Best ice cream near Daytona Beach? Here are my favorite frozen treats to beat the heat
As record-breaking temperatures continue here in Florida, there’s one thing that we can all agree we’re craving: something – anything – ice cold.
Not only has the heat been quite the adjustment for me over the last few weeks, it has also given me an excuse to try a plethora of sundaes, scoops and frozen treats that have kept me cool, while also satisfying my daily sweet tooth.
During my days of tasty research, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of unique, delicious and decadent desserts surrounding me, making my narrowing-down process a rather difficult one, to say the least.
While it’s nearly impossible to include to every tempting sweet shop that each local beach town has to offer, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorites for those of you looking for an after-dinner dessert or post-beach cooldown. So alas, here are my top picks for some of the best frozen treats in the Daytona Beach area.
TG Southern Scoops
2025 S. Ridgewood Ave., South Daytona; 386-281-3515, Facebook.com
If you’re looking to experience true southern hospitality, paired with delicious ice cream and affordable prices, then TG Southern Scoops is the place to be. When visiting the sweet-treat eatery in South Daytona, I was immediately greeted with a smile and a colorful, eclectic ambiance that, somehow, just felt like home – not to mention the ability to sample everything and anything I wanted.
With a brand-new assortment of specially crafted ice cream options prepared each week, this local favorite offers an array of uniquely-named, standout flavors, ranging from “Weekend in Vermont” and “White Christmas” to “Paisley’s Lemon Cake” and “Atlantic Ocean & Coral” – which is what I decided on.
A vibrant treat, to say the least, this eye-catching option was made from a vanilla base with infusions of red velvet and vanilla cake throughout for a little extra texture and added goodness. Apart from the perfectly creamy consistency, rich flavor and custom-made variety, the real magic came from the bits of cake mixed into each scoop.
TG’s Southern Scoops also offers vegan options for those in need of a dairy-free treat, as well as an array of homemade pastries. Paying just over $3 for a cone, you can’t go wrong with this local gem.
Surfside Shakes
111 S. 3rd St., Flagler Beach; 386-693-5143, surfsideshakes.com
All I have to say is Dole Whip, Dole Whip and more Dole Whip. This Flagler Beach ice cream shop offers an abundance of mouth-watering options, from its soft-serve and hard-scoop ice cream to its completely crave-able shakes.
The nautical, beach-themed eatery’s enticing menu ranges from the Mermaid Kisses shake, a blend of cotton candy flavored goodness, vanilla soft-serve and cotton candy crunch, to the Flagler Luau, a medley of soft serve ice cream, pineapple, banana and toasted coconut flakes. However, the showstopper and must-have of the summer, for me, was the Dole Whip.
If you aren’t familiar with the iconic frozen delight, it’s essentially heaven in a cup – but I’ll get a bit more specific. Dole Whip is traditionally a dairy-free, whipped pineapple dessert with summer vacation and relaxation written all over it. The refreshing, tropical treat has been a fan-favorite for years at Disney theme parks – where it was exclusively sold for decades before becoming available in stores this year.
Surfside Shakes offers Dole Whip in shake form ($8), blending the tangy treat with vanilla soft serve, and in a cup ($6.50), served either on its own or swirled with soft serve. If you’re looking for a refreshing treat of frozen, fruity goodness to combat Florida’s record-breaking heat, then look no further.
Poncho’s Tacos and Mexican Ice Cream
201 Seabreeze Blvd., Daytona Beach; 386-451-0300, ponchostacosandicecream.com
While on the hunt for the best ice cream in the area, I stumbled upon a sweet and savory selection of Daytona’s finest frozen treats. Poncho’s Tacos and Mexican Ice Cream is best known for its selections of classic Mexican cuisine and street food – but let’s not overlook its ice cream.
Offering homemade, authentic Mexican desserts, the quaint and colorful restaurant’s menu selections range from Mexican popsicles and dairy-free ice popsicles to Mexican ice cream, with an assortment of fresh flavors, including guava, pina colada, Key lime pie, mango and raspberry and cheese. However, the Mangonada is what really stole the show for me.
At first, I wasn’t entirely sure what it was, but based on the photos, I knew I had to try it – and now you’ll want to as well. This traditional Mexican dessert is frozen, yes, but not quite ice cream. The classic dish is a summer staple – especially in these temperatures – fusing bold flavors and tropical sweets for the perfect mid-day cool down.
Typically, the Mangonada is a uniquely, sweet and savory combination of frozen mango chunks, with a sorbet-like consistency, chili powder and Mexican chamoy – a popular sauce blend, usually consisting of a dried fruit, a citrus juice, dried chile peppers, hibiscus flowers, salt, sugar and tajin. The cold treat was garnished with a tamarind straw, a slightly-sticky, Mexican candy often made from sugar and the fruit of tamarind trees, rolled in chili powder.
