Summer may soon be coming to an end, but it’s never too late to take advantage of all of the delicious ice cream shops Buffalo and Niagara Falls have to offer.

The area is home to many traditional outdoor ice cream stands that are open seasonally, and we’d encourage you to enjoy those spots before they close up for the coldest months. If you’d prefer to eat inside due to the weather, there are also several ice cream shops that can (and we would argue, should) be visited all year.

Both indoor and outdoor spots alike are highlighted in this guide to the best ice cream spots in the Buffalo and Western New York region.

North Buffalo

Lake Effect Ice Cream

Their tagline is appropriately “It’s never too cold for ice cream,” and we have to agree. Both locations in Lockport and North Buffalo offer outdoor and indoor seating for treats no matter the time of year. Lake Effect prides themselves on being an “small batch artisan ice cream company” with unique flavors only they offer. In addition to serving award-winning ice cream, they’re an active member of the community, having partnerships with places like Oishei’s Children’s Hospital and sponsorships of local sports teams including baseball, hockey and lacrosse. Even better: they’re an easy seven minute drive from our Delaware Park Apartments.

Photo from Yelp user Samantha L.

Locations: 79 Canal St. Lockport and 1900 Hertel Ave. Buffalo
Open Year-Round
Lake Effect Website

As a bonus, they even have their own mobile truck offering pop-ups opportunities to grab ice cream around town.

 

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Hanna’s Frosty Treats

Hanna’s is a staple of North Buffalo and is within close proximity to both Hertel and Kenmore Avenue. Their menu has all of the classics, such as soft and hard serve ice cream, specialty sundaes, Italian Ice and milkshakes. That’s in addition to what they call their “Screamers,” the Hanna’s version of a Dairy Queen Blizzard, which includes their own soft serve blended with mix-ins such as peanut butter cups, Reese’s Pieces, Butterfingers, Nerds, graham crackers, pretzels and much more.

Photo from Yelp user Karan L.

Location: 140 Taunton Pl Buffalo, NY 14216
Open Seasonally
Hannah’s Website

Churn Soft Serve & Coffee

Churn is a relatively new entry to Buffalo’s ice cream scene, but they’re already earned a loyal following. It’s the sister brand of Lloyd, the popular food truck-turned-restaurant on Hertel Avenue, and the shop is conveniently located right next door to Lloyd, so you can make your way over after your taco dinner.

Churn offers soft serve ice cream, as well as made-from-scratch waffle cones, a wide range of options for toppings, and additional dairy-free options. Beyond ice cream, Churn offers coffee from another popular Buffalo establishment, Tipico Coffee, and has a menu including cold brew, cappuccinos, lattes, and Americanos.

In a rush, but still looking to grab dessert before your next stop? Churn conveniently offers online ordering as well.

Photo from Yelp user Rebekah S.

Photo from Yelp user Charles S

Location: 1501 Hertel Ave. Buffalo, NY
Open Year-Round
Churn Website

Kenmore/Tonawanda

King Condrell’s Candy and Ice Cream

King Condrell’s is a vintage-inspired ice cream and candy shop that’s open all year long. They’re famous for their mammoth sundaes made with Perry’s Ice Cream and homemade toppings. They also offer an assortment of homemade confections, including caramels, sponge candy and chocolate covered potato chips.

Conveniently located on Delaware Ave. in Kenmore, King Condrell’s is just a nine minute walk from our KenDev Studios, a 15 minute walk from our Tudor Gardens Townhouses, and a seven minute drive from our Sheridan Manor Apartments, so there’s no excuse not to treat yourself to one of Buffalo’s best desserts.

Photo from Yelp user Jane B.

