The best place for ice cream in Madison in 2024, according to Yelp reviews—plus, see the rest of the top 13 spots

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Highest-rated ice cream shops in Madison by diners

Ice cream is a treat that can be enjoyed all year round, although the volume produced during the hotter months signals otherwise. The majority of ice cream and other frozen desserts in the U.S. are made between March and August, with July being the busiest month of all, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Many Americans have memories of their pastel green mint chocolate chip scoop dripping down their waffle cone at the height of summer or cooling down with their sprinkle-covered chocolate and vanilla soft-serve twist. Ice cream tends to scream nostalgia, but the range of available flavors has evolved since the days when the dessert was mainly limited to vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

Of course, that doesn't mean those aren't still top-tier choices. According to a May 2024 survey of 2,200 American adults by the International Dairy Foods Association and Morning Consult, the top 10 ice cream flavors today are still the three classics (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, in that order) followed by butter pecan, cookie dough, cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip, rocky road, and peanut butter or peanut butter cup.

Nowadays, many ice cream shops offer fresh combinations and ingredients you may never have imagined could be made into ice cream, concoctions like black sesame cookies and cream or honey lavender. Some ice cream shops boast flavors with even more unheard-of ingredients and combinations, like the savory tarragon olive oil or pineapple with pink peppercorns.

Ice cream creators have also expanded into rethinking frozen yogurt, soft serve, and vegan options. Dairy-free folks no longer have to order the only sorbet on the menu. There are nondairy milk ice creams made from plant-based milks like oat or almond and other plant-based products like avocado or sunflower butter.

And then there are the toppings, one of the best parts about getting a scoop at your local shop. Pour on the condensed milk or dulce de leche. Sprinkle bits of honeycomb or your favorite childhood cereal.

Ice cream shops everywhere have made it their job to serve up the smoothest, creamiest, and most crave-able options. To find out who's doing the best job of it, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated ice cream shops in Madison using data from Yelp . Data is as of June 14, 2024.

Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 10 reviews were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.

Read on to determine where you'll get your next cup or cone from!

Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific ice cream shops listed or the items they serve.

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#13. Michael's Frozen Custard

- Rating: 3.1/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3826 Atwood Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Shake Shack Hilldale Center

- Rating: 3.3/5 (67 reviews)
- Address: 558 North Midvale Blvd. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: burgers, ice cream & frozen yogurt, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Pizza Pit - Madison West

- Rating: 3.3/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6628 Odana Road Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: pizza, chicken wings, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. MOOYAH

- Rating: 3.8/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 571 State St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: burgers, hot dogs, ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. ZuZu Cafe & Market

- Rating: 3.8/5 (97 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1336 Drake St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, coffee & tea, breakfast & brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream

- Rating: 3.8/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1726 Fordem Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Steep & Brew West

- Rating: 4.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6656 Odana Road Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt, juice bars & smoothies
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream

- Rating: 4.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 555 South Midvale Blvd. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream

- Rating: 4.3/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 468 State St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Daily Scoop In Memorial Union

- Rating: 4.3/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 800 Langdon St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Good News Ice Cream & Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 117 King St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: coffee & tea, ice cream & frozen yogurt, breakfast & brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Babcock Hall Dairy Store

- Rating: 4.5/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1605 Linden Drive Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt, cheese shops, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Ice Cream Social

- Rating: 4.9/5 (52 reviews)
- Address: 2421 University Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: ice cream & frozen yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Chia-Yi Hou, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 237 metros.