Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats in the Triangle
If there's one thing our kids have helped us become experts on, it's ice cream. We've visited every scoop shop, popsicle stand, and frozen yogurt bar in the Triangle — multiple times. Here are the ones worth the drive, the wait, and the sticky fingers.
Raleigh
Two Roosters Ice Cream on Hillsborough Street is hands-down the best ice cream in Raleigh, and maybe the entire Triangle. The flavors rotate regularly and lean creative — think honey lavender, brown butter pecan, and Thai iced tea. But they always have a solid vanilla and chocolate for kids who aren't feeling adventurous. Single scoop $4.50, double $6.50. The line can be long on summer evenings, but it moves quickly. Street parking.
Howling Cow Ice Cream at the NC State campus is made by the university's dairy science program, and it's fantastic. The creamery is a fun stop because kids can see the campus and learn that college students make the ice cream. Limited flavors, but everything is fresh and creamy. Scoops around $3-4. Seasonal hours.
Pelican's SnoBalls has multiple Raleigh locations and is our kids' summer obsession. These are New Orleans-style snowballs (much finer than a snow cone) with real fruit flavors and cream toppings. A small is $3-4 and is plenty for a young child. The stuffed option (ice cream in the middle) is $5-6. Seasonal, typically March through October.
Durham
Locopops on Hillsborough Road makes Mexican-style paletas (fruit popsicles) and ice cream that are out of this world. The fruit flavors use real fruit — the strawberry pop has actual strawberry chunks. They also have creative flavors like chocolate-cayenne and hibiscus. Pops $3-5, ice cream scoops $4-5. Perfect stop after a trip to Duke Gardens.
The Parlour on W. Main Street is Durham's answer to upscale ice cream. Small-batch, seasonal flavors, and a beautifully designed space. Our kids don't care about the aesthetics — they care that the cookies and cream is phenomenal. Scoops $4.50-6.50.
Rose's Noodles, Dumplings, and Sweets on Foster Street has soft serve that's a hidden gem. The flavors change, and the matcha soft serve has a cult following. Soft serve $4-6.
Cary
Goodberry's Frozen Custard is a Triangle institution with multiple locations, including several in Cary. The custard is richer and creamier than regular ice cream, and the concrete mixins are addictive. We always get the custom blend with Reese's cups. Regular cup $4-5, with mixins $5-7. Drive-through available at most locations — a lifesaver with sleeping babies in the back seat.
Kilwin's in downtown Cary on W. Chatham Street has a classic ice cream parlor feel. Hand-dipped scoops, waffle cones made fresh, and a chocolate shop attached. Scoops $4-6. The chocolate-dipped waffle cone is worth the upcharge.
Chapel Hill
Maple View Farm Ice Cream on Dairy Road in Hillsborough is the ultimate ice cream experience for kids. You're eating ice cream at an actual dairy farm, with cows in the field and picnic tables under shade trees. The ice cream is made from their own milk and is incredibly fresh. Scoops $3.50-5. Seasonal hours (typically spring through fall). Worth the 15-minute drive from Chapel Hill.
Yogurt Pump on Franklin Street has been a Chapel Hill institution since 1982. Self-serve frozen yogurt with a toppings bar that kids go wild for. You pay by weight, so a kids-sized cup usually runs $3-5.
Best Frozen Treat Strategies
Quick Reference
| Shop | Location | Best For | Price | |———|—————|—————|———-| | Two Roosters | Raleigh | Creative flavors | $$ | | Goodberry's | Multiple | Drive-through custard | $ | | Locopops | Durham | Fruit popsicles | $ | | Maple View Farm | Hillsborough | Farm experience | $ | | Pelican's SnoBalls | Raleigh (multiple) | Summer snowballs | $ | | Howling Cow | NC State campus | Campus visit + ice cream | $ | | Kilwin's | Cary | Classic parlor feel | $$ |
Ice cream is one of the simplest ways to make a regular Tuesday feel special. These spots make it even better.
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