a wholesale operation and a brick-and-mortar storefront that opened on Howard Street in 2021.
The vegan ice cream store is part of “Healthy Howard Row,” a collection of Black-owned, health-focused businesses that also includes Cuples Tea House and Vegan Juiceology. Inside, the scoop shop has a soothing vibe, with plants, Buddhist sculptures and colorful paper flags.
Foster and Campbell make their ice cream using cashew milk, resulting in a treat that’s smooth rather than icy like some sorbets. Staple flavors include horchata, blueberry cheesecake and sweet potato pie; on my visit, I opted for a scoop of baklava. The ice cream was delicate and not too sweet, with notes of cinnamon and chopped pistachios blended in.
For some added luxury, order your ice cream on top of a colorful cone in one of three flavors: matcha green tea, black cocoa or red velvet.
411 N. Howard St., Baltimore.
Moo Moo Cows
Moo Moo Cows owners Will Runnebaum and Bill Mangham make it a point to greet customers looking to grab a cone or a cup.
Friendliness is the cherry on top at this Federal Hill scoop shop, which is located in something of a dessert mecca: Bmore Licks is across the street, and Afters Cafe and Buns & Roses Chimney Cakes are just a short walk away.
Runnebaum and Mangham are also the partners behind the Marcus-Boyd Realty office in the same Light Street building, but decided to add ice cream to the mix as more of their real estate business was driven online.
They source their ice cream from a Mid-Atlantic dairy farm — the exact location is a trade secret — and serve a rotating array of two dozen seasonal flavors as well as staples. I tried the crunchy, coffee-flavored cappuccino chip and will be returning for a scoop of the butter brickle, an old-fashioned combination of sweet cream and toffee that’s not so easy to find these days.
926 Light St., Baltimore.
Prigel Family Creamery
The origins of the milk used to make ice cream served at this Belvedere Square Market stall are no secret.
Since 1895, the Prigel family has maintained a dairy farm in Glen Arm, where they churn out cheese and milk as well as ice cream. Though it’s not officially certified organic, the Prigels’ farm adheres to organic farming standards, according to their website. They allow their herd of 150 cows to graze “day and night” and abstain from antibiotics and synthetic hormones.
The quality shows in the resulting ice cream: “You can tell these are happy cows,” a friend remarked as he dug into a scoop of vanilla on a recent visit. I decided to try the lemon ice cream, which was light and refreshing — a perfect summer treat.
If you’re bored of cups and cones, ask for an ice cream sandwich. The vanilla is even more indulgent between two chocolate chip cookies.
529 E Belvedere Ave., Baltimore.
Sydney’s Ice Creams
Sydney Newton’s pandemic-era passion project is now a full-fledged ice cream business serving some of the best scoops in the city.
Laid off in COVID-19’s early days, Newton and her children started making batches of ice cream and dropping pints off to family members. Eventually, she made the ice cream available to the broader public, selling it online and at festivals.
At her Belair-Edison brick-and-mortar, Newton serves a curated selection of ice creams, with some recurring favorites like banana pudding and some seasonal options, like a recent s’mores-and-banana mashup called campfire banana boat and a tangerine sorbet. I picked another summery option, the peaches and biscuits, which blends the taste of sweet fruit with a buttery biscuit crumble.
If you can’t make it to the shop, look for Sydney’s Ice Creams at markets around the city: Newton is a fixture at the Baltimore Farmers’ Market on Sundays and the Lauraville Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays.
3432 Belair Road, Baltimore.
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