Metro Parent / June 2011 / Top 10 Ice Cream Places in Southeast Michigan

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Top 10 Ice Cream Places in Southeast Michigan

Screaming for the best scoops in metro Detroit and Ann Arbor? Parents and kids will love digging into these delicious shops serving delightful treats!

Ice cream: It's the sweetest way to beat the heat! Here's a list of some of the coolest (no pun intended) ice cream parlors around town.

1. Treat Dreams, Ferndale

Because Treat Dreams offers vegan ice cream, no one misses out on the frozen good stuff! With always-changing offbeat flavors like Chocolate Covered Potato Chip, Pistachio Wasabi and Sunday Breakfast, Treat Dreams serves up a break from the ordinary chocolate, strawberry and vanilla options.

• Where: 22965 Woodward Ave.
• Call: 248-544-3440
• Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday

2. Ray's Ice Cream, Royal Oak

Voted "Best of Detroit 2010" by Hour Detroit and "Best Independent Ice Cream" by Metro Times, Ray's Ice Cream offers over 40 flavors, including Chocolate Malt Crunch, Huckleberry, Fat Elvis, Cotton Candy and Rum Raisin.

• Where: 4233 Coolidge Highway (between 13 and 14 Mile roads)
• Call: 888-549-5256
• Hours: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-11 p.m. Sunday

3. Chocolate Bar Cafe, Grosse Pointe Woods

Along with cakes and cupcakes, this old-fashioned ice cream parlor also serves Alinosi Ice Cream & Candy Co. products. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the 1950s era, when spinning stool seats and ice cream sodas were the order of the day.

• Where: 20737 Mack Ave.
• Call: 313-881-2888
• Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Saturday

4. Stroh's Ice Cream Parlours, Wyandotte

Located in downtown Wyandotte near local shops and parks along the Detroit River, this traditional ice cream shop is known for its generous portions at reasonable prices.

• Where: 3162 Biddle Ave.
• Call: 734-285-5480
• Hours: noon-10 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday

5. Erma's Original Frozen Custard, Shelby Township/Warren

What started out as a roadside stand in 1942 is now a two-location custard powerhouse. In addition to traditional vanilla and chocolate custard flavors, Erma's Original Frozen Custard offers unique flavors of the week such as Malted Milk Ball, Mango and Lemon.

• Where: Shelby Township: 6451 Auburn Road; Warren: 2080 E. 14 Mile Road
• Call: Shelby Township: 586-254-3080; Warren: 586-275-2447
• Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. April 1-May 29 (2011) 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sept. 6-Oct. 31 (2011)

6. Stucchi's, Ann Arbor

Opened in Ann Arbor in 1986, Stucchi's now has multiple locations in the southeast Michigan area. Stucchi's (pronounced stew'cheese) products are made in Michigan and feature creative flavors like Texas Tea, Oatmeal Cookie and PB Truffle Shuffle.

• Where: 302 S. State St.
• Call: 734-662-1700
• Hours: 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

7. Calder's Dairy Store & Ice Cream Parlor, Lincoln Park

Try a real fresh-from-the-farm experience at this ice cream shop, where milk from the Calder Dairy is turned into ice cream at the Calder Farm in Carleton. There are 34 flavors to choose from, and each flavor batch is made by hand.

• Where: 1020 Southfield Road
• Call: 313-381-8858
• Hours: Store: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Parlor: noon-9 p.m.

8. Washtenaw Dairy, Ann Arbor

Opened in 1934, this dairy has more than 30 flavors to choose from, including Caramel Nut Cluster, Peachy Peach, Play Dough and Triple Chocolate Overload. Buy them by the cone or in three-gallon containers.

• Where: 602 S. Ashley St.
• Call: 734-662-3244
• Hours: summer: 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Saturday; winter: 5 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Saturday (closed Christmas Day)

9. Mootown Creamery & More, Detroit

This brand-new ice cream shop opened May 13, 2011. Located near Detroit's Eastern Market, it serves 12 flavors of Michigan-made Hudsonville ice cream. Mootown Creamery & More is the first ice cream shop to ever set up shop in Eastern Market since the district was founded in 1891!

• Where: 2461 Russell St.
• Call: 313-393-6016
• Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday

10. Ashby's Sterling Ice Cream Parlor, Shelby Township

With more than 44 in-store flavors, including Majestic Milky Way, Raspberry Chip Cheesecake and Gold Rush, this shop offers a wide variety for all taste buds. Low-fat and no-sugar-added flavors of ice cream are also available.

• Where: 46540 Van Dyke Ave.
• Call: 586-991-0106
• Hours: 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday