The South’s Most Iconic Old-School Ice Cream Shops

The beauty of a simple pleasure is that it doesn’t require much to bring a maximum amount of joy. If you were raised in the South, you may have memories of the following simple pleasures: running through a sprinkler on a hot day, eating a juicy tomato sandwich over the sink, or taking a turn on the neighbor’s tire swing. (If you went three for three, you had a pretty great childhood.) One thing we can all agree upon is the pure delight brought about by an old-school ice cream shop. The act of going out for ice cream is a treat in and of itself, but when the staff is wearing paper hats, the waffle cones are freshly rolled, and the place has been around longer than your grandparents, you know you’re in the presence of something truly special. These are the South’s favorite old-school ice cream shops where you can enjoy a blast from the past and the sweet, sweet taste of nostalgia.

How We Picked This List

These ice cream shops were picked by the editors of Southern Living who report, research, and visit shops across the South

La King’s Confectionery and Ice Cream Parlour

Galveston, Texas

If you want a quintessential old-school sweet, look no further than La King’s from hand-pulled saltwater taffy to divinity to fudge to pecan pralines. Peruse the never-ending rows of glass display cases to stock up on treats to take home, but save your in-shop indulgence for the soda counter. There you’ll find a friendly employee (probably dressed in a white apron and bow tie) ready to whip up a shake, malt, float, sundae, or split for your enjoyment. The shop proudly serves Purity ice cream, the state’s first ice cream manufacturer founded in 1889. La King’s has been around since 1927 with no signs of slowing down—or altering their airtight operations—in sight.

lakingsconfectionery.com; 2323 Strand Street, Galveston, Texas 77550; 409-762-6100

Trowbridge’s

Florence, Alabama

Alabama’s oldest ice cream shop dates to 1918 when Texas dairy farmer Paul Trowbridge fell in love with the tiny community of Florence, Alabama on his way to a dairy convention in North Carolina. What else was a dairy farmer to do but move his family and open an ice cream shop? Today, Trowbridge’s Creamery is owned by Paul’s grandson, Don Trowbridge, and his great granddaughter Pam. Complete with mint-green stools around a soda fountain, and old Coca-Cola signs covering the walls, Trowbridge’s has retained all its old-school charm. Stop in for a scoop of the shop’s signature flavor of orange-pineapple.

facebook.com/trowbridges; 316 N. Court St., Florence, AL 35630; 256-764-1503

Doumar’s BBQ

Norfolk, Virginia

Don’t let the name fool you, ice cream—not barbecue—is the true star of the show at Doumar’s, and it has been since Syrian-born Abe Doumar opened his first Doumar’s ice cream stand at Coney Island in 1905. Abe’s journey with ice cream began in 1904 at the World’s Fair in St. Louis. One night, he noticed that the ice cream stand ran out of paper dishes. He then noticed a waffle stand nearby. On a whim, he bought a waffle, rolled it up, then added a scoop of ice cream. He proposed that the ice cream stand and waffle stand collaborate, and Doumar’s version of the waffle cone was born. Today, you can watch waffle cones being hand-rolled on the very same four-iron waffle machine that Doumar created in 1905 for his first ice cream stand at Coney Island. At Doumar’s, the flavors are simple. Choose from vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, butter pecan, lime sherbet, or orange sherbet—the warm, buttery waffle cone is the main event here.

doumars.com; 1919 Monticello Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23517; 757-627-4163

Borroum’s Drug Store & Soda Fountain

Corinth, Mississippi

For an old-school ice cream counter experience, there’s no better place than Borroum’s, a pharmacy and soda fountain that has been around since 1865. It’s now the oldest business in Corinth, the oldest drugstore in Mississippi, and the oldest drugstore in the country still operated by the same family (it’s on its seventh generation of Borroums). Inside you’ll find classic black-and-white tile floors, red vinyl barstools, a mint green soda counter, and old portraits of the Borroum family over the years. Grab a seat at the counter and order from a menu of soda fountain favorites. There are classic banana splits, milkshakes, hot fudge sundaes, and even malts.

