A generous scoop of ice cream is the best remedy for sweltering summer days. Whether you’re a vanilla kind o’ gal or searching for a scrumptious spin on an old-fashioned favorite, there’s a local shop featuring a variety of flavors waiting to be hand-dipped (or soft-served) to you and the family. So check out these Grand Rapids ice cream shops and get ready to have your taste buds tickled.
44th Street Dog and Dairy
- Address: 521 44th St. SW, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-466-9096
- Hours: Summer hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-10 p.m. Sunday; other seasons vary
Dig into a chili cheese dog, onion rings, or cheeseburger at this family-operated shop, then top it off with a butterscotch malt, Boston Cooler, peach slushy, ice cream cone or one of many other chilled desserts featured here.
The Cone Shoppe
- Address: 1225 Michigan St. NE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-742-1981
- Hours: Summer hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-10 p.m. Sunday; other seasons vary
With 24 flavors of soft serve and frozen yogurt, hot dogs, old-fashioned banana splits, sundaes and malts – those who swing by are sure to satisfy their cravings for something savory and sweet.
Dairy De-Lite
- Address: 3950 W. River Drive NE, Comstock Park
- Phone: 616-784-3396
- Hours: noon-10 p.m. daily
Hudsonville fans can find hand-dipped cones here, as well as malts, shakes, flurries, slushes and chili dogs.
Double Dip Depot
- Address: 3284 Remembrance Road NW, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-301-2973
- Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, March-September
Featuring ice cream courtesy of Hudsonville, Homemade Brand, House of Flavors and Sweet Temptations, you can stay loyal to your favorite flavors or switch it up. You’ll find 25 flurry combinations to keeps things interesting for your palate. Savory options include corn dogs, chili dogs, cheesy fries, chili cheese fries, fried pickles, mozzarella sticks and more.
Frosty Boy
- Address: 1757 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-284-1436
- Hours: 2-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday March 25-May 25; noon-10 p.m. Monday-Sunday, May 26-Aug. 25; 2-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 26-Oct. 14
This favorite was closed for nearly a decade but is back and serving Michigan-made dairy treats including ice cream from Country Fresh, Country Dairy, Hudsonville and Ashby’s. Offers savory hot dogs, chili dogs, french fries and chicken fingers too. Locations in Grand Rapids and Rockford.
Furniture City Creamery
- Address: 958 Cherry St. SE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-258-8733
- Hours: noon-8 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Sunday
Voted the No. 1 ice cream joint in Revue’s 2016 “Best of the West” readers’ poll, this creamery keeps on impressing with vegan options and unconventional flavors like carrot cake, banana bread, molasses cookie and more. Those who bring their furry friends can buy them a pup cup! The creamery even caters to spots within a 30-mile radius of the shop.
The Ice Cream Garage
- Address: 4030 Lake Michigan Drive NW, Standale
- Phone: 616-453-7090
- Hours: 2-9 p.m. daily; check ahead for seasonal hour changes
Serving eager customers for over 35 years, this hotspot dishes up traditional flavors in freshly homemade waffle cones. Malts and shakes are on the menu, too. Sit outside beside the mural dedicated to your favorite childhood cartoon characters or inside at the high-top bar.
Jersey Junction
- Address: 652 Croswell Ave. SE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-458-4107
- Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-8 p.m. Sunday, March 1-31; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday, April 1- the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-10 p.m. Sunday, Memorial weekend-Labor Day weekend; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-9 p.m., Labor Day-Oct. 30 (closed Easter and November-February, open until 11 p.m. on July 4, closes at 5 p.m. the last day of the season)
Reminiscent of mom-and-pop candy stores, Jersey Junction has it all – retro candy lines the walls and the menu features lasting favorites: all-beef hot dogs and bratwursts; an assortment of cones and creamy flavors; banana splits; dirt, monster and turtle sundaes; creamsicle shakes; and blends of citrusy sodas and sherbets topped with dollops of whipped cream.
Love’s Ice Cream
- Address: 435 Ionia Ave. SW, Stall 106, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-965-1054
- Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday
Love’s Ice Cream – “Grand Rapids’ original vegan gelato and grass-fed dairy ice cream” – was also featured in Revue’s 2016 “Best of the West” readers’ poll. And with scrumptious flavors like lavender blueberry, great bambino rosewater pistachio, salted caramel and cardamom orange blossom, is it any wonder why patrons keep coming back for more?
The Parlor at Cherry Hill Market
- Address: 717 Cherry St. SE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-776-0266
- Hours: 3:30-10 p.m. daily; check ahead for seasonal hour changes
Located in the Cherry Hill District, swing by and slurp a malt or savor a sundae, banana split, ice cream in a waffle cone, sherbet, smoothie, malts and more.
Pinkie’s Ice Cream and Desserts
- Address: 1127 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-451-9605
- Hours: check ahead for details
Visit this parlor to pick your favorite from some 40 flavors in rotation, such as black raspberry supreme, key lime pie, carrot cake, or stick with the oldies but goodies – mint chocolate chip, chocomania, superman and more. Tasty gluten-free and vegan options are available.
Village Cone Shop
- Address: 1810 Breton Road, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 626-359-2294
- Hours: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 2-9 p.m. Sunday; check ahead for seasonal hour changes
Choose from your favorite flavors by Ashby’s or Hudsonville, flurries and sundaes, or make is a meal with a Chicago Dog.
Woody’s Cone Stop
- Address: 700 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids
- Phone: 616-241-0969
- Hours: check ahead for details
Stop by and grub on a chili dog, then top it off with a sweet treat – a shake, malt, ice cream soda, hand-dipped Hudsonville or soft-serve ice cream, float or frozen yogurt. Delicious shake flavors include strawberry pineapple, chocolate marshmallow, butterscotch, peach and more.
This post was originally published in 2017 and is updated regularly.