A mingling of salty, spicy, sweet and sour flavors, this unique dessert is a new frozen favorite of mine.
Curly Cream Rolled Icecream
2553 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach; 386-238-9653, Facebook.com/curlycreamrolls
In the age of Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok, where picture-perfect dining is half of an eatery’s appeal, Curly Cream Rolled Icecream is bringing its A-game to Daytona Beach.
The family-owned ice cream parlor is best known for its aesthetically-pleasing, decadent frozen desserts. Not only is every order customizable by your choice of ice cream flavor, mix-in and three toppings, but the creamy treat is prepared from scratch right in front of you – it’s an experience to say the least. After selecting a flavor, ranging from chocolate and vanilla to butter pecan and mint, the liquid ice cream base is poured onto a frozen pan, in which the maker then spreads, smooths, chops and rolls the frozen treat into small logs to be placed in a cup.
The vibrant, purple-and-yellow-decorated ice cream shop offers an assortment of mix-ins, including cheesecake, cookie dough, brownies and red velvet, as well as a variety of toppings and sauces, ranging from Oreo crumbs, graham crackers, Fruity Pebbles and coconut flakes to strawberry, chocolate and caramel sauces.
With too many delicious custom combos to resist, I had to try at least two recommended desserts. I first ordered a chocolate base, mixed with cookie dough and topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberries and a hazelnut straw. If you’re a chocolate or cookies lover in the slightest, thank me later. Next, I ordered a vanilla base, mixed with cheesecake and topped with graham cracker crumbs, Nutella and strawberry sauce, and let me just say – this is the cure to your next bad day. Thick, yet creamy, and rich in flavor, this was quality ice cream at its finest.
Although each cup of regular or vegan ice cream is about $10, it’s practically a meal and, at the very least, a picture-worthy masterpiece.
Mary Jane’s Ice Cream Parlor
2035 Anastasia Dr., South Daytona; 386-492-6378, Facebook.com/Maryjanesicecreamparlor
After seeing this local favorite flood my recommendations online, I knew I had to give it a try. Mary Jane’s, a South Daytona hidden gem, is a veteran-owned ice cream parlor, known for its homemade ice cream selections and absolutely irresistible milkshakes – and no, that’s not an exaggeration.
With unique, tempting and hilarious flavors, like "Exhausted Parent," "Fat Elvis" and Mocha Fudge Brownie, there’s something to satisfy just about anyone’s sweet tooth. Knowing just what I came in for, I ordered a milkshake made from the parlor's creamy peach ice cream and, before I could even think twice, blurted out “this is the best milkshake I’ve ever had.” And I have no choice but to fully stand by that statement.
Incredibly smooth, thick and creamy, Mary Jane’s nailed the consistency of a perfect milkshake – so much so that I dropped by not even 24 hours later for another one. If you haven’t stopped by for a shake at Mary Jane’s, it’s time to treat yourself.
The frozen desserts didn’t stop there, however. As I placed my order, I noticed a small sign that read “half slushy, half ice cream,” and figured it was only right to give it a go. I was advised to let the layered mixture of soft vanilla ice cream and strawberry-banana slushy sit, because it’s “better a little melted,” according to the owner – and it certainly was. The combo threw me off at first but, somehow, it just works – especially in this heat.
Cherry Hill Ice Cream Café
138 Beachcomber St., Daytona Beach Shores; 386-383-6553, icecreamcherryhill.com
Last, but certainly not least, I have to mention Cherry Hill Ice Cream Café. This vintage-inspired Daytona Beach ice cream parlor originally caught my attention, not only for its eclectic décor and charming atmosphere, but due to the name itself. Cherry Hill, a town in my neck of the woods back in Jersey, was in fact the inspiration behind this local ice cream eatery, after an employee informed me that the owners had once worked in the New Jersey town, loving it so much that they decided to name their business after it.
A bite of home away from home, Cherry Hill Ice Cream Café offered an extensive menu of regular, dairy-free and “adult” ice cream flavors, ranging from a “Bride of Frankenstein” white chocolate treat to Kahlua cookie and peach bellini.
I decided on two scoops of the salted caramel – but will be back for that Kahlua cookie – in a waffle cone. Apart from the generous portion sizes of each scoop, the ice cream itself was rich and creamy, but not too soft and absolutely delicious. The ambiance only added to the tasty excursion, with classic posters, vinyl records and vintage cameras decorating the walls, while classic '60s and '70s hits filtered through the old-school eatery.
While definitely a bit pricier than I prefer my cones to be ($6, plus $1 for a waffle cone), I can’t argue with the facts – the ice cream was top-notch.
Helena Perray is the restaurant and dining writer for The Daytona Beach News-Journal. A New Jersey native and passionate storyteller, she can be contacted at hperray@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Support local journalism by subscribing
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Best ice cream in Daytona and Flagler Beach area