borroums.com; 604 E. Waldron St., Corinth, MS 38834; 662-286-3361

Angelo Brocato

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a city steeped in history and one of its most beloved ice cream shops is no different. After nearly 120 years in business, Angelo Brocato Original Italian Ice Cream Parlor is still going strong. Angelo Brocato Sr. began learning the art of ice cream at the age of 12 in an ice cream parlor in Palermo, Italy. In 1905, he brought his talents to the Big Easy, where he opened a shop of his own and introduced the city to treats like torroncino, a vanilla-based gelato with cinnamon and ground almonds, as well granita al limone or lemon ice. Over the years, the shop has been handed down to the family’s third generation owners, survived Hurricane Katrina, and persevered through several relocations. What has remained is a strong tradition of making excellent homemade gelato and offering an exceptional atmosphere.

angelobrocatoicecream.com; 214 N. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, LA 70119; 504-486-1465

Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlour & Restaurant

Dania Beach, Florida

Family owned since 1956, Jaxson’s prides itself on doing things the old-fashioned away. Every ice cream and topping is made batch by batch in house. And if that didn’t prove they were serious about quality, the spot even makes it owns soda syrups. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. or midnight, there’s a seemingly endless array of ice cream desserts to choose from. From the Chocolate Suicide Sundae to the Towering Short Cakes Sundae (two slices of pound cake topped with three scoops of strawberry ice cream and homemade strawberry topping), every creation is more indulgent than the last. If you’re feeling extra brave, take on the Original Kitchen Sink, a concoction dreamt up by founder Monroe Udell that features a pound of ice cream for every person who partakes, plus bananas, mixed nuts, cherries, and a mound of whipped cream. A sparkler on top lets everyone know it’s a party.

jaxsonsicecream.com; 128 S. Federal Highway, Dania Beach, FL 33004; 954-923-4445

Toomer’s Drugs

Auburn, Alabama

Toomer’s Drugs, Auburn University, and the Auburn Tigers football team have been entwined since the very beginning—far before the tradition of rolling the trees at Toomer’s Corner began in the 1960s. First opened as a drugstore by Sheldon Toomer, a halfback on Auburn’s very first football team, the famous gathering place has been around since 1896. Students, locals, and even fans of opposing teams have made a habit of stopping by for the spot’s famous fresh-squeezed lemonade and ice cream in a charming café where the soda fountain spirit is alive and well and the walls are lined with black-and-white photos of shop’s long history.

toomers.com; 100 N. College Street, Auburn, AL 36830; 334-887-3488

Leopold’s Ice Cream

Savannah, Georgia

Greek brothers George, Peter, and Basil Leopold immigrated to America, where they learned the art of candy and dessert making from their uncle. In 1919, they opened Leopold’s Ice Cream at the intersection of two street cars on the corner of Gwinnett and Habersham streets. Over the next century, the shop became a Savannah institution and remained a family-run business. Its current flagship location on Broughton Street in historic downtown Savannah includes several relics from the original store like the black marble soda fountain, wooden back bar, and telephone booth. The ice cream is still made using the Leopold brothers’ top-secret recipes and techniques, and several original flavors remain top sellers. For a true blast from the past, order the Tutti Frutti, rum ice cream with candied fruit and fresh roasted Georgia pecans, which has been a staple flavor since opening.

leopoldsicecream.com; 212 E. Broughton St., Savannah, GA 31401; 912-234-4442

Tony's Ice Cream Company

Gastonia, North Carolina

Tony’s sells its ice cream to stores and restaurants all over the state of North Carolina, but if you’re in the area, a visit to its location in downtown Gastonia is a must. Since 1915, the shop has been serving its 28 signature flavors of homemade ice cream—that are made in the production facility right next door. Flavors like chocolate peanut butter ripple, black walnut, almond joy, and banana pudding are longtime favorites. What began as a pushcart business is now run by third-generation family owners, who are committed to keeping up the company’s longtime standard for excellence.

tonysicecream.com; 604 East Franklin Boulevard, Gastonia, NC 28054; 704-867-7085

Ted Drewes

St. Louis, Missouri

OK, so it’s not exactly ice cream, but as the just-as-lovable cousin to the classic treat, we made a small exception for Ted Drewes’s legendary frozen custard. Ted Drewes Sr., a tennis star from St. Louis, opened his first frozen custard house in Florida in 1929. A year later, he moved the business back home to Missouri, and the rest is history. Today there are three locations in the area and four generations of Dreweses have had a part in the business. One thing you may not guess about this seasonal shop? In winter, they trade frozen treats for holiday cheer. Since 1962, the family has been selling Canadian balsam fir trees that were grown then shipped from their family tree farm in Nova Scotia.

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