Heyyyyyyyy Texas summer heat and all my fellow Austinites with a sweet tooth!
Austin has plenty of awesome frozen treats to offer. Some of these recommendations are tried and true local favorites. Others are personal favorites. Either way, you can’t go wrong beating the heat with a yummy Austin frozen treat.
Ice
- Jim-Jim’s Water Ice. 6th Street.
Serving premium ice cream and Italian water-ice – “not your ordinary snowcone.” - Sno Beach. Barton Springs and Guadalupe locations.
Austin staple for classic shaved ice that’s super soft and delicious. - SnoMo. Lakeway, Lakeline and north locations.
Taiwanese snow ice desserts. Fluffy like snow, creamy like ice cream.
Food Trucks
- Bananarchy. South 1st and Guadalupe locations.
Austin’s only frozen banana stand. Think grandma’s frozen bananas with an Austin twist. - Cold Cookie Company. Campus location.
Personal favorite for ice cream + cookies. Split the “unshake” with a kiddo or friend! - Holla! Mode. Barton Springs Road (next to Chuy’s).
Thai style rolled ice cream. Instagram and bite-worthy.
Burgers and Shakes
- Hut’s Hamburgers. Downtown / 6th Street.
Serves so-good classic burger joint shakes. Pair with BOGO burgers on Wednesday nights. {Soooo sad this OG is closing down in October, get it while it’s still here!}
- P. Terry’s. Multiple locations.
A quick, affordable drive-thru favorite. Their chocolate shakes are a go-to for me.
- Sandy’s Hamburgers. Barton Springs Road.
A nostalgic Austin experience at an old-fashioned burger spot. Get the frozen custard!
Alternative Options
- Hay Elotes. East 7th Street.
Mexico’s elotes and street snacks, fruit cups and ice cream. - Michoacana Natural Ice Cream. North Austin.
All-natural at a whole new level with unique ice creams, popsicles and MUCH more. - Sweet Ritual. Airport Boulevard.
Amazing gluten-free and vegan ice cream options for a wide variety of dietary needs.
For the Kids
- Amy’s Ice Creams. Multiple locations.
Another Austin ice cream staple. Mexican vanilla ice cream with strawberries is a crowd fave. - Central Market gelato. North Lamar location.
This location is totally worth it for the kid’s playground and outdoor space alone.
- The Baked Bear. Seaholm District downtown (next to Trader Joe’s).
Funfetti cookies, blue bear batter ice cream, fruity pebbles topping and a lawn for the kids to run around while you people watch.
For the Adults
- Launderette birthday cake ice cream sandwich. East side.
Date night! This dinner dessert constantly lands on Austin “best of” lists.
- Peached Tortilla mega-shake. Burnet restaurant location.
A crazy specialty milkshake is featured during brunch the first Sunday of each month.
- Prohibition creamery. East 7th.
Boozy ice cream spot – sundaes, shakes, floats and even cocktails. Technically there are non-alcoholic options, but shhhhh, don’t tell the kids that.
Packaged Favorites
- Coolhaus Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches. HEB and other retailers.
I miss having the local food truck, but the grab-n-go options are just as good! - Jeni’s Ice Cream Pints. Whole Foods and other specialty locations.
Pricey for a pint of ice cream, but the unique, specialty flavors are worth the splurge.
- Tiff’s Treats Tiffblitz. Any Tiff’s Treats locations.
You may love Tiff’s cookies, but if you’ve never added on a Tiffblitz with your order, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Blend of ice cream, cookies and brownie bites.
The only reason the list ends here is because it has to end somewhere. I could name off just as many ice cream places alone. Or shakes. Or gelato. You name it. There is no shortage of frozen treats in warm weather-loving Austin.
If you have a favorite Austin frozen treat to add, please share and include why you love it!