Location: 2805 Delaware Ave, Kenmore, NY 14217
Open Year-Round
King Condrell’s Website

Anderson’s Frozen Custard

When you’re in Western New York, you’re never too far from one of Anderson’s six locations. They’ve been family owned since 1946 and have a presence in Kenmore, North Buffalo, Williamsville, Amherst, Cheektowaga, and Depew. Their Kenmore location is just a five minute drive from our KenDev Studios and Sheridan Manor and just a seven minute walk from our Sheridan Residence in the Town of Tonawanda. The North Buffalo location is just a five minute drive from our Delaware Park Apartments and a 10 minute walk from our Tudor Gardens Townhouses.

Each location has their own unique custard flavor of the day, which is conveniently updated on their online flavor calendar. Beyond all of the essentials, they offer their popular Arctic Swirls, which combine their signature custard blended with add-ins such as M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, Oreos, cookie dough, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Heath Bars, brownies, and birthday cake flavors. And since they’re open all year, it’s never too cold to stop in for a sundae or cone. They even offer half price cones when it’s snowing (which, as we know, happens often).

Photo from Yelp user Paul L.

Photo from Yelp

Locations: 6 Locations in WNY
Open Year-Round
Anderson’s Website

Mississippi Mudds

Situated along the Niagara River, Mississippi Mudds offers a picturesque patio for indulging in ice cream. You can also take a stroll along the trail at Niawanda Park, located right across from the restaurant, while you enjoy your cone. In addition to Perry’s Ice Cream, they offer vegan soft serve as well as milkshakes, floats and a large variety of sundaes. If you’d like to round out your meal, their burgers, hot dogs and sweet potato fries are also big favorites.

And if you live at one of our Tonawanda properties, you’re in luck. Mississippi Mudds is just a four minute drive from our Riverview Manor Apartments and Gateway Park Apartments. They close for the season in the fall, so be sure to stop in and enjoy the last of this gorgeous late summer weather with a sweet treat while you still can.

Photo from Yelp user Jane B.

Location: 313 Niagara St, Tonawanda, NY 14150
Open Seasonally
Mississippi Mudds Website

Niagara Falls

De Dee’s Dairy

De Dee’s is a staple in Niagara Falls, NY. They’re well known in part for offering a huge selection of Perry’s flavors and being incredibly generous when it comes to the scoop sizes while being very reasonably priced. If you have dietary restrictions, they also offer sugar-free ice cream, dairy-free ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sherbet, so anyone can find something to enjoy.

Photo from Yelp user Alicia L.

Location: 8715 Niagara Falls Blvd Niagara Falls, NY 14304
Open Seasonally
De Dee’s Website

ILGelato Di Carlotta

Find yourself on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls and looking for an international treat? This gelateria and latteria was designed and built in Italy before being shipped over to Canada. It’s also run by master gelato makers from Florence, so you know the product is authentic and delicious.

ILGelato Di Carlotta prides itself on using old-fashioned methods, organic ingredients, and flavoring that is globally sourced. In addition to serving gelato in a dish or cone, they offer special treats made with gelato, such as gelato sandwiches, bars and cakes. As a bonus, they’re open until 1am during the week and 2am on the weekends, so you can satisfy all of your late night cravings.

Photo from Yelp user Jowel G.

Location: Inside the Fallsview Casino Resort, 6380 Fallsview Boulevard Unit 212 Fallsview Casino & Resort Mall Niagara Falls, ON L2G 7X5 Canada
Open Year-Round
ILGelato Di Carlotta Website

East Aurora

Rosie’s Handcrafted Ice Cream

Rosie’s is an adorable homemade ice cream shop located on historic Main Street in East Aurora.

All of Rosie’s flavors are made onsite at their scoop shop, with a range of freshly churned “super premium” ice cream in addition to vegan offerings and homemade waffle cones. They take pride in sourcing only the finest ingredients for their unique, meticulously crafted flavors. They’re also known for their handheld ice cream delights, including ice cream sandwiches, cones and pops.

Their bright location can be enjoyed throughout the year:

Photo from Yelp user Stan F.

Featuring the Blueberry Pie Special:

Photo from Yelp user Marissa M.

Location: 431 Main St East Aurora, NY 14052
Open Year-Round
Rosie’s Website