Columbus, Ohio, is a haven for ice cream enthusiasts, offering a diverse range of flavors and styles that cater to every taste. From classic soft serve to artisanal gelato, the city boasts a vibrant ice cream scene that's sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. Here's a curated list of the best ice cream spots in Columbus, each with its own unique charm and offerings.
Jeni's Ice Creams
Jeni's is a local favorite and a national sensation, with a reputation for trend-forward flavors and a creamy, buttery base. The eight locations throughout the greater Columbus area are iconic hotspots for afternoon pick-me-ups or after-dinner treats. Classics like Brambleberry Crisp and Gooey Butter Cake are crowd favorites, and the shop also offers pop culture collaborations, such as the Biscuits with the Boss flavor inspired by "Ted Lasso" and the "Bridgerton"-inspired flavors like Queen Charlotte Sponge Cake and Earl Grey Crème Brûlée.
Hebron Dari Bar
Located about 30 minutes from downtown, Hebron Dari Bar is a charming ice cream stand that has been an institution in the area since 1966. It's best known for its soft serve, which it serves in cones, sundaes, milkshakes, and malts. The shop also offers a variety of other treats, including slushies, and a food menu featuring Ohio favorites like cheeseburgers, fried bologna, chicken salad, and sloppy Joes. It's a great stop after a long day on Buckeye Lake, and it typically opens in late February or early March and closes in the fall.
Johnson's Real Ice Cream
Johnson's is a multi-generational ice cream mainstay that opened in the historic suburb of Bexley in 1950. The shop sources everything locally, with most ingredients coming from within a 300-mile radius, ensuring fresh and premium scoops. The flavors inspired by the state, such as Columbus Crunch and Buckeye Fever, are crowd favorites, and the shop carries about 50 to 60 flavors at any given time, including sorbet and dairy-free and sugar-free options. Johnson's also offers catering options, making it a popular choice for weddings and events.
Whit's Frozen Custard
Whit's is a frozen custard shop that serves some of the best scoops in town. The plain vanilla is a crowd favorite, thanks to its extra-thick texture and smooth flavor, achieved by its higher percentage of milkfat and egg yolk. The shop offers a variety of other flavors, including chocolate and a rotating flavor of the week. Whit's also offers a range of toppings, including syrups, fruits, nuts, and candies, allowing customers to customize their custard to their liking. The shop has grown to 38 locations across the state and has a presence in nine other states.
Little Ladies Soft Serve
Little Ladies Soft Serve is a small but mighty ice cream shop that started as a food truck in 2018. The shop is all about jimmies and sundaes with pre-selected toppings, each given its own unique name. The Essie combines lemon Cornflake crunch, raspberry sauce, and whipped cream, while the Luella is s'mores-inspired with a brown butter graham cracker crumble, Nutella, and a roasted marshmallow. The shop also offers a sundae flight featuring three sundaes of the customer's choice. The Little Ladies truck is still decorated in bright sprinkles and travels around town, but it now has a permanent brick-and-mortar home in the suburb of Westerville.
Dulce Vida Ice Cream Factory
Dulce Vida is a traditional paletería that serves up Mexican-style, made-in-house ice cream alongside popsicles, crepes, and other sweet treats. The menu features around 50 options, including dairy-free and sorbet offerings, such as guava, tamarind, esquimal, tequila and almonds, and even queso. Each location is stocked with an impressive selection of Mexican street food eats, including elote (Mexican street corn) and piña loca, loaded with fruit, chamoy, Tajín, and tamarind candy. The shop is a true celebration of Mexican flavors and is a must-visit for anyone looking to try something new and unexpected.
Graeter's Ice Cream
Graeter's is a Cincinnati-based ice cream shop that has made a name for itself with its French pot technique. The shop's best flavors include Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, S'mores, Mocha Chocolate Chip, and Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip. In 2025, Graeter's partnered with another Cincinnati legend, Skyline Chili, to create a cinnamon-y Skyline Spice flavor, which earned the shop the title of Dairy Foods' Dairy Product of the Year. The shop's unique chocolate chunks are formed by pouring chocolate into spinning pots, creating hardened shards.
Gelatolicious
Gelatolicious is an Italian gelato shop that can be found inside The Pancake House Family Diner. The shop offers a variety of gelato and sorbetto flavors that are constantly rotating by season, including Italian must-tries like the Sicilian Pistachio, Tiramisu, and Zabaglione. The shop also offers affogato, which combines espresso and gelato, and recommends the Fior di Latte flavor for the best results. Gelatolicious was started by first-generation Italians who certainly know a thing or two about artisan-style gelato.
Toft's Grand Scoop
Toft's Grand Scoop is a Columbus outpost of Ohio's oldest dairy, with roots dating back to 1900. The shop offers 24 hand-dipped flavors, some of which pay homage to Toft's Ohio heritage, such as Lake Erie Cookie Island Monster and Super Duper Scoop. The Blueberry Waffle Cone is another standout, with bits of chocolate-covered waffle cone mixed right into the ice cream for an added layer of texture. The shop's charm is further enhanced by Tilly, the cool, sunglass-wearing cow whose face is stamped on the wall.
The Dairy Hut
The Dairy Hut is a two-in-one ice cream and grub joint located in the city of Pataskala. The shop is known for its outstanding number of soft-serve flavors, which range from bright, fruity picks to indulgent options. The shop also offers milkshakes, fully loaded sundaes, Blitzers blended with candy or cookies, and even ice cream nachos served over a bed of waffle cone chips. On the savory side, the shop serves Coneys, complete with a secret-recipe Coney sauce, and other solid options, including bratwurst and pub burgers.
Mardi Gras Ice Cream
Mardi Gras Ice Cream is a parlor that features one of the most diverse ice cream lineups in Columbus. The flavors are divided into three distinct categories: classic, premium, and signature. The classic tier offers familiar and simple recipes, while the premium category cranks it up a notch with flavors like NY Cheesecake, Green Tea, and Roasted Banana. The signature level features Indian-inspired flavors, including Chikoo, Paan, and Kesar Pista, which blends saffron, cardamom, almond, and pistachio. The shop is a true celebration of global flavors and offers milkshakes, sundae creations, and made-to-order ice cream cakes.
